Guiding Principles in Administration
97
school. This should be put far from the hearts of the teachers, and of
all who act a leading part in the school.
Pride should not be felt in the forms or mechanical workings of
the school, but in the good that is accomplished in bringing souls to
Jesus Christ. Machines may be made to respond to the will of man,
working with perfect exactitude, but they are destitute of souls. So
with schools where formality takes a leading place; it is as marble
without life. When all connected with the school have a sense of the
responsibility of their work, and feel that they are making efforts, not
only for time, but for eternity, order and harmony will be seen in every
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department.—
Testimonies on Sabbath-School Work, 89, 90
.
The Evils of Formality
Evil does not result because of organization, but because of making
organization everything, and vital godliness of little moment. When
form and machinery take the preeminence, and a laborious task is
made of carrying on the work that should be done with simplicity,
evil will result, and little will be accomplished in proportion to the
effort put forth. The object of organization is just the reverse of this;
and should we disorganize, it would be like tearing down that which
we have built up. Evil results have been seen, both in the Sabbath
school work and in the missionary society, because of making much
of machinery while vital experience was lost sight of. In many of
the imagined improvements that have been brought in, the mold of
man has been placed upon the work. In the Sabbath school, men and
women have been accepted as officers and teachers, who have not been
spiritually minded, and had no live interest in the work committed to
their care; but matters can be set in order only through the aid of the
Holy Spirit....
We might see a different order of things should a number conse-
crate themselves wholly to God, and then devote their talents to the
Sabbath school work, ever advancing in knowledge, and educating
themselves so that they would be able to instruct others as to the best
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methods to employ in the work; but it is not for the workers to seek for
methods by which they can make a show, consuming time in theatrical
performances and musical display, for this benefits no one. It does
no good to train the children to make speeches for special occasions.