WHAT SHALL WE DO FOR THE SABBATH-SCHOOL? by Sarah Stevens

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, March 4, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 10

WHAT SHALL WE DO FOR THE SABBATH-SCHOOL?

By Sarah Stevens

BY SARAH STEVENS.

[The following article was read at the quarterly meeting of the Sabbath-school Association held in Corsica, Ohio, in connection with the late T. and M. Institute there, and was by vote furnished for publication in the REVIEW.]

What is the best method of conducting a Sabbath-school? and what should be the object of the school? First: We should endeavor to have the school thoroughly organized, being careful to select such persons for officers and teachers as are best qualified for the responsible position. Secondly: The school should be furnished with proper lessons, which want is now supplied by the Instructor, “Bible Lessons for Little Ones,” etc. Then every officer and teacher should feel and work as if the whole success of the school depended upon his individual faithfulness in the work. Each one should be punctual in attendance, and prompt in all the exercises. The teacher should not only manifest a deep interest in his class, but in the lesson itself. He should be prepared to give a full and complete synopsis of the lesson, and it is well for him to sometimes recite the whole or a part of it in the class. This gives his scholars confidence that the teacher is not requiring of them more than he is willing to do himself. There should be such a preparation of heart, and such love for the truth, that it will be a pleasure to teach it to others.

As we look forward to-day, and view the vastness of the work that is before us, and, looking over the past, see how much of our life is spent, and how little we have done, should not this inspire us to labor with more zeal?—doing whatever our hands find to do. And what is of more importance than the training of children? for as we teach them, so will they work.

Parents, too, should feel that they have a part to act in this work. The family circle is the foundation of all training; for there is no example, no influence, so potent for good or evil, as home influence. But the school supplements family training, and too often supplies to some all their religious education. The Sabbath-school teacher fills an important and responsible position. The minds of his pupils must be carefully studied, that the instruction may be suited to the wants of each. Those who engage in training the minds of others should feel the importance of having their own minds fully awake to the subjects they are handling, and they should speak with animation, as if they had some interest in the subject themselves. Every teacher should have the “word of Christ dwelling in him richly;” it must be a part of him, ingrained with the texture of his mind, and the fibers of his character; then he will be able to lead the minds of his pupils to God and Heaven. It should be the purpose of the teacher to educate the young morally and religiously, to make them strong to resist the wrong and choose the right,—to enlighten and awaken their religious natures, and lead them to Christ, and thus prepare them for every good work.

There should be a constant effort to make the school familiar with the word of God. We should also be alive to the fact that childhood’s morning is the golden opportunity for winning souls to Christ, and teaching them the importance of loving God and obeying his commandments. It is easier to form childhood aright, than to reform manhood. The Lord understood the importance of this work, and caused Moses and the children of Israel to give it due consideration. David says: “For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers that they should make known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, that they might set their hope in God and keep his commandments.” Ps. 78:5, 6.

The Sabbath-school, connected with the church, is an element of great importance in what is known as mission-work. Men and women are needed to carry forward the work; and the Sabbath-school affords the speediest and safest agency for the preparation of faithful men and women for the work. As a general thing we find that wherever the Sabbath-school is most prosperous, there the church is most active and aggressive. It should be our desire to blend into harmonious action, the family, the Sabbath-school, and the church. These institutions are calculated to help one another, and their work is in no way opposed.

We must teach lessons of benevolence in the Sabbath-school. By precept? Yes, line upon line and precept upon precept. But better, because more successful, we must teach them by example. We must lead the way, and our hearts must respond cheerfully to whatever labor or self-denial our teaching involves. In teaching children to give to any cause, it is important that they should give regularly,—that they should have some system in giving.

All connected with the Sabbath-school should be interested in its behalf, and make it their study how to improve it and make it more efficient. We sometimes fail to do, because we think some one else will do the work, and do it just as well or better. No greater mistake could be made. Each one has a work to do, and no one else can do any work so well as the one to whom it has been assigned. A certain gift,—a definite number of talents,—has been given to each one, and of each, God will require his own, with usury. We should engage in the work cheerfully, feeling that the service of God is a duty, a privilege, and his service should be the fountain of our highest joys. We should feel that the work is of God, and that what we have to do, is to put ourselves in such a position that we can work with him. We should rejoice that we live in this day, and may have a part in this work. It is not for us to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power. It is for us to sow and plant, and wait the movement in Heaven. So let us go on sowing the precious seed in the minds of the young, seeking God for help; and we shall be successful.