Talk/Talk at the St. Helena Sanitarium Church School Ground
St. Helena, California
November 3, 1903
Previously unpublished.
This is the first time that I have really been as far as this toward the schoolhouse; but it has been a great satisfaction to me that we have a place where our children can be away from the cities. We have had a sense for years that it was the very best thing that could be done to get our schools out of the cities. Now, after we have tried to do this, the teacher and the scholars, we know will comprehend its advantages, and the students of the school can, if they desire, make great improvements in their studies. But if the teachers should do the very best that they could do, without the cooperation of the students it would be a failure. But we believe the students appreciate the efforts of the teachers, and we consider that the salvation of our children demands that every exertion possible shall be made for them in order that the children may have every advantage to be overcomers. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 1
The enemy will be on the track constantly, but if there is a decided determination for everyone to bring all the pleasantness and all the happiness in their own hearts and minds into the school, let me tell you that there is more than a human instructor that is present. The angels of God (I was reading today about this,) are watching over these babies in Christ, little ones. The Scripture statement is that we are not to offend the little ones, because their angels do behold the face of your Father, our Father, in heaven always. Now, these angels stand before the Father to receive their commission what to do, and then they are at work with the children to impress their human minds as they work with the teacher. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 2
I have some knowledge of the teacher that you have, that the children appreciate her, and the parents appreciate her, for she understands the Bible instruction that should be given to the children. Now, everyone of us wants to be in a position that we can offer our prayers for the children. They are tempted just as the parents are tempted, and we can offer our petitions to our heavenly Father, and He will hear us. Ask, and ye shall receive. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 3
We have worked in this way. It seems quite natural now. When we were in Australia we could not get into any place where we could hold the congregations, but we would go, as they called it, into the bush. Now we are in the bush; and they wanted that we should hold meetings in the bush here and there. Well, my very best times in speaking were in the bush. Those that would come out would be fishermen, and they would be the young. We had forty or fifty in our Sabbath school, we hired a room, but it was too small to have a congregation, so we would take it out in the groves, in a pleasant place, and we would interest them there. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 4
Now we are, everyone, forming our characters for eternity. Our Saviour came to our world and took humanity, laid aside His royal crown, laid aside His royal robe, and clothed His divinity with humanity, so that humanity might reach humanity. He could not stand before the humanity, only as He was partaker with them of all the temptations wherewith they were beset. He was of humble parentage. He might have had a thousand and ten thousand angels around Him, if that was the way, but no; He must work out the plan from the very humblest position, because the virtue is always in the person. This position is nothing. You may have the highest position in the world, and yet there may be a character that does not honor that position. Our Saviour took a position as a poor man, and He was tempted as a poor man is tempted, in all points like as we are. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 5
He encircled the human race with His long human arm, while with His divine arm He grasped the throne of the Infinite. There is the mercy seat right above the ark, and there He takes right hold. How is that? With humanity and divinity combined. Christ could work out our salvation abundantly, and therefore man was placed on vantage ground with God. Now He takes that advantage, as He speaks of these little ones. Well, it was not little babies or little children, but it was little ones in the faith. He says, Ye that believe on Me, You are not to offend them, because their angels are in the presence of the Father, to get their commission how to take charge of these little ones. Behold them in the face of the Father always doing the work. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 6
Now, if the children would always realize this, that they have a heavenly Father, and they have a Saviour that has given His precious life that He might redeem from all sin, from every wrong, every soul that lives. That is the position of our Lord. He is right in sympathy with us. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 7
If it requires a larger building than this to take in still a younger class of children, why then they should have it. The children must have advantages; they must be brought into a position where they will be educated, and they must learn the Scriptures, and be disciplined. They need to be disciplined, and discipline is worth a great deal. If every mother only knew what a splendid thing it is to carry out discipline in the home now, she would act as a mother, and a queen of her household, as a teacher; and then when it is best to transfer them to a school, they will be all prepared for it. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 8
