Chapter 5—Proper Education of the Young
The third angel is represented as flying in the midst of the heavens,
showing that the message is to go forth throughout the length and
breadth of the earth. It is the most solemn message ever given to
mortals, and all who connect with the work should first feel their need
of an education, and a most thorough training process for the work, in
reference to their future usefulness; and there should be plans made
and efforts adopted for the improvement of that class who anticipate
connecting with any branch of the work. Ministerial labor cannot and
should not be intrusted to boys, neither should the work of giving Bible
readings be intrusted to inexperienced girls, because they offer their
services, and are willing to take responsible positions, but who are
wanting in religious experience, without a thorough education and
training. They must be proved to see if they will bear the test; and
unless there is developed a firm, conscientious principle to be all that
God would have them to be, they will not correctly represent our cause
and work for this time. There must be with our sisters engaged in the
work in every mission, a depth of experience, gained from those who
have had an experience, and who understand the manners and ways of
working. The missionary operations are constantly embarrassed for
the want of workers of the right class of minds, and the devotion and
piety that will correctly represent our faith.
There are numbers that ought to become missionaries who never
enter the field, because those who are united with them in church
capacity or in our colleges, do not feel the burden of labor with them,
to open before them the claims that God has upon all the powers, and
do not pray with them and for them; and the eventful period which
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decides the plans and course of life passes, convictions, with them are
stifled, other influences and inducements attract them, and temptations
to seek worldly positions that will, they think, bring them money, take
them into the worldly current. These young men might have been
saved to the ministry through well-organized plans. If the churches in
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