School Homes
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out of darkness into His marvelous light, what a reformatory influence
would go forth from every school home!
Religious Exercises
Of all the features of an education to be given in our school homes
the religious exercises are the most important. They should be treated
with the greatest solemnity and reverence, yet all the pleasantness
possible should be brought into them. They should not be prolonged
till they become wearisome, for the impression thus made upon the
minds of the youth will cause them to associate religion with all that is
dry and uninteresting; and many will be led to cast their influence on
the side of the enemy, who, if properly taught, would become a blessing
to the world and to the church. The Sabbath meetings, the morning and
evening service in the home and in the chapel, unless wisely planned
and vitalized by the Spirit of God, may become the most formal,
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unpleasant, unattractive, and to the youth the most burdensome, of
all the school exercises. The social meetings and all other religious
exercises should be so planned and managed that they will be not
only profitable, but so pleasant as to be positively attractive. Praying
together will bind hearts to God in bonds that will endure; confessing
Christ openly and bravely, exhibiting in our characters His meekness,
humility, and love, will charm others with the beauty of holiness.
On all these occasions Christ should be set forth as “the chiefest
among ten thousand,” the One “altogether lovely.”
Song of Solomon
5:10, 16
. He should be presented as the Source of all true pleasure
and satisfaction, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Author
of every blessing, the One in whom all our hopes of eternal life are
centered. In every religious exercise let the love of God and the joy
of the Christian experience appear in their true beauty. Present the
Saviour as the restorer from every effect of sin.
To accomplish this result all narrowness must be avoided. Sincere,
earnest, heartfelt devotion will be needed. Ardent, active piety in the
teachers will be essential. But there is power for us if we will have it.
There is grace for us if we will appreciate it. The Holy Spirit is waiting
our demand if we will only demand it with that intensity of purpose
which is proportionate to the value of the object we seek. Angels of
heaven are taking notice of all our work and are watching to see how