FATHERS AND MOTHERS, WILL YOU DO IT? by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 4, 1878

FATHERS AND MOTHERS, WILL YOU DO IT?

By Dudley Marvin Canright

We have something of the greatest importance to propose to our brethren and sisters who are parents or guardians. You have seen by the REVIEW that a special effort is being made by our people to make our Sabbath-schools more efficient. Every right-minded person will rejoice in this. You want your children to become good children, and be saved hereafter. All of you feel more or less incompetent to train them as they should be trained. You should be thankful, then, for any aid you can receive from others.

In the providence of God, the Sabbath-school is a very efficient agent in training children in virtue and religion. We need not set forth the importance of this. You all understand it very well. You are glad to have the Sabbath-school prosper. You are pleased to have your children advantaged by it. On our part we shall make great efforts to raise the tone of our Sabbath-schools, and to make them efficient; but how can we interest the children unless they come? The first effort must be to get our children into the Sabbath-school, and to maintain a regular attendance. If we fail in this, the whole thing is a failure. You may have good teachers, and good singing, and good question-books and every possible aid; but if the children stay at home, or come only occasionally, it will amount to nothing.

The teachers cannot possibly go from home to house and gather up the children. Many of these children are either too small to come alone or have not the interest to do so. Our experience has taught us that there is just one way to maintain a regular attendance of the children, and to make the Sabbath-school a success. We have never seen it done in any other way. You will readily agree with me as to the way it must be done, namely, the parents themselves must come. They must bring their children, and attend the Sabbath-school with them. Wherever this is practiced, the Sabbath-school is always a success. Where it is not, the school cannot long be kept up.

Dear brethren and sisters, we appeal to you in this matter, to help us as you have it in your power to do. Do not say to your children, “Go to the Sabbath-school.” Do not try to hire them to go, or punish them if they do not go; but say, “Come, children, let us go to Sabbath-school.” Get up your team. Make provision for your children. Have their clothes all ready. Get them question-books. Talk with them at home about the lesson. Keep it before them. Show them that you are interested in it. Get your own lessons well. Be prompt at the Sabbath-school every week; and we can assure you that in forty-nine cases out of fifty your children will readily go with you.

Do not say you cannot do this; for we know that you can. The Sabbath is the Lord’s day; it is not your time. You have no right to its holy hours. It should be devoted to the service of God. Do not stay at home to sleep away its sacred hours, nor to read the daily papers; but give those hours to God and to your children. How can you tell any thing about the Sabbath-school if you are not there yourself? If you are there and take part in the exercises, you can talk to your children understandingly about it. You can see whether they get their lessons or not. And you can more readily feel what they need; besides, all our people, even if they are seventy-five years old, need the benefit of the Sabbath-school and Bible-class themselves. The truth never grows old. We are getting more light upon it every year. It should be kept fresh in our minds. You have but little preaching; hence most of our brethren must dig out the truth for themselves, and the Sabbath-school is just the place to do it.

We appeal to you, brethren and sisters, to give your influence this season in favor of the Sabbath-school. While earnest ones are making a general effort to revive old Sabbath-schools and organize new ones, we ask you to co-operate with us. When some leading brother proposes to organize a Sabbath-school, or to get up a more extensive interest in it, do not stand back, but give him your hearty support. Get the proper works and go into the Bible-class, and do all you can to take a part in the exercises. These are the means God has ordained to save you from backsliding. Do not neglect them.

Then during the week your duty to your children should not be neglected. Do not rein them up and ask them in a fault-finding manner whether they have got their lessons or not; but in the evening, and at noon, and in your odd hours, gather your children around you and get the lesson book; look out the references with them, ask them questions upon the lessons, and allow them to question you in return. This will animate them very much. Refresh their minds day by day, and every week. Talk about the lessons when you sit down to the table.

Let it be generally understood by them that all are expected to go to the Sabbath-school every Sabbath. Do not let small excuses keep you or them at home.

Do this, and the Lord will bless you.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Sigourney, Iowa, March 22.