Sabbath-School Influences

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On the Steamer Cephelonia, Aug. 13, 1885. The Sabbath-school should be one of the greatest instrumentalities, and the most effectual, in bringing souls to Christ. Our Sabbath-school workers need to be especially imbued with the spirit of Christ. They cannot be co-workers with Christ unless they have him abiding in their hearts by faith. There needs to be the converting power of God and his transforming grace in the Sabbath-school at Battle Creek. The children need a more decided effort in regard to religious culture. The leading workers and the teachers should labor for perfect harmony. There should be co-operation on the part of parent, children, and teachers. Let every worker labor for wisdom and fact, that he may put forth that well-directed effort which God requires. We are to cultivate tact and sharp discernment, to be quick to see opportunities to do good and to seize these opportunities and make the most of them. Teachers of the different classes should bring every child into their heart, and under their special watchcare.

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It is impossible to do this work for time and eternity unless the teacher has a close connection with God. Jesus has said, «Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.» Do not encourage a superficial manner of investigating the truth. Make every point of truth clear and distinct to the minds of the children. Do not crowd upon their minds an accumulated amount of matter at one time. The precious word of God is to be a lamp to their path and a light to their feet. Impress upon their minds that it is their privilege to walk in the light. It is the path of peace, of purity, of holiness, cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in. Christ has led the way in this path, he is the true Shepherd; in following him, they avoid the by-paths and dangerous pitfalls.

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In the word of God they are to learn that all who enter heaven must have a perfect character; for then they will meet their Lord in peace. Many children and youth have their characters imprinted on their countenances. Their life’s history they carry in the features of the face. The true workers should impress upon the minds of the children a beautiful, pure, Christ-like character, which will transfigure the countenance. If Christ is the abiding principle in the heart, you may read purity, refinement, peace, and love in the features. In other countenances, an evil character hangs out the sign; selfishness, cunning, deceit, falsehood, enmity, and jealousy are expressed there. How difficult it is for truth to impress the hearts and countenances of such characters!

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We need now to give special attention to the cultivation of character. Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, that it may elevate and ennoble the highest, as also the lowest worker in our Sabbath-schools, so that Jesus will not be ashamed to acknowledge them as his co-laborers. All spiritual culture Christ has provided for his children. If Jesus is abiding in the soul, the heart is filled with the holy graces of his spirit, which makes itself manifest in the transforming of the features. If you would have beauty and loveliness of character, the divine law must be written upon the heart and carried out in the life.

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The Bible lessons which are taught in our schools are of far greater consequence than many now discern. These children will have to meet in the near future the heresies and fables that abound in the Christian world. Instruct the youth with simplicity but great thoroughness. Your work must stand the test of the Judgment. The youth in this age must be fitted by the grace of Christ to meet and overcome evils which have been introduced into society. They will have opportunities to use all the knowledge and influence that they have acquired, and will need wisdom from above to stem the current of evil which surrounds them. The supporters of error and of unscriptural doctrines are numerous. The world at large is leading them to forget God and to despise his claims. The law of God is trampled beneath unholy feet. Every youth is responsible to God for his opportunities, and for the precious light shining upon him from the Scriptures.

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The instruction given youth and children should not be of a superficial character. The teachers should do all in their power, as those standing in defense of the truth, to raise the standard high. There cannot be a worse thing done for your Sabbath-school than to place as workers young men and young women who have shown great defects in their religious experience. You have in your Sabbath-school as teachers of the children some who are greatly deficient in moral worth and true culture. These are brought before the children to be their teachers, to engage in labor for them, when their own life and character have been marked with loose morals and sins that God cannot tolerate. If such have been transformed by the grace of Christ, they will evidence the fact by humility and modesty of deportment. Do not lower the standard in your Sabbath-schools. Your children must have as their teachers those whose example and influence will be a blessing rather than a curse. They must have constantly before them a high sense of the virtue, purity, and holiness which characterizes the Christian life. Their ideas upon this point must not become confused; let none move unwisely or ignorantly in these matters. Give not by voice or pen encouragement to men or women who have not moral worth, whose past life shows a want of conscience and integrity. They may be sharp, witty, and intelligent; but if the heart is not imbued with the Spirit of God, and if they have not integrity of character, their influence points earthward, not heavenward, and will be detrimental wherever they are, and in whatever they may engage. We are in great need of men and women who sense sin and hate iniquity; who have spiritual eyesight to discern the wants of the cause of God, and to work with a devoted, unselfish interest, keeping self ever hid in Jesus. We want young men of whom God can approve, who have practical godliness, who have consciences quick to feel and sense danger; men and women who will not exalt themselves, and will not seek to hide the deformity of the soul under a cloak of godliness; those who feel their weakness and imperfections of character, and who will hang their helpless souls upon Jesus Christ. Those who are self-confident, and think their way is above criticism, will show very imperfect work. Said the apostle, «When I am weak, then am I strong.» While sensing his weakness, he by faith laid hold of Jesus Christ and his grace.

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It becomes every one who has any connection with the work of God to move modestly and cautiously, if he would not be deceived by the enemy of souls. If you do not individually have divine enlightenment, you will certainly make great mistakes; you will call good evil, and evil good. I have been shown that you should have less burden of form and a greater burden to see deep heart work in the Sabbath-school. Every teacher in the school should feel that he is a missionary for God. He must improve his moments and his ability to obtain a knowledge of the word of God, that he may impart the same to his scholars. Teachers will become disqualified for their position if they are not learners. They need freshness of ideas, fresh, wise plans, life, tact, and spirit in their work. They must be apt to teach. The teacher should not confine himself to the repetition of the set words of the lesson, yet he wants to be perfectly familiar with the words as well as the ideas. Every teacher, before he stands at the head of his class, wants to have his plans distinctly laid out in his mind as to what he wants to do for that day and on that occasion. Reciting a lesson yourself before the class is not teaching it; you want simple words and plainly, clearly stated ideas. Make sure that your scholars understand you. If they cannot comprehend your ideas, then your labor is lost. Do not skim the surface; work deep. The Bible is the rule and guide of the life. Sound doctrine must be brought into actual contact with the minds and hearts of your scholars; then it will produce fruit, for sound practice will be seen as the result of your labors.

