Church-School Discipline
By DAN E. HUFFMAN
It is not for lack of room in the public schools that we need our church-schools. When we take our children out of the public school and establish a church-school, we virtually say to the world, “We can conduct a better school than the public-school system provides for us.” If we do not maintain a better school, we have failed in our undertaking, and given the lie to our profession. The recognized elements of any good school are:—- Purity of moral influence.
- Harmony of operation in all its departments.
- Practicability, adaptability, and completeness of the course of study.
- Thoroughness in work.
Men of strong mental powers and deep research have made the public-school system a life study. In every department and every branch specialists have devoted their best thought to the interests of all the departments. Shall we hope to outstrip all former efforts, and teach the same things in a better way? or shall we begin on a new foundation, and build a system of our own? Shall our church-school be a reform public school or a new creation? For my part I see no light in a reform of the old system: we are not working toward the same end. The public schools are established for the training of citizens for the government of the United States; our schools for the government of God. As the heavens are higher than the earth, by so much should our purpose be higher than the world's purpose; and so must needs be our methods and our standard above those of their school system. A better and different course of study, and better and different methods of instruction, are indispensable to our purpose. And above all, we must not neglect the first essential element of every good school,—purity of moral influence. I am sorry to see that so many of our schools seem content to place the standard of morals where the public schools have placed it. I believe this is due largely to false conception of proper discipline. Rather than apply the degree of severity necessary to maintain the authority of the teacher, and suppress and prevent corruption, the teacher has often sacrificed principle to the extent, in many cases, of even allowing pupils to dispute her word, defy her authority, and to tell her falsehoods. The teacher has thought it her religious duty to remain quiet, and take the abuse and defiance the pupil may be bold enough to offer, rather than use such force as may be necessary to subdue the rebellious heart. And this is called “ruling by love,” when, in fact, the reins of government have been surrendered. Other pupils who have learned obedience at home, are not slow to observe, and soon the evil leaven has permeated the whole school. The seeds are sown in many little hearts, and Satan gains victories that he never could have gained on this point in a well-conducted public school. Every one knows that perfect discipline is not maintained in every home, even among Seventh-day Adventists. The evil dispositions and bad traits of character which children form at home they carry with them to school. One pupil may sow evil seed secretly, and before the teacher is aware of the fact, the harvest begins to appear in a large per cent of her pupils. Many church-school teachers have felt a need of authority in matters of discipline; and have labored under the impression that teachers in the public schools are clothed with authority which they do not have. They have felt handicapped because certain individuals have assumed to forbid punishment. Public-school teachers have abundant authority. The law of the government for which they are teaching stands between them and every hindrance of proper discipline; but, is the State law above the authority of God? Surely no teacher holds credentials of higher authority than the following: “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers.” 1 Cor. 12:28. All the authority of heaven is back of the teacher in every right act. Apostles and prophets do not get their authority from individual members; they do not sacrifice principle to please individuals; neither should teachers. Our pupils naturally are not much different from other children. As teachers, we have the same problems to deal with as public-school teachers have—the same evil tendencies to restrain. If we are to have a higher standard of moral influence than they, we must have better discipline. Better discipline is not less firm. Except our restraint of evil be more effectual than theirs, our standard will be no higher, our morals no better. Dear fellow teacher, dare we allow evil, corrupting influences to multiply in our schools, thus lowering our standard of purity and order, because some individual patrons “don’t believe in using force”? The following quotation from an unpublished Testimony explains itself: “If, as teachers in the home, the father and mother allow children to take the lines of control into their own hands, they are held responsible for what the children might otherwise have been. From babyhood, the child should be taught that the mother is master. Never should the mother allow Satan to arouse or strengthen the disagreeable passions of her child. She should not use the rod if it be possible to avoid doing so. But if milder measures prove insufficient, punishment which will bring the child to its senses, should, in love, be administered. Frequently one correction will be enough for a lifetime to show a child that he does not hold the lines of control.
“This question of discipline should be understood in the school as well as in the home. We should hope that in the schoolroom, there would never be occasion to use the rod. But if, in a school, there are those who stubbornly resist all counsel and entreaty, all prayer and burden of soul in their behalf, then it is necessary to make them understand that they must obey. “Some teachers do not think it is best to urge or enforce obedience. They say that it is their duty merely to educate. But what does the education of children amount to if, when they disregard the principles placed before them, the teacher does not feel that he has a right to exercise authority?”—Talk to church-school teachers, Sept. 8, 1901, by Mrs. E. G. White. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” “Not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” Eph. 6:10, 6. DAN E. HUFFMAN.
Thayer, Kan.