Collegiate Adventist 
Sabbath  School 
Quarterly
January  7  —  April  7 
First  Quarter  1979



LIVING 
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Inside:
1. God’s Beautiful Character
2. Changing Our Characters
3.  The Love Motive
4.  Working
5.  Visions of Service
6.  Caring 
7. What to Do With God’s Gifts 
8. Living With the Family 
9. Educating Christians 
10. Worshipping Our Father 
11. Communicating God 
12. Doing Things Like God Does 
13. Finding Joy
The Collegiate Adventist Sabbath School Quarterly is 
published by Union for Christ and Campus Ministry on 
the Union College campus, Lincoln, Nebraska.


Writers
Editors
Weekly
Editors: 

Kim  Anderson Larry M cG ill
Eugene Shirley Barry Bacon James M elancon
M elvin Baker Teri M elancon
Charles  R.  Beeler Douglas Morgan
Barry Bacon H. Roger Bothwell Pam M orris
Kendra Brown Tim  Bradley Ralph Neall
W illiam  and Diana Cole Joy Burton M ary Olson
Kandi  Dickinson Richard Carlson Dennis Palmer
Dean Fowler C . W illiam  Cole Joe Parmele
Barb Jeffers Gary Deemer Kirk  Powell
Ingrid Jonan O pal W heeler Dick Churphena Reid
Teri M elancon Kandi Dickinson Dixie Ritchie
Beth Sales Shelley Dickinson Sieg Roeske
Ruth Sales M ike Fellows Aleene Schaeffer
Gw en Scott Ruthita Fike Debbie Schlup
Denise Shultz Robert Forbes Karl-Heinz
Rick W esterm eyer Dean Fowler Schroeder
Barbara Goyne Denise Shultz
Eric Graham JoAn Shultz
Secretary Sam Gram lich Shelley Schurch
Pam W ilson Fred Harder G w en Scott
Bill Hemm erlin M ark Simmons
H. Ward  Hill Virginia Simmons
Art Director Dean  Hubbard M erton Sprengel
Heidi  Klooster Candy Issa Todd Taggart
Jim Klein Richard Tkachuck
Pennie Lister Seppo Vartija
Faculty Advisors M yrl M anley Carolyn Wisbey
Benjamin  Bandiola Cindy M cCaw Gary Wisbey
Larry M cG ill James M cClelland
M aylan Schurch
Special thanks to Lori Anderson, Linda Bowers, Teri M elancon, Maylan 
Schurch, Shelley Schurch, Denise Shultz, M illie W ilson, and Pam 
W ilson. These people went “ above and  beyond" to prepare the CASSQ .


H ere  it is!  After ten months of labor, our "baby" is finally delivered. 
Beginning in March of 1978 with a one-week prototype of a college quarterly, 
the Lord has led step by step— and now has delivered.
This quarterly is a unique concept.  We've tried to focus it toward the 
college person, both student and instructor.  B y preparing a quarterly that 
views a theme from six different perspectives (illustration,  Bible, spirit of 
prophecy, scientific, opinion, and how to articles), we hope to stimulate 
interest and thinking on spiritual issues.
Our deepest thanks to all who participated in producing this quarterly.
Those listed on the preceding page spent hours working on the quarterly— and 
it could not have been produced without such dedication.
Most of all, we thank God for His direction in this project.  I can look 
back on these past ten months and see specific areas where He has led.  We 
therefore dedicate this issue of the Collegiate Adventist Sabbath School 
•Quarterly to the glory of our God.  It is our prayer that because of this 
quarterly, many college students will come to appreciate and love more and more 
the One who first loved them.
May the blessings of heaven baptize you each day you read in this quarterly.
H O W   TO   USE  TH IS  Q U A R TER LY :
1.  Review   the  study  questions  at  the  end  of  each  w ee k’s  lesson  so  you  know  
what  basically  to  look  for.
2.  Read  and  think  about  each  day’s  article— m ake  notes  about  them , discuss 
them   w ith  your  friends  or  study  partners,  perhaps even  generate  questions 
of  your  own.
3.  Be  prepared  to  answ er  the  study  questions  in  class— and  to  vigorously 
discuss  the  basic  them es  of  the  lesson.



GOD’S BEAUTIFUL 
CHARACTER
Objective:  To present the beauty of the character of the 
Person we call God and to come into a love relationship 
with Him.  
January 7-13 
Editor:  Rick Westermeyer
□January 7 
Sunday God Leads a Pretty Sheltered Life
selected by Dr. H. Ward Hill
At the end of tim e, billions 
of people are scattered on a 
great plain before G od’s 
throne. Some of the groups 
near the front talk heatedly 
— not with cringing shame, 
but with belligerence. 
Imagine the scene:
"H o w  can God judge us? 
How can  He know about 
suffering?”  snapped a bitter 
brunette. She jerked  back a 
sleeve to reveal a tattooed 
number from a Nazi concen­
tration camp. "W e endured 
terror, beating, torture, 
death!”
In another group, a black 

lowered  his collar. "W hat 
about this?” he demanded, 
showing an ugly rope burn. 
"Lynched for no crim e but 
being black! W e have suffo­
cated in slave ships, been 
wrenched from loved ones, 
toiled till only death gave 
release.”
Heard across the plains 
were complaints against God 
for the evil and suffering He 
permitted in  His world. God 
was lucky to live in heaven 
where all was sweetness and 
light, where there was no 
weeping, no fear, no hunger, 
no hatred.  Indeed, what did


God  know about what man 
had  been forced to endure in 
this world? "A fter all, God 
leads a pretty sheltered  life,” 
they said.
Each group chose a repre­
sentative — a Jew, a  black, 
an "untouchable" from 
India, an illegitimate, a Jap­
anese from  Hiroshim a, a 
Pakistani from a refugee 
camp, and a prisoner from 
Siberia — these being the 
ones who had suffered  most. 
Meeting in the center of the 
plain they consulted with one 
another, preparing their 
argument. At last they were 
ready to step forward and 
present their case.  It was 
rather simple — before God 
could be qualified to be their 
Judge, He must endure what 
they had endured. Their deci­
sion was "G od should be 
sentenced to live on earth — 
as a m an!”
Safeguards and standards 
were established forbidding 
God to use any of His  divine 
powers. The standards con­
sisted of:
1. Let Him be born a Jew.
2. Let the legitimacy of His 
birth  be questioned, so that 
none will  know His true 
father.
3.  Let Him cham pion a 
cause so just, but so radical, 
that it brings down  upon 
Him  hate and condemnation.
4.  Let Him try to com m uni­ 

cate God to men.
5. Let Him be betrayed by 
His closest friends.
6.  Let Him be indicted on 
false charges, tried before a 
prejudiced jury, and 
convicted by a cowardly 
judge.
7.  Let Him see what it is to 
be terribly alone and com ­
pletely abandoned by every 
living thing.
8.  Let Him  be tortured, and 
let Him die!  Let Him die the 
most humiliating death — 
the death on a cross between 
common thieves.
As each  leader announced 
his portion of the sentence, 
loud murmurs of approval 
went up from the great 
throng of people. W hen the 
last had finished  pronounc­
ing his sentence, there was a 
long silence.  No one uttered 
another word.  No one moved. 
For suddenly all knew ..  .
G O D  HAD ALREADY 
SERVED HIS SENTENCE.
This description protrays 
what promises to be one of 
the most dramatic scenes in 
earth’s history — when the 
human race finally realizes 
the full  implications of God 
becoming a man. W hy did 
He do it? How do we know 
and understand  Him? This 
week we will use a number of 
approaches in exploring God 
and His character.
H. Ward Hill is a professor of religion at Union College.


The God 
of the 
mountain
The loving 
Father of 
Israel
God in 
human 
flesh 

D ,Monday  God’s Concern  by Karl-Heinz Schroeder
“ 'If God is dead, then worship is madness.' The problem of 
religious thinking is not only whether God is dead or alive, but 
also whether we are dead or alive to His realness.  Biblical 
consciousness begins not with  man’s but with G od’s concern 
and that the supreme fact in the eyes of the prophets is the 
presence of G od’s concern for man and the absence of man’s 
concern for G od.”  (Abraham J.  Heschel, C o d  in Search o f Man, 
pp. 127-128).
In this section we will try to investigate a few Biblical texts 
that show us how God revealed  His concern for His people. The 
Old Testament writers used a variety of descriptions to show the 
majesty and  love of God.
El Shadday  - God, the one of the mountain(s) (Gen. 49:25)
El Elyon  - Most High, Exalted one (Gen. 14:18-20)
El Olam  - God of Eternity, God everlasting (Gen. 21:33)
YHWH (Yahweh)- I Am Who I Am (Ex. 3:14)
Probably the best depiction of this majestic picture of God - 
the God of the mountain - can be found in  Ex. 19:16-25;  24:16,17.
At the beginning of Israel’s history, we find that God wants to 
impress upon his people the absolute character of his sover-  g ...
eignty and majesty. This experience is supposed to impress 
itself in the national character and consciousness of the 
redeemed. This God of the mountain is not  like  the  impersonal 
lawgiver of other nations but the creator of the natural forces.
The mountain burned like a “ kiln” and yet nothing was 
consumed. Moses walked into this divine fire and came back 
unhurt and his face shining like the sun  (Ex. 34:30).
This Sinai experience is only the beginning of G od’s 
revelation of His multifaceted character. During the long history 
of His people’s apostasy He shows Himself in a  manner which 
has no equal in the religious history of any other nation. He 
reveals himself as the loving and forgiving Father of Israel.
W henever they strayed from their true home He was calling for 
their return with the most tender words.
There is no other religious literature that can compare with 
the prophetic call of Isaiah. “Comfort, comfort my people. . .”
“ Have no fear, for I have paid your ransom . . . ” “Take 
heart, do not be afraid . . . ” “ I have swept away your sins 
like a dissolving mist, and your transgressions are 
dispersed like clouds;. . . ” (Isaiah 40:1; 43:1; 44:8; 44:22  (NEB)
The most supreme revelation of G od’s power, character and 
love is without doubt His revelation through Jesus, the Christ.
The witness of the New Testament writers is very clear on this 
point:  the life and death of Jesus is the ultimate revelation of 
G od’s character.
Col. 2:9  For it is in Christ that the complete being of
the Godhead dwells embodied.  (NEB)
1:20  Through him God chose to reconcile the
whole universe to himself, making peace 
through the shedding of his blood upon the 
cross.... (NEB)
(See also Rom. 3:24,24:  Hebr. 1:1-4;  10:12)
God  was  with  man  then,  and  He  is  with  man  now,  still  reaching 
out  and  showing  His  deep  concern  and  love  for  His  erring 
children.
Karl-Heinz Schroeder is an assistant professor of history at Union College.


□January 9
Tuesday God’s Presence  selected by Larry McGill
TESTIMONY
Ellen  G. 
White 

“ Moses had a deep sense of the personal  presence of Cod.  He 
was not only looking down through the ages for Christ to be 
made manifest in the flesh, but he saw Christ in a special 
manner accompanying the children of Israel in all their travels. 
God was real to him, ever present in  his thoughts. When 
misunderstood, when called upon to face danger and to bear 
insult for Christ’s sake, he endured without retaliation. Moses 
believed  in  Cod  as  O ne  whom  he  needed  and  who  would  help 
him because of his need. God was to him a present help.
“ M uch of the faith which we see is merely nom inal; the real, 
trusting, persevering faith  is rare. Moses realized in  his own 
experience the promise that God will be a rewarder of those who 
diligently seek Him.  He had respect unto the recompense of the 
reward.  Here is another point in regard to faith which we wish 
to study:  God will reward the man of faith and obedience.  If 
this faith  is brought into the life experience, it will enable 
everyone who fears and  loves God to endure trials. Moses was 
full of confidence in God because he had appropriating faith. He 
needed help, and  he prayed for it, grasped it by faith, and wove 
into his experience the belief that God cared for him.  He 
believed that God  ruled  his life in  particular.  He saw and 
acknowledged God in every detail of his life and felt that he was 
under  the  eye  of  the  All-Seeing  O ne,  who  weighs  motives,  who 
tries the heart. He looked to God and trusted in Him for 
strength to carry him uncorrupted through every form of 
temptation.  He knew that a special work had been assigned to 
him , and he desired as far as possible to make that work 
thoroughly successful. But he knew that he could not do this 
without divine aid, for he had a perverse people to deal with.
The presence of God was sufficient to carry him through the 
most trying situations in which a man could  be placed.
“ Moses did  not merely think of God;  he saw Him. God was the 
constant vision before him ;  he never lost sight of His face. He 
saw Jesus as his Saviour, and  he believed that the Saviour’s 
merits would be imputed to him. This faith was to Moses no 
guesswork;  it was a reality. This is the kind of faith we need — 
faith that will endure the test. O h, how often we yield to 
temptation because we do not keep our eye upon Jesus!  O ur 
faith is not continuous because through self-indulgence, we sin, 
and then we cannot endure ‘as seeing Him who is invisible.’
“ My brother, make Christ your daily, hourly Com panion, and 
you will  not complain that you  have no faith. Contemplate 
Christ. View His character. Talk of Him. The less you exalt self, 
the more you will see in Jesus to exalt. God  has a work for you 
to do. Keep the Lord ever before you. Brother and Sister, reach 
up higher and still  higher for clearer views of the character of 
Christ. When Moses prayed, ‘I  beseech Thee, show me Thy 
glory,’ the Lord did  not rebuke him, but He granted  his prayer. 
God declared to His servant:  'I will make all M y goodness pass 
before thee, and  I will proclaim the name of the Lord  before 
thee.’ W e keep apart from G od, and this is why we do not see 
the revealings of His power.’’ (5T, pp. 651-653) 

God’s 
presence a 
reality
Moses
trusted
God
completely
Moses
saw
God
Larry M cGill is chaplain at Union College.
8


□January 10
Wednesday God’s Power  by Dr. Richard Tkachuck
Where  is 
God’s 
power?
Only 
Christians 
can  see 
God’s 
power 

W here is G od’s power and sovereignty seen about us?
Nowadays,.when  much that was a mystery to our forefathers 
is now understood and accepted as commonplace by first-grade 
children, it might seem difficult to see God's power actually in 
operation. When  primitive peoples see things in  nature which 
they do not understand, they ascribe them to their gods. And so 
it is often with  us. The believer in God will say that the beauty 
of flowers is an evidence of G od’s power. The evolutionist, 
however, points out that the shape and beauty of the flowers is 
merely an adaptive mechanism of the flower to attract 
pollinating insects.
The majesty of trees, huge waterfalls and  mountains are often 
mentioned as other examples of the power of God.  But big trees, 
others say, are merely an adaptation to the selective pressures 
of nature, and waterfalls and  mountains are results of 
movements in the earth that uplift and change the surface of 
the earth.
And when we as Christians see rivers run wild and the earth 
move violently during earthquakes, it's hard for us to see this 
destruction as an evidence of the power and sovereignty of God. 
Sometimes it seems that God is not all that much in control. 
These thoughts become especially difficult as we see more and 
more how man can  move his environm ent from one state to 
another. Searching for God  in  nature has led us in two 
directions.  In one direction, where physical  laws are made 
paramount — God is an absent landlord.  In the other, God is in 
everything — resulting in a pantheistic view.
W here then is God and His Power? The answer is:  W here He 
has always been. Events take place that demonstrate that He is 
still in control even though the  enemy  is  ever  present  to  distort 
and twist this evidence so that the signs of God’s might are 
blurred.
God is there for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. 
Eyes and ears that have witnessed the power of God in their 
own  lives testify that He has moved mountains of evil habits 
and changed them into green hills of gracious actions;  He has 
channelled destructive rivers of passion into streams of living 
water;  and  He has mutated weeds of selfishness into the flowers 
of loving actions. O nly these true Christians — those who know 
what God  has done for them — can  know the power of God 
around them. O nly these can see that God is still in control. 

EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy
Richard Tkachuck is an associate professor of biology and chairman of the science 
division at Union College.


□January 11
Thursday God’s PR Office  by Eric M. Graham
The high level  meeting on Madison Avenue drew to a close as 
the immaculately dressed executives put away their Cross pens, 
closed their Gucci cases and adjusted their monogrammed Saks 
Fifth Avenue ties. There it was — a brand  new “ package” for 
the election of Senator Jameson.  It would work. O ther packages 
just like it had worked  before. Control the entire public contact 
with the candidate — his ideas and his actions.  Let the public 
know just what they want to know on every issue — tell the 
right public the right things.
After all, everybody is different. W e've all got our own  sets  of 
values and opinions. So make the audience hear what they want 
to hear and you’ve sold the client to the public.
He won.
What about selling God? How does His PR program work?
Does the heavenly marketing plan include the usual elements 
found  in earthly plans?
Are we being duped? Are we being sold a package?
God faced these issues in the very beginning.  He solved them 
very simply.
First of all, there is nothing to hide in describing God. There 
is only the reality of the human’s inability to perceive anything 
beyond  his own immediate needs. At any given  moment I  may 
be worried about my grades, my money, my next meal, or my 
next friend. So God’s task was to make Himself  always  there  — 
for anyone of those needs.
Like candidate Jameson’s PR experts, God  uses all the 
communication techniques available. O nly He goes one step 
further and uses environment in a way that they can’t.  In fact, 
this w eek’s lessons give an excellent example of how God  uses 
my state of mind, my individual set of needs, my background 
and  humanness to make a special picture just for me of Himself.
Therefore, I  may not only perceive God differently than you, 
but I  may perceive Him differently now from the way I  will see 
Him  in  24  hours.  He  capitalizes  on  my  creativity.  W here 
Madison Avenue needs to bury it, God  helps my creativity to 
grow.  I’m going to imagine God the way I  need God.  And  He’ll 
be that way just for me.
Dr. Schroeder, in the first section of this w eek’s lesson, wrote 
of God from his own scholarly perspective.  He saw God as an 
historical reality through the eyes of the culture of the Bible  times.
The second writer showed  us God through the eyes of a warm, 
loving human writing in the last century.  Ellen White had, of 
course, a special view of God.  Nevertheless, Larry M cGill 
showed  us how she writes from the point of view of a real 
human with real  needs.
The third w riter, Dr. Tkachuck, shows us the scientist’s God.
We see questions and answers rising out of a concern with such 
things as power, design, and structure.
God  matches His information input to our own information 
metabolism.  He feeds us just the amount we can  handle as well 
as matching the content to our needs.
God's PR office really doesn’t have a job. There is nothing to 
hide and God is what I  need when I  need Him. The ultimate 
Friend.
He has won  in  my life. Are you voting? 

God  is 
always 
there
God  meets 
my  needs
God
controls
Eric  Graham  is  manager  of  KUCV-FM   at  Union  College.
10


□January 12
Friday To Know God by Dean Hubbard
As Jesus came to the end of His ministry and prayed that 
magnificent prayer recorded in John 17, it is clear that one of 
His greatest concerns was that His followers have a clear 
understanding of the nature and character of God. “ And this is 
eternal  life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus 
Christ whom thou  has sent”  (John  17:3).  “ Oh  righteous  Father, 
the world  has not known thee . . (verse  25). Strange? Think of 
some of the dramatic lengths to which God  had gone in order 
that people might know Him — the sanctuary service,  His 
conversations with  Moses, and  perhaps most striking of all the 
experience and  ministry of Jesus.
There is only one way we can know G od:  by knowing His Son. 
And  knowing God is not like learning a math equation w here it 
can be learned once and set aside for future reference.  Knowing 
God  requires a dynamic, on-going, vibrant fellowship with 
Jesus.  Pascal, the famous French  physicist and  philosopher,  put 
it this way, “ There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each 
man which cannot be satisfied  by any created thing but only by 
God, the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”
Below are four steps one may take to have a strong fellowship 
with God and fill that “ God-shaped vacuum .”
1. Pray throughout the day. Inspite of all that we say and 
profess the sad truth  is that Christians spend very little actual 
time each day in prayer. Why is this so?  Is it because we don’t 
understand our need?  Ellen W hite tells us that “ the darkness of 
the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. The whispered 
temptations of the enemy entice them to sins;  and it is all 
because they do not make use of the privileges that God has 
given them in the divine appointment of prayer"  (Steps  to 
Christ,  pg.  94,  95).
Wesley G.  Pippert, W hite House correspondent for United 
Press International, made this observation about President 
Carter, “ he and his wife read scripture together each  night. He 
prays frequently during the day — 'almost like breathing,’ he 
once commented to  me”  (Christianity  Today,  November  3,  1978, 
page  17).  How  many  of  us  are  so  close  to  our  Father  that 
praying comes as naturally as breathing?
2. Study the word. Building and  maintaining friendships 
require blocks of time.  Knowing God also requires time. Tracing 
particular themes through the Bible, reading and comparing 
different translations, concurrently reading the Bible and the 
Conflict of the Ages Series are all ways of digging into the 
word.  If done daily, without compulsion or haste, the benefits 
are beyond  measure.
3. Develop a “ homiletical bias.” Some preachers have the 
ability to see an illustration in everything that happens. We, 
too, should develop a sensitive awareness of the hand of God 
directing, shaping, guiding the full range of experiences we 
encounter each day.
4. Meditate. To one caught up in the mad  rush of college life, 
the idea of setting aside fifteen or twenty minutes a day for 
quiet contem plation, seems ludicrous and impractical.  Neverthe­
less it’s vital to a growing relationship.
The result? Augustine said it best, “ thou  has made us for 
thyself, O  God, and our hearts are restless until they find their 
rest in Thee.” 

HOW
TO
Dean Hubbard is academic dean of Union College.
11


To Consider
What are some statements that can 
intimidate you and make you feel insecure or 
small? Can this problem be solved by behold­
ing God’s character?
Can  I  really know God?
What evidence can  I show a highly intelli­
gent atheist to prove that God is all  He 
claims to be?
If we’re really sincere about knowing God, 
should we spend weeks fasting and praying, 
as did Moses and Jesus, until we feel 
prepared to face this world?
If God  holds all power and longs to use it to 
help me, why don’t I feel "helped" more 
often than  I do?
What does it mean, Moses saw God? (see 
Tuesday's lesson)


CHANGING OUR 
CHARACTERS
Objective:  To understand that man’s response from know­
ing God is a change in character. 
January 14 - 20 
Editor:  Teri Melancon
□  January 14  L o o k   A t   H i m   by Dr. James Melancon
Sunday
It really shouldn’t have 
been that difficult. To look at 
all the thinking Allen was 
doing, you  might have 
assumed that a political cam­
paign planning session was 
in full swing.  He carefully 
weighed the pros and cons:  "If 
I  am really friendly, w on’t the 
kids think  I’m trying too 
hard? Then again, if I walk in, 
play it cool, don’t flash  my 
teeth, and keep a calm and 
dignified  profile, they’ll think 
I’m aloof.”
It  was  A llen ’s  first  day  at 
Rathbone College.  Rathbone 
students were known for their 

social standing, their afflu­
ence, and their high  national 
test averages.  In other words, 
they were society’s finest. 
What should  he do?
A llen’s choice confronts all 
of us when we come to the 
crossroads and are faced with 
a decision about how we 
should relate to Cod. We can 
make Him our friend, or we 
can avoid Him. And the 
important thing is this:  w e’ve 
got to make the choice.  If  we 
don’t choose to accept Him, 
God is not going to rearrange 
our brain circuitry so that we 
automatically love Him.  He
it


doesn’t work that way. God 
wants to be friends with us, 
but He must wait until we give 
Him the signal. W e’ve got to 
trust Him, w e’ve got to “ flash 
our teeth,” w e’ve got to let him 
know w e’re interested.
Because of sin, we can't 
meet God face-to-face in an 
overt way.  But we can  have a 
close relationship with  Him 
through Jesus Christ. Two 
texts bring home clearly the 
importance of Jesus Christ in 
our relationship with God.  In 
Col. 1:19 it states, "For it 
pleased the Father that in  him 
should all fulness d w e ll,” and 
in Col. 2:9 it says, “ For in  him 
dwelleth all the fulness of the 
Godhead  bodily.”
A person can experience a 
character transformation by 
looking at Jesus and to Jesus. 
G od’s desire is that men 
should  become one with Him 

through Jesus; that they 
become what God wanted 
them to be originally:  people 
in close communion with their 
Creator.
Through observing God, 
one is changed.  Recalling the 
experience when Peter 
betrayed Jesus, we are told in 
the Scriptures:  "A nd the Lord 
turned, and looked upon Peter 
.  . . ” Lk. 22:61. As Peter looked 
on Jesus, he was drawn to 
Him, he repented, and he 
experienced a character 
change.
Don’t be afraid to look to 
Jesus.  Don't hesitate to 
become close to Him. As 
Pilate  said  to  the Jews,  " ... 
Behold  the  m a n f’ Jn.  19:5. 
Behold Christ, let Him be your 
friend, and become not what 
people think you should  be, 
but what God wants you to 
be.
James Melancon is a professor of religion at Oakwood College.
14


□  January 15
Monday Character Changes  by Debbie schiup
No matter how confused, arrogant, or utterly depraved a  human 
being is, once he comes into intimate contact with God, he is 
changed for the better. The Bible is filled with specific examples of 
individuals who, after living close to God, became sons and 
daughters of the Most High.  Consider two of these examples — 
Moses and  Naaman.
Moses: Reared in the magnificent court of the pharaohs, Moses 
had the opportunity to be ruler of much of the known world. We 
can imagine the young Moses as a prince who met obstacles with 
rash and decisive blows. Consider Moses’ own memories of his 
early manhood:  “And it came to pass in those days, when 
Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and 
looked on their burdens:  and he spied an Egyptian smiting 
an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way 
and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he 
slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand” (Exodus 2:11,
Moses, feeling with his fellow Hebrews the threat of the 
Egyptians, could not be restrained from eliminating this cruel and 
unjust taskmaster. Hatred for these men had been building in  his 
soul, and he decided to make vengeance his own.
But after forty years of close friendship with God — sharing the 
good times and the trials, each  revealing himself to the other and 
holding a deep, warm  love between them — Moses’ character trend 
was reversed. “Now the man Moses was very meek, above 
all the men which were upon the face of the earth”
(Numbers 12:3). Thus, a m urderer became the meekest man on 
earth after spending time with God.
Naaman: The story of Naaman's character and physical 
changes is written  in II Kings 5:1. “ Now Naaman, captain of 
the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his 
master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had 
given deliverance unto Syria:  he was also a mighty man in 
valour, but he was a leper.”
How pure do you  imagine Naaman’s character was? As "C hief 
of Staff” of the Syrian army, I can imagine him as a fierce, proud 
and boastful commander. Thus, I  can imagine how upset Naaman 
must have been when  “ Elisha send a messenger [instead of 
showing proper respect by coming himself] unto him, 
saying, Go and wash in [the muddy, dirty Hebrew river]
Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, 
and thou shalt be clean” (II Kings 5:10).
But “ his servants came near, and spake unto him, and 
said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great 
thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather 
then, when he saith to thee, Wash and be clean? Then went 
he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, 
according to the saying of the man of God:  and his flesh 
came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was 
clean” (II Kings 5:13,14).
When was Naaman’s character changed? Certainly the Holy 
Spirit was working through  his servants to cause him to disregard 
his pride and accept the prophet’s suggestions. And yet, as his 
rotting flesh  became as perfect and fresh as a  newborn's, Naaman 
came face-to-face with the God of re-creation, and his heart was 

Bible

12). 
15 

c / O C O r -


changed. W e find evidence for this in  II Kings 5:15. “And he 
returned to the man of God, and all his company, and came, 
and stood before him:  and he said, Behold, now I know 
that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; now 
therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.”
Indeed, when  Naaman trusted God’s word and was "baptized” in 
the Jordan, his spiritual character, just as his physical  nature, 
was changed.
Reader, no matter who you are:  if you’re a human, you’re in 
need of a character change. Come into close, intimate contact with 
God, and He will re-create you  in the image of Himself.
Debbie Schlup is a nursing major at Union College.
16


□  January 16
Tuesday Like His Image by Dixie Ritchie
Jesus’ 
character 
imprinted 
on the 
soul
Peter
Judas
Center 
your 
thoughts 
on Christ 

"W hen one turns away from  human imperfections to behold 
Jesus, a divine transformation takes place in the character. The 
spirit of Christ working upon the heart conforms it to His image.” 
Positive  Christian  Living,  p.  218.
If you can  recall what it is like to look fully at the sun — even for 
a moment — and then  look away, you will remember that for a 
while the sun’s image appears in everything you see.
This is the way it is when we behold Jesus. Afterwards, 
everything we look at reflects His image, and we can't see or talk 
of anything else. His image is imprinted on our soul's eye, and 
affects every portion of our daily life, softening and subduing our 
complete nature. By beholding we are conformed to the divine 
likeness of Christ.
A classic example of character transformation can  be seen in 
one of Christ’s disciples.  Peter was by nature impetuous and 
forward, and Satan had taken advantage of these characteristics 
to cause his downfall. However, after living and working with 
Christ for three years, Peter became converted and the 
transformation was evident. After the humiliation of his three 
open denials of his Lord, he repented, and because of this 
experience became more prepared than ever to lead in the 
organization of the church. "Before his fall, Peter was always 
speaking unadvisedly — always ready to correct o th ers. . .   before 
he had a clear comprehension of what he had to say. But the 
converted Peter was very different. He  retained  his  former 
fervor,  but the  grace of  Christ  regulated  his zeal.” The 
D esire  o f Ages,  p.  812.
Another disciple of Christ’s, but one in whom this conversion 
did  not take place, was Judas. "H e (Jesus)  had  brought him close 
to Him self, within the inner circle of His chosen and trusted 
disciples. Day after day He had borne the pain of continual 
contact with that stubborn, suspicious, brooding spirit;  . . .  all this 
that no possible saving influence might be lacking to that 
imperiled soul!”  Education, pp. 92-93. Judas had had every 
opportunity to change as did Peter, but because he always looked 
inwardly instead of at Christ, he remained  unconverted. Since the 
spirit of Satan was in  him, when  he looked inwardly, he became 
more and more like the enemy instead of like Christ.
"W e cannot, then, center out thoughts upon self;  it is no more we 
that live, but Christ that liveth in us, and He is the hope of glory.
Self is dead, but Christ is a living Saviour." M essages to  Young 
People, p. 161. 

