p. 24 | A Word with Our Young People by NED S. ASHTON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 9, 1907

A Word with Our Young People

By NED S. ASHTON

It has been said: “Wherever in history we mark a great movement of humanity, we commonly detect a young man at its head or at its heart.” And some one else has written: “Youth is one of the talents that heaven has bestowed on all of us, and to us who have it still to enjoy and improve, comes the question, What are you doing with it? Are you wrapping it in a napkin of worldly ambition, only to bury it where neither God nor humanity can receive its increase? The great Judge will surely ask, What didst thou do with those precious years?”

The thoughts here expressed may well come to every young man or woman with startling force; but to those of us who know this precious message, and where we are in the stream of time, it should come with a power that will send us to our knees and wring from our lips the sincere question, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” and to us is given the blessed assurance that the loving Master will not send one earnest inquirer away with that question unanswered.

There has never been a time in the history of our world when any body of young people has been called to a grander work than confronts the young people of this denomination to-day; and never can a time come when we shall need to be filled with more earnest, yes, eager activity than in this time when God himself has said, “There shall be delay no longer.” Come, haste, young people, we can not afford to be left out!

What sweeter message could our King send than this he has sent to us, that a large part of the burden of this closing work will fall upon our youth? And yet sometimes it would almost seem as if even these words from Heaven had fallen upon ears deadened by the music of this world. The King sends word that he needs you, and what reply have you made?

In the work of the third angel's message to-day there are offered to our young people opportunities before which the world's brightest inducements sink into utter nothingness,—the opportunity of having as memorials of their work souls to praise our Heavenly Father all through eternity; and as a reward, when the labor is ended, to hear those sweetest words that can ever fall on mortal ears, “Well done; thou good and faithful servant; . . . enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

But you say, I must have a preparation. Yes, indeed; the best it is possible to get. And God, knowing this, and knowing, too, that which we have sometimes failed to realize, that the world with all its boasted wisdom can not give the needed preparation, has had schools established right among us whose sole object is to furnish to our youth that fitting up for the Master's work which is necessary,—not only a making ready of the head, but also of the hand and of the heart,—preparing us truly “not to be ministered unto, but to minister.”

Let no one say the way is hedged up to him. Satan with all his forces can not, and God will not, prevent you from obtaining the true education the Lord wants you to have; and it will be worth to you far more than it can possibly cost you to secure it.

The Lord by his Spirit led his servant to donate “Christ's Object Lessons” to our schools; and the same Spirit is leading numbers of our brethren and sisters to pay for copies of this book, and turn them over to the schools, that young people who desire an education may sell the same and have the proceeds for that purpose. The Signs of the Times is offering its scholarship. Some energetic young people are taking advantage of these things. Are you? if not, why not? What excuse will you offer the King?

NED S. ASHTON.