A Blessing We Need by L. Flora Plummer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 25, 1902

A Blessing We Need

By L. Flora Plummer

GREAT as are the possibilities of the Sabbath-school work in the home field, our schools need the blessed inspiration of a real burden for the souls in mission fields. If our schools are not mightily moved by a revival of the missionary spirit that takes in the whole world, they will lose much. The millions of people living in lands in which the gospel has not been preached, need the prayers and the offerings of our home schools, and our home schools need the blessed experience of giving of their abundance to the mission fields. What is our Bible study worth to us if we do not learn the lesson that what we receive, we must pass on to others who have it not? Why should not some of the burden of destitute fields be laid upon our Sabbath-schools?

We do not want the members of our schools to get into a mere habit of giving a few pennies each Sabbath, with no thought for the missionary object of the gift. Our young people and children must be helped to understand their individual indebtedness to the people in darkness. Should not the officers and teachers in each school place before the pupils of all ages their individual privilege of helping to give this wide-world message? Thus a new meaning and importance is given to the Sabbath-school offerings, and a self-sacrificing spirit may be begotten in every one, even in the smallest child.

Here is a word of cheer to us for what our schools have already done, and also instruction which we should be more zealous in carrying out:—

We thank God that our Sabbath-schools have contributed enough to advance many a precious enterprise. Children and youth have given their pennies, that, like little rivulets, have supplied a stream of beneficence. Children should be educated in such a way that they may perform unselfish acts which heaven will rejoice to see. When the dew of youth is upon them, children should be trained how to do service for Christ. They should be taught self-denial.—“Testimonies on Sabbath-School Work,” page 113.

Each school should make a careful study of the question of finances, and appropriate as large a proportion of their donations to missions as they can without crippling the work of the school. Many supplies might be purchased by special donations, if only attention were given to it, and thus a larger portion could go to missions. Parents who are able to supply themselves with the Lesson Quarterly, and their children with the Instructor and the Little Friend, should certainly do so, and not allow the donations to be used for the purpose of giving to

themselves and their families those things which they are able to buy. Why should not all who can do so, place in the Sabbath-school treasury each quarter the price of the supplies used by his family, in addition to the regular Sabbath-school contributions? If this custom were generally followed, it would largely increase the amount given to missions.

The spirit of self-denial should be taught the children. This cannot be done by simply handing a child a penny from a well-filled purse, that he may have something to put into the contribution envelope. It may be done by giving the child the opportunity to earn a few cents, and then when it is his, teach him the proportion that he should return to God, and also his indebtedness to those who know not the gospel. It is by such lessons that our children may learn to choose to do the right, and also experience the blessedness of sacrifice for the truth’s sake.

Dear Sabbath-school workers, shall we not do all in our power to encourage the missionary spirit in every school? Substantial aid must be given to those who are carrying on the work in the dark places of the earth with but very few of the temporal blessings we enjoy. Let us ask our schools to share in their burdens.

MRS. L. FLORA PLUMMER.