Pastoral Ministry

Teachers

Teachers can do a work of larger importance than even the minister—The teachers for our schools should be selected from the very best class. They should be experienced Christians who are balanced in mind, men and women who have learned the lesson of self-control. Then they can educate and do a work of larger importance than even the minister in preaching the Word. They can prepare the soil that the truth may have effect upon human hearts.—Manuscript Releases 13:95, 96. PaM 238.3

Christian teachers, knowing they sometimes break God's rules, should not be severe with students who break school rules—I am alarmed for you at Battle Creek. Teachers are very exact in visiting with denunciation and punishments those students who violate the slight rules, not from any vicious purpose, but heedlessly; or circumstances occur which make it no sin for them to deviate from rules which have been made, and which should not be held with inflexibility if transgressed, and yet the person in fault is treated as if he had grievously sinned. Now I want you to consider, teachers, where you stand, and deal with yourselves and pronounce judgment against yourselves; for you have not only infringed the rules, but you have been so sharp, so severe upon students; and more than this, there is a controversy between you and God. You have not made straight paths for your feet lest the lame be turned out of the way. You have departed from safe paths. I say “teachers”; I do not specify names. I leave that to your own consciences to appropriate. The Lord God of Israel has wrought in your midst again and again. You have had great evidences of the stately steppings of the Most High. But a period of great light, of the wonderful revealings of the Spirit and power of God, is a period of great peril, lest the light shall not be improved. Will you consider Jeremiah 17:5-10; 18:12-15? For you are most surely coming under the rebuke of God. Light has been shining in clear and steady rays upon you. What has this light done for you? Christ, the Chief Shepherd, is looking upon you with displeasure, and is inquiring, “Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?”—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 222. PaM 238.4