Review and Herald for 1972

September 28, 1972 Vol. 149 No. 39 THE ADVENT REVIEW AND SABBATH HERALD + WEEKLY INTERNATIONAL EDITION What Our Children Read? By ELLEN G. WHITE WHAT shall our children read? is ing to the food given it. They live a serious question, and demands a in an unreal world, and are unfitted serious answer. I am troubled to see for the practical duties of life. I have in Sabbath keeping families periodi- observed children allowed to come cals and newspapers containing con- up in this way. Whether at home or tinued stories that leave no impress abroad, they are restless or dreamy, of good upon the minds of the chil- and are unable to converse save dren and youth. I have watched upon the most commonplace sub- those whose taste for fiction has jects. Religious thought and con- been thus cultivated. They have versation is a channel quite foreign had the privilege of listening to the to their minds. I have felt sincere truth, of becoming acquainted with pity for these souls when I have the reasons of our faith; but they considered how much they were los- have grown to maturer years desti- ing by neglecting opportunities for tute of true piety and practical god- knowledge of the religion of Jesus liness. These dear youth need so Christ, in whom our hopes of eter- much to put into their character nal life are centered. How much building the very best material—the precious time is wasted in which love and fear of God and a knowl- they might be studying the Pattern edge of Christ. They should copy of true goodness and loveliness of his example in denying self, in liv- character! They might become like ing to do good, and in obeying all Jesus, pure and undefiled in a world God's commands. Christ says, "I of fierce temptation, reflecting the have kept my Father's command- rays of light from the character of ments." our blessed Example. Thus confess- But many know little or nothing ing Jesus to the world, they would of the reasons of our faith, and have reveal on whose side they stand. little of an intelligent knowledge of But when an appetite for reading the truth as it is in Jesus. The mind exciting, sensational stories is culti- is feasted upon sensational stories, vated, and the habit of reading any and the brain is excited just accord- and every thing that is to be had, is established, the moral taste is per- This article by Ellen G. White verted, and the mind is unsatisfied (1827-1915) appeared in the Novem- unless fed upon this trashy, un- ber 9, 1886, Review under the title "Mental Inebriates." (Continued on page 10) EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Camp Meeting in Retrospect I ACH summer the editors of the REVIEW attend who had strongly influenced the younger men. In a large number of camp meetings in North some the wives of the candidates participated. In F. America. The past summer was no exception. some the candidates offered brief testimonies about The four Washington-based editors visited 20 camp their experience and goals. meetings from coast to coast. In past years ordination services, almost without Our personal schedule took us to seven. We spent exception, were held either on the first or second but a few days—even hours—at several, but we Sabbath afternoon of camp meeting. Not this year. stayed at Central California's large camp meeting Of the three ordinations in which we participated, the entire ten days—the first time, incidentally, that only one was held on Sabbath afternoon. One was we have had the privilege of being at an entire camp held on Friday night after a short sermon. One was meeting since 1950, when we were on the staff of a held on Sabbath morning, at the close of the local conference. 11 o'clock service. Each of the three plans has ad- From what we saw and heard at camp meetings vantages, but we must confess that we found it re- this year, here are a few thoughts and observations. freshing to have the ordination service tied in with I. We think that camp meeting is worth all the the Friday night or Sabbath morning meetings. time, effort, and expense that conferences invest Change does not necessarily mean improvement, but in it. When those who hunger and thirst for right- obviously improvement cannot be made without eousness attend camp meeting, God meets with them change. Therefore, if change does not call for aban- and satisfies their needs. donment of principle, why not change some things 2. We were deeply impressed by the commitment in order to increase interest? The aphorism "Variety and earnestness of the church members at camp is the spice of life" holds true in the realm of church meeting. Who can doubt the spiritual experience activities, as well as in secular affairs. of people who sit through meeting after meeting, Adult Education Program Bible in hand, determined to obtain every blessing God seeks to impart? The remarkable quality of Another innovative plan in connection with camp the church members who attend camp meeting was meeting is the adult-education program. At the well demonstrated at the Pennsylvania camp meet- Central California camp meeting six classes were ing. Rains from tropical storm Agnes were drench- offered, five of them for credit. The topics were de- ing the entire State. Rivers overflowed their banks. scriptive astronomy, health witness, last-day events, Highways were closed. The campground became marriage enrichment, studies in Daniel, and the Ad- soggy. Life in the tents became impossible. vent Movement—its meaning, message, and mission. But did the people pack up and go home? They The writer taught the latter course. All classes met did not. They retreated from the tents, but moved twice daily, except on Sabbath, in the morning from in to the rear section of the main auditorium, which 9:00 to 10:30, and in the afternoon from 1:30 to had been cleared for the purpose. There they lived 3:30. Instead of merely being exposed to a series of like refugees. Some received word that their homes exhortatory sermons (valuable though these are), had been flooded, that water was several feet deep the members were offered on opportunity to be in in their living rooms. But still they stayed. Some a learning situation, with the option of acquiring said: "There's nothing we can do at home until the academic credit. This program widened the intel- water goes down. We believe God wants us to stay lectual horizons of the members, and thus increased here." And even though they knew that they faced the value of the camp meeting. an uncertain financial future, they continued to Camp meetings in North America are now over give generously to various offerings—even to an for another year. But their influence, we trust, will appeal to help other flood victims! continue to be felt in the day-by-day experience of 3. Adventists who attend camp meeting love good all who attended. Life cannot always be lived on books and magazines. They believe in the products the mountaintop. It also must be lived in the valleys, of our publishing houses. At book sales we overheard among the multitudes who need the hope-filled mes- statements such as these: "I have a non-Adventist sage of Adventism. Camp meeting is a foretaste of nephew who might read this book"; "I'm glad for heaven—a foretaste that includes acquiring knowl- this opportunity to build up my library of Ellen G. edge, fellowshiping with beings who delight to do White books." Adventists who read denominational God's will, communing with God and the angelic literature are strong Adventists. They are not tossed hosts, participating in and listening to music that about by every wind of doctrine. They know both lifts the spirit and draws the soul closer to God. We what they believe and Whom they believe. all look forward to the great "camp meeting" of 4. Camp meeting demonstrates that creativity and eternity. But until the glorious day of Christ's ap- imagination are still very much alive within the pearing let us grasp and enjoy the opportunities and church. We participated in a number of services blessings offered to us by earthly camp meetings. in which young men were set apart for the gospel And let us get on with the task of sharing with others ministry. But no two ordinations were alike. In the satisfying experience of knowing Christ, "whom some the ordinees had "sponsors," fellow ministers to know is life eternal." K. H. W. 2 REVIEW AND HERALD, September 28, 1972 Briefs From thee Fialleicatas are ready to be dispatched from Prague to Sierra Leone, West Africa, to fulfill an order 1 1 -Ttia4 Week,. 0 made by the Bible Societies in West Africa. Z E SCAN With a market flooded with litera- 2 9 COUNTRIES ture—and much of it that could even $ r BAPTISTS FROM 30 k , 0 CONVENE IN JAMAICA be called good literature—the question Al Brio:of as From the. FlesIlliglwas ..r.' is often raised, What is really worthy of KINGSTON, JAmAtcA—Baptists from a Christian's reading time? This week NAZARENES ENTER EIGHT more than 30 nations gathered here for we republish an article written by Ellen NEW FIELDS the annual meeting of the Baptist World White (cover). Her thoughts on the sub- Alliance's executive committee. General MIAMI BEACH—Nazarenes have begun ject of reading are probably more impor- religious activities in eight new mission Secretary Robert S.

Load more