p. 19 | Our Schools and Our Message by F. G.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 23, 1906

Our Schools and Our Message

By F. G.

We can already see that the educational convention, held recently at College View, Neb., has marked the beginning of a new era in our educational work. This is in itself an evidence that we have reached the finishing of the work of the third angel's message. The missionary key-note which was there struck is finding its harmonies in our homes and churches all over the world. Young men and women who, previously to this, have given but little thought to the missionary phase of an education, and, indeed, but little thought to any phase of education, are beginning, as a direct result of this missionary movement, seriously to question their duty in this matter. This is as it should be.

Our schools are to bear a close relation to this finishing work, and in turn the closing of the gospel to the world must directly affect the work in our schools. As close as we can estimate, there have gone out this summer from our schools at least six or seven hundred young persons directly into various phases of our denominational work. From one point of view, this seems like quite an army of workers, and, indeed, if they were all marshaled together, it would be an imposing sight; yet from another point of view, this is not so encouraging, for we have in our ranks probably from fifteen to twenty thousand young persons who should have been in our schools this past year, and an army might have gone forth four or five times larger than did go. But we find our encouragement in the strong hope that our schools will have, this coming year, many more students preparing directly for the work of the Lord than at any time in the past.

How shall our young people be gotten into our schools? First of all, the church must recognize that the duty which lies nearest it is to care for the children and youth. At all times must the question of the future of these young people be held as the most prominent of all the activities of the church. Are our churches so holding this question of our children and youth? There is ground for fearing that in altogether too many instances this, the first and greatest work, is made the last. The church should hold every child and youth as a precious heritage direct from the Lord. It is its first work to train this soul for the work of the Master. If this were done, a perfect fortress of prayer would surround every young person connected in any way with the church. The church would endeavor to see that a desire for an education for service was implanted in each young person, and then every effort necessary to secure this education would be put forth in seconding the effort of parent and child.

But the fact that the church has a first and important duty in this matter does not release the parent and youth from their duty. God calls on them in no uncertain words to improve every talent which he has given, for his service, and for it alone. No young person can tell what God may do with and for him when he consecrates every power to his service.

Our schools are to exist for the sole purpose of hastening the end. Now as never before should every teacher be consecrated to the needs of the hour. Now as never before should these schools furnish just the training, and that only, which will best and most quickly fit every honest and earnest young person among us for just that place in the Lord's work which he can best fill. The hope of our work might be said, in one sense, to rest in our young people, and the hope of the young people rests in all senses in the gospel and in their proper relation to its speedy finishing. F. G.