Our Church Schools by Clarence Santee

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 24, 1903

Our Church Schools

By Clarence Santee

CLARENCE SANTEE

WHY have so many church schools failed of the expectations of those who sent pupils to them? This question has been asked many times. There is one reason that it is well for every parent to think of candidly and seriously. It is the position that far too many have occupied.

When we were connected with the public schools, the civil power was behind them. It was necessary that it should be so. God ordained the civil power as the best thing to control those who would not yield to the power of his Spirit. Romans 13. It was the best thing that the Lord in infinite wisdom could give to meet man's needs where it found him. But when we left the public schools, it was to place ourselves under the power of God's guiding Spirit, that would accomplish all that the civil power could ever do, even when well administered, and far more, as the civil power can compel only as far as it can keep a man in sight, while the higher power under which the Christian places himself will cause him to conform to every good thing that the civil law requires, not only when under the eye of his fellow man, but being the well-spring of his being, he will as gladly do all when no human eye can trace his footsteps.

But now to trace the path of the many who have turned toward the higher way. We have left the civil power behind, in the school, and claimed to place ourselves under the mightier controlling power of God. But failing to place ourselves unreservedly there as parents, we have occupied a middle ground where the civil power was left behind, yet the other power has not controlled in the home. There is no law, divine or human, that can successfully cover the middle ground. The result has been a dangerous nearness to a lawless condition. But a lawless condition is anarchy.

This has brought an almost hopeless task to many teachers, as they have undertaken to maintain system and order. As parents have seen this, some have decided to send their children again to the public school, feeling that this was better than the change. This was not wise. The civil power was instituted and is maintained for the lawless and wicked. It was not instituted for the true Christian. It could not be. He will do the good things demanded by just laws, because, having kept the moral law, which embraces all just laws, he will never need them. Then the one who decides to go back to this for controlling power, confesses that he has not attained to the higher and overshadowing power of the Spirit of God to control and guide. His faith has not grasped it, and he, virtually, has given up the struggle. Should he have done this? Better

to turn, and, with a persevering spirit, place himself entirely under the stronger and more far-reaching power of God. This will first conquer his own spirit. Then it will control in the family. (This is said of the family where the parents are united. Where they are not, there is need of especial grace. God will not desert the faithful soul, even here.) When the peace of God has quelled the excitable spirits of the parents, they will be instruments in God's hand to quell the unsubdued spirits of the children, and the same power that can do for the parent what the civil power can not do, in that it keeps him right all the time, will be manifest in the child, both when in the presence of the parents and when away from them. Then the question of order in the church school will be solved. It centers in the Christian experience of the home. If the experience of the home is worldly, then the civil power will accomplish the most. But instead of invoking this, let us not rest until we know that the quieting power of God has prevailed.

The condition of the church school will be a means in God's hand of showing the condition of the church as families. In this way there is a double blessing,—pointing out to us our needs, and giving our children true education. In the first opening of church schools, while undertaking to follow the light given, we saw no way to meet the expense, but to charge a certain amount for each student, and in this way raise the necessary funds. This really made them subscription schools. This worked hardship, as some of the families having the largest number of children who ought to be in the church school, were unable to pay the tuition for all. They could send one or two, and the others must wait, or still attend the public school. To remedy this evil, it was proposed to raise a church fund to assist those who could not otherwise have the benefit of the school. It was not long before this was found to have its weakness. Then there was a general forward step taken when it was decided to do away with the tuition, and make them indeed “church schools.” To accomplish this, there were calls made to all the church to raise the amount necessary to pay the expense of the school, month by month, and then all the children would have an equal right to the privileges of the school. While these steps were being taken, the public schools were opening their arms to all, rich and poor alike, saying “Come. All are equal. All are welcome.” And while many have seen the dangers that menaced the public schools, yet all must admit the grand basis that opens the doors of possibility to rich and poor alike.

This last step in church-school work brought us to the same equality, but still there has been a financial uncertainty, as the pledges or cash donations have been continually changing. Some have freely given, others have felt excused after placing in the Sabbath contribution a nickel, a dime, or at times, perhaps, a quarter. Inequality has continued. Some have recently been studying the foundation of the second tithe, as given to Israel, believing that what did not in some way foreshadow the death of Christ, was not taken away at his death. Hence many churches and some conferences have heartily adopted the plan of second tithing, to meet the many calls, especially those for the support of the church schools. This has been found to bring exact equality to all, rich or poor, and no one is unequally burdened. The plan has been to send two thirds of the second tithe to a central treasury for the paying of the teachers, retaining one third at the home church for local needs. The church-school teacher thus becomes a conference employee. The surplus of the second tithe, either at home or in the central treasury, will be, from time to time, devoted to missionary work.

This would make two systems, equally perfect, side by side,—the first tithe supporting the ministry at home, as well as the ministers chosen to go to foreign fields, and then, from time to time, the surplus, by vote of the conference, sent as a donation to other needy fields; the second tithe paying the teachers at home, supporting the teachers called to other fields (and these calls will come), and then, from time to time, the surplus donated to the places of greatest need. We feel satisfied that this is God's plan, and hence the most equal and just that can be devised.

Still further, if the plan of charging a certain rate for each child was not the best plan, and has been quite generally laid aside for something more satisfactory, should we charge a tuition for each child, when a little older, in advancing from the church school to the higher grades? Here, too, the public schools offer every inducement for advancement, free of charge, and at the time when Satan will bring to bear every device known to his subtle mind to turn the young man or young woman after the offers of the world. This is the time of all times when we should encourage those for whom we have sacrificed through the period of church-school life, to keep the separation distinct and complete by stepping into the next higher schools prepared by our people. Will not the second tithe open the way for this, by paying the teachers—except the Bible instructor, who we are told should be paid from the first tithe—in the higher conference schools? We suggest this for serious thought. If, for lack of means, the student goes back to the public school after having passed through the church-school grades, his former separation will avail but little. The seal of all the past work comes at this critical time. Shall we, then, allow the world to triumph at the last, because we make the continued advancement more difficult than it has been in the earlier grades? The Lord has patiently borne with us through all the mistakes of the past, and he will guide to the right way all who, with a constant spirit, look to him for light, and do not rashly turn back.