TESTIMONY
Ellen C.
White
Dixie Ritchie is a music education major at Union College.
17


□  January 17
Wednesday Changed to Serve 
by Karl-Heinz Schroeder
EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy 

O ne of the most serious charges ever made against any church 
was made by Cod against the church of Laodicea. She was charged 
with  the  “ crim e”  of  deception.  The  church  of  Laodicea  claimed 
that she was in  perfect physical and spiritual  health. This charge 
is too often seen  only  in  the  context  of  the organization  and 
conveniently disregarded in  its much  more important meaning as 
a judgment on the individual church member — you and me. the 
message to Laodicea is telling us that we have not experienced the 
true conversion which results necessarily in a true commitment to 
God.
How does one know if his experience has been a true 
conversion? Is it possible for you to know that you  have turned 
away completely from the things of this world and taken the 
path towards the Kingdom of Cod? Yes! we can surely know.
O ur goals in  life are a very good indication of our state of mind. 
Jesus perceptively told His followers:  “ Store up treasure in 
heaven, where there is no moth and no rust to spoil it, no thieves to 
break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there will your 
heart be also”  (Mt. 6:20, 21  NEB).
The history of God's people is full of known and unknown 
heroes of commitment.  Let us look at one outstanding example of 
a committed Christian — Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in  North 
Africa.
Augustine was born about the middle of the 4th century A.D. 
M onica, his mother, was a dedicated Christian;  his father was a 
pagan who converted very late in his life.
Augustine’s mother early taught him her faith. But as it 
happens so often, the brilliant young man, when he entered the 
university, lost his faith. For the young man who studied the 
heights of ancient philosophy Christianity was too crude and 
unsophisticated. To fill the void of his soul  he turned to the half 
pagan and half Christian religion of M anichaeism which seemed 
to be much  more logical to the young student. During these 
student years he also acquired a mistress. His devout mother very 
much disapproved of this irregular relationship. Manichaeism 
taught him that there was nothing wrong with this relationship.
It was only natural  to follow the desires of his flesh. His 
salvation would  not be influenced since it was spiritual.
But the seed that had been  planted by his mother and the 
working of the Spirit of God came to fruition many years later 
after Augustine had become  one  of the  greatest  professors  of  his 
time. His conversion was not sudden.  It took many years and hard 
w ork— of  the  mind  and  soul.  For  this  intellectual  conversion  was 
a  heartrending  experience.  M any  treasured  ideas  which  he  had 
acquired through  long study had to be discarded. But when he 
made his decision as a mature man  in  his early thirties to take his 
stand with God's people it became a commitment for life.
Augustine left the imperial city of M ilan where he had become 
quite a celebrity as a professor and returned to North Africa to 
commit the rest of his life to the service of God. There, in  his 
homeland, he soon became known as one of the intellectual and 
spiritual  leaders of the Church.
Knowing that people like  he  were  frequently  forced  to  become 
bishops, he consciously avoided going to a town that recently lost 
its  bishop.  To  his  surprise,  God  had  ways  to  overcom e  well-laid 
plans. When  he visited a friend in the city of Hippo the church 
chose him to become one of their ministers. Shortly afterwards he 

We can 
know if 
we have 
been 
changed
Augustine
adopts
paganism
Slow,
decided
conver­
sion
1H


Becomes
spiritual
leader
Unites
church
Defends 
righteous­
ness by 
faith
Defender
of
Christian­
ity
Changed 
to serve 

was consecrated bishop of Hippo. Thus, he believed, God had 
made naught of all  his plans.
The new bishop of Hippo probably would have been  forgotten  by 
history if it had not been for his great intellectual gifts. The man 
who for many years had studied the learning of his time and had 
become an outstanding scholar in his own right now dedicated  his 
talents completely to the cause of G od’s work as he saw it.
Augustine lived in a very crucial period in  history. The North 
African church was divided by strife and the Roman empire faced 
the serious challenge of the German  invasions. Augustine 
dedicated  much of his time to heal the wounds that had been 
opened by the now almost 100-year-old Donatist controversy. With 
his gifts as a speaker and writer Augustine was able to convince 
many of the schismatics to rejoin the church.
Ultimately more important was his fight against the dangerous 
heresy of Pelagianism which  had been spreading rapidly within 
the Church.  Pelagianism w'as essentially denying righteousness 
by faith by advocating that man could earn his way into heaven.
It was the bishop of Hippo who gave the Church the intellectual 
weapons to fight this heresy successfully.
Also in this grave period of the early 5th century (Rom e, the 
eternal city, had just been sacked  by the German Visigoth)  he 
began to write his great masterpiece — De Civitate Dei  (the City of 
God).  In  it he answered the pagan charge that the Christians were 
responsible for the disaster that had befallen  Rome. Their crim e 
was said to be deserting the gods of Rome who, authorities 
claim ed, had now taken revenge. Augustine proved from  history 
that this was nonsense. He also explained to Christians that 
whatever might befall Rome, the destiny of God's city (the 
Church) would  not be affected  by it. The Church would go on to its 
ultimate destination.
He told his fellow Christians that they belonged to a community 
of strangers (civitas peregrina) who live otherworldly in this 
world. Thus the bishop of the obscure city of Hippo prepared the 
Church for the disasters that struck the Western  Roman Empire 
and the Church shortly after his death.
When Augustine died on August 28 in 430 A .D . he ended a 
fruitful life of unswerving commitment to the cause of God. After 
his conversion there was never any doubt in his mind where his 
treasure was.  He used his abilities to the glorification of God and 
His Church as he understood them.  He certainly said, wrote and 
did  many things to which we have to object. Yet he followed the 
light available to him with unswerving integrity.
Examples of the past, as instructive as they might be, are 
secondary in  regard to my own life:  what will be the judgment of 
history on  my life? Am I  dedicated to the pursuit of values that can 
be eaten  by time or will my values withstand the attack of time 
and remain forever? As a student do I  prepare to be a successful 
professional or to be a dedicated fighter in the cause of God's 
people? W ill I  be willing to take a stand for right and truth, as I 
understand  it, or will  I  be willing to bend to circumstances? What 
and where are my priorities? God counsels us to get the necessary 
remedy from Him to be ready when  He knocks.
Karl-Heinz Schroeder is an assistant professor of history at Union
College.


□  January 18
Thursday Trials and Fruit by Pam Morris
The question is this:  “ How does knowing God change your 
character?”
Paul, the apostle, speaks of this change in Romans 5:1-5 as 
the  result  of  justification  by  faith.  He  says  this  change  comes 
from the Holy Spirit, who pours G od’s love  upon  us.  "M o re  than 
that,”  he says in verses 3-5, “ we rejoice in our sufferings, 
knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance 
produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does 
not disappoint us, because G od’s love has been  poured into our 
hearts through the Holy Spirit which  has been given to us.”
To paraphrase:  we hurt; this hurting gives us the ability to 
withstand other hurt; this ability produces a strong character; 
and a strong character gives us hope.  Hope does not "let us 
dow n,” because G od’s love has been poured upon us by the Holy 
Spirit, which Jesus sent us in full  measure, after His ascension.
The Spirit makes itself known in each of our lives.
But what are the actual changes brought about by the Spirit?
They’re listed in the following text, and you’ve read them or 
heard them many times before. This tim e, though, stop after 
each word. Think about each w ord, and see if you can  mentally 
apply each term to your own  life. “ But the fruit of the Spirit is 
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 
gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law ."
Think to yourself:  "Am   I always loving — loving in  my 
thoughts, in the words I say to my friends and about my 
friends? Am  I  always joyful — so confident in G od’s love and 
promises that I’m always elated? Am I peaceful — and a 
peacemaker — or do I constantly start arguments and disputes 
when there’s little or no need for them? And so on down the list.
The question is this:  "H o w  does knowing God change your 
character?” And the answer is:  by teaching you in the 
classroom of daily trials to allow the Holy Spirit to 
produce within you the harvest of spiritual fruits. 

Daily 
trials pro­
duce char­
acter 
change
Fruits of
character
change
Pam Morris is an English major at Union College.


□  January 19
Friday To Know Him by Teri Melancon
A close relationship that changes your personality? Sounds 
like a pretty serious relationship!  How many of us know people 
whom  we  can  trust  to  mold  our  characters  for  the  better?  Do  we 
trust anybody that much?
Probably  not.  You  may  have  had  "heroes”  or  "heroines” 
when you were younger, but now their perfections have 
probably been shot full of holes, and you realize that they’re 
human and that nobody’s perfect.
Thank Heaven  (literally!) we don’t have to feel this way about 
God.  He's perfect;  He never changes;  and He’s anxious to come 
close to us and  help us develop seasoned, shining personalities 
which will  last us through  billions of years!
But if we expect a character change from God, we must get to 
know Him. W e may think that for some this is easier than for 
others; yet there are some basic steps that we should all take to 
get better acquainted with our  Creator — and thus be in a 
position to be changed  by Him.
1. Treat God like you do your best friend. You  like to be 
around close friends because they make you feel at ease.  In Job 
22:21  the Bible says, "Aquaint now thyself with  him, and be at 
peace:  thereby good shall come unto thee.”  The Bible is clear — 
if we become close to God, the same good and peace will be ours 
that we enjoy when w e’re with someone we trust,  only  more!
2. Talk things over with God. When you  have a close 
friend you talk to each other as much as possible  about  plans, 
hopes and problems, and God is even closer than our human 
friends.  Keep the conversation going.  How is this done? By 
prayer, obviously. "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will  I 
pray and cry aloud:  and  he shall  hear my voice.”  Ps. 55:17. The 
Psalmist David had the right idea. He turned to God at every 
opportunity for advice and  help, as he would to a close friend.
3. Think about godly things — like the spiritual fruits 
discussed in the “Opinion” Section.
" If com m onplace thoughts and affairs take up the attention, 
the man will be com m onplace.  If he is too negligent to obtain 
anything but a superficial understanding o f Cod's truth, he 
will not receive the rich blessings. . .   It is a law o f the mind, 
that it will narrow or expand to the dim ensions o f the things 
with which it becom es familiar.” (M essages to Young People,
p. 262).
We can't be strong in character if we are loners when it comes 
to being close to God, the  M older  of  character.  There  is  a 
positive need of keeping close to Jesus. He is our strength arid 
power.
A change in character is not an overnight occurrence. We 
can’t merely throw ourselves on God and say, "O .K .  Lord, here I 
am, do something.” We must work with God.
“ A noble all-around character is not inherited.  It does not 
come to us by accident. A noble character is earned by 
individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ.” (p.
99.)
W ell, now you  have the blueprint. You  have to know much 
more than G od’s name in order to really KN OW  Him. Trust 
Him — He w on’t hurt you. All that can  happen to you  is a 
change in spirit and  purpose as you grow strong in your 
relationship with Him.
Teri Melancon is a biology and music major at Union College. 

HOW
TO


To Consider:
When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego  were 
asked to kneel down to the idols, they could 
have knelt down, but secretly worshipped 
God.
What specific change had  been made in 
their characters so that they did  not do this?
If I  don’t feel  like serving, have I  really 
been changed?
What does it mean to think and act as a 
child of God?
Do you think Augustine, mentioned in 
Wednesday’s lesson, really experienced true 
conversion? How could he have continued 
in his erroneous beliefs if he did have a 
conversion?
Does man  keep sinning after conversion?
To what degree? Why?


THE LOVE MOTIVE
Objective: To examine closely and evaluate the motives of 
our behavior and to move the love motive to the top of the list. 
January 21 — 27 
Editor:  Ingrid Jonan
All  those  who  accept  Jesus  in 
their lives
who believe that He is their Sav­
iour 
become 
different.
They become God's little child­
ren
and as they begin to love 
their new Father 
they begin, also, to love 
all of God's other 
children.
There is a way that we can  know 
that we are really LO VIN G 
and not
just wanting people for selfish 
reasons.
That is
if we love God 

and if we keep His comm and­
ments.
Because that is what true LOVE
is.
G od’s love
And His commandments show 
us that love.
Here is the
REALLY G O O D  NEWS
that is, if we are G od’s children,
if we accept Him like a new
Father,
and if we understand that He
saves us,
then we can know absolutely 
that nothing 
is too hard for us.
We can conquer anything 
overcome anything 
stop anything, or
23


begin anything.
And  it is our trust 
in our
New Father,
our understanding
that Fie is bigger than anything
and that He gives us His
strength,
our realization that He is really
with  us
and loves  us,
that gives us
VICTO RY.
Look around you.
Who are the ones who have
really
been able
to live a DIFFERENT 
life?
Not just to be different
but successful in living a fulfilled
life
a Happy life
THE LIFE THAT JESUS CHRIST
CREATED FOR
ALL HIS LITTLE CH ILDREN .
Who is it who is able to live this 
life?
The person who knows that 
Jesus
is the Son of God.
That person who understands 
entirely 

what that means.
The person who has confidence 
in
H IM , and who knows that 
His blood is the only thing that 
makes us 
Good.
That person is a 
HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL, DIFFER­
ENT
CHRISTIAN!
This is how confident we can be 
in Him.
We can be so confident 
that we can  know that 
anything
that we want and that He wants 
for us
He can give us
And we can  know that if we ask 
Him
He always hears us.
He’s always there 
always listening.
Now if we can have confidence 
that He hears us, 
and know that He 
LOVES US
we easily can have confidence 
that He will give us 
EVERYTHING WE NEED 
if we ask 
HIM .
Mike Fellows is director of college relations at Union College.


□  January 22
Monday Loving by Dr. Bill Hemmerlin
Mechanical
love
Natural,
responsive
love
How Jesus 
loved 

Christ says, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye 
love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one 
another” (John 13:34). Here is a commandment to love, and we 
must obey if we profess to be followers of Christ. O ur attitude 
toward this command is of supreme importance. We could respond 
'‘m echanically/’ that is, responding without emotion. The rich 
young ruler probably approached his humanitarian obligations in 
this way.
“And, behold, one came in and said unto him, Good 
Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal 
life?” Jesus said . . .  if thou wilt enter into life, keep the 
commandments. . .  Thou shalt love thy neighbor as 
thyself” (Matt. 19:16-19). The young man’s response was that 
he had done all these things for years. But Jesus said, “if thou 
wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the 
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:  and come 
and follow me” (Matt. 19:21).
This young man was willing to pay his 10% tithe, 3% for 
building fund, 3% for church expense, $2.50 per month for 
missions, $25.00 for Ingathering (he was too busy to talk to people 
door to door), and once in a w hile attend a church work bee. These 
are the right things to do. He fulfilled his obligation.  But  he  was 
unwilling to give 100%;  he was unwilling to really love. His giving 
was superficial;  he was fulfilling an obligation, not giving from 
his heart.
What shows Christ’s people to be different from others? “ By 
this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have 
love one to another” (John 13:35). When our love is a natural 
response from the heart, without regard for selfish interests, then 
we have evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Christ 
could have said "love one another”  a million times and  not made 
much im pact;  but He not only talked about love, He showed it! "I 
love you” is just another phrase — unless that love is 
demonstrated. H ere’s how Jesus showed His love:
“But Jesus turned him about, and when He saw her, He 
said, 'Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made 
thee whole.’ And the woman was made whole from that 
hour.” (Matt. 9:22)
“Then saith He to the man, ‘Stretch forth thine hand.’
And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as 
the other.” (Matt. 12:13)
“Then Jesus called his disciples unto Him, and said, ‘I 
have compassion on the multitude, because they continue 
with me now three days, and have nothing to eat:  and I 
will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the 
way.” (Matt. 15:32)
“Then said Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know 
not what they do.’ ” (Luke 23:24)
Is  it  possible  to  love  Cod,  but  not  love one  another?
“ If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a 
liar:  for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, 
how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this 
commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God 
love his brother  also”  (I  John  4:20, 21).  “If  we  love  one 
another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in 
us.” (l John 4:12) 

Bible
Bill Hemmerlin is an associate professor of chemistry at Union College.
25 

^ono*-


□  January 23
Tuesday Ideal Love selected by Ralph Neall
TEST
IM
ONY
Ellen  C . 
White 

Economic Theory states that individuals choose those options 
which seem to them most likely to secure their largest net 
advantage. This is a major motive in our human  behavior:  the 
motive to be selfish. Other options are available, however, and 
these options come from God.
"W ith Christ [God] gave all the resources of heaven, that 
nothing might be wanting in the plan for man's uplifting.  Here is 
love — the contemplation of which should fill the soul with 
inexpressible gratitude!  O h, what love, what matchless love!  The 
contemplation of this love will cleanse the soul from all 
selfishness.  It will lead the disciple to deny self, take up the cross, 
and follow the Redeem er.” CH 222-223 
When  love directs us, we receive innum erable blessings. As 
children we were so thankful when we were given gifts.  How much 
more now should we be filled with gratitude at the gifts Jesus 
gives. “ Let the precious blessings of God awaken gratitude in you. 
You cannot number the blessings of God, the constant 
loving-kindnesses  expressed  to  you,  for  they  are  as  numerous  as 
the  refreshing  drops  of  rain.  Clouds  of  mercy  are  hanging  over 
you  and  ready  to  drop  upon  you.  If  you  will  appreciate  the 
valuable  gift  of  salvation,  you  will  be  guided  in  the  way  of  peace 
.  .  .”  M YP  409-410 
“ A thorough-going Christian draws his motives of action from 
his deep heart-love for his Master. Up through the roots of his 
affection of Christ springs an  unselfish  interest in  his brethren.
Love imparts to its possessor grace, propriety, and comeliness of 
deportment.  It illuminates the countenance and subdues the voice; 
it refines and elevates the entire being.”  GW  123 
“ Imbued with the love of Christ, you are to be constrained to 
perform acts of unselfish service until such acts become your life 
practice.  Daily growth  into the life of Christ creates in the soul a 
heaven of peace;  in such a  life there is continual fruit bearing.”
CH  633
“ If we love God because He first loved us, we shall  love all for 
whom Christ died . .  .Connected with Christ, we are connected 
with out fellow men by the golden  links of the chain of love. Then 
the pity and compassion of Christ will  be manifest in our life.”
CO L 384-385
All  right, let’s say you  love Christ, and are filled with gratitude 
toward  Him. What now?
"  'We love Him, because He first loved  us.’ In the heart renewed 
by divine grace, love is the ruling principle of action.  It  modifies 
the character, governs the impulses, controls the passion, and 
ennobles the affections. This love, cherished  in the soul, sweetens 
the life and sheds a refining influence all around.” AA 551 
Will you choose love as your number-one motive? 

God’s  love 
is  matchless 
love
We love 
because 
He loves
Ralph Neall is an assistant professor of religion at Union College
26


D ^Wednesday  K n o w i n g   a n d   D o i n g   by Barbara Goyne
“ Knowing 
and doing 
are two 
different 
things”
In Christ 
is reforming 
power 

The towering cost of recovering lost health has forced doctors, 
nurses, and other health professionals to examine the task of 
educating people to adopt life-styles aimed at wellness.
Many have been the studies and programs designed to educate for 
better living.  But most experiments in  health education are 
uncovering the sad fact that knowledge of good health  practices 
does not insure changed behavior.
The unfulfilled promise of teaching better life-styles is apparent 
in such studies as those of Cohen and Cohen.1 They wanted to find 
out if such training programs w ork, so they reviewed all of the 
empirical studies reported in eleven  major health-education 
journals during the three-year period 1975-77. Only 7 per cent 
demonstrated that they were doing any real good and were 
causing overall major improvements in those being trained. 
Obviously, knowing and doing are two different things.
Despite recent extensive health education campaigns to alter 
smoking, driving, leisure, eating and drug habits, none have 
produced any notable successes.2 An example familiar to 
many of us is the war against obesity. The dieter who does lose 
weight is faced with a 90% chance of gaining it all back. All of the 
programs for weight control apparently fail  in  the  end,  for  most 
people.
Could this be because these efforts at changing living patterns 
neglect to take into account a basic problem of man—his 
degenerate condition?  If education and knowledge do not bear 
fruits of reform , what will?
Mrs. W hite says that “ love and trust  in  C o d ”  is the most 
important of her eight familiar rules for maintaining good  health. 
Love for God, which is born of His Spirit, brings with  it a change 
in character and w ill, generating the power to change the 
life-style. All of the human programs aimed at man’s 
elevation are inadequate. In Christ has been provided the 
only way for the regeneration of fallen man.
The public eye is on this issue of “ education for w ellness.”  The 
arena is open for those who can bring forth a workable plan to 
contest against the destructive habits which are robbing our 
society of health and wealth. The Adventist college student has a 
clear challenge: Look to Christ for divine power to effect 
reform in his life, and then lift the Savior so the world can 
look, and love, and live.
References:
(1)  Cohen  C.,Cohen  E:  Health  education:  panacea, pernicious, or  pointless?  Presented  at  the 
annual  meeting  of the  American  Association  for  the Advancement  of Science, Washington,  D.C. 
February 12-17,1978.
(2) Cohen, E:  A study of the effects of several educational techniques on junior high school students' 
knowledge and intended behavior toward a new concern in health education (doctoral dissertation) 
New York University, 1978. 

EV
IDENC
Science,
History,
Philosophy
Barbara Goyne is an instructor of biology at Union College.
27


D ,t!’" * T 2„5  Love as Motivation  by Sieg Roeske
Love is not an obedient response — you can't force somebody to 
love you, and you can’t will yourself to love someone.  Love is the 
result of more than the exercise of the w ill.  I cannot love by merely 
deciding to love.  Love is not something that man can  produce. As 
a m otive, it evolves out of a revelation that is understood and 
appreciated.  Love in  man is not a cause, but rather the effect of 
something, namely a relationship with Christ.  It takes more than 
a mere portion of man, such as his w ill, to have love as  the 
motivating factor for his action.  It takes the involvement of man 
as a total being — his intellect, his emotions, his w ill, etc., all in 
relationship to and in the possession of the indwelling Christ.
Christ did  not expect the rich young ruler to become loving by 
merely selling his property, but rather by selling, or giving, all of 
himself to Christ. This giving of himself would requisite a 
relationship of trust and confidence.  In exchange for that act, 
Christ would have come into his life with the kind of love that 
could have motivated him to also give away, or sell, his property.
O r at least, he would be willing to do so if that were asked of him. 
Even then, it would not be man’s love, but Christ’s love in  man 
that would be the motivating force.
Pure Motives
Do our motives have to be pure before God accepts our actions? 
What are pure motives like? God invites us to come as we are, and 
He promises to do the work of purifying our motives by His 
indwelling Spirit. W e should have the ideal clearly in  mind — total 
selflessness. Yet, at the same tim e, we should realize that the idea 
may not be a reality until His second coming. Man is a very 
complicated being; selfishness seems to be attached to every part 
of his being. M any Christians want to serve the Lord because this 
will result in eternal  life. They want to trust God because of some 
of the benefits that come in  return. They want to go to heaven 
because they will finally receive the peace that they have been 
hoping for. God accepts this limited understanding, and promises 
to go beyond their abilities to accomplish what they cannot 
accomplish by themselves.
Difference between Christians and non-Christians
There are many good  people in the world. They are kind, 
gracious, and well-m annered, at times more so than some 
professing Christians. However, we are not to confuse refinem ent 
of behavior with true love.  I may be able to train and educate a 
dog, or a cat, to produce a certain kind of behavior. However, I 
cannot train them to love, because only Christ can instill  love.
M any good people will be lost at Christ’s coming, not because they 
were not good enough, but because they did not have Christ and 
His love as the motivating factor in their lives. 

Love is 
a response
God covers 
impure love
Called to 
the highest 
form of love
Sieg Roeske is an assistant professor of religion at Union College.
28


□  January 26
Friday To Love Maturely  by James McClelland
Love. The word conjures up a wide variety of images, 
depending on the experiences we have had in life. We love that 
new 'Vette, or that pizza, or that new guy on campus, or our moms, 
or the flag, or the church  (and the list goes on). We talk about love 
easily. W e are bombarded with  it in TV commercials and 
programs;  it is the subject of most of the songs we hear; the 
preacher talks about it.
Love surrounds us, and yet few of us manage it very well on a 
day-to-day basis. We are convinced of our need for it. We go to 
great lengths to acquire it. W e’re painfully unhappy without it.
The lack of it causes someone to drop out of school nearly every 
week. Most of us want to give it to someone or something.  But, 
while it is easy to take love, and  it would seem that it would be 
easy enough, almost automatic, to give love, few of us find it all 
that easy once we are involved in the process.
One need only be around a small baby for a while to realize this. 
God  has put within each human the strong will to survive. The 
baby manifests that will by demanding attention whenever he 
needs feeding, changing, or affection.  Little by little he learns to 
respond to those who care for him , and in time he learns to love.
But it is a lifelong struggle to  learn  to  love  in  a  mature  fashion. 
Mature love does not consider that which is to be gained, 
but seeks rather to give. We love easily those who look good, 
smell good, and who like all the right things or who are liked  by all 
the right people. Others are not so easy to love. And yet, Jesus 
says, “ A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one 
another; as I  have loved you.”  (John 13:34). How is this to be done?
1. First, we need to examine our motives. Even the purest
of our motives may reveal flaws when held  up to close scrutiny. 
M ost,if not all of us, engage in behaviors because of the “ pay-offs” 
those behaviors have. We think well of ourselves, or others think 
well of us, or we receive some other kind of gratification.
2. We need to rethink what love actually is. True love can 
be revealed only in the light of Calvary. Everything else is a 
counterfeit. " If we love God because  He first loved us, we shall love 
all for whom Christ died  .  .  . Counsels  on  Health,  p.  633.
3.  Then  we will  want to  practice  love. Rather  than  seek
out  only those  who  look  good,  smell  good,  and  who  are  popular, 
we  w ill  seek  out  those  who  most  need  our  love.  "Im bued  with 
the  love  of  Christ,  you  are  to  be  constrained  to  perform  acts  of 
unselfish  service until  such  acts  become your  life  practice.
Christ’s  O bject  Lessons,  pp.  384-385.
Love for our fellowman and love for God  must be practiced  until 
it becomes as natural as drawing another breath.  Love, then, will 
still  have its payoffs, but, in addition, it will  be love that is wholly 
acceptable to God. "This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the 
life and sheds a  refining influence on all  around.”  The  Acts  o f the 
Apostles, p. 551.
James McClelland is an assistant professor of art and chairman of the art depart­
ment at Union College. 

H
OW
T
O
29


To Consider:
How can we be sure that our motives for follow­
ing Christ are pure?
Must they all be pure before we do the approp­
riate action?
How can the word “ pure” be defined in this
case?
Can a person who has not knowingly accepted 
Christ as his Saviour be capable of expressing 
true godly love?  Is genuine affection limited 
only to Christians? Explain your answer.
Have you ever seen anyone totally changed 
from a hater to a lover by the message of the 
gospel?


