Introduction
In 1902 the community surrounding the St. Helena Sanitarium, a community in which Ellen White resided from 1901 until her death, was served by the one-room Crystal Springs public school. It was taught by a dedicated Seventh-day Adventist teacher, Mr. Anthony.
At the turn of the century, Seventh-day Adventists in some parts of the United States, largely as the result of Ellen White's counsel, were just moving into the establishment of church schools for the children of grade-school age. At 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 14, 1902, Ellen White addressed the members of the Sanitarium church, urging the establishment of a church school, and as an incentive offered to provide the use of a nearby portion of her land at Elmshaven for the project. Excerpts from the timely address she gave open this section.
The Sanitarium church accepted Ellen White's proposal, but when the school opened in the fall no provision was made for small children, because it was reasoned that those under eight or ten years of age should be taught at home in harmony with Ellen White's instruction given earlier.
Not all parents were prepared to meet the ideal she set forth in her earlier writings, and this left not a few children to drift without discipline or proper training during their childhood years. The one deterrent to the church's making provision for the younger children was the oft-quoted E. G. White statement written in 1872 that "Parents should be the only teachers of their children until they have reached eight or ten years of age."-Testimonies for the Church 3:137.
There seemed to be a marked division of thinking on the part of church officers and members on this important question.
As time went on the church school board arranged for an interview with ellen white at her home early thursday morning, January 14, 1904, to discuss this question of school-age attendance and the responsibility of the church for the education of young children. W. C. White saw it as rather a landmark meeting that would set a pattern for other church schools across the land.
Ellen White was informed in advance of the issue to be discussed and so was prepared to speak to the question in its several aspects. Minutes of the meeting were made and a copy of them was introduced into the general Document File in the Elmshaven vault. However, through some oversight no copy was placed in the regular E. G. White letter and manuscript file. Being minutes of a school board meeting, they were lost sight of for many years. During a thorough search in 1975 for all materials relating to the early training of children, the minutes of this enlightening interview came to light on April 24, 1975, and were published in full in the Review and Herald (now the Adventist Review) of April 24, 1975.
Brief excerpts from the 1902 appeal for a church school and that portion of the board minutes of January 14, 1904, which relate directly to the appropriate school age for the children of Adventist parents, are presented in chapters 23 and 24.
Chapter 25 Brings together a few miscellaneous choice statements under the title of "General Guiding Principles."
In 1887 Ellen White suggested in Testimonies for the Church 5:583, 584, that "strong young men, rooted and grounded in the faith" could "if so counseled by our leading brethren, enter the higher colleges in our land, where they would have a wider field for study and observation," and who like the Waldenses "might do a good work, even while gaining their education." These sentiments were repeated several times during the next decade, emphasizing the opportunities this would give for effective witness in non-Seventh-day Adventist Schools, at the same time sounding timely cautions. Chapter 26 closes with a selection of these counsels.-White Trustees.
[Portion of an appeal for a church school to serve the Sanitarium [Deer Park],California, church, Monday morning, July 14, 1902.]
Appeal for a Church School
I promised that I would speak this morning in regard to the necessity of withdrawing our children from the public schools, and of providing suitable places where they can be educated aright. I have felt surprised at the apparently indifferent attitude of some, notwithstanding the oft-repeated warnings given that parents must provide for their families not merely with reference to their present interests, but especially with reference to their future, eternal interests. The characters that we form in this life are to decide our destiny. If we choose, we may live a life that measures with the life of God.
Every Christian family is a church in itself. The members of the family are to be Christlike in every action. The father is to sustain so close a relation to God that he realizes his duty to make provision for the members of his family to receive an education and training that will fit them for the future, immortal life. His children are to be taught the principles of heaven. He is the priest of the household, accountable to God for the influence that he exerts over every member of his family. He is to place his family under the most favorable circumstances possible, so that they shall not be tempted to conform to the habits and customs, the evil practices and lax principles, that they would find in the world....
Upon fathers and mothers devolves the responsibility of giving a Christian education to the children entrusted to them. They are never to neglect their children. In no case are they to let any line of business to so absorb mind and time and talents that their children, who should be led in harmony with God, are allowed to drift until they are separated far from Him. They are not to allow their children to slip out of their grasp into the hands of unbelievers. They are to do all in their power to keep them from imbibing the spirit of the world. They are to train them to become helpers together with God. They are God's human hand, fitting themselves and their children for an endless life in the heavenly home.
