p. 20 | Worth Considering by M. Bessie De Graw

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 24, 1903

Worth Considering

By M. Bessie De Graw

A SISTER writing from the State of Massachusetts says, “I have been deeply interested in an article on church schools, which appeared in a recent number of The Advocate.ˮ She then asks this pertinent question: “Would it not be well to impress upon our ministers and Bible workers the importance of placing The Advocate in every family in our churches?” She then adds, “When they do this, I think we shall see church schools started all over the country. With us The Advocate is taken for the Sabbath-school teachers only. The rest of our church-members feel that it is not a paper for them. I remember that at one time a minister came to our home village, and held a meeting with the Sabbath-school workers. He told them that if they could not afford to pay for The Advocate, he would arrange for them to receive it. I think all subscribed for it. Before that they did not sense the importance of having the journal. All they needed was to have the subject presented to them.”

“I know of mothers who have been praying for years that their children might have Christian training other than that which they get in their home. In many homes the father is not a Christian, and his influence does much to counteract the teaching of the mother. O, how much such children need to be in a Christian school! I have watched the effect of the schools of the world upon children. They soon lose their interest in the Sabbath-school, and drift out of the truth entirely. I have often said that if those children could have the influence of a Christian school, their future lives would be entirely different. There are many of our people who have no children, but who have means, while there are others who have large families to support, and little with which to meet their expenses. If those who have means could only have their attention called to the needs of the children of these other families, I am sure they would help them. This subject must be given prominence. Those mothers’ prayers must be answered, and the children must be saved.”

Such letters appeal strongly to me.

Others have thought these same thoughts although they may not have put them on paper.

When will every child have Christian school privileges? Until all the children are in training for Christ, how can the world be warned? Until the gospel is preached to every kindred, Christ can not come. Then so long as we delay to provide schools for our children, just so long are we postponing the coming of the Saviour.

M. BESSIE DE GRAW.