WORKING
Objective: To emphasize that work is a blessing and privi­
lege and that our attitude toward our work is important to 
God.  
January 28 - February 3 
Editor:  Ruth Sales
□  January 28  R e t i r e m e n t   V S.  P a r a d i s e   byGaryW isbey
Sunday
After the success of his first 
book, The O nion Field, Joseph 
Wambaugh quit his job on the 
police force and  began writing 
full time.
Joe had  planned for, and 
dreamed of, an early retire­
ment during his fourteen 
years as a cop. He had “ moon­
lighted” to write The O nion 
Field w hile  still  working  his 
beat. After writing  The Blue 
Knight,  The Centurion,  and 
the Chain Boys, his dream of 
an early retirement was 
possible.
At 38 years of age he 
spotted  his retirement estate. 
He has never completely des­ 

cribed  his home or its location 
publicly, but from what he 
has revealed, we can envision 
it as a brick and cedar Califor­
nia ranch style mansion, 
sprawling on a hillside at the 
end of a tree  lined  private  lane. 
The home is  surrounded  by 
formal gardens, a pool, ser­
vant’s quarters, and guest 
cottages.  Inside are exotically 
appointed  rooms.  It appears 
to be a perfect place to spend a 
life of ease for the jet-setti ng 
retired author.  But 
Wambaugh  has lived on this 
estate little more than four 
years.
On November 26,1978,
31


Illustration cont.
Wambaugh recounted on the 
"Tonight Show” the story of 
those four years of retirement 
in approximately these words: 
"I  retired at age 3 8 .1  had all 
the money  I  needed to retire 
for the rest of my life.  How­
ever, I grew so bored that my 
butler and  I often played 
one-on-one basketball in the 
living room of my house. After 
four years of that, I just had 
to go back to work.  Now I am 
risking my entire fortune to 
independently produce my 
first movie, “ The O nion 
Field.”  If it fails, I’ll have to 
find another job and start 
completely over.
A life of retirement — of no 
work — brought not happi­
ness and fulfillm ent to Wam­
baugh, but boredom. 
Wambaugh thought it was 
worth risking everything for 
the privilege of work.  Does it 
seem possible that anyone 
would give up a  life of pure 
“ fun” for one of hard work 
and high  risk? Wambaugh 
apparently makes this con­
cept possible. 

Statistics released by the 
U.S. government in October of 
1978 show that men forced to 
retire — who have in general 
worked hard and saved as 
much as possible — live an 
average of not more than 
three years following retire­
ment. The implication of the 
report was that for people 
physically and mentally capa­
ble of w ork, such activity is 
essential to sustaining physi­
cal life. Startling isn’t it? 
Certainly Joseph Wambaugh 
learned that work is essential 
to happiness — even to life.
That work is essential to life 
and happiness, however, is 
not a widely accepted maxim. 
As Christians we should have 
known its truth all along. The 
first Biblical statement of this 
principle is found in Genesis 
2:15. Here  it  is  recorded  that 
“ The Lord God took the man 
[Adam] and put him in the 
garden of Eden to till it and 
keep it.”  In one short sent­
ence, the Lord dashes our 
dreams of the idyllc life. Even 
in  paradise, man  must work.
Gary Wisbey is dean of men at Union College.
32


□  January 29
Monday Wonderful Work 
by Dr. Richard Tkachuck
God works
All work is 
important
Work is a 
blessing 

To a majority of people the thought of work brings a very 
unpleasant taste to their mouths. Some children — and adults — 
expend  more energy trying to escape from work than what is 
needed to do the work in the first place, and they rejoice when 
Friday comes — the TGIF syndrome.  High on the list of human 
grievances is job dissatisfaction. Was work actually one of the 
curses given to man when  he fell?
I don’t think we can call w ork, as such, a curse. After all, God 
works. “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and 
all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his 
work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day 
from all his work.. (Gen.  2:1, 2.)
And I don’t think we can say that, just because God can speak 
and create objects with  His voice if fie  wants to, that’s what 
always happened. Notice Psalms 8:3 (David is talking to God): 
“When I consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the 
moon and the stars .. . ”  God evidently just loves to get His 
fingers into His creation — and  He formed  man in this same way.
I think that God  makes no distinction between the various types 
of human labor. W hether a man digs a trench or preaches a 
sermon doesn’t make any difference.  It’s all service — the trench 
may carry electricity through wires to light the pulpit of the 
minister.  In the parable of the talents, the master rewarded the 
most faithful w orkers:  “ because thou has been faithful in a 
very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” (Luke  19:17)
Proverbs praises the “ working w om an" — the efficient, 
business-minded  housekeeper: “She seeketh wool, and flax, 
and worketh willingly with her hands .. .with the fruit of 
her hands she planteth a vineyard .. .she looketh well to 
the ways of her household.” (Prov. 31:13,16, 27).  “ Her 
children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also...
(Prov. 31:28)
W ork — efficient service to others — is indeed a blessing.  It 
makes a theological statement:  “ Since God is doing everything He 
can to restore this world to its original state, I too in  my work will 
restore all that I can in order to increase the quality of life of those 
who surround m e.” We should study, as Paul  puts it, “to show 
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to 
be ashamed,” in  our  secular  as well  as  religious  labor.
(2 Tim. 2:15)
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus 
unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we 
should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10). W ork  is  simply  service  to 
mankind. 

Bible
Richard Tkachuck is an associate professor of biology and chair man 
of the science division at Union College.
n


□  January 30
Tuesday Synergism by Eric Graham
ESTIMONY
Ellen G. 
White 

Synergism. Sounds  like  one  of  those  head-whirling  scientific 
terms  which  needs  a  page  or  so  of  equations  to  explain.
Actually,  it’s  easily  defined:  The  cooperative  action  of  two 
discrete  (different  and  separate)  agencies  so  that  the  total  effect 
is  greater  than  the  sum  of  the  two  parts.”
Synergism as an effect has been observed by modern man  in 
many technological situations.  It is a reality is some aspects of 
diet, in certain chemical  processes as well as in electronics.  But 
can it apply, for example, when you combine good old-fashioned 
work and studies? Can the combination of the two be greater 
than the sum of the two parts? And, for that matter, can 
synergism as an effect be found in one’s spiritual  life?
In  this  section  of  the  lesson,  we  are  looking  carefully  at  what 
the  Lord’s  messenger  to the  twentieth  century  has  to  say  about 
work.  She says  a  lot,  in  fact.  For  example,  in  the  book 
Fundamentals  o f Christian  Education there  are  several 
interesting  lines  which  point  toward  a  principle  or  “ w ork.”
For the student:  “ There should be rules regulating studies to 
certain hours, and then a portion of the time should be spent in 
physical  labor.”
For the rich:  “ The wealthy are also to work and learn how to 
earn a  livelihood.”
But there are certain realities involved in  modern twentieth 
century life. As a student, you get depressed when you can't find 
time to do all the many important things.  If you’ve got to add a 
major work program to your already glutted schedule . .  .what 
then? W here do you find  priorities?
For the swamped, Mrs. White has this advice:  “ Unite 
physical with  mental labor.” And, “ If one must be neglected, let it 
be the study of books.”
"But I’m goal oriented,” you say, I don’t have time to separate 
myself from the things I  need to do in order to get where I'm going. 
Besides, I  need that extra time for my devotional  life.”
Ellen White is firm on this point:
"Every institution of learning should make provision for the 
study and practice of agriculture and the mechanic arts. 
Competent teachers should be employed to instruct the 
youth  in the various industrial pursuits, as well as in the 
several branches of study. W hile a part of each day is 
devoted to mental improvement, let a stated  portion be given 
to physical  labor, and a suitable time to devotional exercises.” 
(In  other  words, all things  are  important  —  don’t  overload  your 
circuits  with  one  or  two  areas  w hile  excluding  others.)
FJere’s another comment you’ve probably made:  "I  never  have 
enough energy to do all the things  I  need to do.  In fact I often feel 
like quitting school.”
For the tired: these inspired comments:
"The  human  body  may  be  compared  to  nicely  adjusted 
machinery, which  needs care to keep it in  running order. O ne 
part should not be subjected to constant wear and pressure, 
while another part is rusting  from  inaction.  W hile the  mind  is 
tasked, the muscles also should  have their proportion of 
exercise."
As you can see, the “ grand old lady” was quite directive about 
the importance of work. But what about the issue we raised at the
34


Testimony  cont.
beginning? Can plain old work be a synergistic process, 
combining with studies for extra benefits? H ere’s what Ellen 
W hite says:
“ By  connecting  labor  with  schools  .  .  .  students  .  .  .  will  be  able 
to accomplish  more mental  labor in a given time than they 
could by study  alone.”
What  do  you  think?  Can  one’s  spiritual  life  become synergistic in  any 
way? Is it possible to get more out than one puts into it?
(Ellen W hite quotations from Fundamentals o f Christian 
Education, between  pages 20 and 75.)
Eric  Graham  is  manager of KUCV-FM   at  Union College.
ie


□  January 31  Blessings of Work  by Sam Gramlich
Wednesday
EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy 

It is interesting to note that as the compulsory retirement age of 
65 began to be enforced in the United States, many people who 
were required to retire seemed to lose all interest in  life, and often 
died rather quickly after retirement, whereas they had enjoyed 
excellent health  up to that time. W e’re realizing more and more 
that work provides structure and gives meaning in a way that no 
other human activity can.
Not only that, but work plays a big part in how we feel about 
ourselves. “ Job satisfaction”  (your happiness with your work) is 
very significant in the adequate development of a self image — the 
way we look at ourselves and value ourselves.
Nathanael Brandon, on  p. 127 of his book The Psychology o f 
Self-esteem , says, “ In analyzing the psychology of self-esteem one 
of the most important aspects to consider is the relationship of 
self-esteem to productive work and  more broadly to the growth 
and exercise of man’s mental abilities.”  He goes on to point out 
that productive w ork, when it’s related to the way man 
manipulates his environm ent, is the most significant elem ent in 
self-esteem.
A little later, in the section of  “ Self-Esteem  and  Pleasure 
Seeking,” he points out that there are basically five inter­
connective areas that allow man to experience the enjoyment of 
life. Among these five he lists productive w ork, human 
relationships, recreation, art, and sex.  However, he says, 
“ Productive work is the fundamental area.  Productive work is 
essential to man’s sense of efficacy and thus is essential to his 
ability fully to enjoy the other values of his existence.” (p. 133)
It is true that, as a result of the industrial and technological 
revolutions, the way man  looks at himself in  relation to his 
employment has been greatly altered by the general move from 
agriculture production to the production of things.  But even  in the 
technological society we still value ourselves mostly in  relation to 
our ability to satisfactorily carry forward the type of work w e’ve 
chosen as our “ jo b .”
We often speak of the Protestant “ work ethic,” and the fact that 
man has very closely related productive work to survival. W e've 
all heard statements like:  “ by the sweat of  a  man’s  brow  he  earns 
his bread," and so forth. These are accepted as truisms within our 
society, and they're probably sensible ideas.
The “ profit” motive is another idea w e’ve accepted as a worthy 
one — a good employer is one who can  make a profit upon the 
productive potential of his own executive abilities and the work of 
his employees.
All of these factors are ones we need to consider as we think 
about the blessings of work.  In short, we value ourselves in 
relation to our ability to satisfactorily complete a work 
assignment.
(Nathaniel Branden, The Psychology of Self-Esteem, Bantam Books, Inc., 1969)
Samuel Gramlich is the director of education for the Nebraska 
Conference. 
36 

Work
gives
meaning.
Satisfac­
tion...
Self­
esteem
Work is 
funda­
mental
Work
defines
value


□ February 1  Interview with Fred Harder
Editor:
Harder:
Editor:
Harder:
Editor:
Harder: 

Mr.  Harder, why don't you briefly introduce this topic 
— the blessings and privilege o f work — to start o ff this 
interview ?
W ell, as I have reviewed the lesson this w eek, it seems 
that two aspects of work have been considered. The 
first was the physical, “ sweat of the brow”  meaning of 
the word. This meaning is somewhat foreign to us in 
the white collar generation because machines now do 
most of this kind of work.  But it was the most common 
meaning for form er generations who worked long, 
hard hours to grow enough food to survive in what to 
them was a hostile world. The second concept is very 
m odern;  it considers work as any satisfaction — or 
happiness — increasing activity — those activities 
which are not directly required for survivial and may 
not even be physically demanding.
In the statements we read this week from Fundam en­
tals o f Christian Education, M rs.  W hite is talking to 
students and administrators o f schools. She refers to 
" physical labor,” " agriculture and the m echanic arts,” 
and “ industrial pursuits.”  She doesn’t mention the 
value o f such labor m erely because she is so con cern ed 
with  " earning a livelihood” — these physical activities 
are m entioned here for “ the wealthy!”  Does this 
counsel still apply?
She is concerned — in an age with few gymnasiums, 
indoor swimming pools and racquet clubs — that 
students do not overlook physical exercise. Students, 
she said, should be developing physical skills along 
with their mental and spiritual labor. These physical 
skills should include more than team sports because 
individuals should enjoy staying with these activities 
after leaving the school environm ent. Thus the 
synergistic idea that:
“ the  human  body  may  be  compared to nicely adjusted 
m achinery, which needscaretokeepit in running order." 
Keep the “ m achinery” in running order and the mental 
and spiritual endeavors will  be more successful. This is 
what Ellen White was emphasizing.
On this earth, man has known work sim ply as an 
attempt to survive.  How do you com pare this to the 
idea that we will work in heaven?
We understand Heaven to be a place where our 
survival is assured and time will be spent in the 
pleasant aspects of living. Today, then, we can 
understand  Heaven better because new occupations 
exist for the first time that create beauty, increase 
knowledge, and explore new frontiers. Today’s occupa­
tions are also psychologically rewarding, often  mone­
tarily rewarding and probably most like what we will 
do in the new earth. After all, creation of happiness is 
what God is all about.
Fred Harder is an associate professor of business administration and chairman of 
the division of business and office administration.
37


□  February 2
Friday To Enjoy Work by Melvin Baker
A graduation speaker at a public university once said, "If there 
is anything wrong with America today, hard work is not the cause 
of it.”  Two things came out of that statement. 1) Hard work had 
made Am erica the great country it is and 2) since an organization 
is a reflection of its people, hard work has certainly not hurt the 
individuals that make up the great organization we call Am erica.
If work is good for you — as this speaker implies and as the 
Bible indicated in "G o  to the ant...”  — it behooves us not only to 
learn to w ork, but to learn to enjoy our work.
Perhaps you may find your work boring and  unfulfilling 
drudgry.  If so, there is probably no reason for it to remain that
W 

way.  Follow the suggestions below and  perhaps they will help you 
to enjoy your work.
1.  Choose the type of work that you will enjoy. You don't 
know what work you will enjoy? W ell, rem em ber, God has a plan 
for your life. Through  prayer, find out what He would have you do 
and start working toward that goal as soon as possible.  I don’t 
mean that you should rush  into your lifew ork, however.
Maturation  is an aid to your success.
Education can also contribute to success. Educate yourself for 
your w ork. But don’t let your learning stop there — educate 
yourself further while you work.
2. Don’t get upset if you’re learning to do different work 
than what your life goals are. Moses herded sheep for 40 years 
before coming to Egypt, and Jesus was a good carpenter. The Lord 
uses many different schools to educate for His work — don’t be 
afraid to go to any of them.
3. Work hard. Satisfaction  is found  in a job well done.  Learn to 
do well the menial tasks, for every job has some of these, and 
you’ll feel good about it.
O f course, don’t work just for financial gain.  Honesty, service, 
and  happiness are more important things to consider. W ork as you 
would want your employees to work if you were the boss.
4. Don’t become a slave to your work. This is an opposite 
swing of the pendulum .  In your free time, do something that 
contrasts with your work — and something you  really enjoy.
Hobbies and sports such as jogging, reading, gardening, cycling 
and even a  little TV might be needed to change the pace.
As a result of sin, God gave man  labor.  But let’s remember that 
He gave it to increase man’s happiness. W ork should be enjoyable.
If it’s not, and you’ve followed the above suggestions, get some 
counsel (rom someone with experience — who you  know enjoys his 
w ork.  It’s important that you try hard to make those 40, 50, or 60 
hours a week some of the best times of your life.

HO 
Melvin Baker is an assistant professor of mathematics at Union College.
38


To Consider:
1.  Why is work a necessity for humanity?
2.  If a man works in a menial position and feels 
unfulfilled, how can he avoid or deal with 
this feeling?
3.  Explain the fact that work is a valuable gift.
4.  Why is it that retirement is so hard for many 
people to accept?
5.  What do you think God's work is like?  Is all of 
it enjoyable?
6.  Does our work reflect our relationship to God?
If so, how?
7.  What other activities give the same satisfac­
tions that come from work?
39



VISIONS OF SERVICE
Objective: To catch the large vision of what we are called to be and to do 
for Christ in the world.  
February 4-10  
Editor:  Beth Sales
□  February 4 
Sunday The Happiness of Helping  by Ruthita Fike
Mark  closed  his  book, 
Wealth is Right, and leaned 
back in the plush  recliner.  He 
was an 18-year-old freshman 
at O pulence University. He 
had wanted to be rich ever 
since he could remember, and 
had enrolled  in O U   because it 
produced more wealthy people 
than any other university in 
the world.  He was taking a 
full 16 hours of classes rang­
ing from a speech course 
entitled, “ The Magnetism of 
Hitler 108” to an advanced 
accounting course entitled 
“ M oney Matters 463.”
Despite the fact that he was 
doing well in all of his classes, 
he felt morose. Earlier that 
day he had been doing some 

research in the archives of the 
University library, and had 
run across a  book which  had 
disturbed him.  He was sure 
that the book had been left out 
quite by accident, as all sub­
versive  literature was kept in 
a locked vault on the lowest 
level of the library. O nly the 
instructors were allowed to 
see the books, and they only 
when they were in the process 
of publishing something refut­
ing the ideas contained  in the 
questionable sources.
The book was called The 
Holy Bible. M ark had heard of 
the book from his grand­
mother, a woman whom 
M ark’s parents ridiculed.
“ Grandma is a ridiculous
41


Illustration  cont.
wom an.” they often said.
“ She could have been rich, but 
she spent too much of her time 
trying to help other people — 
even when they didn't appre­
ciate it. She even spends 
money on other people. W e’ ll 
never know how Grandpa 
endured the embarrassment 
all these years. She has 
always been concerned about 
being happy, and she doesn’t 
think  money  helps.  I guess all 
families are allowed one 
kook.”
Mark rarely thought about 
being happy, but the book he 
had stumbled  upon  had talked 
about it. The book certainly 
had to have been the source of 
Grandm a’s ideas.  Mark  had 
spent about an hour poring 
over the pages, and would not 
have stopped then except for 
fear of getting caught. He was 
rather sure that it would  have 
meant immediate expulsion 
had he been found  reading the 
book.
There were several 
passages that plagued M ark, 
and in an effort to forget 
them, he went jogging.  Mark 
was very fam iliar with the 
statistics which show that top 
executives are usually in good 
physical condition, and he 
had adopted a serious health 
program several years earlier. 
He prided himself on his 
toned body and clear mind. 
Physical fitness, at least, 
would not stand in his way of 
acquiring wealth.
He  started  jogging  the  route 
he had  mapped out at the 
beginning of school, which 
included a long and rather 
strenuous hill. At the foot of 
the hill he passed an old  man 
laden with packages. His face 
was red with exertion. Mark 
jogged by without a word.
“ Stupid old  m an,” he 
thought. " If he had used his 
intelligence and strength 
when he was younger, he 
could afford to pay for some­ 

one else to take those pack­
ages up the h ill.”
Mark reached the crest of 
the hill in a few minutes, 
turned and ran  back down.
The old gentleman  had 
advanced only a couple of 
yards. Just as M ark reached 
him, the old man dropped his 
topmost package. To avoid 
stepping on it M ark had to 
jerk  his body to the left.  He 
landed on his foot crooked 
and fell to his knees.
“ Are you hurt?” the old man 
asked worriedly.
“ I  don’t know yet, but I 
don’t think so.” As Mark 
turned to speak to the man, he 
noticed that the package on 
the  pavement  had  broken  open 
and a doll’s head peered out.
He had fallen to avoid step­
ping on a stupid doll!
"W hat are you doing with a 
doll, anyway?”  he snapped.
"It's for my next door neigh­
bor’s girl.”  The old man 
smiled as he spoke. “ She has 
the measles and I  thought it 
might make her feel better.” 
"H ow  can you afford to buy 
her something like that?”
Mark asked. "A nd surely not 
all of those packages are for 
other people,” he continued, 
noticing names written on 
them.
“ They certainly are,” the 
old man beamed. "A nd  I  can 
hardly wait to deliver them .”
For the first time Mark 
looked into the old man’s face. 
Laugh lines w rinkled his 
surprisingly  bright  eyes.
“ Can  I  help you up?" the old 
man asked. "I am awfully 
sorry,” he added.
“ No, I can  manage.”  Mark 
paused. “ I was wondering if I 
could help you carry your 
things to the top of the h ill.”
The odd, unfamiliar words 
were out before he could stop 
them.
"M y, that would be nice.
We can talk on the way, too.”
By the time they reached
42


Illustration  cont.
the top, M ark and the old man 
felt fairly well acquainted. 
M ark was starting to feel a 
sensation that was unfamiliar 
— friendliness.
"Thanks so much for help­
ing me, young man. I can 
make it from here.  I find it 
rather unique that a student 
of O pulence University would 
take time to help. I’m sur­
prised that you aren't attend­
ing that lecture that I  heard 
about in town today, “ How to 
Beat the Stock M arket.”
Mark flushed.  He had 
intended to hear that. He 
already was dabbling in the 
stock market, and could have 
used  the  advice.  Forgetting 
that  lecture  could be  a 
costly  mistake,  he  thought.
M ark told the old man 

goodbye and prepared to 
return to the University.  Per­
haps he could at least pick up 
the conclusion of the lecture. 
As he started downhill, he 
started to whistle.  He felt 
good. The morose feeling had 
passed. M ark stopped.  He 
couldn’t remember the last 
time that he had felt like 
whistling. And suddenly he 
turned and walked the other 
way.
“ Uh - sir?” he called. "I 
think I  have time to help carry 
those packages the rest of the 
way hom e.” His heart was in 
his throat as he spoke.
"M aybe every family should 
have two kooks,”  he thought, 
as he once again retraced his 
steps uphill.
Ruthita  Fike  is  an  English  instructor  at  the  College  View  Academy,  Lincoln, 
Nebraska. 
43


□  February 5
Monday Calls to Service  by Karl-Heinz Schroeder
A.  Moses’ and Paul’s Call and Service
Exodus 3:1-10 - call of Moses 
Acts 9:3-4,15 - call of Paul 
26:12-18
Both of these men were called to service by God to deliver 
G od’s people.  Let us look at the similarities and the 
differences of the two calls.
Education
Exodus 2:10;3:1  The  education  of  Moses  took  place  in
Bible 

two  plates:  The intellectual took  place 
in  the  high  school  and  university  train­
ing  at  the  court  of  the  pharaoh,  and  his 
leadership training was gained in the 
wilderness, studying the book of nature 
and the behavior of sheep.
successful servant of God — good intel­
lectual preparation and later the crown 
of education and leadership given  by 
God himself in solitude — Arabia.
when Moses persisted in his refusal to 
accept the job.  But after Moses had 
accepted his duties as the leader of a 
nation of slaves his commitment was 
absolute.  No greater praise can be given 
to any person as is stated in this text.
Not only did he instantly accept G od’s 
call, but was just as dedicated in 
preaching Jesus as he had been  in 
persecuting the Christians a few days 
before.
countenance of God’s servant.
him the earthly promised land — the 
land  of  Israel.  And  by  resurrecting  him 
He allowed him to see the work of Jesus

Acts 22:3; 
Gal. 1:12 
In  Paul’s case we see again the prepara­
tion that went into the life of a very
Reaction to the Call
Exodus 3:11-4:18  Moses reacted very negatively to God’s
Deut. 34:10-12  call for service. God  even  became  angry
Acts 9:6, 20 Young and zealous,  Saul  was  different.
God’s Calls Change Those He Calls
Exodus 34:29  Service for God produces a change in the
Acts 9:20  The  persecutor  turns  into  a  missionary.
Here we see that something quite remarkable takes place with 
those who accept the call to service. The form er old shepherd 
experiences a physical transformation that is visible to everybody 
around  him. The form er persecutor of the fledgling Christian 
comm unity turns into its greatest missionary.
Reward
Deut. 34:1-4  The Lord rewarded Moses by showing
44


Logos cont.
2 Tim 4:6-8 

Christ, the Saviour not only of Israel but 
of all nations.
At the end of a successful  life Paul was 
sure that he had earned  his eternal 
reward.
B.  Reflection
The study of the foregoing biblical examples can teach us much 
in  regard to G od’s way of calling people for service. Moses and 
Paul were probably the two greatest success stories in the history 
of G od’s people. There are two important points that should be 
emphasized.
First, both of these men had  received the best education of their 
times.  Moses being the son of Pharoah’s daughter must have 
received the finest education that Egypt had to offer.  How much 
the Egyptian court could give can easily be seen, for example, in 
the stunning engineering feats they accomplished by building the 
pyramids and temples.  In  the case of Paul we also can see that he 
had been trained  by the best teacher of his times — Rabbi 
Gamaliel.
Secondly, we can see that this was not enough. God had to give 
them further training away from school and teachers, in the 
solitude of the desert. But the second did  not take place until the 
first was completed.
C.  Discussion
(a) As G od’s children and college students who have been called 
into service, should we be satisfied with  mediocrity? What can we 
do to receive the best education in secular and  religious subjects? 
Am  I willing to spend four years or however long it takes to get the 
intellectual  maturity needed for service?
(b)  Into  which  category  do  I  fit  when  God  calls  —  that  of 
Moses  who  refused  as  long  as  he  could,  or  that  of  Paul  who 
responded  at  once?  Is  one  reaction  preferable?  Is  it  possible  that 
I  am  calling  myself  for  a  service  that  God  does  not  want  me  to 
do?
Karl-Heinz Schroeder is an assistant professor of history at Union College.
45


TESTIMONY
Ellen  C . 
White 

I □  February 6
Tuesday Really Serving  by James McClelland
The ministry of Christ, and that which  made Him most effective 
in  His interpersonal relationships, was the work of service to 
others. Service is a rare quality in a world which sees on every 
hand the strong exploiting the weak and each  man serving his 
own interests. Service, when  performed in  love, is the most 
eloquent argument we may have in favor of Christianity.
Every Christian  is called to service. "Bear ye one another’s 
burdens,  and  so  fulfill  the  law  of Christ"  (Galatians  6:2).  "It  is 
the  privilege  of  every  soul  to  be  a  living  channel  through  which 
God  can  communicate  to  the world  the  treasures  of  His  grace, 
the  unsearchable  riches  of Christ.  There  is  nothing  that  Christ 
desires  so  much  as  agents  who  will  represent  to  the  world  His 
spirit  and  character.  There  is  nothing  that  the world  needs  so 
much  as  the  manifestation  through  humanity  of the  Savior’s 
love.  All  heaven  is  waiting  for  channels  through  which  can  be 
poured  the  holy  oil  to  be  a  joy  and  blessing  to  human  hearts.” 
(Christ’s  O bject  Lessons,  page 419.)  “ W e should  feel  it  our 
special  duty  to  work  for  those  living  in  our  neighborhood  or 
dorm itory.”  (M essages  to Young People,  page  40.)  “ As  you  visit 
your  friends  .  .  .  show  an  interest  in  their  spiritual  as  well  as  in 
their  temporal  w elfare.”  (M inistry o f Healing,  page  152.)
W hile preparing for what he considers a larger work, the student 
should not neglect the opportunities for service that are available 
to him every day. “ Let none pass by little opportunities, to look for 
larger work. You  might do successfully the small w ork, but fail 
utterly in attempting the larger w ork, and fall into discourage­
ment.  It is by doing with your might what you find to do that you 
will  develop  aptitudes  for  larger  w ork.”  (M inistry o f Healing, 
page  153.)
The preparation  needed for the work of service is that of 
comm union with God. “ In a life wholly devoted to the good of 
others, the Saviour found it necessary to turn aside from ceaseless 
activity and contact with human  need, to seek retirement and 
unbroken communion with His Father.  . .All who are under the 
training of God  need the quiet hour for communion with their own 
hearts, with nature, and with G od.”  (M inistry o f Healing,  page  58.)
The rewards of service? The payoff? God has provided that too. 
"W e are not to think of reward, but of service;  yet kindness shown 
in this spirit will  not fail of its recompense. ‘Thy Father which 
seeth  in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.’ W hile it is true 
that God  Himself is the great Reward, that embraces every other, 
the soul receives and enjoys Him in character. O nly like can 
appreciate like.  It is as we give ourselves to God for the service of 
humanity that He gives Himself to us.  No one can give  place in 
his own heart and  life for the stream of God’s blessing to flow to 
others,  without  receiving  in  himself  a  great  rew ard." (M ount  o f 
Blessing,  p.  81.)  " The  little  attentions,  the small  acts  o f love  and 
self-sacrifice, that flow out from the life as quietly as the fragrance 
from a flower — these constitute no small share of the blessings 
and  happiness for life .  . .Those who have sought for the 
development and perfection of Christian character by exercising 
their faculties in good works, w ill, in the world to come, reap that 
which they have sown. The work begun  upon earth will reach its 
consumation in that higher and  holier life to endure throughout 
e t e r n it y(M ount  o f Blessing,  pages  82,  83.) 

