Teacher and Student by F. G.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Oct 4, 1906

Teacher and Student

By F. G.

The majority of our schools in all portions of the world have begun their new year's work. It goes without saying that the teachers bring to their work an added enthusiasm and determination to hasten in every way possible the preparation of young men and women, and even boys and girls, for the promulgation of this last message of mercy to the world.

It must be borne in mind that the greatest preparation which can be given to our students is that of character, that they need more soul culture than mind culture. The work of the teacher appears in its most apparent form in the progress which the students make intellectually, but its most permanent form is that which they make spiritually.

Christ, the greatest of all teachers, was listened to by the multitudes because he spoke as one having authority. The reason that he spoke as one having authority was because he was a living embodiment of the principles of truth which he enunciated. He is an example for all Christian teachers. The Christian teacher must himself be what he wishes his pupils to be. Then it is that his life carries the influence for righteousness. It is in this way only that he can give the third angel's message to his pupils, and through them to the world.

God has had a “present truth” for his people in all ages and in all times. Oftimes this present truth is applied only to one special period, or to one particular people, but in our own time he has gathered all the gems of “present truth” of all times, and bound them together by the cords of his righteousness and the bands of his law, and he has set them in the light of his sanctuary for this people to give to all the world.

There is no ray of truth which has been important to any people that does not have a setting in some form in this glorious system of truth found in the third angel's message. It is this truth in its entirety that must be taught in all our schools this year. We are in the shaking time, and a lack of confidence is often expressed in the spirit of prophecy, and in various other phases of this most glorious system of truth, by those from whom we would least expect such sentiments.

There has never been, in the history of the work of God, so great a need of having the principles of his eternal truth fixed in the minds and rooted in the hearts of our children and youth, as at this time. This is to be accomplished by giving it to them, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. Simple faith in his Word and in the work which he is carrying forward among this people must be taught these children and youth.

When they are so taught, they are not only established in the truth, but there is created in them a great desire and an inspiration to give this message to those who know it not, and our children become real missionaries in their own homes. We are to be a missionary people, but we are not to be one in form, but one in spirit. This is to be the beginning and end of our school work.

F. G.