Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists

The Youth As Missionary Workers

Why is there so great a lack of the missionary spirit among our youth? Why are there so few of the children of Sabbath-keeping parents who have any burden to labor for the salvation of souls? It is because they have not been educated to realize their responsibility. They have not been trained to render service for God. Had they been educated from the beginning of their religious experience to be true to their faith, fervent in piety, and in sympathy with Christ's longing for the salvation of souls, there would now be an army of youth to enter missionary fields. Fathers and mothers, it is your own lack of godliness and devotion that has brought carelessness and indifference into your households, and placed your children in the ranks of the enemy. HS 284.4

The Bible clearly reveals to us the shortness of time, and those who have genuine faith in the third angel's message will show their faith by their works. They will endeavor to keep their children separate from worldly influences, and to give them such instruction and training as will enable them to form characters that God can approve. The meekness and simplicity of Christ are the very first lessons to be interwoven with the children's life. They should be taught to imitate the Saviour's example of self-denial and sacrifice. The reason why these precious lessons are not given to the children is that parents themselves have not learned them. They do not bring Christ into their religious experience. They are controlled by worldly principles. Custom and fashion are followed far more closely than are the teachings of Christ. HS 284.5

Had they lived in close connection with Jesus, they would have realized the worth of souls, and would have felt a burden for those who have not the light of truth. The spirit of the third angel's message would have led them to practice self-denial. But association with unbelievers clouds their faith. They lose sight of their responsibility as the light of the world; and in their dress, in the arrangement of their houses, in their style of living, they conform to the world, and deprive the cause of God of the means which he has lent them to advance his work. The children imitate their parents. Pride and worldliness are encouraged in them, the love of the truth grows cold in their hearts, and they are lost to the cause of God. HS 285.1

Children will learn to love that which the parents love. Those who would interest their sons and daughters in Bible truth, must themselves feel an interest in Bible truth and Bible study. If we desire our children to love and reverence God, we must talk of his goodness, his majesty, and his power. If we would have them love and imitate the character of Christ, we must not only tell them of the sacrifice which he made for our redemption, of the love, humility, and self-denial manifested in his life on earth, but we must show them that this is the pattern which we are striving to follow. If we desire to engage their hearts in the cause and work of God, we must teach them to sacrifice for it. That which costs little we have no special interest in, but that in which we have invested our means will claim our interest and attention, and we shall labor to make it a success. Parents, make religion the vital question of life. Teach your children that every worldly consideration should be made secondary to their eternal interests. HS 285.2

There is earnest work to be done in this age, and parents should educate their children to share in it. The words of Mordecai to Esther apply to the youth of today: “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” The youth should be gaining solidity of character, that they may be fitted for usefulness. HS 285.3

Every youth should be impressed with the fact that he is not his own; that his strength, his time, his talents, belong to God. It should be his chief purpose in life to glorify God and to do good to his fellow-men. The Bible teaches him that he is a tree, on which fruit must be found; a steward, whose capital will increase as it is wisely improved; a light, whose bright beams are to illuminate the moral darkness that enshrouds the earth. Every youth, every child, has a work to do for God's glory and for the salvation of souls that are ready to perish. HS 285.4

God demands the improvement of every faculty he has given to man. Those who possess superior intellectual powers are thus placed under greater responsibility, and if this gift is so perverted as to make the possessor forgetful of God and his claims, if he employs it to lead the minds of others away from God, he will have a fearful account to render in that day when every man shall receive according to his deeds. Every talent put to a wrong use is entered as robbery in the books of heaven. HS 285.5

Religion is our only safeguard. Knowledge is power for good or for evil, but it is only when balanced by religious principle that it is a power for good. To many, education means a knowledge of books; but “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The true object of education is to restore the image of God in the soul. The first and most precious knowledge is the knowledge of Christ, and wise parents will keep this fact ever before the minds of their children. HS 286.1

If parents would prepare their children to be useful in this life, and to enjoy the future life, they must educate them to fear God and keep his commandments. They should feel that it is their first and most important work to bring their sons and daughters under the control of God's holy law. It is not enough that they give instruction and counsel showing the right way. They should feel that it is a solemn duty to restrain their children from entering forbidden paths. HS 286.2

The history of Eli was given that every parent might shun his error. The example of Abraham was recorded to show that God approves the exercise of a restraining influence in the family, and that the all-important work of fathers and mothers is to teach their children the way of the Lord. The God in heaven says of Abraham, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” God's great standard of righteousness should be established in the home, and should be held up before the children as the rule of life. The statutes and commandments of God should be their daily lesson. HS 286.3

Let parents examine themselves individually, and answer to their own conscience whether they are meeting the requirements of God. Is the law of God taught in the home? Is it made the rule of the household? Has the truth taken possession of the souls of fathers and mothers, who stand in the place of God to their children? Is the wisdom which cometh from above sought daily in the family? Are the Holy Scriptures studied as the message of God to men? HS 286.4

Religion in the home means the highest type of religion in the church; but this home piety is sadly deficient. Parents have been asleep. The work in their homes has been neglected. To a great degree the children have moulded the law of the household to suit their inclination, and parents have been controlled by their unconverted children. There is need of a religious revival in every household in our land. Fathers and mothers, it is a marvel in the sight of heaven that the souls of your children are so little valued. Christ is grieved, and Satan triumphs. HS 286.5

We have a message of warning to the church. God says to you, “Be zealous and repent.” “I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Precious time has been squandered in which you might have won souls to Christ,—souls that through your love of ease are now lost. Every member of the church should awake to duty now. May God help you to take on the burden. Let the church-members pray and fast and believe. Let the hearts of parents be turned to their children, and the hearts of children to their parents, “Lest I come,” saith the Lord, “and smite the earth with a curse.” Your souls are in peril. Shall the Sun of Righteousness set, and leave you enshrouded in the darkness of eternal night? HS 286.6

Great light and privileges were given to the Jewish nation, but their sin was in neglecting to improve these blessings. Great privileges are granted to those whom God has made the depositaries of his law. These privileges are not evidences of our piety, and do not commend us to God; but they lay us under most solemn obligation to respond in holiness of life to the benefits received. Privileges abused will ever result in corresponding darkness and judgment from God. HS 287.1

But God never forsakes a people until they first forsake him. “Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever.” HS 287.2