The Youth's Instructor Now Online

don · 06-24-09 9:37 pm

The Youth's Instructor Now Online Adventist Archives continue to add new material. Just recently, they included over 1100 issues of the Youth Instructor ( YI ) dating from 1852 to 1948. There are gaps in the number of issues, but what a treasure-trove! Specifically, what I like about the YI is the presentation of Adventism in simplified format. One central feature is the Sabbath School lessons. I have begun to identify the topics covered: the developing list can be found at this link <a href="http://www.covenantforum.com/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=584&post=4922#POST4922" target="_blank">**HERE**</a> As we examine how the Adventist pioneers taught the children of the movement, we see more clearly what they considered important. .

don · 06-26-09 7:38 am

The Purpose of the Youth's Instructor <blockquote>The Youths Instructor, August, 1852 An Address to Those Who are Interested in the Youth's Instructor WE are happy to send you the first number of this little paper. For some time we have been impressed that we had a more special work to do for the youth, but have not been able to commence it until the present time. We now cheerfully engage in this work, praying the Lord to help ; and we feel sure of success. The young, at this day, are exposed to many evils and dangers, and they must have right instruction to enable them to know how to shun them. And although the world never was so full of books and papers as at the present time, yet there is but very little written that is calculated to lead the youth to feel the need of the Saviour, and to impress them with the importance of shunning vice, and living a virtuous, sober and holy life. The young are receiving impressions, and forming characters for Eternal Life or for Death, in an unfortunate age of the world, when spiritual darkness, like the pall of death, is spread over the earth. Pride is fostered; self-will, anger and malice are not timely and faithfully rebuked. Many parents who profess religion have become so worldly and careless, that they do not instruct their children in the way to heaven. In fact, not living devoted and holy lives themselves, they do not set good examples before their children, therefore they are unprepared to instruct them. Thus the light of Heaven is obscured, or entirely shut out from their youthful minds, and they are left to their own thoughts and the temptations of Satan, to move on in the broad way to destruction. The Apostle, in pointing out some of the sins of the perilous times of the last days, states that children would be disobedient to their parents. Their lamentable condition was to be so much worse than in former times as to constitute a sign of the last days. And it is a fact that many who profess to be looking for Christ and the judgment, have greatly neglected their duty to their children. Some have thought that because Christ was so soon coming they need not bestow much labor on their children. This is a grievous error, sufficient to call down the frown of Heaven. We do not say that parents should bestow labor on their children that can be of no real benefit to them, which would only lead them into the spirit of the world; but we do say, that no pains should be spared to impart to them right instruction, calculated to elevate the mind, and guide in the way to the kingdom of God. As we have seen children growing up at this corrupt age of the world, without an experimental knowledge of the religion of Christ, yet tender, and sometimes seen to weep when brought under a good influence, and then have seen their parents, professing to be looking for Christ, yet careless about their salvation, our heart has yearned over their children. Parents must feel that they are training souls for heaven or hell, and act their part in giving good instruction to their children, in the fear and strength of God, without delay. And the children must give their hearts to the dear Saviour who died to save them. We now feel like taking hold of this work in good earnest. And we expect that God will add his blessing, and a good and glorious work will be seen among the youth. Parents and guardians, in order for this to be accomplished, we must have your help. We do not speak of means to publish the INSTRUCTOR, for we know that if we labor faithfully, in the fear of God, for the salvation of children intrusted to your care, it will be in your heart to sustain us. But you must take hold of this work in love and faith in your own families, and in your closets before God in prayer. The good seed of truth may be planted and watered, but God alone can give the increase. After you have placed good reading in the hands of your children, have taught them their duty, with a heart filled with love—after you have done all in your power—then you can consistently go to God with their case in prayer, and believe without a doubt, that he will work for them. You should be fervent and persevering in presenting their case to God. You must keep your children as separate as possible from those children who are suffered to go on in sin. Has God called you out from the world and a fallen church, to secure your vital piety ?— If he has, how can your children be pious while associating with wicked children? It is impossible. We invite you who are in the habit of writing to furnish matter for the INSTRUCTOR. Many of you are, or have been, school-teachers. And certainly, if you feel the perishing condition of the young, and your hearts are filled with love to God and a love for their souls, you can teach them the path of holiness, and the way to heaven. Do not neglect your duty in this respect.. We think the paper should be mostly original matter, yet selected matter from good books and other papers, of a sweet, touching character would be very acceptable. Those who can obtain such matter, will please forward it. We also invite our young friends to write. Do not try to imitate any one ; but write, in a simple style, your own views, experience and feelings. We give four Sabbath Lessons in this number, one for each week, and hope the parents will establish Sabbath Schools, even where there are but two or three children in a place. And we expect the children will read them over many times, so as to be able to answer all the questions. We design that the INSTRUCTOR shall be filled with sensible matter, not only for the benefit of small children, but for the instruction of the youth from sixteen to twenty years of age. As we wished to state the condition of many of the youth, and the object of the INSTRUCTOR, in this short address, we shall be excused for saying so much to the parents. <a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/YI/YI18520801-V01-01__B/index.djvu" target="_blank">http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/YI/YI1852080 1-V01-01__B/index.djvu</a> </blockquote>Notes<blockquote><ol><li>James White wrote this (assumed). <LI>The Youth's Instructor (YI) intended to provide right instruction for the youth of the movement. It was in response, partially, to a perceived failure on the part of parents to properly teach their own children. <LI>Note the call to keep the children away from "wicked" children; a politically incorrect term for today. <LI>Note the invitation, both to adults and young people, to provide original material. I wonder if such is available in any church paper today. <LI>Along with the YI came a call to establish Sabbath Schools for the children. <LI>The intended age range: Young people up to twenty years of age.</li></ol></blockquote> .

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