p. 311 | OUR TEACHERS by A. De Yarmond

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, May 13, 1880

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 20

OUR TEACHERS.

By A. De Yarmond

BY A. DE YARMOND.

Among our people is a larger proportion of teachers, doubtless, than is found in any other denomination. This may come largely from the fact that teaching is the most accessible of the few professions which persons of our faith can conveniently follow and observe the seventh-day Sabbath. Still, we are not willing to believe that it is merely for convenience’s sake that so many of our young people have chosen this glorious work; or, if simple force of circumstances does seem to have driven many into this profession as the only consistent means of support, still we know that God has power over the circumstances of our lives, and we believe that, through his wise and kind guidance, the rough rocks of want and necessity which pierce our feet as we tread over them, may prove to be the pathway to a high, unoccupied field, where the rich soil and pure atmosphere seem waiting to nourish whatever seed may fall.

In this glorious field hundreds of us, young people of the Seventh-day Adventist church, stand to-day,—teachers. Is the seed that we scatter the seed of truth, which shall build the rich soil up into plants of symmetrical, sturdy, beautiful growth?—are the teachings of our lives such as to draw the unused powers of the young minds we cultivate, into the upgrowing of upright, firm, pure lives and characters?

Our teachers should be no less a power in the work of God than our preachers. If they fall short of the same high degree of usefulness, it is either from lack of consecration, or from lack of a true understanding of their work. Our call is as sacred a one as is that of the ministers of the gospel. Paul assures us that God has called some to this work, as well as to the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11); nor does he inform us that he would have the one class of workers consecrated and the other unconsecrated, the one children of God and the other children of the world, the one careful for the souls of men and the other careless of all but their own convenience and financial gain. Although many unconsecrated men, bearing the title of ministers, have profaned the name and work of the ministry, yet that work has not been given over to them as less sacred through their unworthiness; and no more should we lose sight of the sacredness of our work, because that work has so often been left to ungodly hands.

Our influence would almost seem more vital than that of the preachers. We deal with minds the most susceptible; they, with those biased by early education and hardened by contact with many minds and a Babel of doctrines. We, with characters and habits pliable and sensitive; they, with those fixed and stubborn. We have, for six hours in each of five days of the seven, the complete care and control of our scholars; while they speak, perchance for an hour each day, only to such as will to listen. And now, with the high reverence we have for the ministry, let us take a higher view of our own work, and strive to lift ourselves up to the level of our high calling. The cause of truth calls for consecrated teachers. Who among us will answer the call of the great Teacher to come up higher in the grade of our work?