Now just as soon as these children can be educated to be useful and help mother, that is the great thing. It is the household religion we need, the family religion, the household religion. Mothers make themselves slaves. They must wait upon their children, and attend to their children, and the children are left idle, and feeling that the mother must be a slave to the family. That is not the kind of an education to give. Teach the children to lift right where they can lift, to do little things. Educate them line upon line. The mother would rather do it herself, but she may be a teacher in her home. Teach them to be useful, to see that things are placed in order, and that the religious element must be preserved. On the Sabbath day, whenever the weather is suitable, father and mother should not shut themselves up to themselves, but take their children right out in the open air. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 9
Now this is a very nice place, where a school can be held; and every child has all the help that they can get from their own home, and where the parents must do their work faithfully to teach them at home how to carry out the principles that are in the school. If they will do that, if the parents will educate in the fear of God, they are helping the teachers that are in the school, and the teachers’ work will not be one-fifth as hard as if they did not have the help of the father and the mother and the household at home. But when these children can be brought up orderly at home, they are fitting themselves to take their position in school and carry on the work right straight along, and the teacher will not have everything to do in the education of the little ones, the younger class. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 10
Teach these children to be faithful in little things, and they will always be faithful in larger things. Educate them to truthfulness; educate them about the preciousness of time. Why? Why, because we are bought, the purchase of Christ. Christ purchased us with a price; He paid the price of His own life, and of His own blood, that we might be brought into a position that He could take away our sins. He wants to take them away. He does not want us to be in sin. Well, then, we want hopefulness. The children need hopefulness, and to be taught to manifest happiness in speech, happiness in the household. Not a word of fretting, not a word of crossness is to be seen in the mother or in the father; but the children, and the father and mother are to consider this as a little household that is to be a symbol of heaven; and they are not to let their children use them, the parents, as slaves. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 11
“Now children, come right in here. Mother needs this done and Mother needs that done.” Tell it to them cheerfully. Never set them at it as a job, but take hold of it as a playspell, and let the parents help, and the children will take hold with you, and they will never consider that it is beneath them to do household work. It is not at all contrary to the light. And the blessing of God will come upon them as the parents will educate their children in the home. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 12
They are bought with a price; therefore they are to glorify God in their bodies and in their spirits, which are God’s. They are to have their words, right words, polite words, and teach them to be polite to God. When they have blessings, they are to thank the Lord, praise the Lord, glorify the Lord for the blessings that He has given them. And their little hearts may be filled with gratitude and with thankfulness right in the home. No unpleasant words, no cross words are to be spoken in the household, not a word but to seek to build these children up so that happiness shall be in their minds and hearts, and you will have a happy home. Bow before the Lord in prayer, commit them to God, and angels of God will be around about them, and help them to feel that it is their privilege to appreciate the angelic—what? The angelic service for the children, they are serving God, in watching over the children. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 13
Now, parents, teach it to your children, if they are inclined to speak harsh words, “The angels are here, don’t speak that way.” Angels of God are here, and they are watching over these children, every one of them. Now if you give them that impression, that these angels of God know all that they are doing, it will be one of the greatest blessings that you can bestow upon them. Children are a great blessing, and if they are educated that they are a great blessing, that mother appreciates them, why, they are a part of the firm. “Children, we want you to help us right in this home firm, and you are to help us, to bless us, to strengthen us, and we are to help and strengthen you, that you will do your work in the home just right and perfectly and tidily, and keep everything up in sweetness and in nicety.” And then what? They are prepared for the school. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 14
You can begin that with those who are three years old. You can begin to educate the children to do little things, and in doing that, they will become appreciative of what is to be done. Although they are very young, they will understand it. They would come and bring me a footstool, little tiny things two and one-half and three years old; they would realize that something was wanted, and they would bring me a footstool. Now I always would feel that the blessing of God would rest upon that little action, and it is just so. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 15
The Lord will bless the children who will do the little things in the home, and if you will do these things in the home, it will become familiar to do these things in the school. You will feel that you can lift the burdens of those who are trying to give you an education. You can fasten your minds on these studies, and have the studies [done] perfectly. You may know that God takes account of all these little children. He takes account of them, and they have their guardian angels to watch over them. He says, Their angels do behold the face of your Father which is in heaven. Only think of it! 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 16
