p. 1224 | Educational Days by W. E. H.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 18, 1913

Educational Days

By W. E. H.

The devotion of a day to the presentation of some special feature of our work is becoming an effective means of riveting the attention of the people in our churches upon what is being done in that line, and why, and what more needs to be done. The people desire to know, and have a right to know, what is being done. The leaders in a given work cannot achieve the highest success without keeping the people in an intelligent and sympathetic state of mind. The gospel is essentially democratic in principle, and its advancement calls for the best efforts of all the people all the time.

In Southern California

Two educational days were observed in November, one in all the churches of southern California, and one in the church at South Lancaster, Mass., both chiefly in the interests of church-school work.

In California, the program and all the material used in it were manifolded and sent to all the churches. One feature was a paper by Prof. H. G. Lucas on “Secondary Education.” He said: “When the young man or woman has finished church-school work at home, the round of education is not complete. Parents should plan, even at a sacrifice, to continue the education in a higher school, of not only one child, but of all the children, for we do not know which one the Lord will choose for a place in his work. He is almost sure to choose one whom we should not select, as in the case of David.”

Another feature was a paper on “Our Church-Schools,” by Supt. I. C. Colcord. Among several good things, he said: “God first established an ideal school where the ‘garden of Eden’ was the schoolroom, nature was the lesson book, and the Creator himself was the instructor, and the parents of the human family were the students.” While that was then and not now, God has it in mind, as indicated through his Spirit, for this people to have schools where the Bible is the chief text-book, and where the children are to be instructed in the special truths for this time. How essential it is, then, to start right. As Mr. Roosevelt has said, ‘If you expect to do anything for the average man, you must do it before he is a man.’ Froebel says, ‘At three the boy’s religious nature should be so far developed that he can compose himself at prayers.’ Some effects of the worldly system of education upon the Christian child are:—

“1. Seeds of doubt and unbelief are sown in the heart.

“2. Sin loses its exceeding sinfulness.

“3. Lessons of disobedience are learned.

“4. Respect for the Word of God is lost.

“5. Spiritual powers are dwarfed.

“6. Ambition is aroused to engage in worldly pursuits.

“7. It unfits the student to receive the message for this time.

“8. Ultimately it will result in the loss of our sons and daughters to the cause of God.”

Another topic was, “Support of Our Church-Schools,” prepared by Pastor J. M. Burg: “We need a thorough conversion or awakening to the church-school idea; or, may I say, to the value of Christian education. If God has ever spoken to Seventh-day Adventists relative to the importance of anything that calls for our enthusiastic support, he has emphasized the importance of this movement in the interests of our children. If you have not studied the Testimonies to know what God has said to us on this question, or have not studied into the principles that characterize this Christian-school idea till you are possessed of a burning conviction that such provision for our children is absolutely indispensable, you are not a reliable supporter of church-schools. If you are of this strong conviction, I may be sure that you will send your children to the church-school instead of to the schools of the world, and that you will not allow an ambition to reach the world’s standards to rob your children of the lifelong blessings that the seed sowing in our schools may bring to them.

“Then pray for your children and for the teacher. Don’t forget what a sacred trust the teacher has in working for your children. He has them a large part of each week; and no teacher can successfully meet such a responsibility as this, with so many little ones from so many homes, without the help that God gives in answer to prayer. And he needs the support that comes from knowing that you are praying daily for him, and that he has your fullest cooperation. He may find it necessary to discipline your boy or your girl. It would be unusual if some necessity like this did not arise at times. Will you support the teacher in this unpleasant experience? You will if you are wise. Indeed, I may suggest that a discreet teacher will keep close to parents and guardians in dealing with their little ones; and if the parent is as thoughtful as he, there will be little danger of friction between them. If, after all, in your judgment the teacher makes a mistake, advise with him kindly and seek to help him. Do not, above all things, take a course so indiscreet and thoughtless as to suggest a question, or even sustain a question already existing in the mind of the child, relative to the teacher’s motive, his ability, his sincerity, or anything else that would lessen the prestige he must have to make a success of his work.

Parents, visit your school and come in close contact with the teacher. You cannot know what is being done by mere hearsay, either from children’s reports or from the word of others. Form your own opinion, and in a way that you may be sure it will stand the test; then be very discreet what use you make of it.

“Now I must say a word about financial support. Your teacher should have it. He needs it, and is no less worthy of it than any other spiritual worker. And we shall never adequately support our church-schools until the teachers no longer have to face a question relative to their salaries—whether or not they will be paid regularly what they have earned. The first responsibility in this falls naturally and unavoidably upon the parent who is sending his child to the school. And the parent should never expect help nor accept it till he has done his best. After this, it must be granted. In some cases help will have to be supplied if the parent is to keep his little ones in school. Where, in such cases, shall it come from?—Naturally, from the church, if possible; or at least till the church has done its very best to supply help where help is needed. And then, we shall grant, also, that in the case of some churches, help will have to come from some source if their school lives. However, it should be emphasized that no church should expect assistance nor receive it until it has done all it possibly can do. Every member of such a church, whether or not he has children in school, should be interested in the church enterprise and should help freely. Where is the church to get its help after having lifted all it can? Clearly, here comes the duty of the conference to relieve the situation and not allow a school to die. This is disastrous to both the church and the children. What recourse then has the conference to help in these needy cases?—Clearly enough, all the people. Those individuals who have done all they can and have been helped themselves, may not be called upon to help others. But the larger percentage of the church-members are sufficiently blessed with possessions to be able to help the less fortunate ones. And quite a number are able to help liberally. So appeals will have to be made in all the churches for an offering to create what may be called an ‘emergency fund’ to be applied wherever assistance must be given to save a school from closing its doors.”

The strong appeal in Brother Burg’s plan is that no school should be allowed to die, and no child in the church should be left without the full privileges of the school. Every adult member of the church is spiritually responsible for every child in the church, whether that child is his own in the flesh or another’s.

Following the exercises, the offering of the day was taken up, to replenish the church-school emergency fund.

At South Lancaster

Recently chosen educational superintendent of the Massachusetts Conference, Mrs. H. E. Osborne entered upon her work, in the orthodox way at Jerusalem, by giving an educational program in the South Lancaster church. The readings were printed in a neat folder including the entire program, and covered these topics: “Separation From the World,” “Source of Recruits,” “Our Line of Advance,” “The Children Have Been Neglected.” Pastor K. C. Russell and Prof. B. F. MacLachlan assisted. The exercises closed with the audience “still interested,” as shown in part by contributions amounting to $23, to be applied on the conference church-school fund.

W. E. H.