e, "74€ oark, INSTRUCTOR AVE you been in the position to say, H "No, thank you, I don't—" quietly and firmly, of course, adding, "go to pic- ture shows" or "dance" or "play cards"? If you have not, you have lived in an NO, THANK YOU, unusually sheltered environment. There are few communities in which activities forbidden to the earnest Christian do not engross the attention of most of the popu- lation. I DONT- It is not comfortable to be one of a small minority. You as a Seventh-day Adventist do not like to have someone repeatedly ridicule your stand on types of recreation By LOIS M. PARKER which others assume to be harmless. Since this is so you would be wise to learn the reasons for setting such a standard. The only thing that will give you an unassailable protection against the tempta- tion to follow the crowd is a firm, God- given conviction that yielding will be defi- nitely harmful to yourself and to others. After giving thought to the current moving-picture offerings, do you not find it difficult to select good features? Edu- cational? There are motion pictures which may come under that heading, but prob- ably you have noticed how few strictly educational pictures are popular. That quality seems to be the last desire of most theatergoers. There are delightful educational pictures to be rented from the Forest Service, the State Department, or extension libraries of State colleges. If you wish to see beauti- ful pictures that will extend your knowl- edge, ask your Missionary Volunteer leaders what can be done about obtaining them for your group. Then you will have the good features of motion pictures with- out the objectionable ones. The Christian who is living close to God cannot bring himself to favor absorption of the cunningly coated poison in movies or any of the deceitful amenities connected with this form of entertainment. How many and great are the disad- vantages of popular motion pictures! Do you personally think there is anything admirable about divorce? It is the proof of a tragic failure, and even the fascinating trimmings the theaters put on it cannot —Please turn' to page 21 S. M. HARLAN The Christian Young Man or Woman Who Is Living Close to God Cannot Afford to Indulge in Questionable Amusements of Any Kind VOL. 98, NO. 17 APRIL 25, 1950 "But the seventh day is the sabbath of "Is that your last word?" "I'm going ahead and take the exams the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do "Yes, Professor Keith." on Sabbath morning," declared Ed. "I any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy So the graduation was held without don't think it'll be so wrong, and I just daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maid- Evalynn. Her diploma? No, she did not re- must have that certificate." servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger ceive it. However, she did earn high school "And I too," said Esther. "I don't like that is within thy gates: for in six days the certification by taking other examinations to take the examinations on Sabbath of Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and and passing them with flying colors when course, but I can't afford not to finish now all that in them is, and rested the seventh she was ready to enter college. Meanwhile that I'm so near through, and if we don't day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sab- her conscience was at ease and her mind get our certificates, as Ed says, we can't bath day, and hallowed it." free from questioning as to whether she any of us get a job." had made a wise decision. She had remem- "Well, since declaration of intentions O, PROFESSOR KEITH, I cannot bered the Sabbath day, and also she had seems to be in order here are mine." Jack N attend graduation if it is held on Fri- kept it holy. spoke soberly. "Whether or not I'm ever day evening. I am a Seventh-day Advent- a certified laboratory technician, I'll never ist, as you know, and observe the Sabbath The laboratory technician's course had take my examinations on the Sabbath. To from sundown on Friday to sundown on been a stiff one, but the four Seventh-day me that would be breaking God's direct Saturday, according to the Bible com- Adventist young people who were taking commandment, and whatever the result I mand." training had done earnest, honest work, simply can't afford to do that." "Can't you get a dispensation from the and marched toward the finish line with "I'm with you," said Everett. "I'll even pastor of your church for just this one courage and good cheer, until the an- go with you to talk with Dr. Ransome, occasion so you can graduate?" nouncement was posted that final examina- Jack. I can't believe he won't be willing to "Not on Friday evening, Professor tions would be given on Saturday. help us out when he sees our problem. Keith. And if I could, there is still my per- "What are we going to do?" they asked But the two of us will look pretty funny sonal responsibility to God, and my one another, consternation written on holding out for principle if you two are personal obligation to hold sacred His every face. willing to go ahead and sit for the Sabbath command to observe the seventh-day Sab- "What can we do but take them?" ques- examinations and say nothing." bath as holy time. My pastor could not tioned Ed. "We can't afford to throw In the end concessions were refused be- free me from that." away two whole years of our lives, can cause Dr. Ransome interviewed all four "But surely there would be nothing we?" of the young people concerned, and found wrong about attending your graduation. "Let's see Dr. Ransome, and tell him that two of them thought it allowable to There will be an inspiring address, the our problem," suggested Jack. "It may be take the tests as scheduled. He called Jack best in music, and the presentation of that the day can be shifted; or it may be and Everett into his office for a special diplomas, a fitting climax to your high that he will see light in giving us a special interview, and suggested that they ask school course." examination. He knows that we're their church pastor for special permission "Perhaps I have failed to make clear to Seventh-day Adventists, and that it was to write the examinations. He thought they you, Professor Keith, that this matter of to accommodate us that Friday evening simply were stubborn when they told him Sabbath observance is not just a doctrine classes were changed to Wednesday eve- this would do no good, that it was a per- of my church set up by man; neither is it ning. I'll see the 'powers that be' about this sonal matter of conscience. He could not just an idea of my own. It is a matter examination problem if you wish." understand how two Seventh-day Advent- between me and God, and I cannot do my And so it was agreed—finally. ists could feel free to take the tests, and own pleasure or speak my own words or But the preceding discussion brought two felt that it would be wrong. even think my own thoughts, and prop- out the surprising fact that Esther thought But after all examinations were over he erly observe the day which He has blessed, it would be all right to go ahead and take called the two "stubborn" boys in again, sanctified, declared holy, and on which the examinations as scheduled. "After all," and told them that their certificates were He Himself rested after He had finished she said, "they've made special concessions ready. Their high scholastic record had the work of creation." to us in the matter of Sabbath classes, and led the faculty to award them without "Well, you know the rule, Evalynn. Only this seems such a small thing to make a written examinations. And he invited both in cases of sickness or physical inability to fuss about." of them to connect with the laboratory attend are we allowed to give diplomas in "We don't need to make a fuss," Everett staff of the large hospital of which he was absentia." pointed out. "We can just state our con- medical director. "Yes, Professor Keith, I understand." victions. But if we go ahead and take the "And you're willing to throw away, as examinations as you favor, Esther, they Yes, friend o' mine, it pays to be true to it were, the work of four years for just won't think we're very much in earnest principle and to the right under all cir- a silly idea?" about our Sabbath observance, will they?" cumstances. Compromise is one of the "Please do not call it a 'silly idea,' for it "That's right," Jack agreed. "And if we devil's most subtle temptations. is a deep, conscientious conviction. And all stick together, we may get somewhere." come what may, I must be true to my "And if we don't stick together?" conscience" and my God." Everett wondered. Vol. 98, No. 17 THE YOUTH'S INSTRUCTOR, April 25, 1950 One Year, $3.75 Published by the Seventh-day Adventists. Printed every Tuesday by the Review and Herald Publishing Assn., at Takoma Park, Washington 12, D.C., U.S.A.