SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 23, 1878

SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK.

[Our Sabbath-school in Dallas, Texas, is increasing in interest and numbers, and we trust a good work is being done. Our subjects are all brought out upon the black-board in diagram-form, and are thus made much more interesting. The following essay on the subject of Patience was read before our Sabbath-school, and will, we trust, be read with interest by the readers of the Review. E. G. Rust.]

Our life here is full of troubles and perplexities. We need to have patience, that we may not fall out by the way. It seems to me that we can draw a great many lessons on this virtue from our Sabbath-school lessons for the past few months. The Hebrews were in the land of Egypt for many years, under cruel taskmasters. As the years rolled by, it must have seemed to them that the time for their release would never come. As they groaned under their heavy burdens, hope must have died within them, their faith must have grown small, and no doubt many cast away their confidence in God. When Moses had grown to manhood, many believed that now their deliverance was nigh; but forty years more of cruel bondage must be borne before they were to be delivered from their servitude. How the faith of God's people must have been tried during those long, weary years. Yet all this time their God, in whom they trusted, had seen the afflictions of his people, had heard their cries and knew their sorrows, and in his own good time he fulfilled his promises to them, and brought them forth from the land of their enemies.

Even when the promised land seemed just before them, the people had great need of patience. In the narrative of that long desert journey how the patience of the faithful few shines out. One cannot read the history of Moses without admiring his grand, noble qualities, as he led the murmuring multitude, cared for their wants, and interceded for them when they had sinned against their God. Well may the children of Israel weep and mourn for their chief thirty days in the plains of Moab; for earth has never since seen such a leader. “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord saw face to face.” Deut. 34:10.

‘There are lessons for us in these Scripture narratives—lessons of patience, that we may endure unto the end. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Cor. 10:11. Many of us have waited long for our Master's coming to deliver us from this world of sin and sorrow; but the time has been longer than we first thought it would be, and some begin to mingle with the world, and enjoy the things of this life.

Some of us have known this good way only two short years. When we first heard of our Saviour's soon coming, our hearts burned within us for joy at the glad tidings; any sacrifice seemed too small, and the time before us too short to make ready for his advent. As the time passes on, we meet with misfortunes or Satan comes in with temptations, and we are ready to murmur at our hard lot, and we grow careless and indifferent. Let us awake from our slumber and return to our first love. Let us have patience unto the coming of the Lord. “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” Heb. 10:37. “Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Hab. 2:3. A. H. King.