Doctrines in the Church-School
By LENORE E. HOWE.
For several years I have been strongly impressed with the urgent necessity of our children and youth being thoroughly instructed in the points of faith which we hold as a people. This instruction, if given at all, must be largely given by the church-school teacher. We are told that had the parents done their duty, the church-school would not be necessary. It becomes obvious, then, that the teacher is to do that which some parents, at least, have failed to do. Some time ago an article appeared in The Signs of the Times from which I will quote a few extracts:— “A friend said to me, ‘I was very much surprised and grieved the other day when chatting with a young girl whose father and mother have for years believed in the distinctive Bible truths for this time. When the conversation turned upon religion, I asked her if she could give the Bible reasons for the peculiar faith we hold as a people. I was surprised and saddened by the careless reply, “O, I don’t know anything at all about it! I only know that pa and ma believe it, that’s all.”’” How many of our children and youth are in the same condition, the school-teachers of the denomination have the best opportunity of knowing, and still some of them discourage the idea of teaching doctrinal subjects to these children, and maintain that the Sabbath question, the second coming of Christ, the state of the dead, and similar subjects should be reserved for those who have reached the higher grades. That these subjects can be at least partially grasped and comprehended by the little ones is demonstrated by the following, also from the Signs: “I know a little girl who at the time of which I am speaking was not more than six or seven years old. But her parents had so faithfully trained her in Bible truths, that she was, even at this tender age, perfectly able to give chapter and verse for the reasons of her faith. One day a lady friend called at the house while her mother was out. In the course of the conversation with the young hostess, the lady mentioned the Sabbath-school. ‘You ought to keep the Sabbath, Mrs. Blank; don’t you think so?’ questioned the little missionary. ‘Perhaps I ought, but I suppose you keep it because papa and mama do.’ “‘No, Mrs. Blank, I’ll show you why I keep the seventh day. I do it because God commands me to.’” Then, much to the astonishment of the visitor, the little one produced her Bible, and without hesitation turned to the commandments and read the Word of God to her guest. Then turning to the New Testament, she read Matt. 28:1 and Luke 23:56. Then she said, “Now, don’t you think you ought to obey God, Mrs. Blank?” Many children, for various reasons, can not continue in school until they reach the higher grades, where the distinctive truths for this time are taught. Shall we send them out with nothing to hold them to the truth so dear to us? Clearly the time to teach our children the truths that make us a denomination is while we have them under our influence and care. Truths instilled into the minds of the young become a very part of their being. They are never forgotten, and they exert a holding power that they sometimes fail to do when taught to those of more mature minds. I have in mind a number of little children who at an early age, in the church-school, committed to memory many of the texts on the second coming of Christ, the nature of man, etc. A number of years have elapsed, but those texts are fresher in their minds to-day than many which have been learned in later years. LENORE E. HOWE.