Chapter 36—Suspension of Students
One thing I wish you to understand, that I have not been in harmony
with the expelling of students from the school, unless human depravity
and gross licentiousness make it necessary, that others shall not be
corrupted. There has been an error in sending students from the
school as in the case of—, of—, and other cases, which has been a
great evil, and souls thus treated have opened before them a course
of action that has secured them in the ranks of the enemy as armed
and equipped enemies. Again as to making public the errors of the
students to the school,—I have been brought in to see and hear some
of these exposures, and then been shown the after-influence. It has
been harmful in every respect, and has no beneficial influence upon the
school. Had those who acted a part in these things had the spirit and
wisdom of Christ, they would have seen a way to remedy the existing
difficulties more after the likeness of Jesus Christ. It never helps a
student to be humiliated before the whole school. It creates a wound
that mortifies. It heals nothing, cures nothing. There are students who
are suspended from school. They are in this action thrust upon Satan’s
battle ground to cope with principalities and powers without armor or
defense, to become an easy prey to Satan’s devices. Let me speak a
word to you in the name of the Lord. When there is a proper course
taken, in cases where students seem so easily led astray, there will be
found no necessity for suspension or expulsion. There is a right way,
and the Spirit of the Lord must move the human agent or else there
will be grave mistakes made. It is the nicest work that was ever entered
upon by the human agent, the dealing with human minds. Teachers
are to consider that they are not dealing with angels, but human beings
with like passions as they themselves have. Characters are not formed
in one mold. There is every phase of character received by children
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as an inheritance. The defects and the virtues in traits of character
are thus revealed. Let every instructor take this into consideration.
Hereditary and cultivated deformity of human character, as also beauty
of character, will have to be met, and much grace cultivated in the
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