The Sabbath School by William Clarence White

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Apr 22, 1880

The Sabbath School.

By William Clarence White

QUARTERLY CONVENTION OF THE CALIFORNIA S. S. ASSOCIATION.

At the quarterly meeting of the Sabbath-school Association held in Oakland, April 7, 1880, the wants of the Sabbath-school, in California were carefully considered, and steps were taken to advance the interests thereof. To accomplish this it was deemed necessary, as the first step, to bring about a greater uniformity of study. The benefits to be derived from such a course were thoroughly discussed, and the objections carefully considered and answered.

It seemed to be the general opinion that it would greatly advance the interests of our schools to adopt a uniform course of lessons, so that when two or three schools unite at time of district quarterly meetings, they can join in the recitation of the same lesson.

Brethren Israel, Rice, and White, were appointed a committee to select a course of study, and recommend it to all the Sabbath-schools in the State. This they have done by sending to the officers of each school a circular letter, too lengthy for us to copy in full. We insert a few paragraphs which teachers and parents should consider.

CLASSIFICATION.

It is very important that the scholars be properly classified. To illustrate: You would not classify a man of matured intellect along with a little child just learning his letters; neither should a scholar be placed in a class where the lessons are too difficult for him to comprehend, nor where the lessons would seem perfectly simple to him. But rather let him be classified where the lessons will be within his comprehension and yet require sufficient study on his part to learn them. Also take into consideration what will be for the best interests of the individual to study—Bible history or prophecy? Where shall they commence? Do not place them in advance of what they really need to know in order to thoroughly understand what follows. This work of classification devolves upon the officers of the school. The scholars must not be left to choose their own classes.

You may not be able to determine at once just where each individual belongs, but to the watchful officers and teachers, time will soon develop the case. In most of our schools there are four divisions,—viz, infant, children's, youth's, and adult or senior division. For each of these divisions there is a series of lessons exactly suited to their capability and wants, (if properly classified), and for the infant and senior classes both the first and second years course of lessons are in print, so there is before each Superintendent six sets of lessons from which to choose in classifying new scholars.

If all classes adopting these lessons will begin at once and study each week the lesson designed for that date, they will be prepared to unite at the time of district quarterly meetings, and camp-meeting in one grand division, all prepared with the same lesson, and it—the regular lesson designed for that Sabbath. All who begin the study of these lessons would be much benefited by reading carefully the back lessons for eight or ten weeks.

The chief objection that has been offered to adapting the current lessons in the Youth's Instructor is the occasional delay in the mails, so that the paper is not received till the Sabbath past on which it should be distributed. This can thus be remedied by using the lesson one week later, thus giving another week for the paper to arrive.

Before leaving for their homes many of the Teachers and Officers provided themselves with the Text-Books recommended in the SIGNS, and all seemed determined to put forth renewed efforts to become efficient workers in the Sabbath-school cause. We hope that this spirit will communicate itself to the officers and teachers of all our schools, and that a special effort will be made from henceforth to bring our schools up to a higher standard of excellency. W. C. WHITE.