Loving 
service is 
the 
Chris­
tian’s 
trademark
Commun­
ion with 
Cod pre­
pares for 
service
Service
is
rewarded
James McClelland is an assistant professor of art and chairman of the art depart­
ment at Union College. 
46


□  February 7
Wednesday Altruism by Aleene Schaeffer'
Altruism
Much 
behavior 
is basically 
selfish
Helpful
model
encour­
ages
helping
•  Let God 
analyze 
and 
change 
motives 

According to a behavioral view, altruism is any conduct that 
helps another, regardless of the motive. The motivational 
definition of altruism, however, is that a helping act is truly 
altruistic when it is motivated by an anticipation of positive 
consequences for another individual.1 That is, the person acts in 
concern for another rather than for what he may gain for it.
Both  reinforcem ent theories and psychoanalytic theories hold 
that all behavior is basically motivated by self-concern.  It is 
argued that even  if a person rescues another from a burning 
house, and thereby puts him elf in danger, he does so to gain 
admiration of others, maintain consistency of his concept of his 
ideal self, or for other self-advancing ideas of which  he may or 
may not be conscious.
Another behavioral viewpoint is that some altrustic acts are 
motivated by selfish reasoning, and others are accidental because 
of circumstances. For exam ple:  Someone finds and returns a 
wallet containing a  large sum of money. Could a possible reward 
be a motivating factor? O r suppose a person is waiting to board a 
bus and a disembarking passenger falls. When the first person 
helps the other to his feet, is it because of an altruistic motive or 
because of circumstances?
It has been shown  repeatedly that observing a helpful  model 
encourages the observer to be helpful.  If a child observes parents 
who demonstrate a willingness to help others and who talk with 
the child about helping, he will grow up to be a helpful person. 
W hile relatively few studies on the altruism of parents and their 
children have yielded consistant results,2 they have helped 
support the identification hypothesis which says helpful  parents 
would be expected to have helpful children.  For instance, when 
interviewing Christians who helped rescue Jews in Germ any,3 an 
intense identification with a parent who had very firm opinions 
on  moral issues was found  in all of the rescuers.
In the Christian’s service to his fellow men, it is very difficult to 
isolate the motives. A missionary’s thrilling tales of mission 
service or the inspiration of a favorite teacher or pastor may spur 
some forward into these realms of service. For others, positions of 
leadership, travel, financial security, or reputation can be the 
motivating factor.
How does one know that he is motivated aright? How does one 
examine all the roads to service? It is a very complex matter. O nly 
as a Christian surrenders his life to God can he end the chaos of 
endless self-analysis in which all  motives are suspect. O ne must 
be willing to pray the prayer of the psalmist:  “ Search  me, O  God, 
and  know my heart:  try me, and  know my thoughts: and see if 
there be any wicked way in  me, and  lead me in the way 
everlasting.”  (Ps. 139:  23, 24). The Lord searches our hearts and 
tries our thoughts by His Word and by His Spirit. He is able, if we 
permit, to lay bare our deepest thoughts and  most secret 
intentions. The Holy Spirit is there to help us think through our 
motives for love and service, and then he constantly reshapes 
those motives and desires until we are prompted to serve God from 
the highest motive possible. The law of service becomes the 
connecting link which binds us both to God and to our fellow man.
1.  Middlebrook,  Patricia  Niles. Social Psychology and M odern Life.  New  York:  Alfred  A.  Knopf, 
Inc.  1974.
2.  Kohlberg,  L. Handbook  o f Socialization  Theory and Research.  Chicago:  Rand  McNally,  1969.
3.  London,  P. Altruism and Helping Behavior:  Social Psychological Studies  o f Some 
Antecedents and Consequences.  New  York:  Academic  Press,  1970.
Aleene Schaeffer is an assistant professor of education at Union College.
47 

EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy


□  February 8
Thursday Doing Good  by Dr. Virginia Simmons
This week we have been discussing several aspects of 
Christian service. W e have compared Moses’ and  Paul’s  calls 
to service and have been challenged to adopt G od’s ideal for 
successful service.  In this article, I would like to discuss 
several aspects of successful service.  For I view successful 
service as selfless service, prepared service, and “ improving- 
every-opportunity” service.
“ Do good and disappear”  are words from the diary of 
Genevieve Hennet DeGoutel, a heroic French  nurse who died 
in World War I. These words were painted over the door of a 
ward in a convent hospital  in  Begium where she received  her 
training.
The meaning of the saying is immediately apparent.  It's 
this:  W hen you say something or do something helpful for a 
fellow human  being, don’t stand around waiting to 
collect gratitude. Simply give, say, or do, then disappear.
The concept behind “ Do good and disappear” is an 
important part of successful service.  But selfless efforts are 
witnessed very few times.  It is as if one has a gaunt and 
rapacious wolf inside, hungry for gratitude, recognition, and 
self-esteem. Still God admonishes us to serve Him through 
unselfishly serving others. Thus, the Biblical commitment 
to helping others, combined with the  image of Jesus as a 
model  gives us the ultimate concept of altruism — selfless 
service.
Successful service is also contingent upon preparation.
God has given to each of His children special abilities. The 
first duty of the Christian then is to develop these abilities.
This takes time.  In fact, God’s own Son spent thirty years in 
training before He began His ministry. Certainly, our 
training will also take years. But the Christian’s ministry 
cannot be successful without this proper preparation.  It’s 
exciting to think that even now the Holy Spirit may be 
transforming our clumsy methods of service into those that 
show divine influence.
Finally, successful service is contingent upon  making the 
most of even small opportunities. A story is told of a couple 
who unexpectedly inherited a sum of money. O ne of their 
oldest neighbors explained the reason for the inheritance 
this way:  "Just what should  have happened. Remember 
when Charlie didn’t have a cent of cash for the hospital fund 
— he gave two days of his time hauling stone?  Belle’s the 
same way. She never waits until that 'someday’ when she 
can do the Big Thing for you. She does all the little things 
when you  need them the most. She can be as happy, and a  lot 
more generous, with a package of petunia seeds than some 
women with a hothouse full of gardenias.”  (Nichols, 1959)
We  are  chosen,  prepared  and  challenged  to  serve  God  by 
unselfishly serving our fellow men. To have selfless, 
prepared,  and  "making-the-most-from-small-opportunities” 
service is to know the joy of fellowship with the Father. 

“Do good 
and 
disap­
pear”
Successful
service
depends
upon
prepara­
tion
Make the 
most of 
small 
opportu­
nities
Virginia Simmons is a professor of education at Union College.


□  February 9
Friday To Serve by Douglas Morgan  1
The challenge to "finish the w ork” rings frequently in our 
ears these days. We are challenged to committed involve­
ment for the cause of Cod. How should we respond to this 
challenge as individuals?  If we are to gain a clearer vision of 
the service to which Christ has called  us, we must begin by 
defining our personal roles in His work and  by choosing to 
accept the role He has for us. The following steps may be 
helpful.
1. Realize that God has chosen you to play a unique 
role in His service.
God  made  you  in  His  image  as  a  unique  and  creative 
individual,  and  nobody  else  can  play the  role  He  has  planned 
for  you  as  well  as you  can.  Paul  was  God's  "chosen  instrument" 
(Acts 9:15)  and  you  too  are  “ chosen”   to  do  something  for  God 
that  nobody  else  can  do  in  quite  the same  way.
If you decline to accept the role God has for you, His purposes 
will still be accomplished, but you would  be missing out on the 
happiness that comes from being what you were designed to be.
2. Seek to Discover What  Your  Role  Is.
What do you like to do? What are you good at? Answers to these 
questions go a long way towards helping you decide what your 
role is. If you are committed to following Him, you can serve 
Christ in  nearly any vocational capacity.
O f course, career selection is only one aspect of discovering your 
role of service. God seeks our service in everyday things like 
considerate treatment of those around us and a willingness to 
share our material and spiritual blessings. The key factors are (1) 
being sensitized day by day to the fact that you are needed in 
God's service and  (2) being willing to get involved where you are 
needed. Through daily communion with Him , God will show you 
where the needs are and help you to decide how you can  most 
effectively help to meet those needs.
3.  Make  a  Commitment to Quality  in  Filling  Your  Role.
“ W inning isn’t the most important thing, it’s the only thing" is
the rather strenuous proverb attributed to the late Vince 
Lombardi, who coached the Green  Bay Packers to several football 
championships in the late 1960s. Success in football requires a 
commitment that expresses itself in intense practice, training, and 
exertion on the field.  Part of catching a larger vision of service to 
Christ is a commitment to the best in whatever we do.
Catching a  larger vision of the service to which Christ has 
called us means understanding that He indeed has a special role 
for us to fill;  it means a comm itm ent, made with confidence in 
G od’s power, to discovering and fulfilling that role. 

HOW
TO
Doug Morgan is program director for KUCV-FM , Lincoln, Nebraska.


To Consider
1.  What benefits (physical, mental, spiritual) 
can be obtained through service to God?
2.  Can you give any examples from your own life 
or from those of others to support the answers 
given to question 1?
3.  If a person doesn’t find  ioy or fulfillment in 
service, does this mean  ne doesn’t have the 
right relationship with  God?
4.  How can  I  prepare myself spiritually and 
mentally for joyful service to God?
5.  How do we know to what specific area of 
service we are called?
50


CARING
Objective:  To show  that Christian  love  is caring and doing for others.
February 11 -17 
Editor:  Dean Fowler
□  February 11 
Sunday The Root Beer To Co* by Max Phillips
The new academy dean 
looked at the new boy, sizing 
him up mentally. He was 
huge, muscular and sullen. 
W hy, on a hot fall evening, 
did they send you to me? he 
thought.  If I tell you to stand 
up, you’ll sit down. If I tell 
you to sit down, you’ll stand 
up. You're just plain defiant. 
You want to be kicked out of 
school.
“ The bell’s rung,” he said 
aloud. “ You’re supposed to be 
in your room .”
“ I  am in my room ,”  the 
boy said, leaning against the 
door jam b, half in, half out 
of his room, his large feet 
sprawling out on the hallway 
floor. 

I could have you dismissed 
from school for that, the 
dean thought.  But he didn’t 
want to think about it. The 
night was too hot.  It wasn’t 
worth it — fighting with this 
belligerent boy.  He would 
leave a monitor in charge 
while he drove down to the 
root beer stand.
“ A 25-cent root beer,”  he 
told the girl when he got 
there. “ No — make it two — 
one to go.”
Back at the dorm the boy 
was still outside his room.  He 
was in the lobby thumbing 
restlessly through a 
magazine.
"I told him several times to 
get to his room ," the monitor
•Used by permission of Pacific Press Publishing Association
51


Illustration  cont.
said, eyeing the dean’s root- 
beer-to-go. “ He just swore at 
me under his breath.”
“ Let me take care of it,” 
the dean said.
He walked down the hall, 
stepped inside the boy's 
room, set the root beer on his 
desk, and then walked back 
to the lobby where the boy 
was still sitting with the 
magazine.
“ I'd like for you to go to 
your room ,”  he said. “ I’ve got 
something there waiting for 
you.”
“ Probably an irregularity 
slip ," the boy mumbled.  He 
raised his voice "Lo o k, dean, 
you don’t have to monkey 
around  like that with  me.
W hy don’t you quit pestering 
me? Go ahead and kick me 
out of here. That’s what you 
want anyhow.”
The dean said nothing, just 
turned and walked back to 
his office.  He sat dow n, try­
ing to go over some worship 
absences;  but it was impossi­
ble to concentrate. Maybe it 
was just too hot.
There was a knock on the 
door.
"Com e in ."
It was the boy, an odd  look 
on his face. “ Dean, did you 
leave that root beer on  my 

desk?”
“ W ell, uh, yes — I thought 
— It’s a hot night, and I 
thought  you  might  like  some­
thing cold.”
"Thanks, dean.”  The boy 
stood there for a second...two 
seconds...then he suddenly 
began to talk in an odd, soft 
voice. "Nobody ever does 
anything for me . . .   Dad 
kicked  me around until I got 
big enough to whip him.
Mom cries all the time.  I 
can't stand it at home. They 
don't want me.  Dad’ll  pay all 
my bills here at the academy 
just to keep me away. Don’t 
know where I’m going if you 
kick me out. Sure not going 
hom e.”
“ I’m not going to kick you 
out,”  the dean said, noting 
with surprise that he had 
just then made his decision. 
"Incidentally," he continued, 
changing the subject, “ the 
fellows say you’re the best 
weight lifter in the school. 
Maybe you could help coach 
a physical fitness club.”
“ Yeah, I’d  like that,”  said 
the boy just before he turned 
and walked quickly toward 
the door, but not too quickly 
for the dean to notice a slight 
glistening in his eyes.
Max  Phillips  is  a  book  editor  with  Pacific  Press  Publishing  Association
52


□  February 12
Monday Biblical Concern by Dean Fowler
The Bible is kind, warm, and touching in its admonitions 
bearing upon godly, Christian  love and its outreach in a caring 
attitude:
“A friend loveth at all times ...”  Prov.  17:17.
“ Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly 
love. . Rom.  12:10.
“With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, 
forbearing one another in love.” Eph. 4:2.
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in 
tongue; but in deed and in truth.” I John 3:18.
How literally do you accept the meaning of these passages? 
Have you ever thought of developing a theology of caring? O f 
Christian love and service? What would you do or what do you 
usually do when someone asks you for money? Especially if 
they really need it?
“ If there be among you a poor man of one of thy 
brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the 
Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine 
heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:  But 
thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt 
surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he 
wanteth.” Deut. 15:7,8.
“He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that 
hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”
Luke 3:11.
Do you ever go out of your way to do a favor for someone? 
How do you  react when asked to do a favor? Do you weigh your 
answer by how hard  it might be?
“They helped every one his neighbor; and every one 
said to his brother, Be of good courage.” Isa. 41:6.
Sometimes our everyday attitudes can be very wounding to 
people. How much effort each day do you  put into being as 
friendly and caring as you can? Do you smile and say hello to 
those you  pass on the sidewalk? Are you warm and friendly 
when greeted?
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, 
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake 
hath forgiven you.” Eph. 4:32.
“...  there should be no schism in the body; but that the 
members should have the same care one for another.”
I  Cor.  12:25.
“ Bear ye one another’s burdens ...”  Gal. 6:2.
The very ability that we have to function as Christians lies in 
our caring attitudes for others. Could our eternal life be affected 
by how we view this concept of loving and caring for our 
brothers and sisters? Think about it.
“...  by love serve one another.” Gal. 5:13.
Dean Fowler is a religion and psychology major at Union College. 

Bible
53 

<s>OOOr~


□  February 13
Tuesday Loving Care  Selected  by  Dean  Fowler
TESTIMONY
Ellen  C . 
White 

"A  new commandment I give unto you,”  Christ said, "That ye 
love one another; as I  have loved you, that ye also love one 
another.” John 13:34. What a wonderful statement;  but, oh, how 
poorly practiced!  In the church of God today, brotherly love is 
sadly lacking. M any who profess to love the Savior do not love 
one another.  Unbelievers are watching to see if the faith of 
professed Christians is exerting a sanctifying influence upon 
their lives;  and they are quick to discern the defects in 
character, the inconsistencies in action. Let Christians not make 
it possible for the enemy to point to them and say, Behold how 
these people, standing under the banner of Christ, hate one 
another. Christians are all members of one fam ily, all children 
of the same heavenly Father, with the same blessed hope of 
immortality. Very close and tender should be the tie that binds 
them together.
Divine love makes it most touching appeals to the heart when 
it calls upon us to manifest the same tender compassion that 
Christ manifested. That man who has only unselfish  love for 
his brother has true love for God. The true Christian will  not 
unwillingly permit the soul in peril and  need to go unwarned, 
uncared for.  He will  not hold  himself aloof from the erring, 
leaving them to plunge farther into unhappiness and discour­
agement or to fall on Satan's battleground.
Those who have never experienced the tender, winning love of 
Christ cannot lead others to the fountain of life.  His love in the 
heart is a constraining power, which leads men to reveal  Him in 
the conversation, in the tender, pitiful spirit, in the uplifting of 
the lives of those with whom they associate. Christian workers 
who succeed in their efforts must know Christ; and in order to 
know Him , they must know His love. In heaven their fitness as 
workers is measured by their ability to love as Christ loved and 
to work as He worked.
"Let us not love in w ord,”  the apostle writes, "but in deed and 
in truth.” The completeness of Christian character is attained 
when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly 
from within.  It is the atmosphere of this love surrounding the 
sould of the believer that makes him a savor of life unto life and 
enables God to bless his work.
Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another — 
this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This 
love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent 
power. The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. 
O nly in the heart where Jesus reigns is it found. "W e love Him, 
because He first loved  us.” In the heart renewed by divine grace, 
love is the ruling principle of action.  It modifies the character, 
governs the impulses, controls the passions, and ennobles the 
affections. This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the life and 
sheds a refining influence on all around.
John strove to lead the believers to understand the exalted 
privileges that would come to them through the exercise of the 
spirit of love. This redeeming power, filling the heart, would 
control every other motive and raise its possessors above the 
corrupting influences of the world. And as this love was allowed 
full sway and became the motive power in the life, their trust 
and confidence in God and His dealing with them would be 
complete. 
Acts o f the Apostles, pp. 550- 

Love
completely
Love
completely
continu­
ally
■552.
54


Initial
loving
attitudes
are
important
Love is 
formed by 
peer 
associ­
ations
We love 
as we 
are loved 

n F^/brj aryJ4  Love As Are Loved  by Dean FowlerWednesday
Love is an emotion — an  internal state or condition — that 
happens even to the best of us. We cannot measure love directly 
because, like all emotions, love is an intra-psychic experience — 
a happening that takes place inside our minds.  But we can 
measure loving behaviors and discuss them objectively.
From their studies of laboratory monkeys, Harry and 
Margaret Harlow identified five types of love:
a. that of the infant for its mother;
b. that of the mother for her infant;
c. that of a young monkey for its peers;
d. The sexual love of one adult for another;
e. the paternal love of a father toward  his children.
The following discussion will combine several of these ideas as 
they relate to human beings.
A newborn monkey clings to its mother because she gives it 
warmth, food, and contact comfort. Warmth is the most 
important input during the first two weeks of the infant’s life; 
thereafter, contact comfort is more important. These studies also 
showed that a young monkey would cling to any warm 
surrogate mother if deprived of its real  mother. Contact with the 
surrogate mother or its real mother appears to give the infant 
the trust that it needs to mature perceptually and emotionally. 
Deprived of this contact, the  infant  monkey  falls  into  an 
anaclitic depression and  may die. This points out the absolute 
necessity of a proper loving attitude and care on the part of the 
mother or guardian of young children. Thus, love — types "a" 
and " b ” are interrelated.
If the infant grows up without playing with other young 
monkeys, it never develops peer love and does not know how to 
respond in social situations. The warm , loving attitudes that 
characterize advanced primates, including humans, are formed 
only by a close association with peers.  Again,  if  this  relation­
ship is for some reason unhealthy during a period of infancy or 
youth, this will destroy the primate’s ability to love and care 
easily.
Sexual love grows out of peer love. Young monkeys deprived 
of the association of their peers do not mate in the usual 
fashion.  In  humans, deviations are noted with rising rapidity 
when the home and social situations are grossly unhealthy.
In both humans and monkeys, the "m aternal instinct”  is 
greatly influenced by learning and early experience.  Female 
monkeys raised on surrogate mothers often treat their first 
infants cruelly. Women who were themselves neglected as 
children are more likely than  usual to abuse or harm their own 
children.
O ur early experiences strongly affect the types of behaviors 
we display as adults. Fortunately, with the right kind of 
training or therapy, both  monkeys and  humans can often 
overcom e the many problems associated with growing up in 
poor social environments. These studies indicate the importance 
of loving care and concern of parents for their children, of peers 
for their associates, and of all human beings for their fellow 
human beings. M uch  mental illness and human suffering will 
thus be avoided, and the result will  be men and women who 
function in society with peak effectiveness.
Adapted from:  M cConnell, James V. Under-  Harlow, H.F., M .K. Harlow, and S.J.
standing Human Behavior.  Suomi. “ From Thought to Therapy:
2nd edition. (New York:  Lessons from a Primate Laboratory,”
Holt, Rinehart and Winston,  American Scientist, vol. 59, no. 5
1977), pp. 438-459.  (September-October 1971), pp. 539-540.
55 

EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy


□  February 15
Thursday Agape by Dean Fowler
What is love? What is care? What motivates a  person to 
display a loving, caring attitude for his fellow men and women? 
Caring for and loving someone involves a relationship that 
transcends human understanding. By looking at how love is 
used in another language, perhaps we can better understand 
what love is, what caring for someone involves.
In the C reek  language, three words are used  for love. Eros 
refers to sexual  love, the physical love manifested between 
lovers. Phileo denotes brotherly love, family love, the love 
displayed between close friends. Agape is possibly the hardest 
to define.  It is the deepest love, the God  love, the love that God 
manifested toward a race of sinners in allowing His Son to die 
for them. W hen these three concepts of love are combined in 
different relationships, then the human soul is elevated far 
above the mundane things of this world.
O ne of the greatest gifts of God to the human race is the 
physical, sexual relationship that exists between  lovers. But 
when two people develop these feelings for each other, the 
relationship goes much deeper than just the physical, eros love. 
Agape love also enters the union, and when agape and eros 
are blended, the human soul is elevated to tremendous heights 
of happiness and understanding. This is a prime reason for a 
loving, caring, concerned relationship between two people. A 
human being is willing to go through personal sacrifice and 
hardship out of an  intense love for the one close to him.
When friends and families learn to trust, care, and confide in 
each other and among themselves, they begin to see the beauty 
of phileo and agape love combined. A warm sm ile, the touch of 
a hand, a word of praise, an unasked favor, a small sacrifice for 
the happiness of the other, these are the rainbows of life.
The results of love — in its physical sense, its emotional 
sense, and its spiritual sense — are in many ways the elevating 
of the human being to the lofty stature of when he was first 
created. W hen  love in its truest sense is practiced, the human 
being is willing to sacrifice for others, to give up personal 
wishes for the satisfaction of his loved ones, even to undergo 
personal harm to care for those close to him. And the Christian 
will go even a step further — to die for his friends, to die to 
protect another human being. W hat greater love has God given 
to us?
As we continue to manifest these three types of love, our 
sensibilities will be elevated, our minds ennobled, we will be 
brought into a closer union with our heavenly Father, and we 
will value increasingly our relationships with other members of 
the human family.
Think about the people who have made a difference in your 
own life. The people who have cared, who have worked with you 
to reach your goals, and shared your joys and sorrows along the 
way. W ill the Christ-like example of their sacrifice make any 
difference in your life? Will your example make any difference 
in theirs? Happiness, tremendous joy, assurance of being 
accepted, emotional, physical, and spiritual comfort are the 
fruits of putting into practice love in all its forms. 

Eros
Phileo
Agape
True love
is
sacrificial
Love 
brings us 
close to 
God


□  February 16  T o   C a r e   by Dean Fowler
Friday
Human beings are instinctively selfish creatures. To the mind 
unsanctified by Christ, caring  for  and  loving  others  is  repulsive.
The idea of unselfish care and concern for anyone other than 
oneself is foreign to those who are unconverted. The question 
then is, how can one become a caring and loving person?
If we are to function as Christians — that is, to “ do unto 
others as you would have them do unto you” — then we need 
intimate communion with our heavenly Father. O nly He can 
instill in  us love and care for others — only He can change our 
very natures from self-centeredness to compassion for all  men.
“ If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature . .
II  Corinthians  5:17.  Christ  was  the  finest  example  of  a  Human 
Being Who gave Himself completely for mankind — physically, 
emotionally, and spiritually. As we become infused with His 
character, His personality, His attributes, then we too will have 
a burning desire to reach out to others in  loving concern and 
care.
What this means is that we  need to have a good devotional 
life. A living relationship with Cod is so extremely important.
For, if we separate ourselves from God, we also separate 
ourselves from effective contact with humanity — and we are 
not able to be loving or caring.
But, for those of you who know God, and thereby have a 
loving, caring concern for other people, you will naturally want 
to put your concern into action. This can be accomplished in 
many ways, and as you grow in the grace and  power of God, 
avenues for caring will open up. Therefore, consider these two 
things you can do now to show your concern for others.
1. Make yourself available as a good listener. This in 
itself can do great things for some people. As a person pours out 
his problems and  burdens to you, you can direct him to the 
Source of all peace where he can lay his burdens down and 
come away refreshed and uplifted. God will work through you  in 
this manner if you will let Him.
2. Without being asked, do something nice for someone.
If you're lucky, performing an  unasked favor will allow you to 
reach this person for Christ. O r, more simply, it will  make that 
person so happy to know you care. The twenty-five cent root 
beer mentioned in the story at the beginning of this lesson is a 
good example of this. Little things mean a lot to people.
Christianity itself is bound up in  loving concern and care for 
others.  Let each of us determine that others shall see 
Christianity in us — true, loving, caring Christianity. 

HOW
TO
57


To Consider:
When a relative or someone else is extremely 
unloving, how far do one's Christian duties go 
in caring for that person?
Does everyone have the gift of service, and 
does everyone need to exercise in this area?
List some specific action steps you can take to 
come to realize the needs some of your fellow 
human beings have, and to become concerned 
about them.
Did Christ actually have a yearning, aching, 
compassionate love for every human being? If 
so, how do you think He developed this love?
Is it possible for us to develop this type of love, 
and what are some specific action steps we 
can take in this matter?
Ought we to consciously adopt the  manner­
isms of a caring person (gentle smile, firm 
handshake, soft and sympathetic voice)? To 
what extent should we put on these  manner­
isms? Does practicing them make us feel  more 
that way?


