The New Era by F. G.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 6, 1906

The New Era

By F. G.

We have several times spoken of the fact that we should enter, and that we believed that we were entering, upon a new era in our school work. We looked forward to the convention of the Educational Department at College View to inaugurate such an era. We look back upon the convention, believing that it was the beginning of this era, and now we look to the present to carry forward this work. With this the first number of the monthly issue of “Education,” as we have been pleased to designate it, as a department of the REVIEW, we are confidently beginning the work of this era along advanced lines. By advanced lines we do not mean that there is to be a radical departure from the plans and purposes which have hitherto governed our work. During the past few years there has been an earnest effort on the part of our educational workers in all portions of the world to rise to higher ground, and to have our school work adapted to the immediate needs of the third angel’s message. The Lord has certainly met these efforts and crowned them with a reasonable degree of success. But now we have reached the time of the end—the finishing of the work of the Lord in the earth. We are indeed entering upon the last final conflict. We have come to the time when all the forces of this denomination must be consecrated to the cutting short of this work in righteousness. Our young people have always been the hope of our work. The majority of our laborers in all lands to-day were the children and young people of yesterday; our laborers of to-morrow will be our young people of to-day. To their education this denomination should just now address itself in a zealous, earnest, and careful manner. No reasonable expense should be spared to give these young people such an education as will quickly and thoroughly qualify them to go into all the world and to carry this last saving gospel to all classes of people, high and low, rich and poor. We are plainly told by the spirit of prophecy that this is the first work of the church.

During this present year, as nearly as we can estimate, there has gone from our schools into all portions of the world, an army of six or seven hundred young men and women who are engaging this summer in the various branches of the work. It would indeed be an inspiring sight to see all these young people together, and to hear their words of courage as they are engaging in their work. But when we consider the vast number of young people in our denomination who are not in any way connected with our schools, but who should be in them, and when we consider the mighty work which these young people can do, there should come into every Seventh-day Adventist’s heart an earnest resolution to do everything in his power to send forth from our schools this coming year, not only six or seven hundred, but if possible, several times this number. The time is indeed near when there should go forth every year several thousand burdened with the desire to carry the truth of God’s Word, which they have learned to love, to those who know it not.

When parents, churches, and conferences recognize that they all in their sphere and place are directly called by God to educate our young people for this work, there will be an impetus given to the work of this denomination as a result of the performance of this duty, which can only be faintly imagined now. This is the work of the new era in education; this is the work that was begun at the convention at College View; and this is the work to which we confidently believe our people will now address themselves. To this end we consecrate this department of the REVIEW. We hope that the time is not far distant when this educational work will assume such proportions as to demand the publication of a separate educational journal, and that the interest in it will be such as to secure the necessary financial support to warrant its publication.

This issue of the department will come to most of our people at the opening of the school year. It has been prepared under very unfavorable circumstances, but we trust that it may serve as an inspiration and a help to all phases of our educational work. We bespeak for this department the earnest support of all who are interested in the education of our youth. Now as never before should the spirit of courage take possession of our people, and we trust that the true spirit of courage will continue to be breathed forth from the columns of this department of the REVIEW. If these things are made facts in the experience of this denomination, we shall certainly see the truth going to the world with a wonderful increase of rapidity, and we shall shortly witness the closing of the reign of sin and the ushering in of the glorious kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. F. G.