Our Youth and Children Demand Our Care
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As a people who claim to have advanced light, we are to devise
ways and means by which to bring forth a corps of educated work-
men for the various departments of the work of God. We need a
well-disciplined, cultivated class of young men and women in the San-
itarium, in the medical missionary work, in the office of publication,
in the conferences of different States, and in the field at large. We
need young men and women who have a high intellectual culture, in
order that they may do the best work for the Lord. We have done
something toward reaching this standard, but still we are far behind
that which the Lord has designed. As a church, as individuals, if we
would stand clear in the Judgment, we must make more liberal efforts
for the training of our young people, that they may be better fitted for
the various branches of the great work committed to our hands. As a
people who have great light, we should lay wise plans, in order that
the ingenious minds of those who have talent may be strengthened and
disciplined and polished after the highest order, that the work of Christ
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may not be hindered by the lack of skilful laborers, who will do their
work with earnestness and fidelity.
The church is asleep, and does not realize the magnitude of this
matter of educating the children and youth. “Why,” one says, “what
is the need of being so particular thoroughly to educate our youth? It
seems to me that if you take a few who have decided to follow some
literary calling, or some other calling that requires a certain discipline,
and give due attention to them, that is all that is necessary. It is not
required that the whole mass of our youth should be so well trained.
Will not this answer every essential requirement?”—No, I answer,
most decidedly not. What selection would we be able to make out
of the numbers of our youth? How could we tell who would be the
most promising, who would render the best service to God? In our
human judgment we might do as did Samuel when he was sent to
find the anointed of the Lord, and look upon the outward appearance.
When the noble sons of Jesse passed before him, and his eye rested
upon the handsome countenance and fine stature of the eldest son, to
him it seemed that the anointed of the Lord was before him; but the
Lord said to Samuel, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height
of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as
man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord
looketh on the heart.” Not one of the noble-appearing sons of Jesse