Chapter 3—Search the Scriptures
The Sabbath-school affords to parents and children a precious
opportunity for the study of God’s Word. But in order to gain that
benefit which they should gain in the Sabbath-school, both parents
and children should devote time to the study of the lessons, seeking
to obtain a thorough knowledge of the facts presented, and also of the
spiritual truths which these facts are designed to teach. We should
especially impress upon the minds of the young the importance of
seeking the full significance of the scripture under consideration.
In some schools, I am sorry to say, the custom prevails of reading
the lesson from the lesson sheet. This should not be. It need not be,
if the time that is often needlessly and even sinfully employed, were
given to the study of the Scriptures. There is no reason why Sabbath-
school lessons should be less perfectly learned by teachers or pupils
than are the lessons of the day school. They should be better learned,
as they treat of subjects infinitely more important. A neglect here is
displeasing to God.
Parents, set apart a little time each day for the study of the Sabbath-
school lesson with your children. Give up the social visit if need be,
rather than sacrifice the hour devoted to the precious lessons of sacred
history. Parents, as well as children, will receive benefit from this
study. Let the more important passages of Scripture connected with
the lesson be committed to memory, not as a task, but as a privilege.
Though at first the memory may be defective, it will gain strength by
[11]
exercise, so that after a time you will delight thus to treasure up the
precious words of truth. And the habit will prove a most valuable aid
to religious growth.
If the time that is worse than wasted in gossip, in ministering to
pride, or for the gratification of appetite, were devoted with equal
interest to the study of the Bible, what encouragement would be given
to our Sabbath-schools! But when parents are more anxious to have
their children fashionably dressed than to have their minds stored with
the truths of God’s Word, the children themselves will soon learn to
8