The education of our children begins in the home. The mother is their first teacher. When they become old enough to attend school, shall we permit them to enter the public schools?
The Public School or Church School?-Many years ago, in Oakland, my husband and I conversed with a public school teacher in regard to the public schools in the city. He said to us: "If parents knew of the iniquity that is to our certain knowledge practiced in these schools, there would be a furor raised in regard to these schools such as neither you nor I can imagine. The young people are rotten; and what kind of homes they have is more than our teachers can tell." This statement was made over twenty years ago. Have the conditions in our public schools improved since that time?
Some fathers and mothers are so indifferent, so careless, that they think it makes no difference whether their children attend a church school or a public school. "We are in the world," they say, "and we cannot get out of it." But, parents, we can get a good way out of the world, if we choose to do so. We can avoid seeing many of the evils that are multiplying so fast in these last days. We can avoid hearing about much of the wickedness and crime that exist.
Everything that can be done should be done to place ourselves and our children where we shall not see the iniquity that is practised in the world. We should carefully guard the sight of our eyes and the hearing of our ears, so that these awful things shall not enter our minds. When the daily newspaper comes into the house, I feel as if I wanted to hide it, that the ridiculous, sensational things in it may not be seen. It seems as if the enemy is at the foundation of the publishing of many things that appear in newspapers. Every sinful thing that can be found is uncovered and laid bare before the world.
The line of demarcation between those who serve God and those who serve Him not, is ever to remain distinct. The difference between believers and unbelievers should be as great as the difference between light and darkness. When God's people take the position that they are the temple of the Holy Ghost, Christ Himself abiding within, they will so clearly reveal Him in spirit, words, and actions, that there will be an unmistakable distinction between them and Satan's followers....
Educating Children in Bible Principles.-Some of God's people permit their children to attend the public schools, where they mingle with those who are corrupt in morals. In these schools their children can neither study the Bible nor learn its principles. Christian parents, you must make provision for your children to be educated in Bible principles. And do not rest satisfied merely with having them study the Word in the church school. Teach the Scriptures to your children yourselves when you sit down, when you go out, when you come in, and when you walk by the way. Walk with your children much oftener than you do. Talk with them. Set their minds running in a right channel. As you do this, you will find that the light and the glory of God will come into your homes. But how can you expect his blessing when you do not teach your children aright?
I am merely touching upon a few points on a number of subjects relating to the training and education of children. Sometime I hope to treat upon these points more fully, for I have been thoroughly aroused to realize that these matters must be presented before our people. Seventh-day Adventists must move in a way altogether different from the way in which they have been moving, if they expect the approval of God to rest upon them in their homes.
Every faithful parent will hear from the lips of the Master the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant ...enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." May the Lord help us to be good and faithful servants in our dealings with one another. He tells us to "consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works," helping and strengthening one another.
Church School Needed at Crystal Springs.-We are almost home. We are standing on the borders of the eternal world. Those who prove worthy will soon be introduced into the kingdom of God. We have no time to lose. We should establish the work in right lines here at Crystal Springs. Here are our children. Shall we allow them to be contaminated by the world-by its iniquity, its disregard of God's commandments? I ask those who are planning to send their children to the public school, where they are liable to be contaminated, How can you take such a risk?
We desire to erect a church school building for our children. Because of the many calls made for means, it seems a difficult matter to secure sufficient money or to arouse an interest great enough to build a small, convenient schoolhouse. I have told the school committee that I will lease to them some land for as long a time as they care to use it for school purposes. I hope that interest enough will be aroused to enable us to erect a building where our children can be taught the word of God, which is the lifeblood and the flesh of the Son of God....
Will you not take an interest in the erection of this school building, in which the word of God is to be taught? ...We expect to have a school building, in which the Bible can be taught, in which prayers can be offered to God, and in which the children can be instructed in Bible principles. We expect that every one who can take hold with us will want to have a share in erecting this building. We expect to train a little army of workers on this hillside....
There is no reason why this matter should drag. Let every one take hold to help, persevering with unflagging interest until the building is completed. Let every one do something. Some may have to get up as early as four o'clock in the morning, in order to help....
Brethren and sisters, what will you do to help build a church school? We believe that every one will regard it as a privilege and a blessing to have this school building. Let us catch the spirit of the work, saying, "We will arise and build." If all will take hold of the work unitedly, we shall soon have a schoolhouse in which from day to day our children will be taught the way of the Lord. As we do our best, the blessing of God will rest upon us. Shall we not arise and build?-Manuscript 100, 1902.