Report of the Sabbath-School Department
By G. B. Thompson
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Report of the Sabbath-School Department
The Last Quadrennial Period
In the time set apart for this report I can do but little more than refer to the progress of the Sabbath-school work since the last General Conference, and make a few suggestions for the future. The last quadrennial period has been one of much blessing. I think it is true that the progress in all lines has been the greatest and most encouraging in the history of the work of the department. During the past four years correspondence has been carried forward by the corresponding secretary with secretaries and workers in all parts of the world, and reports have been received from every land where the message has taken root, and, without exception, the word that has come to us has told of progress and cooperation in the work, and breathed a spirit of courage for the future. The outlook was never brighter. We should like here to express to all conference workers, secretaries, and local Sabbath-school officers in all parts of the globe, our appreciation of their loyal support, most hearty cooperation, and helpful suggestions, without which no progress could have been made. At the close of 1908 we had 3,747 Sabbath-schools. Of this number 1,269 were in foreign fields, and 2,478 in the home field. At the close of 1912 there were 4,457 schools. Of this number 1,843 were in foreign lands, and 2,614 in the home field. There has been an increase of 574 Sabbath-schools in foreign fields, and 136 in the home field, since the last Conference. In 1908 we had a total membership of 88,843, of which 22,011 were in the foreign field. During the quadrennial period there has been an increase in membership of 25,170, of which 23,678 have been in foreign lands, and 1,492 in the home field. Our membership in foreign fields has more than doubled in the past four years. Of the total membership of our schools, 5,786 are members of the Home Department. This department has increased in membership 1,286 during the quadrennial period. By means of this department, the Sabbath-school is brought into the homes of the isolated, aged, and infirm, so that all can be members of the Sabbath-school. Quite liberal donations come from this source for the support of our work in mission fields. The department committee has worked hard during the past four years to provide suitable and helpful lessons for all divisions. The best lesson writers possible have been secured, and changes calculated to improve the lessons have been made. We have been encouraged by the favorable and commendatory letters received from all parts of the world as to benefit received from their study. The Lesson Quarterly, printed by the Pacific Press at the present time, has a circulation of fifty-three thousand five hundred copies. These lessons are translated into most of the leading languages of Europe, and published by the Hamburg House. In some of the languages many thousands of copies are printed. Lessons are now furnished to China, Korea, and Japan for translation into the language of571these countries. The work has increased in some of the Spanish-speaking countries to that extent that calls are now being made for the lessons to be published in pamphlet form in all divisions. During the quadrennial period the lessons have covered a study of the life of Christ, the book of Acts, some doctrinal topics on the message, and some practical subjects, and have been uniform in all divisions during most of the period. God alone can measure the infinite value to a hundred thousand people of an earnest, prayerful study of lessons on such subjects. We sometimes greatly fear that the lessons are not studied as they should be. During the past period special efforts have been put forth to make our Sabbath-schools strong agencies in the salvation of souls, and to have each teacher feel the responsibility of bringing all his class to Christ. These efforts have met with a most hearty and encouraging response from all parts of the field. During the past years the quarterly report blank has asked for the record of Sabbath-school pupils converted. The total number reported for the year is 3,542, most of whom have been baptized. We realize the difficulty of obtaining accurate statistics upon this point, as other departments of the work, closely associated with the Sabbath-school, have no doubt contributed to this encouraging result. But Sabbath-school teachers are making earnest efforts to bring their pupils to a decision in the matter of serving the Lord. Consecration services are held in many schools, and these result in many of the youth and children giving their hearts to the Lord. The “Sabbath School Worker”
The only periodical published by the department is the Sabbath School Worker. Much of the success of the work in various lines is due to the influence of this excellent paper. Since the last General Conference it has been enlarged from 16 to 20 pages, and the subscription list has increased from 6,906 to 9,705, or an increase of more than 40 per cent. This is quite encouraging, when we remember that it is intended to cover only a special field. We feel that this journal is indispensable to the success of the Sabbath-school work, and that it will be an even more potent factor in the work in the future. We would not forget to mention also the valuable help of the Little Friend and Youth’s Instructor, which contain lessons and other excellent matter each week for our schools. As a help to teachers, and to assist the children to learn the memory verses, and thus fix some precious words of Scripture in their minds, the department has encouraged the use of Memory Verse Cards, where the scripture is associated with a picture. Four years ago only one thousand sets of these cards were used each quarter. It now takes ten thousand sets to supply the demand. While we believe that the primary object of the Sabbath-school is to save souls, yet we feel sure that studying the mission fields, where unwarned millions still sit shackled in pagan darkness, and making offerings to carry the message to these lost millions, is a most blessed inspiration to all our Sabbath-schools. We cannot serve God and mammon, but we can serve God with mammon. Sabbath-schools, like armies, grow by conquest. The Sabbath-school is working out a program outlined by the Lord of the harvest. As our consecration deepens, our service to man will correspondingly increase. Our Sabbath-schools have now reached the place where they are depended upon to raise a large percentage of the funds required to carry the message to the world. Since 1887, when the first deposit for missions was made by our Sabbath-schools in the bank of heaven, they have donated $1,313,580.78 for this purpose. The constant annual increase in offerings to missions has been very gratifying indeed. Four years ago there were only 10 conferences in the home land giving all to missions; now there are 71. The plan of having our schools give all their regular offerings to missions has been practically accomplished. During the previous quadrennial period, from 1905-08, our Sabbath-schools gave $273,141.36 to missions. During the past four years, from 1909-12, they gave $632,778.30, an increase of $359,636.94 over the previous period. During the past four years our Sabbath-schools have given $3,521.68 more to missions than was given in the previous eighteen years, from 1891-08. Surely this is gratifying progress. The record of offerings for 1912 is especially encouraging. During the year $228,029.24 was given to missions. This is an increase of $71,540.87 over 1911. This increase alone is nearly as much as the total offering in 1907. Four years ago the Sabbath-schools were giving less than two thousand dollars a week for missions. Now they are giving almost five thousand dollars a week. Four years ago our goal was “One Hundred Thousand Dollars to Missions in a Year.” Now it is “One Million Dollars to Missions in Four Years.” It seems each year that we have about reached the limit of gifts to missions from our schools, but evidently we have not, and the future will no doubt show even larger offerings annually from this source for the advancement of the message. The Thirteenth Sabbath Offering
During the past year the plan has been adopted of setting apart for a special offering the thirteenth Sabbath in each quarter for a specific purpose. The General Conference Committee has designated some needy and worthy object each quarter. This plan has met with general approval from the field, and has proved very helpful to our mission work. The offerings on the thirteenth Sabbath of the four quarters of 1912 are as follows:— Cities of India, $7,674.33; Selukwe Reserve, Africa, $12,680.64; mission homes in China, $12,379.82; schools in South America, $10,854.42; or a total on these four Sabbaths of $43,589.21. The plan has worked very successfully in Australia for some years, and we recommend that it be adopted in other parts of the world,—some especially needy mission enterprise being set apart by the proper committee, to which the schools in that field can contribute. In conclusion we thank God for the blessed Sabbath-school work, and the great blessing and help it is to us as a people. While there are perplexities and some problems to be solved, we are of good courage, believing that God, who has helped us hitherto, will help us in the future. The Sabbath-school is the child of the church, and as such needs the love and fostering care of all the people. We most earnestly ask for this, and for the prayers of all God’s people that this work may prove to be all that the Lord designed that it should be. G. B. THOMPSON, Secretary.