Educational Department by William Warren Howell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 19, 1914

Educational Department

By William Warren Howell

J. L. SHAW | General Secretary W. E. HOWELL | N. Am. Div. Asst. Secretary

Our First Educational Sabbath

THERE has been no time to receive reports from the field, but this day was observed according to appointment by the Takoma Park and Memorial churches in Washington, D. C. The secretaries of this department assisted in the services at these two churches. Though they themselves had prepared the readings, their souls were refreshed, and their sense of responsibility deepened by the rapt attention given by the people to the presentation of the readings on the care and education of our children and youth.

Aims of the Day

1. To bring to the attention of all the people and impress the encouraging facts that in the United States and Canada we now have (in round numbers) 450 church schools, 525 church-school teachers, and 8,500 church school pupils; that we have invested in facilities for these schools about $150,000, and that to maintain them we are spending an average of more than $10,000 a month the year round.

2. To lead us all to think more seriously over the fact that there are still not far from 8,000 Seventh-day Adventist children of church school age in this country who are not provided with the privileges of Christian education in schools of our own.

3. To bring before our minds afresh the special instruction that has been given us on the education of our children and youth, especially those of tender years, and embodying ideas like these:—

"The church does not realize the situation. She is sleeping on guard."

"Fathers and mothers must arouse and work as for life, or many of the youth will be forever lost."

"No amount of labor in this line [foreign fields] can excuse us for neglecting the education of our children and youth."

"The Lord would have the children gathered out from those schools where worldly influences prevail, and placed in our own schools, where the Word of God is made the foundation of education."

"In the closing scenes of this earth's history many of these children and youth will astonish people by their witness to the truth, . . . a work in proclaiming the truth to the world that at that time cannot well be done by the older members of the church."

"Our church schools are ordained by God to prepare the children for this great work."

"In selecting teachers, we should use every precaution, knowing that this is as solemn a matter as the selecting of persons for the ministry."

4. To enlighten our people on what our church schools are doing, and what is being done to build them up in strength; but especially what more needs to be done than we are doing; such as the following:—

Every church member, whether a parent or not, needs to conceive a new and practical interest in educating the children, the natural increase of the Lord's heritage; therefore let every church call a special meeting to study its own relation to this matter. If it has a school already, what can be done to increase its facilities and efficiency? If it has no school but has children, shall we start a school next autumn? If it has no school and no children, what can we do to help carry the school burden in other churches?

5. To present the very pressing need of two funds to strengthen the church school work: one to aid in the preparation of textbooks and manuals, worked out on principles of Christian education and adapted to denominational needs; the other to provide scholarships of fifty dollars each for the education and training of more and better teachers for our church schools. We want many young men and women to make church school teaching their life work. To all who will do this, we want to give the best chances possible to make thorough preparation, and to provide them the very best tools we can to work with.

What Shall We Do?

Now, brethren and sisters in the churches, what shall we do? We believe that these aims of our first Educational Sabbath are laudable and timely. This day was not appointed, nor the readings prepared, merely to fill in the time. We want results. We want to see a stir all along the line, prompted by the deep movings of the Spirit, to arouse and do our whole duty by our children. Jesus said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." Shall we suffer them? or shall we forbid them?

W. E. H.