EDITH M. GRAHAM by Edith M. Graham

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 15, 1915

EDITH M. GRAHAM

By Edith M. Graham

Growing Up in the Message — No. 2

EDITH M. GRAHAM

In order to train children to take an interest in working for the Lord, they should be given some definite object for which to work, something that their minds can grasp, and something that can be accomplished in a reasonable length of time. It may be the support of some missionary, for which a number of youth and children may club together. This is particularly helpful when the missionary will write from time to time a letter to his supporters, which can be duplicated in the conference office, and sent to the societies and isolated children.

It may be some appliance, some machine, some building, or some other aid to the mission work; or it may be some definite sum of money, which, put with like definite sums, will accomplish some purpose. Children can grasp these things, and by them they are helped to realize that their efforts really are accomplishing something in the work of the Lord.

The methods by which the children earn their money should be in the line of their natural tastes and abilities, to a reasonable extent. Some children have a love for gardening, others enjoy the care of animals, others like to work with tools. Some girls have a taste for sewing, others prefer other kinds of work. The wise mother will turn these tastes and preferences to account in work for the Lord. Where children show no preference, the mother may let them try something she thinks they can do; if that does not succeed after a reasonable time, she should suggest something else.

In order to keep children interested in their work, it is necessary for the parents, and especially the mother, to take a genuine interest in it, and help the children to make a success of what they attempt. This does not mean to do the work for them, but to teach them how to do it well, and to show them ways of improving their methods. It means to listen attentively and sympathetically to what the children have to say about their work, to rejoice with them as their store of money grows, and to tell them missionary stories and experiences that will give them new inspiration.

It must also be remembered that children should not work long at any one thing, because they soon become tired. The length of time will naturally vary according to their age. It is therefore well for the mother to see that in their first enthusiasm the children do not work so long that they become exhausted, and so lose their love for the work.

Children may be taught to work for the Lord from very early years. I have known some enthusiastic little missionaries of three and four years, whose money would come in regularly quarter after quarter.

As they grow older, children may be taught to circulate literature in various ways; they usually enjoy this, especially if the mother will do it, too. Often they can reach those who would not take reading matter from the grown folks. I remember one little boy of six years who for months regularly delivered a copy of the Signs every week to a woman who was quite bitter against the truth. She would tell him each week not to bring it again, but he would take it the next week, and she never had the heart to refuse to take it from him.

The busy mothers may think of the amount of time it will take to train their children in this way. It will take some time, but, when carefully planned, not so much as might seem likely at first. In any case, it will be far better to spend time now in training the children in the message than to spend it later in mourning because their unguided feet have wandered into the world. In these days of perils and temptations on every side, the children cannot be saved without special effort and labor on the part of their parents.

Takoma Park, D. C.