Importance of Church School Work
By Lula I. Tarbell
MANY of the people of the world to-day, living in the large cities, will not send their children to the public schools on account of the corruption to be found in them; and yet we who have been told to take our children out of the public schools continue to send them to a place where Satan is at work with great power to ruin the children of to-day. In my work this summer I found many people who were sending their children to “pay schools.” Of course many of these are Catholics; but these people regard this as much of a duty for them to perform as it is for them to get something to eat or drink. Should we be less particular than the people of the world in the matter of education? “By them God’s message will be made known, and his saving health to all nations. Then let the church carry a burden for the lambs of the flock. Let the children be educated and trained to do service for God, for they are the Lord’s heritage.” “Many people would accept the truth if we could reach them first through their children.” One of the best ways that we can reach these children is by the getting them to come to our church-schools. I have heard some persons say that parents who themselves are not Seventh-day Adventists will not allow their children to attend our schools; but we know very well from experience that this is not so, for we find these children in many of our church-schools, and not only church-schools, but academies. This fact is well illustrated by a small church-school that was started last fall, in a city of Maryland. At the end of the tent effort in this city a small church was organized, and when they heard of the church-school work, they desired to have a school, although there were only four children in this little company old enough to attend school. The minister and his wife were so anxious to lay a foundation in this line of work that a school was started, and instead of beginning with only four children of Sabbath-keeping parents, five other children desired to come, belonging to two families who knew not the truth. Thus this school of nine had more than half its members coming from non-Sabbath-keeping parents. This shows what can be accomplished when the church earnestly takes hold of the school work. Will not many of our churches take advance steps this fall in the matter of the education of their children?