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The principles of truth impressed upon the heart, line upon line, and precept upon precept, will produce right action. The Bible contains the searching maxims which God has given to guide men and women, youth and children, through the conflicts of this life to heaven. The prayer of Christ was, «Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.» However enlightened the youth may be through Bible studies, their nature is such that unless the truth of which they have knowledge is practiced in the daily life, every attempt to elevate and ennoble will be unavailing. The parents have a serious responsibility resting upon them to co-operate with the teachers in the Sabbath-school. There are hearts that the Lord has touched with his Holy Spirit. No sooner does grace begin its work in the soul, than the heart is humbled and subdued; there is no wrestling for the supremacy; pride is gone; there is such a sense of the love of Christ in giving his life for sinful beings that there is no desire to become self-exalted. The converted one sees that his Redeemer lived a life of humility, and he desires to walk in his footsteps. The missionary spirit is awakened in his heart; and while walking humbly and circumspectly in accordance with his faith, he cannot rest until he is engaged in the work of trying to win souls to Christ. He wants every one to know the preciousness of a Saviour’s love. In his work of faith and devoted labor, he will meet with strong temptations and trials, for the Lord tests all his children. If he has the root of the matter in him, he will become more and more firmly established in the truth. If Christ is abiding in his heart by faith, sin appears revolting. While he will have love, kindness, and tenderness for the scholars under his charge, he will feel that as a faithful servant he must discipline and preserve order in his class. If truth is cherished, the love of the Saviour is revealed in his words and deportment. The word of God with him is not a dead letter; he will give not only lip service but heart service. Every Sabbath-school worker who has passed from death unto life through the transforming grace of Christ, will reveal the deep moving of the Spirit of God upon his own heart. Those who attempt to direct others, who make a pretension of guiding souls to the path of holiness, while their own life is marked with pleasure-loving, with pride, and with love of display, are unfaithful servants. Their life is not in accordance with their profession; their influence is an offense to God. They need a thorough conversion. Their hearts are so filled up with rubbish that there is no room for ennobling, elevated truth. The soul temple needs to be refined, purified, cleansed; for Satan rather than Christ is abiding in the heart.

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It is essential that care should be taken when placing men and women in positions of trust. You should know something in regard to their past life, and the character that has been developed. You would better double your classes under God-fearing workers than to multiply teachers whose influence is not in accordance with the holy character of truth which we profess, for their influence will be demoralizing. Let every true, honest-hearted worker be encouraged to work on, keeping in view the fact that every one will be rewarded as his works have been. Work with an eye single to the glory of God. Do not refuse to bear responsibilities because you have a sense of your weakness and inefficiency. God can give you strength and wisdom, if you are consecrated to him and keep humble. Let none through slothfulness refuse to work; and let none rush ahead. urging his service when it is not wanted.

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Let every true worker be grateful to God that he is honored in having an opportunity of working for the Master. Watch for opportunities to do good, and improve the talents God has given you, seeking grace daily that you may succeed in doing good. The lost opportunities for doing good in the past may well humble you to the dust, and lead you to watch carefully lest you should let slip opportunities of being a blessing to others. How many times the hour has come with its work, but the worker was not at his post of duty! Words might have been said to help and strengthen weak souls struggling under temptation, but they were never spoken. Well-directed personal efforts might have been put forth, and have saved a soul from death, and hid a multitude of sins, but there was no one to make the effort. The negligent ones will have to meet their neglect in the day of God. Most precious is the blood of Christ which cleanses from all sin. A sense of the redeeming love of Christ should lead us to embrace every opportunity of doing good. These moments are exceedingly precious if improved to the glory of God. Those who are in pursuit of earthly riches are watching constantly and sharply their opportunities of gaining their desired object; and workers for Christ should be no less earnest in winning souls to him. They may be co-laborers with Christ if they, by imitating Christ’s example, do good to all brought within the sphere of their influence. For Christ’s sake let the teachers and the leading workers in your Sabbath-school be men and women who love and fear God; men and women who realize the responsibility of their position, as those who are watching for souls and must render an account to God for the influence they exert over those under their charge.

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We must have an increase of faith, else we cannot be renewed in the divine image, and love and obey the requirements of God. Let the prayer go forth from unfeigned lips, «Lord, increase my faith; give me divine enlightenment, for without help from thee I can do nothing.» Come in humility and bow before God; open before the Lord your Bibles, containing the divine promises; take your position upon them; make a covenant with God that you will answer his requirements; tell him you will believe without any other evidence except the naked promise. This is not presumption; but unless you work with zeal, unless you are earnest and determined, Satan will obtain the advantage, and you will be left in unbelief and darkness. The words and promises of God are the only foundation of our faith. Take the word of God as truth, as a living, speaking voice to you, and obey faithfully every requirement. God is faithful who hath promised. He will work with the efforts of superintendents and teachers. Our blessings are limited by the weakness of our faith. God is not unwilling to bestow; he is a reservoir of power. We must cherish meekness and lowliness of heart. We may have rich evidences of his love and mercy daily in our self-denying efforts to do others good. I entreat the workers in our Sabbath-schools to put on the whole armor of God, and as faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ, show their fidelity. God will reward every work that is done to his glory. Mrs. E. G. White. —