WHAT  TO  DO  WITH  GOD'S 
GIFTS
Objective:  To  cultivate  a  generous  spirit with  everything  we  possess 
based on trusting God. 
February 18 - 24 
Editor:  Kandi Dickinson
D Subn d a y y 18  Everything  by Kandi Dickinson
She stepped out of her home 
and made her way through 
the narrow streets on her way 
to the tem ple. As she hurried 
over the white cobblestones, 
her heart was filled with joy. 
God  had been so good to her! 
How she wished she could 
show her gratitude more fully! 
However, she was very poor, 
and as she remembered this 
fact she began to wonder if 
her offering would  mean any­
thing at all.
When she had lost her 
husband and gradually her 
little savings also, she had 
been forced into a lower stand­
ard of living than she had 

been accustomed to. Now she 
brought in barely enough 
money each week to live on. 
Often she longed to help one 
of her equally poor neighbors, 
and would “ get by” with  less 
herself in order to do this, 
even though this meant that 
she had to do without things 
that were necessary — and 
not merely with anything 
bordering on luxury, which 
others might consider a sacri­
fice. When it first occurred to 
her to give her w eek’s earn­
ings to the Lord, she had 
thought it through  most care­
fully. Was it foolishness to 
give all that she had, not


illustration  cont.
knowing how she would sur­
vive through the week?
However, even as she was 
contemplating this, the 
thoughts of how good God 
had been to her came to her 
mind, and any doubts she had 
had were quickly swept away. 
After all. H e’d kept her 
healthy, and she wasn’t actu­
ally starving, as many of the 
people in  her district were.
She was able to w alk, to travel 
to the tem ple, which wasn’t 
the case with  her crippled 
uncle. Yes, she had things 
quite good, and she wanted to 
respond. She was filled with 
an  urgent desire — a need — 
to show her Father how appre­
ciative she was of His love 
and care for her.
Nearing the temple gate she 
thought, “ This is the hard 
part — passing by the Phari­
sees and rich people inside the 
temple by the offering box. 
Maybe if I  keep my head low 
and walk fast enough, I can 

go by unnoticed.”
With this in mind she 
quickly walked up to the 
offering box and dropped in 
her two tiny coins — every­
thing she had. Turning, she 
felt the stares and whispers of 
those around her. “ Maybe I 
should  never have done it,”  
she thought.
As she was nearing the 
place where she had entered, 
however, she heard a com­
ment which she was to 
remember for the rest of her 
life. “ . .  .For the others gave 
from what they had to spare 
of their riches;  but she, poor as 
she is, gave all she had to live 
on.”
As this poor woman walked 
to her home her heart was 
light, warmed by the knowl­
edge that her gift was accepta­
ble to God;  as acceptable as 
any large sum of money 
would  have been. "H o w  glad I 
am”  she thought, "that I gave 
all that I  had.”
Kandi Dickinson is a health major at Union College.
60


□  February 19
Monday Giving by Jim Klein
We are 
blessed 
by giving
Giving 
brings 
gladness, 
unity and 
praise 

M any of us have been brought up with the idea of giving, 
usually in the form of offerings taken at church.  But  is  it  possible 
that the true way of interpreting the word "giving”  could result in 
the realization of a much broader meaning? Let us consider 
several Bible quotes in search of the answer.
In Proverbs 11:25 we read:  “Be generous, and you will be 
prosperous. Help others, and you will be helped.” Here King 
Solom on, under the inspiration of Cod, points out a principle quite 
often talked about in reference to the subject of giving:  that by 
giving freely of what we have received in earthly goods, we will be 
blessed, because by giving we have shown that we recognize God 
as the source of all that we have in this earth  (Eccl. 5:19,20).
W e may already have a clear understanding of this, but what 
about the latter part of the text? “ Help others, and you will be 
helped." It would seem that by giving of yourself you would  be 
emptying yourself at the same time, resulting in the eventual 
inability of giving, as there would be nothing left to give;  but 
consider what Jesus said to us in Luke 6:38: “Give to others,  and 
God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full 
measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands — all 
that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the 
one that God will use for you.” It seems that, although Jesus 
could  also  be  making  reference  to  a  monetary  aspect  of  giving 
in  this  text,  the  message  is very  applicable to  the  giving  of 
oneself,  on  a  personal  basis,  to  another  person  or  persons, 
possibly  in  the  forms  of  encouragement  and  strengthening.  W e 
find  in  this verse  a  very  real  promise  — for  instead  of "losing” 
part  of ourselves  by  giving,  we  will  actually  be  gaining.  What  is 
it  that  we  will  be  gaining,  though?
In the experience of the early Christian church we find certain 
characteristics common among those that had given all they had 
to their Lord, without any reserve. We read in Acts 2: 46-47: “ And 
they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and 
breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat 
with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and 
having favour with all the people.” It would appear as if the 
act of "giving” has more blessings than we may have previously 
realized. When a person is on "good terms”  with another, the 
comm union they share is very sweet, and it is easy to see how they 
could be glad. It would be hoped that in their gladness they would 
realize  who  was  the  originator  of this  joy,  and  would  praise  God.
Let us consider 1 Timothy 6:17-19 as a summary of what has 
been presented in today’s lesson: “ Command those who are 
rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place 
their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in 
God, who generously gives us everything for our enjoy­
ment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, 
to be generous and ready to share with others. In this way 
they will store up for themselves a treasure which will be a 
solid foundation for the future. And then they will be able 
to win the life which is true life.”
Jim Klein is an instructor in physical science at Union College.
61 

<s>OOOr-


□  February 20
Tuesday Our Role in Giving  by Kandi Dickinson
TE S T IMONY
Ellen C . 
White 

Are people today afraid to trust God — afraid to trust a Being 
who created everything, living and non-living, and therefore owns 
everything?  This  mistrust  of God  is  shown  very  clearly  in  the 
area  of  giving  of  our  worldly  goods,  as  well  as  in  the  talents, 
whatever  form  they  may take  which  God  has  entrusted  to  us  to 
use  in  drawing  others  to  Him.  Ellen  W hite  has  many  deep 
insights  into  this  aspect  of  the  Christian  life,  and  a  few  of  these 
w ill  be  presented  in  the  following  paragraphs.
In reference to the gift of salvation given to us by the Redeemer 
of the w orld, we read:  “ The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed 
down and presented only to a select few, who, we suppose, will do 
us honor if they accept it. The message is to be given to all. When 
God  blesses His children, it is not alone for their own sake, but  for 
the world's sake. As He bestows His gifts on  us, it is that we may 
multiply them by im parting." W e find further evidence that we 
should give of what we have received from Christ as we read on 
concerning the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s w ell, who talked 
with Jesus and received the blessing He was so willing to bestow. 
“ This woman  represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. 
Every true disciple is born into the Kingdom of  God  as  a 
missionary.  No sooner does he come to know the Saviour than  he 
desires to make others acquainted with Him .. .He who drinks of 
the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a 
giver." The M inistry o f Healing, pg. 102.
In addition to the knowledge of Christ’s gift of salvation, 
the Lord  has entrusted “ all, both  high and low, rich and poor” 
with specific talents that can be used in the giving of ourselves to 
others. "G od calls us servants, which implies that we are 
employed by Him to do certain work and bear  certain 
responsibilities.  He has lent us capital for investment.  It is not our 
property, and we displease God if we hoard up our Lord’s goods or 
spend them as we please. W e are responsible for the use or abuse of 
that which God  has thus lent us." Testim onies, vol. 2, pg. 667-8.
Concerning the aspect of giving in the area of our material 
possessions we read:  “ The Lord designed to bring man  into close 
relationship with Himself and into sympathy and love with  his 
fellow men  by placing upon him responsibilities in deeds that 
would counteract selfishness and strengthen  his love for God and 
man. The plan of system in  benevolence God designed for the good 
of man, who is inclined to be selfish and to close his heart to 
generous deeds.” Testimonies,  vol. 3, pg.  393.
W e will come to better understand why God wants us to give of 
ourselves when we participate in His plan by sharing the gift of 
salvation with others by using our talents for His service and by 
sharing our earthly goods to help further  His  cause.  After  what 
was given to us at Calvary, trusting our Saviour enough to realize 
that He will  bless us in our efforts of giving should be easy to do. 

Give the 
gospel to 
all
Give of
your
talents
Giving 
brings us 
close 
to God
Kandi Dickinson is a health major at Union College.
62


□  February 21
Wednesday Our Gifts  by James McClelland
True 
gifts come 
from love 
and are 
complete
True 
giving is 
free from 
guilt and 
anxiety 

Gifts of one who loved me - - 
’Twas high time they came;
When he ceased to love me,
Time they stopped, for shame.
These thoughts from an essay, "G ifts," by Ralph Waldo 
Emerson, make a pointed comment that might be applied to our 
giving gifts in a spiritual context. M any Christians find it difficult 
to give gifts to God as an act of love in worship. True gifts can only 
come from the love motive,  if we further follow Emerson's 
thought in  his essay, we would conclude that anything else is not 
a gift, but rather something that, somehow, we seek to bestow as 
an attempt to appease God. Can  man assume to bestow anything 
on his Creator, or can he actually appease a mighty God? The 
thought seems ludicrous. Yet too often we seem to attempt these 
very things. W e buy salve for our conscience, or worse yet, we 
attempt to buy the Lord’s favor, or a ticket to heaven. Emerson 
says, rather, that “ the gift, to be true, must be the flowing of the 
giver unto me, correspondent to my flowing unto him. When the 
waters are at a level, then  my goods pass to him, and his to me. All 
his are mine, all mine his.”  In the Christian context, this is what 
God desires. He has emptied heaven’s storehouse for us.  If our 
response is equal, if "the waters are at a level," then all we have is 
His as well. This includes our goods, our time, our influence — 
everything.
In  his giving of gifts, the Christian recognizes God’s ownership 
of all that He has made. The Christian becomes, when  he gives 
from motives of true love and service, a cooperator in the plan of 
salvation, a co-worker with God.
Guilt  is  the  result  of not  doing  that  which  we  know  we  ought 
to  do  or  which  we  regard as  the  ideal  in  our self-concept.  To  put 
it  in  the  terms  of  modern  Rogerian  psychotherapy:  "Ideal  self  is 
the  term  used  to  denote  the  self-concept  which  the  individual 
would  most  like  to  possess,  upon  which  he  places  the  highest 
value  for  him self.” Current  Psychotherapies,  "M eador  and 
Rogers:  Client-Centered  Therapy.”  If  a  discrepancy  exists,  the 
state  is  one  of  incongruence  between  self  and  experience. 
Anxiety  and  guilt  are the  result.  The  only  psychologically 
healthy  course  is  that  in  which  we  strive  to  close  the  gap 
between  what  we  regard  as  our  ideal  self  and  our  actual 
experience.
Yet it is not enough to give just to relieve guilt and anxiety.
W hen it "feels good” to give or when we “ give until it hurts.” we 
may only be relieving the symptoms of guilt and accompanying 
anxiety. W hen he gives because he is responding to God’s love for 
him, when his giving is a recognition of God’s binding claims on 
him through  both creation and redemption, then the giving may 
also “ feel good.”  In this sense, however, it is what Emerson calls 
"the flowing of the giver, God unto me, correspondent to my 
flowing unto him ." It is a covenant relationship, free from the 
unhealthful effects of guilt and anxiety, and the only basis for true 
giving.
James McClelland is an assistant professor of art and chairman of the art depart­
ment at Union College. 
63 

EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy


□  February 22
Thursday Giving Away by Kim Anderson
0
p1NION 

A rather ageless question has been asked of me:  “ What does the 
word giving mean to you?”  Here is my opinion:
"G ivin g ” is a word we associate vaguely with the offering plate 
and the tithe envelope. What a horrid misconception of such an 
all-encompassing term! The trait of giving is displayed in so many 
little ways that we often overlook, and in overlooking them w e’re 
actually guilty of ingratitude.  I  know, myself, that my mother and 
father have given  more to me in terms of love and sacrifice than  I 
can ever com prehend, much  less repay. Yet they would have it no 
other way.
The love of our parents is a small representation of the love 
shown to us on Calvary. For Jesus went to the cross knowing full 
well that many of us would never even acknowledge His sacrifice, 
much less respond to it. Yet He paid the price, never grudgingly, 
but always in a resolute and loving way.  I long for such a love as 
His.
I  know that many of us long so much to have a giving spirit. W e 
try, but to no avail, to be like Christ in His selflessness.  It was His 
selflessness that made Him what He was.  In fact, this is where I 
feel true giving comes from. W hen we put self aside, and care more 
about another person and what happens to him than we care 
about ourselves, then we can truly give. W e can view this person 
with our selfishness shoved in the corner, and in a Christlike spirit 
give him ourselves. W e really do have so much to give — a smile, a 
hug, a helping hand (and  brain in chemistry  perhaps)  and these 
"sm all”  things are always appreciated.
To  know  someone  who  is  always  looking  for  ways  to  make 
others  happy  is  a  real  treat.  I’m  sure  we  are  all  acquainted  with 
someone whose  very  countenance  brightens  up  our  day.  I  have  a 
friend  who  is  like  this.  She  never  fails  to  astound  me  with  her 
consistent  Christian  life.  I  admire  her  greatly  and  have  often 
longed  to  be  like  her.  After  observing  her  for  some  time,  I 
believe  I  have  come  upon  her  magic  form ula,  and  I’ve  found 
that  it  isn’t  so  magic  after  all,  but  instead  it  is  a  development 
and  a  growth.  She  simply comes  to  her  Lord  each  morning  and 
gives  herself to  Him.  Having  given  herself to  Him ,  she  need  no 
longer  worry  about  herself  and  her  feelings,  because  they  don’t 
belong to  her  any  more.  She  then  rests  safely  in  Jesus’  arms.
M rs. W hite suggests in her writings that we should all spend a 
thoughtful  hour each day meditating on the life of Christ.
Through His sacrifice we see how concerned He is about each of 
us. Seeing His care and concern for our lives, we feel free to leave 
our cares and worries with Him. This leaves us free to give of His 
love to everyone we meet. Freely!  Bountifully!  Unreservedly!  We 
don’t need to fear what others will think of us, for Christ loves us 
and that is all that matters.
If I  had one thought that I would like to leave with you, it would 
be this (and although  it may sound corny, I ask you to consider it 
seriously): “An hour a day, keeps you giving away.”
Kim Anderson is a medical secretary major at Union College.
64 

Our
parent’s 
love can be 
compared 
to Jesus’ 
love — 
complete
Giving 
ourselves 
to God 
makes us 
unselfish
Thinking 
about 
Christ’s 
life makes 
us
unselfish


□  February 23
Friday To Give All by Richard Carlson
“ Give as God has prospered you!”
That’s what you always hear when the offering plate is passed 
around in church or Sabbath School. Does it make you feel a  bit 
guilty?
W henever I  hear that statement, my spirit sinks into the depths 
of depression. How can  I even  begin to cultivate a generous spirit 
when I  compare my own insignificant gifts with those of a God 
who owns everything and gives me everything? As I  look at the 
magnificent splendor and majesty of God, and when I see His love 
and kindness and patience with sinful human beings like myself, 
how can I ever presume that I  can give as much as God has given 
to me? And yet, embodied within this concept is the basic principle 
necessary  for  a  complete  understanding  of  giving. Since C o d 
gave  everything  for me,  I  ought  to  w ithhold nothing from  Him.
The problem , of course, is that I  have been so saturated with 
worldly philosophy, which is exactly the opposite of Godly 
philosophy, that I seemingly cannot — or will  not — take that 
essential step of giving everything I am or have to God. What I 
have to do could be expressed in two steps.  I  must:
1. Realize that all “my possessions” are actually those 
things which God has chosen to give me the power to 
accumulate.  At this moment you and I  have nothing. My 
clothes, my food, my car, my life, my money — everything belongs 
to God. He  may choose to give me these things once in a while — 
as blessings. If He does not choose to give me a new “ blessing” I 
happen to want, I can have a new gratefulness for what He has 
bestowed  upon me already. If He chooses to turn something of 
mine over to somebody else by impressing my spirit of that 
person’s need, then  I  am not yielding anything that belongs to me, 
but only dispensing God’s belongings to those He shows me need 
help.
2. Realize that I have a responsibility to be God’s 
administrator. Scripture plainly reveals In 1 Timothy 5:8 that a 
conviction  such  as  the  one  explained  here w ould not  necessitate 
the  giving o f very tangible possessions  to  C od,  but  rather  the 
developm ent  o f a  new philosophy  which  w ould acknow ledge  the 
ow nership  o f everything I  am,  or have,  as  C o d ’s.  O nce. I  transfer 
this  ownership  of time,  possessions,  m oney,  and  self to God  and 
evaluate  every  expenditure  on  the  basis  of  how  it  will  benefit 
the work  or  reputation  of God  either  in  my  life  or  in  the  lives  of 
those  He  has  called  me to  serve,  then  I  will  have  begun  to  grasp 
the  true  principle  not  of  giving  but  of  administrating all  that 
God  owns.
If  I  choose  to  hoard  what  God  owns,  and  refuse  the  privilege 
of  using  what  He  owns to  bring  happiness  to  others,  then  I 
forfeit  using  what  He  owns,  to  bring  happiness  to  others,  and  I 
forfeit  the  opportunity  of  experiencing  the  kind  of joy  that  God 
intends  for  each  of  us  to  have.
Richard Carlson is a Bible instructor at Maplewood Academy. 

H
TO
65


To Consider:
1.  How can giving actually be a joyous 
experience?
2.  Is giving necessary?  Why?
3.  How much  beyond  my tithe should  I give?
How much of my talents should  I  give? Of my 
time? Are there any dangers in giving too 
much, and if so, what are they?
4.  What does it mean to be a cheerful  giver?
5.  Do hermits and monks, who have dedicated 
their lives to solitude and meditation, give 
everything to the cause of God in the most 
effective way?
6.  What conditions must be met for a person to 
be considered generous?


LIVING WITH 
THE FAMILY
Objective: To understand that no other influence shapes us 
as persons quite the way our own families do, and to accept 
the privilege and responsibility of being a good family 
member. 
February 25 - March 3 
Editor: Gwen Scott
□  February 25 
Sunday Blizzard! by Gwen Scott
“ And God shall wipe 
away all tears from their 
eyes;  and there shall be no 
more death, neither sor­
row, nor crying, neither 
shall there be any more 
pain;  for the form er things 
are passed away.’’
These words, underlined 
in a small, worn Bible, 
were found on an Iowa 
snow bank along with a 
dead and partially frozen 
mother and a 6-month 
child who lay wrapped 
inside the wom an’s 
clothing—still warm and 

barely alive.
It had been peacefully 
snowing for days. Every­
thing was covered with 
white and seemed to 
radiate a calm aura. 
Enjoying the drive to her 
rural home, the Iowa 
woman noticed, however, 
a sudden change in the 
atmosphere. The wind, 
which seemed non­
existent a few minutes 
earlier, had become fierce 
and cold. The even snow­
fall on the ground whipped 
and drifted from side to
67


Illustration  cont.
side, making it impossible 
to drive any further. Pan­
icking, the young  mother 
wrapped her 6-month old 
child inside of her clothing 
and started home— 
attempting to arrive there 
before the blizzard got 
worse. But the wind 
whipped harder and the 
air became colder.
Losing all sense of direc­
tion, she took shelter 
behind a small grove of 
bushes and removed her 
heavy clothing to wrap the 
child in. Exhausted and 
numb, she took out of her 
coat pocket a small pocket 
Bible and found an  under­
lined text in Rev. 21—
"And God shall w ipe away 
all tears from their e ye s... 
for the form er things are 
passed away." No doubt 
she knew that her death 
was near, but she found 
comfort in the Bible prom ­
ise. I can image her hold­
ing the child close, keeping 
him warm as long as 
possible.
It is easy to praise our­
selves by casually identi­
fying with this story, 
saying that we too would 
give our  life  to  save  a 
family member. And I 
imagine many would.  But 
how relevant is that to 
you? W ould you help your 
sister clean her room? 
Would you take out the 

trash as a favor for your 
little brother (or big 
brother!). Do you  look for 
ways to help ease your 
parents’ responsibilities?
You'll probably never 
have the opportunity to 
give your life for a member 
of your family. But every 
day you are met with 
opportunities to make 
their lives a little easier.  It 
is easy to say "I would 
gladly lay down my life for 
my sister” because you 
know very good and well 
that you’ll probably never 
be required to do it.  But if 
you’re really concerned 
about being a loving and 
helpful family member, 
forget the chivalry and 
concentrate on being just a 
plain “ nice person."
God gave the Christian 
two families—the Family 
of God and the human 
family unit.  Both of these 
families are intended to 
show love, devotion, 
peace, joy and content­
ment, reflecting the char­
acter of the O ne who 
created them. Indeed, we 
should consider it a bless­
ing as well as a responsi­
bility to be a family 
member, doing our part to 
create a concrete unit, and 
then being willing to sacri­
fice, if necessary, to pro­
tect that  unit.
Gwen Scott is a journalism major at Union College.
68


□  February 26
Monday 
Samuel and Hophni and Phinehas
by Pennie Lister
Families do play an  important role in the shaping of their 
members. But let me ask you a question.  How  would  you  explain 
what happened with Eli's two sons— Hophni and Phinehas— 
when Samuel was raised in the same household?
Let’s consider this by comparing the characters of Eli's sons 
with Samuel and by comparing the advantages each  had. And 
let's try to determine what made the difference.
Hophni and Phinehas: To put it m ildly, Eli's sons were 
“ characters.”  To put it truthfully, they were a threat to the entire 
tem ple service.
“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not 
the Lord.” “Wherefore the sin of the young men was very 
great before the Lord...” “ Nay, my sons; for it is no good 
report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to 
transgress”  (I  Sam.  2:12,  17,  24).
Samuel: Samuel, of course, was totally different. It probably 
never even entered his mind to do the things Hophni and 
Phinehas did. Consider Samuel’s attitude.
“And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other 
times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for 
thy servant heareth.” “And Samuel lay until the morning, 
and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel 
feared to shew Eli the vision.” “ And Samuel told him every 
whit, and hid nothing from him... And Samuel grew, and 
the Lord was with him...” (I Samuel 2:10,15,18,19).
Samuel was raised in the same environment as were Hophni 
and Phinehas. But two totally opposite types of behavior 
developed. Why?
The difference between Samuel and Eli’s two sons could not 
have arisen  because of Eli’s fatherly influence— because most 
probably, Eli treated them the same. Too, all three boys grew up in 
the same and the best home environment. What then caused 
Samuel to be raised as a holy man of God, when Eli's sons became 
jeopardies to the temple service itself?
Samuel had an advantage. “Moreover his mother made him 
a  little  coat,  and  brought  it to  him  from  year to  year...”
(I  Sam.  2:19). Samuel  had  a  loving,  caring  mother.  Though 
separated from her son at a very early age, Hannah still regarded 
Samuel as her cherished son. “ Therefore also I have lent him 
to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord”
(I Sam. 1:28, italics supplied).
“ His mother made him a little coat.” Doesn’t that seem 
significant to you?  I  believe this is why Samuel did not turn out 
like Eli’s sons—“ his mother made him a little coat.” Not that 
there is some mysterious power in a little coat.  Rather, there is a 
very practical  love revealed in  making a little coat. There is a 
cherishing attitude that says, I want you to be warm and 
well-dressed.  I want you to look your best as you  minister before 
the Lord. Even though we see so little of each other, I want you to 
know your mother loves you. Samuel had something Eli’s sons 
didn’t have. Samuel  had a “ little coat.”
You  may be in a family that you consider a bad influence. You 
may live in a very hostile world and think you  have mean  parents. 
But your fam ily’s environment does not fix the destiny of your 

Bible
69


Logos co nt
family members. You can be instrumental in changing their 
destiny.
Do you worry about a little sister who is becoming involved in 
some bad things? Find out her needs and try to supply them. Make 
her "a little coat.”
Are you separated by great distance from those whom  you  long to 
reveal G od’s love to? Keep in touch. Remember their birthdays. Do 
something nice for them that they’re not expecting. Make each "a 
little coat.”
Samuel and Hophni and Phinehas had the same father, the 
same home life, and the same chances to become special people in 
the Lord’s work. But Eli’s sons became a disgrace to their society. 
Samuel became the society's prophet. For someone had taken the 
time each year to make Samuel “ a little coat."
Pennie Lister is dean of women at Union College.
70


□  February 27  Success in the Family  by Kirk Powell
True
unity
comes
through
Christ
Success­
ful fami­
lies need 
responsi­
ble mem­
bers 

Seventh-day Adventists give much  importance to the family 
institution.  Perhaps one reason for this is the counsel we have 
received from the pen of Ellen W hite.  In her many writings she 
emphasizes the importance of the family unit.
Mrs. W hite often expressed that in order for families to be 
successful, there must be a spirit of unity among the family 
members and a close walk with Christ. “ Let fathers and mothers 
make a solemn promise to God, when they profess to love and 
obey, that by His grace they will not disagree between themselves, 
but will  in their own life and temper manifest the spirit that they 
wish their children to cherish. The  cause  of division  and  discord  in 
families and in the church is separation from  Christ.  To  come  near 
to Christ is to come near to one another. The secret of true unity in 
the church and in the family is not diplomacy, not management, 
not a superhuman effort to overcome difficulties...but union with 
Christ.”  Adventist Hom e, pp. 178,179.
Though she wrote repeated warnings against marriage of 
believers to non-believers, M rs. W hite had counsel to those who 
were living under such circumstances. “ In such cases my advice 
would be:  mother, whatever trials you  may be called to endure 
through poverty, through words and bruises of the soul, from 
harsh overbearing assumption of the husband and father, do not 
leave your children;  do not give them up to the influence of a 
godless father. Your work is to counteract the work of the father, 
who is apparently under the control of Satan.”  In  another  instance 
she counsels, “ Brother, you have had  many discouragements, but 
you  must be earnest, firm , and decided to do your duty in your 
family and take them with you  if possible. You should spare no 
effort to prevail upon them to accompany  you  on  your  heavenward 
journey. But if the mother and children do not choose to 
accompany you, but rather seek to draw you away from your 
duties and religious privileges, you must go forward even if you go 
alone."  “ ...if you  can  save  only  a  part  of  your  fam ily,  it  is  much  Ellen C. 
better than to lose all.”  Adventist Hom e, pp. 348,352.  White
O ur lives are greatly influenced by our family relationships.
Because the family is an instituion created and sustained by God, 
the family member is instructed to claim allegiance to God alone.
This allegiance to God will give him a strong sense of 
responsibility for the other members of the family. Mrs. W hite 
explains this point in Testim onies, Vol. 6, p. 119. “ Those who hear 
the last message of mercy to the world should feel it their duty to 
instruct parents in regard to home religion. The great reformatory 
movement must begin in presenting to fathers and mothers and 
children the principles of the law of God. As the  law  is  presented 
and men and women are convicted of their duty to render 
obedience, show them the responsibility of their decision, not only 
for themselves but for their children."
After reviewing what God's messenger had to say about the 
fam ily, we may conclude two things:  1) W e must have a close 
union with Christ before we can be good family members, and 2) 
no matter what our position is or circumstances are in our family, 
we have a responsibility to do all we can to reveal God’s loving 
character to every member.
Kirk Powell Is an elementary education major at Union College.
71


□  February 28
Wednesday Roots by Gary Deemer
EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy 

Society is appalled with the repugnant and violent acts of 
today's youth. "Lock ’em all up” and "N ow , when  I was a boy...” 
are upon the lips of many concerned people. O ur society must 
realize, however, that the essence of the juveniles’ problems is not 
found in their delinquency but in a disturbed family life.
Nathan W . Ackerm an states, “ The fam ily, as a behavior 
system, stands intermediate between the individual and culture.  It 
transmits through  its adolescent members the disorders that 
characterize the social system.”  Then, going even deeper into the 
problem , Ackerm an observes, "Fundam entally, what underlies 
the entire range of disorders is the adolescents’ fierce, often failing 
struggle to find him self in this chaotic world. He is searching for 
a sense of identity, for a sense of wholeness and continuity, in a 
society that is itself anything but steady in its movement through 
tim e.” (italics ours)
In a society of constant change and confusion, the youth are left 
to unrewarded searching unless they find in their family the 
consistency and values needed in the formation of their identity, 
their very being.
Man is a family-oriented animal.  Deprive him of his family and 
you deprive him of his humanity. As a family fails to offer love 
and open com m unication, as it fails to honor and cherish each 
m ember, it is depriving that member of some part of the humanity 
that is his.
The following research support these ideas.
Pederson (1966) - There is a significant relationship between 
father-absence and emotional disturbance in male children. (Also 
the m others of children where the fathers were absent were found 
to be significantly more emotionally disturbed.)
Biller (1969 - Father-absence has a retarding effect on the 
development of maculine sex-role orientation.
Landis (1960)  found  that  the  effects  of  divorce  on  a  child  vary 
a  great  deal  according  to  the  age  of the  child  at  the  time  of  the 
divorce and according to the way the child viewed his relationship 
with  his parents prior to the divorce. The results indicate that the 
experience of divorce is less traumatic for younger children while 
those children who perceived home as being happy experienced a 
greater degree of trauma. A later study by Landis (1962) found 
that the experience of living in an unhappy home is just as 
traumatic for children as the experience of living in a divorced 
home.
In addition to this, Blain and Carmen  in 1968 found that there 
were more instances of suicide attempts and more suicides among 
male and female college students from families where there had 
been separation, divorce, death of a parent or from families of 
higher educational background.
The juvenile problems in our society are at epidemic 
proportions. O ne may try many direct reform measures and they 
may meet with some success. But in order to cure any problems of 
society, one must go to the very root of the problem, which in this 
case is the family. Reforms for the betterment of society are futile 
unless they start with the basic family unit. 