Then you must not be rough; you must not offend one of these children. It would be the greatest offense to them in the world, if you should not correct their wrongs. You would do them the greatest wrong, if as a parent, you allow your children to acquire loose, lax, untidy, undutiful habits and disobedient habits. Now that is the greatest wrong that any parent can do their children, because we are going to heaven. We know not how soon the Lord may come, and we want all our little children to be where they will be pure in mind, in thought, in disposition. They can given themselves to God when they are little children. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 17
I don’t know as there was anyone who is here, but there was a little company in Battle Creek, little children, they were small. C. H. Jones’ wife was one, and he was one, and there were other little children. Well, now, said two or three grave fathers, I am afraid to have them baptized. Did they want to be baptized? Oh, yes, they did. There was quite a little family of them, and they came forward, and they were baptized. Well, now, here they are: C. H. Jones is in the office in a responsible position, his wife has stood right by his side for years, and these were two of those little children. Several others are lying in their graves today. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 18
Little children shall be educated and trained in the right way. Angels of God will help in the lessons that are given to the parents, to the children. And angels of God are helping the teachers who give the correct lessons, to understand, in the character and mind of the children. The angels of God take the words that the teacher may speak, and impress them upon the heart of the child. Never, never speak harshly and scoldingly; never speak that way to the children. God wants us to be a blessed family in heaven above, and we want to get ready for it. We want to become just like that little one that is looking at her grandma, so earnestly; we want to begin with the little children, to fit them up so that they can be an ornament in the family, and can be fitted for the family above. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 19
I feel so grateful to God that we have this school. I feel so grateful to God that Sister Peck is teaching here, although I would be glad to have her connect with my work. She is connected with it partially. But when it came to the school, I had not an objection, I could not have. It had been presented to me that the Sanitarium should be kept up in a very orderly manner, and that all the children should have the advantage of all the education that could be given, in order that they may have a right presentation of those that shall come to the Sanitarium. Now that is just what we want. We want polite children. We do not want an affectation in politeness. But I will tell you what we want. We want politeness to God. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 20
I have thought it over and over in the night. I wake up and I think, What in the world does it mean, that—little children of God, you may be grown up to manhood or womanhood—but why is it that there is not a spirituality in every heart? Why is it that the souls are not going out in thanksgiving to God for life, for health, for breath? Here are our muscles that we are to use, and thank God that He can teach us now at the sanitarium, to use these muscles and keep ourselves in health. That is what we want. We want to know how to eat properly. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 21
We want to be like Daniel and his fellows, and they who were brought right into the king’s court, placed at the king’s tables, with the wine and all the luxuries, but they just begged that they might have the privilege of eating the simple food. They did not make any excuse, “We have got to do it in order that we may please them.” No, they did not do that. They did not go storming about it at all. But it was in such a way that they gained the confidence of the ones that had the power in their hands to control the matter, that they would give them a ten-days’ test. Well, now, we ought to know and reason from this that that ten-days’ test was a success. They were fairer and fatter in flesh than all that had eaten at the king’s table; and the one that had charge of the matter gave them their request. How did it succeed? 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 22
Well, now, you are here in the shadow of the sanitarium, teaching the children how to live and how to conduct themselves properly, that they may preserve themselves in health. How was it with Daniel and his fellows? Well, when they had their years of trial, and when they were brought up to be tried, they were far ahead, ten times ahead—of all these that had the whole advantage—with their simple diet, with their fear of God, with their love of God, with their service to God in cheerfulness, having a clean conscience, having a bright countenance, always. What is the reason? God gave them knowledge. God gave them skill in all this learning. Now that was a cooperation of man with God, in getting this education so that they could be fitted for usefulness and duty. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 23
Well, now, God is in the preparation of this little school just as much—yes—just as much—as He was in the education of those Hebrew youth. He wants every one of us to strike the highest note, and to be continually striking the highest note, that we may in the presence of God gain cooperation with God. It is man and God that are cooperating together, to bring them out in a position where that they can glorify God in the earth, learn the lessons, and glorify Him in heaven, having the crown of everlasting life. 18LtMs, Ms 191, 1903, par. 24