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Testimonies for the Church Volume 6
light of the word, which is to illume all nations. We are Christians,
and what are we doing?
Take your position, teachers, as true educators, and by words and
expressions of interest for their souls pour into the hearts of the students
the living stream of redeeming love. Counsel with them before their
minds are preoccupied with their literary work. Entreat them to seek
Christ and His righteousness. Show them the changes that will surely
take place if the heart is given to Christ. Fasten their attention on
Him; this will close the door to the foolish aspirations that naturally
arise, and will prepare the mind for the reception of divine truth. The
youth must be taught that time is golden, that it is perilous for them
to think they can sow “wild oats” and not reap a harvest of woe and
ruin. They must be taught to be sober-minded, and to admire the good
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in the character of others. They must be trained to place the will on
the side of God’s will, that they may be able to sing the new song and
blend with the harmonies of heaven.
Put off all manifestations of self-importance, for this can be no help
to you in your work; and yet I beseech you to place a high estimate
upon your own character, for you are bought with an infinite price. Be
careful, be prayerful, be serious. Do not feel that you can mingle the
common with the sacred. This has been done so continually in the past
that the spiritual discernment of teachers has been obscured, and they
cannot distinguish between the sacred and the common. They have
taken common fire and have exalted and praised and cherished it, and
the Lord has turned away in displeasure. Teachers, will it not be better
to make a full consecration of yourselves to God? Will you imperil
your souls by a divided service?
By pen and voice give due honor to God. Sanctify the Lord God
in your hearts and be ready always to give to every man that asks you
a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Will the
teachers in our schools understand this? Will they take the word of
God as the lessonbook able to make them wise unto salvation? Will
they impart this higher wisdom to students, giving them clear and
accurate ideas of truth, that they may be able to present these ideas
to others? It may seem that the teaching of God’s word has but little
effect upon many minds and hearts; but if the teacher’s work has been
wrought in God, some lessons of divine truth will linger in the memory
of even the most careless. The Holy Spirit will water the seed sown,