Man is 
family- 
oriented
Void of a 
good 
family 
life, man 
will have 
problems
Gary Deemer is a theology major at Union College.
72


□ Marchi  interview With Mark Simmons
Editor: Mark Simmons, you've accepted the task of
coming up with a personal reaction to the material in this 
week’s lesson. As a college student, you’ve probably 
formulated some opinions on the Christian family, and 
we’d like to “sound you out”  on some specific topics.
First, what about the family’s leader? Should one 
individual be the “ head of the family” ? If so, who?
Mark: Based upon the Bible, it is my contention that the father
is to be the head of the family.  He should be the principle provider 
and play an active part in the upbringing of his children. The 
w ife’s paramount duty is to provide for her husband’s needs, as it 
is the husband’s duty to supply his w ife’s needs.
Editor: There are many good Christians in many
religions— Christ’s “other sheep...not of this fold.” They 
will be saved according to their light. Do you think this 
allows us to marry Christians of other faiths?
Mark: I feel that the warning against being unequally yoked to
a non-believer cannot be stressed enough.  It is also important that 
when  it comes to making a choice between serving the rest of one’s 
family or G od,  one must leave his family behind, even if he has to 
“ go it alone.” As emphasized by Mrs. W hite, each  member of the 
family has obligations and duties to the other members, but his 
allegiance to God must come first, and it is too often true that 
contrasts in such supposed "sm all” things as membership in 
different denominations, different worship days and different 
basic beliefs make for disunity in the home.
Editor: We  hear  a  lot,  of course,  about the effect  a working 
or absent mother has on the family. Are there any 
statistics which speak about the absent father?
Mark: Father-absence involving children younger than  age
four has more of a retarding effect on the development of 
masculine sex roles orientation than does father-absence 
involving children older than age four. It is a well-known 
psychological theory that a person’s personality is basically set by 
the time he reaches six to seven years of age. Therefore, it’s 
reasonable to assume that having a role model of masculinity 
available to a child prior to this age is crucial in order for proper 
sex role development. Any absence of this role model would tend to 
have a negative affect on the child prior to this age.
Editor: Let’s carry this idea into the divorced-parents
situation. What are the effects of divorce on children of 
different ages?
Mark: The result of Landis’ 1968 study indicates that divorce is
less traumatic for younger children than for older children.  It is 
this author’s contention that the reason for this is that younger 
children aren’t aware that their family’s situation  is all that 
different from other family situations. Landis also found that 
divorce was more traumatic for children who perceived their home 
as being a happy one, than for those who did not. Perhaps the 
reason  for  this  lies  in  the  fact  that  in  the  unhappy  home, 
divorce  comes  as  no  surprise  to  the  children,  whereas  in  the 
happy  home,  divorce  is  a  shock  to  them.
Mark Simmons is a behavioral science major at Union College.
73


HOW
TO 

D Friday 2  To Make the Family Better  By Gary Deemer
This w eek’s lesson has dealt with the importance of the family and 
how it shapes our lives.  In this section  I would like to share some 
suggestions on what each of us can do to strengthen and improve our 
families.
1.  Remember that everything you do has an effect on 
your family. John  Donne had the right idea. "N o man is an 
island...”  You see, a family is a system—that is, a group of 
components, so organized, that one member can do nothing 
without affecting every other member. This means that each 
conscientious family member will keep his family in  mind as he 
makes decisions.
2.  Respect the sacredness of the family relationship. I n 
other words, don’t let the whole school  know about every family 
secret you’re aware of. There are some things that should be kept 
private within the family (just as a husband and a wife have 
certain things which should not become public knowledge). M any 
"hard times”  would be avoided if this rule were observed 
faithfully.
3.  Look for things to do that will make your family 
happy. A happy family is composed of happy individuals, and 
you can  play a big part in  making the other  members  of your 
family happy. Look for things to do to lighten their work  load. 
Determ ine to make every member of your family smile each day. 
W ithout being silly, try to make them laugh whenever possible.
And certainly remember the golden rule.
4.  Talk over family problems as a family. O ne thing that 
encourages unity more than anything else is for one to feel that  he 
is desperately  needed.  Few  people  ever  quit  a job  if they  feel 
that they are really contributing to it and that they are
needed—and the same goes for members of a family. W orking out 
problems together will develop a closeness not achieved in any 
other way.
5.  Do things together as a family. Too many children grow 
up and realize that they don’t know their own parents (because 
they never spent any time together).  Determine to spend time with 
your family.  If your brothers and sisters are grown and have 
moved away, get together as often as possible. When you  have a 
home of your own, continue to support the family your parents 
raised. A successful  family always needs to be supported.
6.  Have family worship and go to church together. This 
more than anything else will determine the success or failure of 
your family. With God as the basis of the family relationship, 
success is assured.
A successful family doesn’t just happen.  It is given careful 
thought, it is cared for, and  it is sacrificed for. To have a happy 
home means to work at it. But it is worth it. There’s nothing better 
in the whole world— and its results are eternal.
Gary Deemer is a theology major at Union College.
74


To Consider:
How close of a relationship should exist 
between Seventh-day Adventists and their 
non-Adventist family members?
Should you observe the Sabbath  in  a 
markedly different manner when you’re in 
the company of those referred to in question 
1 ?
Should you change your diet in the above 
situation?
What should one do if, after three years of 
married life, he discovers that he has made a 
wrong choice for a life-partner?
To what extent does unity (in a family 
relationship)  mean conformity? What areas 
need unity, and what areas do not require 
unity?
How much time should you spend with a 
family member who you feel is persecuting 
you?
If you’re in a family that won’t talk over their 
difficulties, what should you do?



EDUCATING 
CHRISTIANS
Objective: To emphasize that as servants of God, we have a 
responsibility to ourselves to be in an environment that 
will implant in us the same love for service which Christ 
desires us to express in our own lives.
March 4-10  
Editor:  Barbara Jeffers
□  March 4 
Sunday Vartija Interviews John  by sePPo vartija
John is a Christian pro­
fessional. He lives, 
breathes, and exhorts the 
virtues of Christian educa­
tion. Recently I discovered 
the reaons why my friend 
John is so enthusiastic 
about this topic and I 
interviewed him for 
CASSQ to determine why 
he felt so strongly about it.
Vartija: I understand 
that you believe that 
Christian education was 
the turning point in your 
life. Would you please 

explain?
John:  I grew up in a small 
town  in the Northwest. My 
mother had converted to 
Adventism when  I was 
attending the local high 
school. My interests were the 
furthest they could possibly 
be from religious values or a 
Christian education. They 
basically centered around the 
local theater, high school dan­
ces and basketball games, 
and the dance band that I 
performed with.
O ne day my mother asked
77


Illustration  cont.
me if I would go to the 
Christian school approxi­
mately 200 miles to the north.
I told her that I  had  no 
interest— I was looking for­
ward to a job immediately 
after high school, and the last 
thing I wanted to do was 
attend a religious school. 
However, when she promised 
to buy me a new suit if I  would 
at least try the school for six 
weeks, I  agreed.  I told all  my 
friends, however, that I would 
return in the six weeks' time 
and  not to write me off.  I went 
to the academy, determ ined to 
stay only six weeks and then 
return to my old ways and 
buddies.
The teachers at the school 
made a lasting and profound 
effect upon  me, especially the 
Bible instructor. And his per­
sonal interest in  me and his 
exciting and interesting 
classes resulted in my conver­
sion. My life and my values 
changed. The goal of service 
for Christ became most impor­
tant for me.
Vartija: Is Christian 
education, then, necessary 
for all Christian young 
persons or just for those 
who are planning a career 
in the Church?
John: Christian education 
is important for all Christians 
because it has what someone 
has called the effects of 
grounding, extending, and 
conversion. Basically, this 
is what happened to me when 
I was "conned” into going to a 
Christian school. The 
grounding effect of educa­
tion is that which one brings 
to the learning process. The 
extending effect is the conti­
nuation of the learning pro­
cess, which then climaxes in 
the conversion effect, in that 
the learner adopts new views 
or values. The Christian col­
lege attempts to lead its stu­
dents through these three 
processes, climaxing in con- 
Seppo Vartija is business manager of 

version, which is the accep­
tance of a new life in Christ.
A study by Alexander Astin 
entitled Four Critical Years 
suggests that those who leave 
the church or organization did 
not attend an environment 
where the church’s beliefs 
were continually upheld. This 
has  important  ramifications 
for Christian education.
Vartija: Are you suggest­
ing that Christian students 
who are not in an environ­
ment that upholds their 
values and beliefs will 
most  likely  discard  these 
values and beliefs?
John: That is what the 
study of Astin would suggest 
to us.  Last year here at the 
college we had a student who 
was a religious leader and 
was considered a beacon of 
light to his fellow students. 
However, this year for finan­
cial reasons he decided to 
attend his state’s university.  I 
understand from his friends 
that he has little by little lost 
interest in things that were of 
common  interest to them and 
that he has also lost some of 
his religious fervor.  Perhaps 
what Astin suggests would 
apply in this one particular 
case. Adm ittedly, this is not 
very scientific evidence, as 
many other factors could 
apply in this particular case. 
However, it is something to 
think about.
Vartija: What are the 
aspects of Christian edu­
cation that are most 
important to you?
John: Christian teachers 
teach by their example and 
word a unique value system to 
those who attend their classes 
and observe their life styles. 
These values are different 
from the world’s. The em pha­
sis is upon Christ and His 
soon  return and what C hris­
tians can do in order to 
prepare themselves and oth­
ers for His return.
Union College.
78


□  March 5
Monday Real Education by Tim Bradley
“ For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of 
darkness’ who has shone in our hearts to give the 
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the 
face of Christ” (II Corinthians 4:6).
Education is one of the greatest tools used  by God in the great 
plan of redemption. Although education is thought of by many 
people as merely attainment of knowledge, one must also realize 
the importance of development of wisdom in the training of youth. 
(Youth, in this context, includes ages one to one-hundred! 
M easured against eternity, w e’re all young!)
Education = Knowledge. True and permanent education 
cannot be realized without knowledge, which includes knowledge 
of the principles of Jesus Christ. “And for every matter of 
knowledge of wisdom and understanding about which the 
king consulted him, he found them ten times better than all 
the magicians and astrologers” (Daniel 1:20). The training 
received  by Daniel and  his companions and put to the test by king 
Nebuchadnezzar revealed  knowledge superior to the magicians 
and astrologers who in Nebuchadnezzar’s day were considered the 
summit of all  known knowledge and wisdom.
And yet, knowledge without wisdom is incom plete—for, in order 
that education will result from knowledge, one must also develop 
wisdom. “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get 
wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding”
(Proverbs 4:7). Wisdom should serve as a guide for knowledge. 
Therefore we can add another element to the equation—
Education = Knowledge + Wisdom.
But how is wisdom obtained? Wisdom is a gift all of us possess. 
The only difference is that some have developed this gift more 
highly than others.  But for those of you who feel you were 
“ shorted’’ when wisdom was being passed around, there is a 
promise: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that 
giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall 
be given him” (James 1:5).
Therefore, we add still another elem ent: Education =
Knowledge + Wisdom + Love. Without a love and yearning for 
Christ, the human heart is not receptive to the teachings of the 
Holy Spirit. In fact, without love for Christ, the human heart can 
never be receptive to any of the teachings of true education.
“Call to me and I will answer you and I will tell you 
great and mighty things which you do not know.”
—Jeremiah 33:3 

Bible
Tim Bradley is a theology major at Union College.
7<t 

^OCìO«"


I □  March 6
Tuesday Thoughts on Education
compiled by Shelley Schurch
TESTIMONY
Ellen  C. 
White 

Study the following Ellen W hite comments (some of which  may 
at first seem to contradict each other) and try to bring into focus 
the nature and purpose of Christian education. A few questions 
may spark your thinking and guide your study: (1) What is an 
intellectual Christian? (Am I one?) (2) What is sanctified 
ambition? (Do I have it?) (3) How can education be a danger 
to a Christian student and a hindrance to the work of God?
“ M any have felt, 'W ell, it doesn’t matter if we are not too 
particular to become thoroughly educated,’ and a lower standard 
of knowledge has been accepted. And now when suitable men are 
wanted to fill various positions of trust, they are rare;  when 
women are wanted with well-balanced minds, with  not a cheap 
style of education, but with an education fitting them for any 
position of trust, they are not easily found. What is worth doing at 
all, is worth doing well. W hile religion should be the pervading 
element in every school, it will  not lead to a cheapening of the 
literary attainments. W hile a religious atmosphere should pervade 
the school, diffusing its influence, it will  make all who are truly 
Christians feel more deeply their need of thorough  knowledge, 
that they may make the best use of the faculties that God has 
bestowed upon th e m .. . .  They will seek constantly to put to the 
stretch their powers of mind, that they may become intelligent 
Christians." Fundamentals o f Christian Education, pp. 117,118.
“ He is a Christian who aims to reach the highest attainments 
for the purpose of doing others g o o d .. . .  Education balanced by a 
solid religious experience, fits the child of God to do his appointed 
work steadily, firm ly, understandingly...
“ God does not want us to be content with lazy, undisciplined 
minds, dull thoughts, and loose m em ories.. . .  He has given us 
talents, and has made it possible for us to acquire more, in order 
that we may be able to help ourselves and others onward in the 
way to life ”  (p. 119).
“ Ignorance will not increase the humility or spirituality of any 
professed follower of Christ. The truths of the divine word can be 
best appreciated  by an intellectual Christian. Christ can be best 
glorified by those who serve Him intelligently. The great object of 
education is to enable us to use the powers which God  has given  us 
in such a manner as will best represent the religion of the Bible 
and promote the glory of God ”  (p. 45).
“ The proper regulation of his habits of eating, sleeping, study, 
and exercise, is a duty which every student owes to himself, to 
society, and to G o d .. . .  That student who is studying hard, 
sleeping little, exercising little, and eating irregularly of an 
improper or inferior quality of food, is obtaining mental training 
at the expense of health and  morals, of spirituality, and, it may be, 
of life ” (p. 72).
“ Too great devotion to study, even of true science, creates an 
abnormal appetite, which increases as it is fed. This creates a 
desire to secure more knowledge than is essential to do the work of 
the Lord. The pursuit of knowledge merely for its own sake diverts 
the mind from devotion to God, checks advance along the path of 
practical holiness, and hinders souls from traveling in the way 
which  leads to a holier, happier life ”  (p. 338). 

Christians 
should  be 
intelligent
Education 
must  be 
well
balanced
Too much 
“ knowl­
edge”  is 
impractical
Shelley Schurch is a housewife and graduate student in Lincoln, 
Nebraska. 
80


We can 
be  more 
than 
what  we 
are
Christian 
education 
gives  man  a 
handle  to 
become 
more 

□  March 7  Educated To Be More  by Larry McGill
Wednesday
Some exciting work has been going on in California by 
humanist psychologists. M en such as Rogers, M aslow, and Otto 
say that We use only a very small portion of our capabilities, 
and  that  there  is  an  enormous  untapped  potential  in  every 
human  being—so  much  so,  that  it  isn’t  outlandish  to  say  that  if 
we  really  desired  to  fly,  we  could  fly!  W e  could  have  an  ability  to 
touch  that  would  be so  spectacular  that  we  could  actually  feel 
color!  W e  could  have  the  ability  to  see  better  than  an  eagle,  the 
ability  to  smell  better  than  a  bird  dog,  and  a  mind  that  could  be 
so  big,  it  would  constantly  be  full  of  exciting  dreams. And  yet 
we  are  perfectly  happy  to  be only  a small  portion  of  what  we  are.
The London psychiatrist R. D. Lang, in his book The Politics o f 
Experience, states, “ What we think is less than what we know : 
what we know  is less than what we love: what we love is so 
much less than what there is; and to this precise extent, we are 
much less than what we are” (italics supplied).  Knowing all of 
this, we should  have the tremendous desire to becom e, in the 
fullest sense of the word.
Ellen W hite tells us that every human being has been created in 
the image of God and  has been endowed with a power similar to 
that of the Creator. This power is not only an  intellectual power, 
but also a spiritual  power which exists in every human being.
Cooperation with our Creator, therefore, will bring about changes 
that are “ higher than the highest thought.”  Now, that’s power—to 
accomplish feats, dreams and desires that are higher than either 
you or I  have ever thought of!
This is the beautiful difference between Christian education and 
secular education—to train  men and women to tap that 
power-source of creativity. To accomplish this, God has given the 
Christian a philosophy for education which calls for “ the  Science,
harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the  History,
spiritual powers through communion with the mind of G o d !”   Philosophy
The Scriptures tell us that we are called forth to be kings, to be 
heirs together with the King of kings. We are to be royal priests, 
telling of the sacrifice of our Saviour throughout all the universe 
for eternity (Romans 8:14-17). What a calling!  What a training 
process!  To think that the destiny of the Christian will be to 
proclaim the wondrous love of Christ throughout eternity and to 
be kings and priests unto God and actually share Christ’s throne 
in ruling the myriads of planets with  Him (Rev. 1:6; 3:21; 5:10).
Training for this royal  line is what Christian education is all 
about: to prepare the Christian for this fantastic calling.
Education  is part of the plan of salvation to restore in  man the 
image of his M aker and to bring him  back to that perfection  in 
which  he originally was created.
Thus we can see that the work of education and the work of 
redemption are one. The principles stand unchanged for they are 
the principles of the character of God. To prepare the Christian’s 
life  for  a  deeper  relationship  with  Christ  and  to  fit  him  up  to  be 
joint heirs of the King of kings is a thought that is higher than you 
or I  can ever imagine. To follow this philosophy combines the 
scientific, the practical, and the ideal.
Larry McGill is chaplain at Union College.
81


□  March 8
Thursday Of Cars and Education
by Dr. Bill Hemmerlin
I  bought a shiny new car some years ago. The color was 
beautiful—a brilliant blue.  It was sharp— it had a vinyl roof and 
wide tires.  I  loved it!  I wanted it to last forever, always looking just 
as nice as the day I  bought it.  I vowed to provide the best 
maintenance and care. Unfortunately, however, I thought that the 
only important thing was keeping it washed and waxed, and 
maintaining optimum pressure in the tires. I  ignored “ m inor” 
items, like regular tune-ups, oil changes, and lubrication. And you 
can guess what happened:  in  less than a year the chassis began 
squeaking something awful, and not long after that, this lovely 
creature would hardly start in the morning, would stall pitifully at 
intersections, and would make unearthly hiccuping noises when  I 
tried to shut it off.
In this case the story is apocryphal (of course, some people do 
treat their automobiles in this manner).  But tragically, this is the 
same philosophy some people follow in their own life-styles and in 
the raising and educating of their children.
Can you imagine sending a child to school, but only allowing 
him to take mathematics? What will that student know after 
eight, twelve or sixteen years of education? You see, what we have 
been studying in this w eek’s lesson  is really just good, logical 
common sense.  But then, God's plans are always logical and 
sensible, when we understand the purpose.
God created us as multi-dimensional beings.  Ellen W hite says 
that true education is the harmonious development of these 
dimensions,  i.e.,  the  physical,  mental,  and  spiritual  powers.
(Education,  p.  1  ).W hat  better  method  and  philosophy  of 
education  is  there  than  one  which  believes  that  an  individual’s 
physical,  mental,  and  spiritual  powers  are  interdependent?
If I want my car to function at optimum efficiency, I will see to it 
that all systems (not just surface things such as the paint and 
tires) are cared for regularly as described in the owner’s manual 
written by the manufacturer. So it is with us.  If a human  being is 
to achieve his greatest potential  in  life (starting now and 
continuing throughout eternity), he must give regular attention to 
each dimension of his life:  physical, mental, and spiritual.
And if one is stressing the development of one of these 
dimensions to the exclusion of the others, he will  not achieve all 
that God desires for him. To expect to grow intellectually by 
ignoring one’s health and spiritual condition is silly. To expect 
spiritual growth and salvation while defiling the temple of God 
(and when you think of it, ignoring the body is defiling it) and 
failing to develop intellectually is ludicrous.
Most school systems do not provide this heaven-ordained, 
balanced approach to education involving the whole man. God's 
educational system does! 

True
education 
develops 
the  mental, 
physical 
and
spiritual
harmoni­
ously
“ Proper
mainte­
nance”
comes
through
Christian
education
Bill Hemmerlin is an associate professor of chemistry at Union
College. 
82


□  March 9
Friday Education/Salvation  by Joe Parmele
W e often  hear it quoted that “ salvation is the work of a lifetim e.” 
But education does not seem to receive that long-range emphasis, 
and so we tend to feel that while we are getting our schooling, 
salvation can wait. After one’s education is complete, however, a 
tendency exists for him to let the educational proces slip and 
re-emphasize salvation. This is an unnecessary tragedy.
It seems that there are at least four places where the processes of 
salvation and education are similar. Let’s consider these four 
areas and learn  how to combine the processes of education and 
salvation in our day-to-day lives during the college years.
1.  Be interested in a subject. Choose a course of study that
you find interesting and one that you would enjoy working at. You 
can best make this choice if you  have had  positive contact with 
someone or something in that field.  Many students spend 
summers  or  after-school  hours  working  in  an  area  that  broadens 
their view of their field of interest.
Likewise, if you are to gain an  interest in salvation, you  must 
see that positive benefit will result from that interest.  It is 
important to expose yourself to the positive elements so that you 
will not be swayed by heresay or negativism. Salvation has long 
and short range benefits and these should make you  interested in 
it. 
2.  Be committed to a goal. A choice of an educational goal or 
a lifework is made because it appears that there will be a positive 
benefit from attaining the desired goal. So, when you  have decided 
what your goal in life is, then get after it. Be committed.
Spiritually, the goal of righteousness has already been  met for 
us by Christ. It is our responsibility then to decide whether or not 
we want to accept the fact that He has met the goal. And then, to 
take the effort— Bible study, prayer, personal experience—to know 
the O ne who met it so that we can be supporters of His goals for 
humanity.
3.  Be willing to  study. As  a  student,  you  must  decide  how 
much effort to spend in your educational pursuits. Some may 
choose  to  stop  after  college,  others  may  want  to  go  beyond.  But 
whatever the case, do your best. And in terms of education, this 
means that you must study. Don't let anyone pressure you into 
accepting yourself as an average student. You can be at the top— if 
you study.
Spiritually, you  must also study. You  must study in order to 
know God, yourself, and other people There are numerous 
Christian authors you  may study and  benefit by, but the Bible is 
certainly at the top of the list.
4.  Be willing to share what you have learned. No matter 
what educational pursuit you follow , if your knowledge isn’t 
shared, it will quickly fade.
Spiritually, it’s the same way.  If Christ is in the heart, but His 
words and character are not expressed, your experience with Him 
will also fade.
“ The true object of education is to estore the image of God in the 
soul.” Patriarchs  and Prophets,  p.  575.  Let’s  determ ine  to  make 
our  college years  an  educational  process  that  does just  that;  one 
that  unites  the  work  of  education  and  salvation. 

HOW
TO
Joe Parmele is assistant dean of men at Union College.
83


To Consider:
If a person  needs to get through with college 
as soon as possible, is it necessary that he 
has as balanced an education (physically, 
socially, spiritually) as the person who takes 
five years to get through?  If so, how can he?
Adventist schools have a definitely homogen­
ous environment.  In a heterogenous world, 
are our schools very practical?
Should Adventist schools try to recruit non- 
Adventists? Explain your answer.
Do you think our school system pretty well 
meets God's standards?  If not, where are we 
lacking?
If you were to establish a Christian college, 
what would be your primary considerations?


WORSHIPPING GOD
Objective: To show how God wants man to worship Him. 
March 11-17  
Editor: Barry Bacon
□  March 11 
Sunday Worship Unveiled by Barry Bacon and 
Shelley Dickinson
It  was  a  Sabbath  day.
Sitting  in  my  favorite  front 
pew,  I  admired  the  beauty  of 
carved  and  polished  wood 
and  the  stained  glass  w in­
dows.  The  inspiring  sermon 
was  enhanced  by  a  melo­
dious  choir  and  a 
well-phrased  prayer.
But  when  the  service  was 
over,  the talk  and  laughter  of 
people  in  the  lobby  disturbed 
me.  Did  they  find  it as  empty 
and  meaningless  as  this? 
Troubled  greatly,  I  went  to 
my  home,  but  I  found  no 
peace.  At  last  I  went  to  my 
bed  and  fell  into  a  fitful 
sleep.
Suddenly  an  angel  stood 
beside  me,  lighting  the  room 
with  his  brilliance. 

‘‘C o m e/’  he  said.
He  took  my  hand,  and 
instantly  we  were  back  in  the 
church  again,  and  there  in 
the  sanctuary— to  my 
surprise—the  same  worship 
service  was  again  being 
conducted.
I  watched  as  we  sang  the 
hymns,  as  the  deacons  took 
the offering,  and  as  the  min­
ister  preached.  Yet  it was  all 
so  strange,  because  although 
the  congregation’s  lips 
moved  and  the  organist 
touched  the  keys,  I  heard  no 
words  and  no  music.
"I  don’t  understand,”   I 
said.  "W hy  is  there  no 
sound?”
“ You  are viewing your 
worship  as God  sees  it,”   the
85


Illustration  cont.
angel  answered.
“ What  do  you  m ean?"  I 
asked.  “ W hy  is  our service 
silent  to  G od?"
“ God  has  stopped  His  ears 
so  that  He  does  not  have  to 
hear  your  w orship,”  he 
answered  grimly,  "fo r  it  is  an 
abomination  to  H im .” 
"W hat?"  I  exclaim ed.
“ W hy  does  God  stop  His 
ears,  so  that  He  cannot  hear 
our  prayers  to  Him ,  and  our 
praise?”
“ Because  of the  sins  of  the 
people,”   he  said,  "fo r  they 
have  turned  God  away  by 
their  sins.”
“ Sins?”  I  asked.  “ What 
sins?  These  are  G od’s  people, 
His  chosen  people!  What 
have  they  done?”
“ Com e  with  me,  and  I  will 
show  you  som ething,”  he 
said.
He  took  me  to  a  house 
across  the street  from  the 
church,  and  we  gazed  into 
the  large  living-room 
w indow.  At  first  it  seemed  a 
holy  place  in  which  to  live— 
there  was  a  Bible  upon  a 
table  and  a  large  bookcase 
filled  with  religious  w orks: 
concordances,  Bible  diction­
aries,  testimonies  from  G od’s 
servants.
But  no  one  was  using 
them.  A  small  family  was 
gathered  in  a  reverent  circle 
at  the  far  end  of  the  room, 
their  faces  lit  by  a  strange 
blue  light,  their  mouths 
opened  in  grotesque  and  dis­
contented  laughter,  their  eyes 
trained  upon  sinful  acts,  and 
their  ears  buffeted  by  coarse 
language  and  obscene 
stories.
It  seemed  that  I  could  hear 
their  thoughts  as  they 
laughed.  "W e  truly  are  Chris­
tians,  for  God  wants  us  to  be 
happy,  and  we  are  indeed 
quite  happy.”
The  angel  said,  “ Son,  do 
you  see  what  the  children  of 
God  are  doing?” 

"Y e s,"  I  said,  and  I  was 
ashamed.
“ Com e  with  m e,”   he  con­
tinued,  “ and  I  will  show  you 
something  else.”
He  took  me  to  a  dormitory 
of  G od’s  school,  where  there 
was  a  tiny  blemish  in  the 
wall.  He  said, “ Dig with  your 
hands,  so  that  you  can  see 
and  hear  what  G od’s  people 
are  doing.”
I  dug  and  made  a  small 
opening  through  which  I 
could  see.  There  in  the  dorm i­
tory  room,  a  group  of stu­
dents  were  gathered.  There 
was  loud  whispering  followed 
by  quick,  rapid  laughter.
They  were  talking  of  evil 
things,  telling  licentious 
stories  and  jokes  such  as 
people  of the world  tell.  G ri­
macing,  I  turned  my  head 
from  the  scene,  and  as  I 
turned,  I  thought  I  heard  one 
say,  "D o n ’t worry.  God  will 
always  forgive  us,  for  He  is 
very  m erciful.  There  is  plenty 
of time  for  repentance.”
I  turned  away.  I  wanted  to 
cry,  but  my  heart  was  too 
heavy  for  crying.
Then  the  angel  lifted  me 
up  above  the  city  and  all 
around  I  saw  scenes  of  filthi­
ness  and  abomination  and 
sin.  I  saw  but  a  handful  of 
God’s  people weeping  and 
praying  for  those  around 
them.
Then  I  looked  down  at 
myself,  and  I  saw  that  my 
own  clothes  were  also  dirty 
and  covered  with  blood.  I 
could  bear  it  no  more.  I  fell 
on  my  face,  and  cried,  “ Sir, 
how  can  we  be  made  clean?
Is  there  still  forgiveness  for 
God’s  people?  How  can  we  be 
right  with  God,  so  that  our 
worship  is  acceptable  to 
Him ?"
Touching  me  gently, the 
angel  turned  my  face  to  his 
and,  whispering  softly,  said,
"I  have  yet  another  place  to 
show  you.”


Illustration cont.
Leading  me  to  a  small, 
almost  run-down  house,  the 
angel  instructed  me  to  peer 
into  a  small  window  toward 
the  rear  of  the  house.
As  I  looked,  I  beheld  a 
man,  worn  with  age.  Furrows 
of  concern  remained  upon  his 
forehead.  He  appeared  at 
first  to  be  all  alone,  kneeling, 
with  tears  on  his  cheeks,  his 
lips  silently  moving.
But  as  I  watched,  I  saw 
hovering  about  him  many 
angels,  and  yet  another 
Being  whose  kind  features 
were  touched  with  sympathy. 
This  man  of  kindness  had 

his  arms  about  the  aged, 
weeping  man  and  spoke  to 
him  tenderly.  Looking  up 
with  steadfast  trust,  the  old 
man’s  haggard  face  took  on 
a  glimmer  of  hope  and  his 
words  became  audible  to  all 
those  around  as  he 
communed  with  his  Lord.
Q uietly  I  turned  from  the 
scene.  The  angel  was  gone— 
but  within  my  heart  was 
peace.  For  my  worship  no 
longer  depended  upon 
preachers  and  hymns  and 
offerings,  but  upon  me  and 
my  Lord.
Barry Bacon is a religion major at Union College.
Shelley Dickinson is an elementary education major at Union 
College.


