p. 305 | The Sabbath School by W. J. BOSTWICK

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 8, 1880

The Sabbath School.

By W. J. BOSTWICK

GATHER THE CHILDREN.

WHEN the Lord drew aside the veil that separates the past from the future and permitted his holy prophet Joel to gaze down the long vista of time, even to the consummation of all things, and revealed to his wondering eyes the great day of the Lord, with all its terrors, trials, and tribulation, he was led to utter in notes of warning to the church, these words: "Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts." Joel 2:15, 16.

The trumpet among the ancient Israelites was to be blown as an alarm when danger was near. Was a hostile army approaching, were dangers impending, which required action and haste to escape, the trumpet pealed out an alarm from a watch-tower, and as the sound went reverberating over the hills, it was caught up by another watcher, and then another, until the whole land was warned and the people aroused.

And thus it is with the words of the prophet; although the tongue that uttered them has long since been wrapped in the silence of the tomb, they have come down o'er the revolving centuries of time in all their power, until, finding the place of their application, in these last days, they are to act just as effectually in arousing the remnant Israel as the trumpet's alarm did the Israelites of old.

The burden of the warning is impending destruction, and it is given because of the approach of the day of the Lord, which is a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. Verse 2.

The effect of sounding this alarm in Zion would be to gather the people, who, previous to and at this time, were in a scattered condition. But not only were the people in general to be gathered, but also the children. It is God's design that children shall have a part in his kingdom as well as adults; hence the commandment, "Gather the children." And here is prominently set before us the work of the Sabbath-school. And for what is this gathering? That the congregation may be sanctified. How are they to be sanctified? "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." John 17:17.

But before they can be sanctified through the truth, they must be taught; it must be brought forcibly to their minds; their young hearts must be impressed with it. It will not do to simply bring the children together from week to week and hear their lessons; a higher object must be aimed at. The teacher must seek to instill God's truth into the hearts of the children, that it may effect their lives, and bring them in subjection to God, else no sanctification can take place.

Oh, what a work is here set forth by the God of Heaven for the Sabbath-school teacher! what a responsibility! what an opportunity to gain a starry crown! The Lord's children are to be gathered that they may escape the coming destruction. The highways and hedges of the world are full of them. "Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled," is the word of command. Will our teachers obey? Do they realize the duties and necessities of the hour? The sands of time are fast running out; the work is fast closing up; the day of the Lord is near, and hasteth greatly. Each Sabbath that goes by, takes one week from the allotted time in which we have to do our work.

In these times, none who profess to be looking for the coming of the Lord have a right to be idle. The time demands concerted action; the Lord commands it, and perishing humanity rightfully claims it. Laborers in the Sabbath-school are wanted,—men and women who have the work at heart, and who can act as missionaries to go out and gather these lambs into the fold.

There should be an advance movement in the Sabbath-school work all along the line. Our officers, teachers, and scholars should bear in mind the great fact that we have now come out of Egypt, and that the command is, Go forward. There may be a Red Sea to cross, but the Lord will divide the waters; we may meet an Amalek in the way, but faith and works will give us the victory; we shall doubtless come to the wells of bitter waters, but the consciousness of duty performed will make them sweet; there may be giants in the land, but faith and courage will make them appear as grasshoppers in our sight, and finally by the help of the Lord, we shall go in and possess the inheritance. Let no one stumble at the difficulties which attend the work of gathering the children into the Sabbath-school. If we are working with God and he with us, the obstacles in the way will vanish before our earnest endeavors as the fog before the rising sun, and finally when our work is done we shall hear the welcome words, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

W. J. BOSTWICK.