p. 24 | Saved by Families

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 22, 1915

Saved by Families

When God called Israel out of Egypt, the call embraced every member of the Israelitish family, rich and poor, young and old. It included the little children as well as the gray-haired fathers and mothers. This was made very clear by Moses. When Pharaoh inquired, in response to the oft-repeated demand of Moses that Israel be allowed to leave Egypt, “Who are they that shall go?” the man of God answered, “We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord.”

The call of God out of literal Egypt included the children as well as the adults. The call of God to his people out of spiritual Egypt today includes every member of the family. Let us not forget this. Let us not make provision for the escape of the fathers and mothers from the City of Destruction while the youth and children are left to perish. We have never meant to do this, but sometimes in our shortsightedness we have failed to put forth the same earnest effort for the younger members of the flock that we have made for those who are older in years, when in reality they have needed more tender care. We do not believe that there ever was a time in the history of our church work when serious thought was not given by our ministers and church officers to the salvation of the youth, but there have been times in the past when in endeavoring to accomplish their salvation we worked without chart or compass, without plans or definite aims.

It is cause for great rejoicing that the work in behalf of our young people has been placed on an organized basis. God has wonderfully blessed the work of the Missionary Volunteer Department as its earnest and devoted leaders have endeavored to plan for the salvation of the youth and children among us, and have sought to rally our brethren and sisters throughout the field to definite, concerted action. In consequence of this organized effort there are hundreds of young men and women in our ranks today who otherwise would have been left to drift. As the direct fruit of that effort and of the splendid work done by our Sabbath schools, we have a noble army of men and women connected with this movement who are filling positions of responsibility. Go where you will in our conferences and institutions, the young are in evidence. Many comparatively young men are occupying positions of responsibility, and some of them are conference presidents. This is the fruit we are reaping today from the little that has been attempted. But there are still connected with all our churches unworked fields. There are many of our youth who have not been converted. Their interest needs to be enlisted, and the call of the Master to a definite life work needs to be sounded in their ears.

Sad indeed is the indifference which we occasionally see among some of our people regarding this work, and sometimes we even find church officers who feel jealous lest the work for the young people will be carried too far, and they be brought into too great prominence in our church work. These good brethren we believe need to permit their sympathies and their interest in behalf of our youth to be reawakened. God would not have us indifferent to the youth and children. He would have us as older members of the Lord’s family enter into their lives as far as possible, share their hopes and their aspirations, plan with them, and assist them in shaping and molding their future destiny. No other work is so fruitful in blessed results as that of helping young men and women.

If we as parents can take our children with us into the kingdom of God, it will surely enhance the joys of eternity. Our spiritual enjoyment will be heightened by the knowledge that our loved ones are there with us, and have entered into the joy of the Lord. Let us seek to accomplish this result. Let us as church officers seek by every means in our power to enlist in the work of God the interest of the younger members of the Lord’s family. They may be our own sons and daughters, yet they are our younger brethren and sisters in Christ. Let us say with Moses, “We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters.”