□  March 12
Monday Attitudes and Acts  by Dr. Myrl Manley
Bible 

David  viewed  worship  as  both  an attitude  (a  process  that 
cannot  be  observed  directly)  and  an  overt act  (a  process  that  can 
be  directly  observed).  He  declared “let  us  worship and  bow 
down:  let  us  kneel  before the  Lord  our  maker”  (Ps.  95:6).
The attitude  of worship— "let  us  worship” — precedes  the  act of 
worship— "let  us  kneel."
Since an attitude is defined as "a state of readiness to act in a 
particular w ay,”  a positive worship attitude impels the person (if 
he has internalized this attitude)  into a relationship with Cod, 
Jesus,  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  relationship  manifests  itself 
either  by  an  overt  act  or  by  a  mental  “ posture  of  acceptance.” 
For  example,  Isaiah  says  that  people will  decide to go  up to  the 
house  of  God  (an  overt  act),  whereas  David  comments, “Thy 
word  have  I  hid  in  my  heart, that  I  might  not sin  against 
thee”  (Ps.  119:11). (Notice the  positive  attitude which  results 
in  a  relationship.)
How you  relate to the Godhead  is not necessarily determined by 
geography (where we worship) or splendor (the ceremony and 
display of worship). An outward  manifestation doesn’t prove that 
your worship is acceptable. However, a positive relationship with 
the Godhead is confirmed by “ a broken and a contrite heart”
(Ps. 51:17).
Worship is a positive attitude—and an emotion—within your 
soul which joins you  in a relationship with God through word and 
deed. As Ellen W hite says, "w e are not merely to feel that we have 
to thank God for and what we owe to Him , but to express it also in 
word and deed.”
God can be worshiped anywhere, of course, regardless of 
geography, but genuine corporate worship occurs in the house of 
God where the principles of love and goodness unite to create the 
atmosphere of heaven. We are invited to come to His house to 
strengthen our relationship with Him by being there in  His special 
presence, by making a joyful noise unto Him by verbal expression, 
and through fellowship with each other. “Let us come before 
His  presence  with  thanksgiving,  and  make  a joyful  noise 
unto  Him  with  psalms”  (Ps.  95:2). It  is  in  the  church  building 
that  the  congregation,  as  a  unified  body,  meets  the  Godhead.  It 
is  here  that  the  atmosphere  of  heaven  may  be  experienced—for 
if the  members  of  the  congregation  possess  the  principles  of  the 
character  of  Christ,  angels  will  unite  with  them  in  worship. 

Worship 
is an 
attitude 
and an 
overt act
A
worship­
ful atti­
tude is 
basic
Acts of
worship
are
re­
sponses
The 
atmos­
phere  of 
heaven 
is found 
in  wor­
shiping 
at  church 
«
Myrl Manley is president of Union College.
88


□  March 13
Tuesday Worship Described  by Shelley Dickinson
The Spirit 
leads us to 
worship
To wor­
ship 
we must be 
born again
Worship
gives
strength
Christ’s 
whole life 
was an act 
of worship 

In 1908, Ellen C . W hite wrote that true worship “ is the fruit of 
the working of the Holy Spirit.” 1 She says, “ Those who worship 
God must worship Him in ‘spirit and in truth:  for the Father 
seeketh such to worship H im .’” 2
If it is the Spirit, then, who prompts us to worship, let us see 
what the Spirit, through the Spirit of Prophecy, will lead  us to 
think regarding worship and the attitude we should have about it.
“ The religion that comes from God is the only religion that can 
lead to God.  In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the 
divine Spirit. This will lead to watchfulness. It will purify the 
heart and renew the mind, and give us a new capacity for knowing 
and loving God.  It w ill give us willing obedience to all His 
requirem ents. This is true w orship.” 3
"W e have abundant reason to maintain a fervent, devoted spirit 
in the worship of God. We have reason even to be more thoughtful 
and reverent in our worship than had the Jews. But an enemy has 
been at work to destroy our faith in the sacredness of Christian 
w orship.” 4
"It should  be a pleasure to worship the Lord....H e desires that 
those who come to worship Him shall carry away with them 
precious thoughts of His care and  love, that they may be cheered 
in all the employments of daily life, that they may have grace to 
deal honestly and faithfully in all things.” 5
W e should "Com e in humility with a heart full of tenderness” 6 
and should conduct our worship "with consistency, unity, and 
sound judgem ent.” 7
What can we learn about worship from our ultimate example, 
Jesus Christ?
“ Jesus had come to teach the meaning of the worship of G o d .” 8 
Read the chapter entitled “ In His Tem ple”  in The D esire o f Ages. 
Jesus “ could not sanction the mingling of human requirements 
with the divine precepts” 9 in the place dedicated to the worship of 
His Father.
There is another chapter in The D esire o f Ages that describes an 
aspect of worship we may sometimes forget.  It is the chapter 
entitled "A s a C h ild .”  You will find in reading this chapter, as in 
reading the rest of the book, that the sum total of Christ’s life was 
an act of worship to His Father. This can be our experience, too: 
"W e must live for Christ minute by minute, hour by hour, and day 
by day; then Christ will dwell in us, and when we meet together,
His love will be in our hearts, welling up like a spring in the desert, 
refreshing all, and  making those who are ready to perish, eager 
to drink of the waters of life.” 10
1.  Review  and Herald, November 19,1908
2.  Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 50
3.  Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 9, p. 159
4.  Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 5, p. 497
5.  Steps to Christ, p. 108,109
6.  Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 1, p. 397,398
7.  Testimonies to the C hurch, Vol. 5, p. 270
8.  The Desire o f Ages, p. 84
9.  Ibid.
10.  Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 5, p. 609
Shelley Dickinson is an elementary education major at Union
College. 
89


EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy 

□  March 14  Primary Need  by Todd Taggart
Wednesday
Every culture that has ever existed on the face of the earth  has 
spent a substantial amount of time engaging in a seemingly 
unproductive activity— that of worship.  From  a  logical  point  of 
view , the effort expended to worship is  wasted  energy.  It  does  not 
result in a tangible product that we can consume to further our 
physical existence. Yet to  question  the  fact  that  we worship  is  an 
academic endeavor; worship continues regardless of efforts to 
explain  away  its  usefulness.  Therefore  we  must  conclude  that  it 
does  have  a  reason  for  existing,  that  it  fills  a  void.  But  in  what 
way?  W hat  void  does  it  fill?
An  eminent  psychologist  named  M aslow  developed  a  "h ie r­
archy  of  needs”   which  defined  his  concept  of what  the  needs  of 
a  human  are,  and  in  what  order  they  must  be satisfied.  The 
initial  needs  are  physical,  and  Maslow  hypothesizes  that  a 
human  being  will  strive  to  satisfy  these  needs—such  as  hunger, 
thirst,  and  protection  from  danger—first  of  all.  O nce  these  needs 
are  satisfied,  the  human  will  then  attempt  to  satisfy  the  higher 
orders  of  urges,  such  as  social  status  and  intellectual  stim ulation. 
M aslow  identifies  the  need  to  worship  as  a  higher-order 
need  that  is  ignored  until  physical  needs  are  fulfilled.
Yet if our need to recognize and worship an entity superior to 
ourselves is secondary to our pursuit of physical needs, why is 
much of the activity of primitive cultures centered around their 
worship of a "god” ? Their physical needs are many times not 
satisfied, yet their intellect cries for submission to a higher 
power, whatever they perceive that power to be. The need to 
worship can take priority over our physical  needs, and as a 
Christian I would submit to you that when our need to worship is 
satisfied, our other needs, physical and  higher-order, are put in the 
proper perspective. O ur Cod does  fill  a  void  and can  give  our 
existence meaning.
A young student came to a wise man and earnestly inquired the 
best way to gain knowledge. Pondering his request for a moment, 
the wise man suggested they take a walk. As they were passing by 
a river, the wise man  beckoned to the student to come to the 
water's edge. W hile the student was contemplating his reflection 
in the water, the wise man grasped his head and held it under the 
water. The student struggled for air and at last was let up. When 
he had regained his breath, the wise man said, “ W hen you  need 
knowledge as badly as you just needed air, you will find it.” Let’s 
pray that our worship brings us to struggle for a closer knowledge 
of God and His saving grace.
Todd Taggart is an accounting instructor at Union College.
90 

Maslow: 
Worship is 
a higher- 
order need
Taggart: 
Worship is 
the pri­
mary need


□ March is  Interview With Dennis Palmer
Editor: Monday’s lesson mentioned that corporate
worship occurs “ in the house of God; it is in the church 
building that the congregation.. .meets the Godhead.”
How do you feel about this, Dennis?
Palmer: During Paul’s ministry, church  buildings primarily
were not established. Believers met in  people’s homes, or even 
outside in  nature. W e find Jesus ministering to others in a boat, in 
lonely places, in crowded places such as towns, in the synagogue, 
and by the seashore. Instead of placing the emphasis on a special 
place to worship like the Jews did, Christians were told that they 
themselves were the temple of the living God (II  Cor. 6:15). God 
resides in the life of each  believer.
Editor: One of the ideas in Tuesday’s lesson was that
after we live each minute, hour and day of our life for 
Christ, “then Christ will dwell in us.” What do you think 
about that?
Palmer: How can this be?  How can we do anything good or live
for Christ if Christ is not already dwelling in  us? The expression of 
Christ  dwelling  in  a  person  or  for  one  to  be  “ in  Christ”   is  used 
invariably and without exception when speaking of believers. " If 
anyone  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creation"  (II  Cor.  5:17).  It  seems 
to  me  that  the  order  should  be  reversed.  Christ  dwells  in  us,  and 
then  because  of  His  presence,  we  live  for  Him.
Editor: I am sure, of course, that this is what Mrs. White
was saying. She says in Christ's O bject Lessons,.p. 206, “If 
you take even one step toward Him in repentance, He will 
hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite love... Even 
before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart 
made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the 
grace that is working upon the human soul.”
Wednesday’s  lesson,  as we noticed, challenged Maslow’s hierarchy, 
which ranks our human “needs” from the lower to the higher levels of 
development. It noted that worship can be more important than some of 
our physical needs. What is your opinion on this?
Palmer: This type of reasoning seems to be right on target with 
modern research. Hal Lindsay, in his book The Terminal 
Generation, mentions that a man can go without food for about 40 
days, without water for three days, without air for 8 minutes, and 
without hope, one second. W orship, even if it is on the primitive 
level, seems to give man  hope, and in this it seems to be much 
more important than even the basic physical needs.
Dennis Palmer is a religion, education and art major at Union
College.


□  March 16
Friday To Worship by Joy Burton
W orship is more a matter of attitude than of place, more a  *
bowing of the heart than of the knees, more a building of a 
relationship than a keeping of scheduled appointments. With this 
in  mind, how can we achieve this in a practical way in our church 
services? In dealing with the actual church service there are three
H

  parts to be considered:  our attitudes and actions before, during, 
and after the service.
1.  Before church it is really necessary for you to get aO 

good night’s sleep. You cannot appreciate church when you are 
dead-tired.  It is important to eat a good breakfast so that your 
stomach doesn’t distract you at about 11:30 a.m .; this also keeps
W 

your blood sugar up to the right level, and could keep you from  )
getting a headache.  If you can think of something that is 
separating you from your fellow-man and God, try to get it solved 
so that it doesn’t bother you and  keep you from concentrating on 
the service. Pray that God will prepare your attitude and mind for 
the coming service.  Now, come seeking a blessing, and expect to 
find one!
2.  During church it is important to remember that  , 
worship is active, not passive—participation, not enter-O 

tainment. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be present in the service.
Here are some ways:
a.  Tune your thoughts on  God.  Stay  away  from  conversation  4
that would take your mind off God. This may mean sitting with a 
friend who listens during the service instead of one who gives a 
running commentary on other people’s clothes, new cars, who's 
dating w ho,  etc....  This  may  mean  avoiding  the  “ Restroom 
Com m ittee meetings’’—those happy little get-togethers where 
hair, clothes, "D id you see who I saw ...’’, and this type of 
conversation  is quite popular.
b.  Actively take part in the service. Open your hymnal and
sing. Instead of daydreaming, try thinking about what you're  *
singing. The words really may express something you feel or 
know, and if they do, sing them as a prayer to God, or as a 
celebration.
c.  Give an offering and pay your tithe. These are G od’s ways of 
letting you share in  His work and letting you love others. Tithes 
are a rem inder that God loves you and takes care of you. There is
no need for you to w orry; trust Him! They also keep you from  H
getting selfish. Give cheerfully;  it is a privilege.
d.  Listen to the sermon. You’ve prayed for a blessing, now 
search for it. The Holy Spirit will guide you. I’ve never failed to 
find some blessing when  I’ve prayed for one. W hen prayer is said, 
don't just kneel there wishing it would all be over. Listen to the 
prayer, make it your prayer too, and pray along with the speaker.
Open your heart!
e.  W hen the service is over, don’t drop your "bundle of worship 
blessings”  at the front door as you go out. Rather, take it with you.
Guard your conversation and attitudes (even out in front of the 
church).
3.  Carry your worship with you all through the week.
Get involved with people in as many ways as possible. Serve them 
as Jesus has served you. Love them as you are loved!
God is your friend;  take Him with you everywhere. Your  ’
relationship with Him will guide your worship. Thus, worship can 
and w ill be  a  beautiful  and  meaningful  part  of your  life!Joy Burton is a theology major at Union College.
92


To Consider
I can’t help it, but I find worship boring. The 
sermon is as dry as the hills, and I  get 
nothing from the whole service. What can  I 
do?
Why do we need corporate worship? Can't I 
worship God alone in  nature? After all,
Enoch worshipped God so well—alone—that 
God took him.
What does God want to accomplish by 
having his people build large, expensive 
churches (such as the beautiful temple of 
Solomon)? What is God’s criteria for building 
a church?
What actually constitutes true worship?
I  live in a big church. I  know how to play the 
piano and sing, but nobody knows that I can 
do these things because I  never get a chance 
to perform. What can I do?



COMMUNICATING GOD
Objective: to understand that one of the best and most 
eternally valuable services we can perform for those 
around us is the introduce other people to the One we 
serve, and to tell them of the possibility of their eventual 
salvation. 
March 18 - 24 
Editors: William and Diana Cole
□  March 18  ,
Sunday  L O U IS e   by Carolyn Wisbey
‘....  for I was hungry 
and you gave me food, I 
was thirsty and you gave 
me drink, I was a stranger 
and you welcomed me, I 
was naked and you clothed 
me, I was sick and you 
visited me, I was in prison 
and you came to me.’ Then 
the righteous will answer 
him, ‘Lord, when did we 
see thee hungry and feed 
thee, or thirsty and give 
thee drink? And when did 
we see thee a stranger and 
welcome thee, or naked 
and clothe thee? And when 

did we see thee sick on in 
prison and visit thee?’ And 
the King will answer then, 
‘Truly, I say to you, as you 
did it to one of the least of 
these my brethren, you did 
it to me’ (Matt. 25:35-40 
RSV).
I watched Louise answer 
the door as I was standing 
outside waiting to give her a 
Bible study. She was 6’2” , 350 
pounds, bearded, toothless, 
smelly,  and  sometimes  men­
tally unstable. As I walked  in 
I  noticed the living room 
consisted of two double beds,
95


Illustration  cont.
several chests of drawers, a 
couple of kitchen chairs, 
many miscellaneous stacks of 
things, and lunch and supper 
leftovers mixed with garbage 
all over the floor.
She said she was interested 
in studying the Bible. She was 
a willing subject for me to 
witness to. Her heart was 
tender. She was tearful at 
times. She liked to read her 
Bible with us. She enjoyed our 
friendship and conversations 
about general things. She 
talked about improving her 
living conditions.
Thinking of the above texts,
I  made an appointment with 
Louise to bring some of my 
friends over to do some heavy 
cleaning in her house. Just a 
day before we were to come, 
she called and canceled— no 
explanation given. Her voice 
was firm and distant.
After a few Bible studies 

Louise’s attitude was different 
than it was at first. She had 
not studied her lessons;  there 
was no talk any more of 
wanting to clean up, and she 
lashed out at me when I 
suggested she might work 
harder at housekeeping. The 
studies were canceled.
Months after,  I am wonder­
ing what all  I did wrong. Was 
I  casting pearls to swine or 
sowing on rocky ground? Was 
I emphasizing the wrong 
points? I  have no solution to 
this story;  there is no happy 
ending;  the problem has not 
been resolved.
O ne of the best and most 
eternally valuable services we 
can perform for those around 
us is to introduce others to the 
O ne we serve, and to tell them 
of the possibility of their 
eventual salvation. This is 
what I was longing to do for 
Louise. W here did I fail?
Carolyn  Wisbey is a  housewife and  mother  living in  Lincoln, 
Nebraska. 
96


□  March 19
Monday Sharing His Love  by h . Roger Bothweii
Children 
of God 
have 
always 
witnessed
Christian 
concern 
is the 
greatest 
witness
Teaching
about
Christ
is
important 

To share G od’s love with others by our speech and behavior is a 
response  o f man  to  G od which  is  as  old  as  the world  itself. 
Adam continually sought to witness to his children. Faithful 
Enoch, “the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, 
saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his 
saints, to execute judgment upon  all...”  (Jude  14,  15). Noah 
warned his neighbors of impending judgment (2 Pet. 2:5), and so 
did Abraham and the prophets.  Isaiah speaks to us saying, “Ye 
are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I 
have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and 
understand that I am he” (Is. 43:10).
Thus, witnessing for God is not merely a product of the New 
Testament but is something that has always been with G od’s 
people. And rightly so, for witnessing is living the experience we 
have enjoyed with God before those about us. W e might witness 
brilliantly to others about G od,  but  if we  do  not  really  care  and 
love them  it is all of no use (ICor. 13). The greatest witness that 
any of us can have is being a caring, loving person. “By this 
shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love 
one to another” (John 13:35).
However we must also note the element of active witnessing. 
Listen to Paul as he speaks to Titus: “These things speak, and 
exhort, and rebuke with all authority” (Titus 2:15). And in 
Acts 5:20 we read the direct command of an angel, “ Go, stand 
and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this 
life.”
There is also Jesus’ express command: “ Go ye therefore, and 
teach all nations...teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I  have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20). Indeed,
Jesus considered witnessing as important w ork, and Paul says 
that our witness can be the power of God which causes salvation 
(I  Cor.  1:18).
If man  lives “ by every word which proceedeth out of the 
mouth of God,” then this command of Jesus must be obeyed. 
And, as with all His commandments, this particular one is 
designed for our good  as well  as  for  others'—we  will  benefit  as 
well as they. 

Bible
Roger Bothweii is a pastor in Des Moines, Iowa.
97


□  March 20
Tuesday Reaching Out  by Charles R. Beeler-
TESTIMONY
Ellen C. 
White 

Age doesn’t matter to God. We are never too young to serve Him 
and our youthful vigor is actually an asset. Youth is a time of life 
and vitality, a time when we can  reach  many, simply because 
w e’re energetic and unstoppable.
“ The Lord has appointed the youth to be His helping hand.”
Testim onies,  vol.  7,  p.  64.  "Teach  the  youth  to  try  in  a  quiet, 
unpretending way to help their young com panions." G ospel 
W orkers p. 210.
God has a mission that demands our cooperation and attention.
W e are to go into all the world and teach them of Jesus.  It is truly a 
valuable service to introduce others to Christ. "H e who becomes a 
child of God should  henceforth look upon  himself as a link in the 
chain  let down to save the world, one with Christ in His plan of 
m ercy, going forth with  Him to seek and save the lost.”  M inistry 
o f Healing,  p. 105.
“ In order for us to develop a character like Christ’s, we must 
share in  His work.  In order to enter into His joy, — the joy of 
seeing souls redeemed by His sacrifice, — we must participate in 
His labors for their redem ption.” The D esire o f Ages,  p. 142.
Your character and actions are scrutinized by many people.
You are being watched! What does your life reveal?
"Let  us  rem em ber  that  a  Christlike  life  is the  most pow erful 
argument  that  can  be  advanced  in  favor  of  Christianity,  and 
that  a  cheap  Christian  character  works  more  harm  in  the  world 
than  the  character  of  a  w orldling." Testim onies,  vol.  9,  p.  21.
“ O ur influence upon others depends not so much upon what we  no1 w|lat 
say as upon what we are. Men  may combat and defy our logic,  we  say  but
they may resist our appeals;  but a life of disinterested love is an  what we are
argument they cannot gainsay.”  The D esire o f Ages,  p. 142.
The life you  live, the experiences you’ve had, the future you  long 
for can  help others, but you  must be willing to share these things 
with them. “ O ur confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen  '
agency for revealing Christ to the world . . .  That which will be  0 u r
most effectual is the testimony of our experience . .  .These precious  testimony  *  
acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace, when  ¡s the  most
supported by a Christlike life,  have an irresistible power that  effectual
works for the salvation of souls.” The D esire o f Ages,  p. 347.
"Tell them  how you found Jesus and how blessed you  have been 
since you gained an experience in His service. Tell them what 
blessing comes to you as you sit at the feet of Jesus and learn
precious lessons from His W ord. Tell them of the gladness and joy  *
that there is in the Christian  life. Your warm, fervent words will
convince them that you  have found the pearl of great price.  Let
your cheerful, encouraging words show that you  have certainly
found the higher way.  This  is  genuine  missionary  w ork,  and  as  it  is
done, many will awake as from a dream ." Testim onies, vol. 9, p.  ,
38.
As we reach out in love we can be missionaries for Christ in  Reach  v
every aspect of life.  Love is a driving power and the number-one  out 'n
directing motive.  It has endless potential — remember what it has  love
done  in your life.  " If we  would  humble  ourselves  before  God, 
and  be  kind  and  courteous  and  tenderhearted  and  pitiful,  there 
would  be  one  hundred  conversions  to  the truth  where  now  there 
is  only  one.”  Testim onies,  vol.  9,  p.  189.  '

Witnessing 
youth  can  be 
unstoppable
W e are 
links 
in  God’s 
“ salvation 
chain” 
»
Charles Beeler is communications and public affairs director for 
the Central Union. 
98


□  March 21
Wednesday Light and Us by Merton Sprengel
Mirror: 
to  reflect
Lens: 
to focus
Prism: 
to  disperse 

There are many sources of light in the world and in the universe. 
Light from these sources becomes known and, in one sense, useful 
to us only if it is intercepted and converted into a visual stimulus 
within the brain. Light has traveled uninterrupted from that 
source.  Light which  has been  intercepted in some way by some 
object may also contain information about that object as well as 
the source. It then  becomes impossible to tell which information 
describes the source and which was later added by the object.
Not all objects placed  in a beam of light change it in a bad way 
— they may be transparent, like lenses. O ver the years optical 
craftsmen  have learned how to make mirrors, lenses, and prisms 
to change light into useful, beneficial rays, producing bright clear 
images of the source. These men spare no pains in  rendering the 
glass and  its optical surfaces as perfect as possible in order to 
m inim ize distortion and maximum transmission of the original 
light beam.
But once it is made, a perfect m irror or lens or prism is of no use 
unless it is placed  in the beam and positioned properly. O nce it is 
placed there, though, even a child can  look at it and discover its 
basic purpose, and some facts about the light source itself soon 
become very understandable.  Let's discuss each of these devices in 
detail.
A m irror’s sole purpose is to reflect light which falls upon it. It 
must have a smooth, highly polished surface with  maximum light 
transmission, because bumps and scratches in the surface will 
show up as distortions to the observer, and will cut down the 
intensity of the reflected  light beam.
Light passes through a  lens to a focal point. To form a sharp 
image at this point, all the different colors of light must focus at 
exactly the same place, or the image formed will be blurred. Again, 
imperfections in the glass cause distortion. But when the lens is 
well-m ade and properly used, the observer at the focal point can 
see the light more clearly and with greater intensity than  he 
could without the lens’ aid.
Light passing through a prism is not brought to a focus, but is 
spread out.  However, this “ dispersion”  is not random — each color 
of light comes out of the prism in a different, but specific and 
predictable direction. These colors are separated into an 
organized, rainbow-like spectrum, and provide the observer with a 
striking view of detailed beauty of a  light beam, not visible 
without the prism. A true spectrum of colors in the light source can 
be observed, however, only if two conditions are met. First, all 
stray light from other sources must be shielded from entering the 
prism. Second, the prism  must be free from  impurities that will 
absorb some particular colors from the source beam.
Light has often  been equated to the truth about God that He has 
directed toward this sinful world.  Let’s use that parallel  here. 
Further, equate yourelf — a Christian witness — to the m irror, the 
lens, and the prism, and the one in need of seeing Christ more 
clearly. Are you allowing Christ to polish away your imperfections 
and distortions so that you can allow only the true Light to shine 
through you to produce a perfect image of the Source? 

EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy
Merton Sprengel is an associate professor of chemistry at Union College.
99


□  March 22
Thursday Why? by C. William Cole
It is the Christian’s duty to share what he knows about God.  In 
Matt. 28:19, Christ gave the great commission to "go and make 
disciples of all nations." This is the Christian’s mission. This 
command of God is as binding as the Decalogue. Yet, sadly, there 
are very few Christians who take their commission seriously 
enough to tell their teachers, employers, and neighbors about the 
God they know and the faith they have.
Is it possible that Christians do not fulfill their divine 
commission to evangelize the world because they do not 
understand the reason for it? For instance, psychologists 
generally feel that the criteria for judging whether or not a 
person’s religion is healthy is by looking at its effect upon his life. 
They would suggest that it doesn’t matter if one’s religion is 
Christianity, Judaism, or Hinduism as long as religion enhances 
life and promotes growth. Why then should the Christian seek to 
convert the Buddhist, who may be perfectly happy with his 
religon and  life-style? Why rock the boat? W hy seek to convert a 
neighbor to a religion that may cause him to lose his job, wife or 
friends, when  he seems already to be happy? Carefully consider 
the following statements in answering this paradox.
“ Man  is a freak within  nature. Animals simply live their lives 
until  it  is  not  longer  possible.  They  do  not  wonder  whether  it  is 
worth  it.  Man  needs  reasons  for  living,  and  if there  are  none,  he 
begins to die. Man  not only needs reasons for living;  he also needs 
more than animals, to learn how to live, how to survive and 
prevail in the world where he is born.’’1
For m illennia religion has provided man with reasons for 
continuing to live when living became difficult. Paul Tillich states 
that religion  provides man with the definition of ultimate concern 
and value.2 According to S. M . Jourard  man  is incurably religious. 
What varies among men is what they are religious about.3
The Christian would accept these ideas but must go another step 
if he is to have any basis for evangelizing the world. The Christian 
must believe that his religion will foster growth of his powers and 
enhance his life more than any other religion.  He must believe 
that being taught about Christianity will increase a person’s 
likelihood of being eternally saved. Thus, to introduce others to 
the God we know and serve is one of the best and most eternally 
valuable services that we can render them.
1.  Jourard, Sidney, Healthy Personality
2.  Tillich, Paul, Systematic Theology
3.  Jourard, Sidney, Healthy Personality
William Cole is a theology major at Union College.
100 

Why
evange­
lize?
Man
needs
reasons
for
living
Religion
gives
reasons
The
Christian
religion
gives
more
reasons


□  March 23
Friday To Communicate God
by Opal Wheeler Dick
Jesus did not say “ Ye are my witnesses” (Isa. 43:10) to the 
stranger who knew Him not;  He spoke these words to those who 
knew Him. A witness in a courtroom , for example, testifies to 
what he knows. Christ’s witnesses know Him ;  they accept the 
salvation which He gives them as a gift, and they love Him. They 
love Him so much that it shines out in their homes, in the 
classroom, on the campus, everywhere.  It is a total experience 
affecting everything they think and do and say. They cannot be 
neutral or silent. Their cup runs over, and the overflow blesses all 
those whom their lives touch. They are not like the young man 
w ho, when asked if he had any difficulty in  living up to his 
religious beliefs when he was in the military service, replied, "N o, 
not at all. They didn’t even  know that I was a Seventh-day 
Adventist!"
Christ is our example, and here are some specific ways in which 
we can follow in His footsteps:
1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit.
Christ Him self received the Holy Spirit at His baptism, and 
when our lives are changed through our acceptance of the love of 
Jesus, we too should seek to be filled with His Holy Spirit. Then we 
will yearn to carry the story of His redeeming love to others.
2.  Follow in Christ’s footsteps.
Christ walked every where, and into the presence of every class 
of people.  If we are to truly follow Him, our footsteps will take us 
not only to the brilliant minds and the clean, well-dressed, 
responsible citizenry; they will  lead us also to the miserable, vile, 
unlovely sinners. His footsteps will take us to the poor, the needy, 
the lonely. They will take us to our families and neighbors, our 
classmates, friends, and acquaintances.
3.  Pray that God will show you how and where you can 
best serve Him.
All persons are not given the same talents, but to each of His 
servants Christ gives a work to do. "N ot more surely is the place 
prepared for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place 
designated  on  earth  where  we  are  to  work  for  G od” —Christ's 
O bject  Lessons,  p.  329.
The real follower of Christ is a loving, caring person who shares 
his faith  in the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus when He 
comes to take His faithful ones home with  Him.  How can he show 
his love? Some can by preaching, but not every person can  preach. 
Some can teach, or care for the sick, or work with the 
underprivileged, with children, with other youth, or with the aged. 
Many testify of their love of God through their musical abilities, 
their writings, their special abilities in personal evangelism, their 
business dealings, their friendliness. Every Christian witnesses 
by his life attitudes, his response to duty, his speech, his choice of 
associates, the use he makes of his time and his money. The list 
could go on.
Let me remember always that my daily life broadcasts a loud 
message. Am I  as a college student doing all I  should to introduce 
others to the Saviour whom I  love and serve and whom I  want to 
know Jesus, too, so that all of us can greet Him soon when He 
comes again?
Opal Dick is a housewife, mother and grandmother living in 
Lincoln, Nebraska. 

HOW
TO
101


To Consider:
Must we wait for a visible, vigorous outpour­
ing of the Holy Spirit before we can 
effectively witness?
What specific steps should we use to interest 
others in our religion and our God?
Read question 2 again. Now, focus it in this 
dilemma:  Let’s say you’re an evangelist, about 
to begin  planning an evangelistic series in a 
big city. You’re writing a newspaper ad; you’re 
preparing for a radio or TV spot. What do you 
say that will really and honestly speak to the 
hearts of the people you want to attract?
Here’s the hard one:  List the steps in 
salvation, and if possible, give accompany­
ing texts.
Continue the line of thought in question 3. 
You’re an evangelist, and your first four nights 
have brought out only eight Adventists—no 
non-Adventists. Should you  keep preaching? 
O r should you shake the dust off your feet and 
continue elsewhere?
What is your most effective  means  of 
witnessing?


DOING THINGS LIKE 
GOD DOES
Objective: To show that good works are the Christian’s 
loving response to what he sees that Christ has done and is 
doing for him; that fruit bearing is a matter of being 
connected to the vine.
March 25 - 31 
Editor: Kendra Brown
D Sunday5  M r  S.  B f O W I l  by Mary Olson
“ Out of the same mouth 
proceedeth blessing and curs­
ing. My brethren, these  things 
ought  not  so  to  be.  Who  is  a 
wise man and endued with 
knowledge among you? Let 
him shew out of a good 
conversation his works with 
meekness of wisdom ” (James 
3:10,13).
She was so busy that 
afternoon— why did students 
always come with so many 
questions? She had paced 
herself carefully so as to 
finish  her work a little earlier 

than usual. The school was 
having some special meeting 
on  how to help students. She 
was  looking  forward  to 
attending.
“ O h, no! There’s John again 
with another of his ques­
tions,” she thought, a slight 
frown clouding her face.
“ Mrs.  Brown, where can  I 
get these special forms?” 
“ Check with  my reader,” 
she said, trying to be patient, 
yet knowing her chances of 
finishing work early were 
diminishing by the minute.
103


Illustration  cont.
“ But, can’t I  buy them  here 
in  this  office?’’  John 
persisted.
“ Check with my reader,” 
she repeated again, irritation 
making her cheeks turn a 
shade pinker. Her reader 
could answer the question as 
easily as she could.
“ But do you sell them 
here?” John questioned 
resolutely.
“ Check with my reader, 
dim w it!” she fairly shouted 
with exasperation. John with­
drew. The hot humiliation did 
not show too noticeably on  his 
stunned face.
Finally the day’s work with 
its endless questions was over 
and she hurried to the meet­
ing. She really did want to get 
some new pointers on  how to 
help students.
Now, before we pick up our 
stones for a good throw at 
Mrs.  Brown, an  introspective 
look might be in order. 
Because it is not so difficult to 
be busy preparing for the 
future good works, that the 
right now— everyday little 
deeds and words— lose their 
significance.
Life is chiefly made up, not 
of great sacrifices and won­
derful  achievements,  but  of 
little  things.  It  is  often 
through the little things 

which seem so unworthy of 
notice that great good or evil 
is brought into our lives (M in ­
istry o f Healing, p. 490).
James 1:26 says, “ If any 
man among you seem to be 
religious, and bridleth not his 
tongue, but deceiveth his own 
heart, this man’s religion is 
vain.”
Mrs. Brown, like the rest of 
us, is a struggling Christian.
W e want to do “ good w orks.” 
W e want very much to show 
Christ we love Him and appre­
ciate His love and care for us. 
But so many times it is hard 
to conceptualize the admoni­
tion to bear good fruit in the 
form of kindness and  patience 
and love when  it’s an irritat­
ing roommate or impossible 
teacher or student that we 
have to deal with.
Mrs. Brown loves her stu­
dents, but like us, she can only 
produce the fruits of the Spirit 
by a daily close connection 
with Christ, the vine. Self 
sufficiency and pride in our 
good works disappear with 
the realization that even 
being able to do good works is 
a gift from God.
Let each one of us take hold 
of the promises of God, so that 
we will produce good fruit in 
our words and acts.
Mary Olson is the director of student health at Union College.
104


□  March 26
Monday Doing Good Works  by Sieg Roeske
1 
Connected 
with God 
we have 
His power
Christians
should
“start
doing
good
things”
A
w
» 
Right­
eousness
brings
blessings 

A person who is confronted with the beauty of the gospel 
message most often feels convicted of sin and sorry for his 
misdeeds. He desires forgiveness and the gift of eternal  life.  In 
prayer he presents himself to God and is covered by the Saviour's 
life, and  in joy finds himself accepted as a son of God.
But, does Christ, having claimed one more soul from Satan’s 
power, now turn from him to the business of finding another new 
follow er, or is there something more to be done for His new son? 
Does the new Christian now go on his way rejoicing, and without 
further responsibility, still  living the old life?
Jesus left no doubt concerning the responsibility of the new 
Christian. To one new convert he said, “Go, and sin no more”
(John 8:11). To the self-satisfied Pharisees he said, “Bring 
forth fruit meet for repentence” (Matt. 3:8). In short,  His 
instructions w ere:  “ Stop sinning; start doing good things.”
But knowing the weakness of the carnal  heart, Jesus promises 
help with this new life. “ I am the vine, ye are the branches;
He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth 
much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:8).
W hen we are connected with Christ— like a vine is to a branch, 
fiber by fiber—we will  have His strength to do His will. For indeed, 
the life of the vine becomes the life  of the branch. O ur weakness 
unites to His strength, our frailty to His might.
The Christian’s new life brings happiness to himself, and gives 
glory to God. “ Let your light so shine before men that they 
may see your good works and glorify your Father which is 
in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Many in this world judge the 
Christian’s life and make their decision concerning the kingdom 
of God on the basis of what they see. The one who has pure 
religion will  be found “visiting the fatherless and widows in 
their affliction” (James 1:27) and doing other acts of love. “By 
this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have 
love one to another (John 13:35).
It  is  interesting  to  note that God,  though  He  knows the thoughts 
and  intents of the heart, judges man by his works. “ .  .  .  the dead 
were  judged  out  of those  things  which  were  written  in  the 
books,  according  to  their  works”  (Rev.  20:12). How  would  you 
reconcile this text with one in Eph. 2 :8,9 which tells us, “By grace 
are  ye  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves;  it  is  the 
gift of  God;  not  of  works lest any  man  should  boast” ?
I  believe that when we have accepted salvation, God judges 
Christ, in our place, for we are covered by His life.  But love, 
naturally expressed  in works to God and  man, is the glue that 
holds this covering upon our lives.  Loss of works shows the loss of 
love. If that “ love glue” is gone, the covering of Christ slips from 
our lives and we are judged by what shows.
However, having accepted the righteousness of God as our own 
and lovingly doing His w ill, the Lord has made provision for 
bountiful  rewards. Listen:
“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that 
bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not 
wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm
“And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the 
effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever” 
(Isaiah 32:17).
Sieg Roeske is an assistant professor of religion at Union College.
105


□  March 27
Tuesday Gift/Works by Candy Issa
TESTIMONY
Ellen  C . 
White 

In this part of the lesson, Mrs. W hite gives insight on the 
relationship between  loving God and doing good works. When 
considering this crucial topic, keep two questions in  mind:
(1)  What  should  be  my  motive(s)  for  doing  righteous acts?
(2)  Does  God  want  me to  do  only those  deeds  that  are spon­
sored  purely  from  a  heart of  love,  or  does  He  want  me to  do 
some  things  regardless  of  what  my  depth  of love  for  Him  is?
“ O ur acceptance with God is sure only through  His beloved Son, 
and good works are but the result of the working of His 
sin-pardoning love.” 1 “ Good works can  never purchase salvation, 
but they are an evidence of the faith that acts by love and purifies 
the soul. And though the eternal  reward is not bestowed because of 
our merit, yet it will  be in proportion to the work that has been 
done through the grace of Christ.” 2 “ Righteousness is right doing, 
and it is by their deeds that all will be judged. O ur characters are 
revealed  by what we do. The works show whether the faith  is 
genuine.” 3
“ It is God's will that faith in Christ shall be made perfect by 
works;  He connects the salvation and eternal  life of those who 
believe with these works, and through them provides for the light 
of truth to go to all countries and peoples. This is the fruit of the 
working of G od’s Spirit.” 4 “ Genuine faith will be manifested  in 
good w orks;  for good works are the fruits of faith. As God works in 
the heart, and  man surrenders his will to C o d , and cooperates with 
God, he works out in the life what God works in by the Holy Spirit, 
and there is harmony between the purpose of the heart and the 
practice of the life.” 5
“ M any are losing the right way, in consequence of thinking that 
they must do something to merit the favor of God. They seek to 
make themselves better by their own  unaided efforts. This they 
can never accomplish. Christ has made the way by dying our 
sacrifice,  by living our example, by becoming our great High 
Priest. If by any effort of our own we could advance one step 
toward the ladder, the words of Christ would not be true.  But when 
we accept Christ, good works will appear as fruitful evidence that 
we are in the way of life, that Christ is our way, and that we are 
treading the true path that leads to heaven.” 6
“ God always demanded good works, the law demands it, but 
because man placed  himself in sin where his good works were 
valueless, Jesus’ righteousness alone can avail. Christ is able to 
save to the uttermost because He ever liveth to make intercession 
for us. All that man can possibly do toward his own salvation  is to 
accept the invitation, "whosoever w ill, let him take the water of 
life freely” (Rev. 22:17).7
So then it is clear that "G ood works do not purchase the love of 
God, but they reveal that we possess that love.  If we surrender the 
will to God, we shall not work in order to earn G od’s love.  His love 
as a free gift will be received into the soul, and from love to Him we 
shall delight to obey His comm andm ents.” 8
1.  SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, pg. 1122
2.  Desire of Ages, pg. 314
3.  Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 283
4.  Testimonies, vol. 5, pg. 644
5.  Selected Messages, book 1, pg. 397
6.  Selected Messages, book 1, pg. 368
7.  Selected Mesages, book 1, pg. 343
8.  Christ’s Object Lessons, pg. 283 

Good
works
are
evidence 
of our 
faith
Salvation
only
through
Christ
Candy Issa is a nursing instructor at Union College.
106


Good 
works 
come 
naturally 
to the 
Christian
Christians
resemble
Maslow’s
self­
actualized
person 

D  2 8a  The Good Works ParadoxWednesday
’  by Dr. H. Ward Hill
W hen we focus upon the basis of all good works—the life of 
Christ, seen in terms of what He has done for us and what He is 
continuing to do now—we may find ourselves somewhat perplexed 
over the place of human effort in the production of those works 
with which  heaven  is pleased.  Is ours a totally passive role? Do we 
simply let the fruit grow in  much the same way as we let the light 
of Christ shine in our lives?
No one seems to believe that our lives can  be endowed with good 
works unless there is an appropriate element of human effort.  But 
lest this be perceived as some thread of human devising which 
mars the perfect robe of Christ’s righteousness, some quickly note 
that human effort is only admissible if it is seen as wholly directed 
at turning the perverse human mind to Christ. The daily striving 
of the Apostle Paul was essentially directed at a contrary will 
which  refused  to  allow  Jesus  to  motivate  and  empower  him  to  do 
good  works.  All  human  striving  then  is  a  negation  of  human 
achievement and an affirmation of the fact that Christ must do it 
all. O nce the stubborn will has been badgered into submission to 
Christ,  the  rest  is  easy.  Christ  works  in  us  to  do  His  good  pleasure.
There are others who see human effort as especially dangerous 
to theological purity if it enters into the divine-human 
relationships at the beginning of our walk with God but 
apparently less dangerous once the walk has been  begun. From 
this perspective the matter of our total acceptance by God must be 
absolutely without any consideration of what we have done, th e  
logic of this is supported by the argument that if it were otherwise 
our salvation would rest in part at least upon an imperfect base, 
since all  human endeavor is flawed  by human  limitations.
A generally accepted model is as follows. Jesus as our Saviour 
invites us to come to Him.  If we will but focus upon  Him—accept 
His  perfect  life  as  standing  in  the  place  of  our  own—and  live  in 
communion with  Him, then good works will flow naturally from 
this  relationship.  A  cautious  approach  avoids  the suggestion  that 
appropriate attitudes and behavior will flow automatically or 
irresistibly when the life is properly centered in Jesus.  If the 
Christian’s total surrender to Jesus is equated with total passivity 
on his part, then the question of individual identity may be 
blurred, what is meant by strength of character may become 
confused.
Man  remains a purposive being who must choose among 
options and strive for the realization of his objectives after 
becoming a Christian. Com mitm ent to Christ does not imme­
diately  purge  all  perverse  sentiments,  leaving  the  soul  free  to 
venture forth  innocently in any direction. He does not wait for 
some type of divine unction  (anointing) which comes upon  him 
with compelling force and  moves him irresistibly toward goals of 
the Lord’s choosing.
The good works which are seen in the Christ-centered  life may 
bear some resemblance to many of the  characteristics  of  the 
self-actualized person as described by Abraham Maslow.
According to M aslow, the self-actualized person accepts himself 
and others, and  has little guilt, shame or anxiety.  He concerns 
himself prim arily with problems which are outside of himself. He 
has a certain independence from local customs and is not unduly 
influenced by his environm ent. He identifies and sympathizes 
with others, and has affection for them. He respects people
107 

EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy


Evidence  cont.
irrespective  of their  birth,  race,  blood  or  family.  He  enjoys  his 
w ork.  He  is  blessed  with  creativity,  being  expressive,  spontaneo 
and  perceptive in everyday life.  He is ever open to new 
experiences.
Faith that works by love is not a passive thing. It is a joint 
endeavor  where  the  secret of success  is  the  combination  of 
divine power and human effort. The method of divine 
guidance and  hence fruit bearing seems to have undergone a 
transition from the days when it was acceptable to seek a sign  in 
the fleece, or by some form of lot, or when answers came via the 
Urim and the Thum m im . God would  have His followers 
understand the principles involved in the decisions to be made 
and to choose courses indicated by these standards. With their 
eyes turned  upon Jesus, they seek in His strength to fill their lives 
with good works which is the path to true self-actualization.
Ward Hill is a professor of religion  and  sociology at Union  College.
1 0 8


□  March 29
Thursday l’d Do Anything For a Friend
by Shelley Schurch
I don't like to be ignored.  Don’t misunderstand me;  I’m not 
asking to be the star of every show, the life of every party.  In fact, 
last winter when I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and fell, 
ripping open the knees of my slacks, I  limped home as casually as 
possible, hoping to escape attention on the way.
That was an exception, though.  Usually I welcom e smiles, 
greetings, conversation—the warmth of other human beings 
acknowledging my existence. W ithout this recognition I feel 
empty, lonely, and lost.
For many years I took it for granted that God was ignoring me.  I 
didn’t blame Him. The Bible said, "G od so loved the w orld”  and I 
knew I was only one insignificant person in that world of millions 
of people.  Besides, there were countless other worlds. God had to 
spread His love and attention rather thin. God was busy.
How does the Holy Spirit help a person who has a warped idea 
about God?  I  suspect He has an infinite variety of ways to work 
with  us, since we were created as individuals with unique 
characteristics, and are always treated as such  by the Godhead.  I 
do know how the Holy Spirit helped me.
O ne evening as I  read about Jesus in the Garden of 
Gethsem ane, struggling with the temptation to save His own life 
rather than to offer it as a sacrifice for the human race, I  became 
personally involved in the story. For the first time in my life I 
realized  it was true that Jesus would have died for only one sinner, 
even if I  had  been that sinner. He wasn't interested in numbers 
alone;  but He could love millions of people in such a way that each 
one had all His love and attention.
W hen I believed “ God so loved m e”  I immediately wanted to do 
three things:  I wanted to thank Him, I wanted to become like Him, 
and I wanted to tell somebody else what I’d discovered.
A ren’t “ good w orks" involved in all three of those responses?
For me, then, “ good w orks" are my responses in a certain kind of 
relationship.  I once was a distant admirer of God;  I  became a close 
friend.  I  feel like doing anything I  can for a good friend, but this 
friendship is unique. God  not only inspires me with  love and 
willingness to “ do good w orks,” FJe also gives me the ability to do 
them. He makes them probable and possible, but the choice of 
relationship is always mine.  I can ignore God, or I  can recognize 
His hunger for my love and respond with  my full-hearted 
friendship.
Shelley Schurch is a housewife and graduate student in Lincoln, 
Nebraska. 

0
p1NION
109


□  March 30
Friday To Do Good by Pennie Lister
Before we tackle this apparently simple topic, we  had  better 
define  what  it  means  to  do  good  works.  W e  hear  this  phrase  all 
the time, but what does it really mean? Maybe a story will help to 
illustrate:
Years ago, an experienced farmer planted an apple seed and 
anxiously waited for it to grow. He cared for the small seedling 
and  nurtured it along through the stages of growth. He waited
O 

  patiently  and  lovingly,  and  then  one  day  it  happened—the  apple
tree blossomed!  And when fall came, the apples ripened to the 
peak of perfection; the tree bore fruit!
W

  That’s nothing really startling, of course— it happens in 
orchards all the time.  But let's take a look at this story and see if 
we can  pull some ideas on “ good w orks”  from it. W e’ll  put them in 
the form of “ how-to-do-it” steps.
1.  Learn what good works are, and learn from reliable 
sources. Notice that the farmer was experienced— he knew what 
to do.  He’d  no doubt studied an orchard manual, and he had 
probably subscribed to one or more gardening magazines.  In our 
case, the Holy Spirit and the Bible are the reliable sources. TheO

  Bible tells us what good works are (visiting the widows and
fatherless, helping the poor and  imprisoned and sick, dealing 
justly and m ercifully with everybody), and the Holy Spirit helps 
us to naturally want to bring forth these fruits— love, joy, peace, 
and so on  (Galatians 5).
2.  Perform these specific actions for the other person’s 
true present and eternal good. Notice—at the proper time, the 
farmer planted the seed.  He did what was necessary in every way 
for the future "good”  of the plant.  He placed it at the  proper  depth 
in the soil, and tried to protect  it from  death. Anything  we  can do 
which will further the true present and eternal happiness of our 
friends will fall under the category of "good w orks.”
3.  Evaluate yourself periodically,  checking your 
motives. Some people do good works so they will be “ seen of 
m en,” like the Pharisees.  Like the farmer kept constant watch on 
the tree, keep constant watch on yourself and the reasons you’re 
doing what you are doing. The farmer, of course, has an  ulterior 
motive, if you want to call it that— he’ll get money for his crop 
when  harvest time comes. O ur motives, of course, should  be 
different—we sow the seed, God gives (and eventually receives) 
the increase.  But we actually get  some  of the  increase  ourselves  as 
we see our friends and others of our acquaintance warm to our 
kindnesses.
It's that simple— learn and keep learning what good works are, 
perform them for others’ true present and eternal good, and  keep 
watching your motives so that they’re pure.
Pennie Lister is dean of women at Union College.
110


To Consider:
If we aren’t supposed to do good works for 
rewards, why are so many rewards for the 
righteous  mentioned  in  the  Bible?
Should we do our good works openly, so that 
others can profit by seeing how a Christian 
should behave, or should we do them in 
secret, and deny others the benefit of our 
example?  Explain your answer.
How can we make sure that we’re doing good 
works for the right motives? Are there any 
specific action steps that we can perform 
which will prove to us that our good works 
are properly motivated? Must we merely 
depend on faith for this?
Should our good works be totally motivated 
by the Spirit—in other words, should we wait 
for the Spirit’s moving to do them, or is there 
anything wrong with  looking around and 
seeing if we can be of some help?
Is  there  a  chance  that  my  good  works  may 
grow stale to me because I don’t often 
associate with the type of person who is 
selfish and  hates to do good works?  How can 
I  remain  refreshed and anxious to do good 
things?


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FINDING JOY
Objective:  To show that true joy and happiness come from knowing and 
serving Jesus. 
April 1  -7 
Editor:  Denise Shultz
□  A p rili
Sunday Glass Houses By Jo An Shultz
Don and Sally live in the 
city of Il’Usion. They own a 
beautiful, glass-like house 
filled with expensive 
glass-like furniture. They 
wear exquisite garments 
purchased from the Glass 
Menagerie — the store with 
the latest fashions. W hy, 
no one would dare be seen 
dressed in something besides 
an original “ Fancy.”  They 
drive a Phantom 88 super 
sports car.
Many citizens work in the 
Castle Building com plex, 
located in the center of the 
city. Don and Sally are also 
employed there. They hold 
responsible positions and are 
moving up in the ranks of a 

new visionary enterprise 
called V.E.R.V.E. All day 
they sit at very large desks 
inventing and fabricating 
new designs for future "glass” 
products, “ Fancy” originals 
and Phantoms. No figment 
of their imagination goes 
unnoted, for the more fig­
ments they make, the more 
notes they receive at the end 
of the week. They use these 
notes to purchase bigger and 
better  "glass"  homes,  furni­
ture, quadraphonic sound 
systems, Phantoms and, of 
course, the latest "Fancy” 
fashions.
Often Don and Sally go to 
the Utopian restaurant after 
work to unwind. The Utopian
113


Illustration  cont.
is also constructed of glass­
like material, as is the whole 
city, and at night the artifi­
cial  lighting makes this 
“ glass”  city  look  like  a  giant, 
glittering fantasyland.  Every 
sensual luxury — gourmet 
food, liquor, the latest films, 
live entertainment and  much 
more — is always found at 
the Utopian. When at last 
Don and Sally have used 
their last note, they get into 
their clear-as-glass Phantom 
88, listen to crystal-clear 
quadraphonic sounds and 
drive home. O nce home, they 
curl  up on their 2,000-note 
bug-a-bear rug in front of 
their fire and drift into rest­
less reverie.
So it has been for as far 
back as they can  remember 
and so, they thought, it 
would always be.
Then, a man  named 
M ichael came to town. One 
evening he stopped by Don 
and Sally’s ‘glass’ home.  He 
began talking to them about 
joy and  peace.
“ There is no lasting joy or 
peace to be found  in  ll'U- 
sion,”  he said. “ Your posses­
sions which you work so 
hard for will soon be worth­
less. Soon every possession 
you regard so highly will 
completely fade away.”
Worthless? Fade away?
Like a thunderbolt, this idea 
struck deep within  both Don 
and Sally.  For some time 
now, they had experienced 
an  uneasiness, a growing dis­
content. This they discussed 
with M ichael.
“ O ne afternoon,” began 
Don, “ after leaving the Cas­
tle Building, neither of us 
could remember where we 
had parked our Phantom and 
we had to call M r. Demonus, 
the M ayor. He can always 
see that which  is lost."
“ He told  us we must have 
a slight case of a rare eye 
disorder called Truth,” con­ 

tinued Sally, “ but he said it 
was nothing to be concerned 
over because he was  natur­
ally  immune  and  would 
always be able to see for us. 
Once he even  had to find our 
house for us!”
Michael looked sober.  Don 
and Sally's eyes were opened. 
They became very frightened 
as they began to realize the 
extent to which they had 
been deceived. They saw 
clearly now that they were 
spending their lives working 
for things that were not 
really there — but glass-like 
illusions.  But the stranger’s 
words gave them hope.
“ There is another city,” he 
said, “ one called Re:A lity, 
where peace and joy are eter­
nal, where that which you 
once considered real is gone 
and what you once could not 
see is real. The houses are 
built out of love for one 
another. The objects of 
importance here are the 
knowledge of and the wis­
dom that comes from the 
Master Workman — and  He 
is the Mayor of this city. You 
will wear garments 
fashioned out of His virtue. 
You will  not need a  Phantom 
88 or 98 or 2008. You will 
travel by power given to you 
by this Mayor. All the citi­
zens of this city are my very 
close friends.”
Don and Sally determined 
to deepen their relationship 
with  M ichael. Thus, they 
took their first step on their 
journey to the city of the 
Master Workman and the 
everlasting happiness of 
mind and body which comes 
only from Re: Ality. The light 
of a new day was just dawn­
ing.
As M ichael got up to leave, 
he said, “ W hile you are still 
in  Il’Usion you will  use the 
things of this city, but when 
the things of the two cities 
are in conflict — then your
114


Illustration  cont.
priorities will dictate which 
you will choose above the 
other. And, this choice in 
turn will determ ine your ulti­
mate joy and happiness and 
peace.”
“ I will write many letters 
to encourage you on your 
journey.  But now, my peace I 
leave with you. In  Il’Usion 
you will  have tribulation; 
but, be of good cheer, I  have 

overcome Il’Usion.  Let not 
your hearts be troubled, I 
will come again and take you 
all the way into my city.
Keep your eyes fixed on me 
and you will always be able 
to distinguish  illusion from 
truth. In me you will have 
peace, and my joy will  be in 
you so that your joy might be 
full.”
|o An Shultz is an art instructor at College View Academy.
115


^ O O O 1"

□  April 2
Monday Recovery and Reunion  by Robert a . Forbes 
<
joy (joi) n. (ME. joic (OFr.  (LL. gaudia, orig. pl.of Lgaudium,joy (lE.base* 
gau-, to rejoice, whence Cr. gethein, to rejoice, Mir. guaire, noble) 1. a 
very glad feeling; happiness; great pleasure; delight 2. Anythingcausing 
such a feeling 3. The expression or showing of such a feeling — vi. to be 
full  of  joy;  rejoice—vt.  (Archaic)  1.  to  make  joyful  2.  to  enjoy  — See 
pleasure.
Through our relationship with Jesus Christ, we are supplied  f-
with  many sources of joy. God  loves to see His children  happy;
He’s not a gloomy or despairing God.  He rejoices in  providing  '
us with  large and small  blessings of joy and encouragement - 
such as recovery and reunion.
RECOVERY
O ne source of joy given  us by God is the gift of recovery.
True  joy  is  experienced  when  a  friend  who  has  been  seriously  v
injured or is very ill, has recovered. This joy applies equally, if 
not more so, with spiritual healing and  recovery.
“And the people with one accord gave heed unto those 
things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the  <
miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with 
loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with 
them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame,
were healed. And there was great joy in that  city”  Acts  ""
8:6-8.
“...  what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she 
lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the  „
house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she 
hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbors 
together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the 
piece which I have lost” Luke 15:8,9.
REUNION
Another gift given  us by God  is the gift of reunion. True joy  *
is experienced when a reunion takes place between close friends.
W e have been supplied with the capacity to love and care for
others. When one experiences a  happy reunion, he should  y
remember that this is G od’s way of showing us how wonderful
it will  be when we are reunited with Jesus.  In John, Jesus
explains that although we are filled with sorrow because of His
departure, we will  be filled with a great joy at His return.  *
“Verily, verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and
lament, but the world shall rejoice and ye shall be  >
sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A
woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her  *
hour is come:  but as soon as she is delivered of the child, 
she remembereth no more the anguish for joy that a man
is born into the world. And ye now therefore have  v
sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall
rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” John  16:20-22.  >
O ur final joy will  be actualized on that glorious day when 
Jesus presents us faultless before the throne of God. O ur joy will  ’
be beyond  human expression. “ Now unto him that is able to 
keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before 
the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” Jude 1:24.
Recovery and Reunion are great sources of joy for the 
Christian. They are infinite sources of joy, for the Supplier is 
Himself infinite. Through a living relationship with  Him, we
can always know true joy and happiness deep in our hearts.  «
Robert Forbes is a Bible instructor at College View Academy.
116


□  April 3
Tuesday Never Gloomy by Cindy McCaw
O ne thing we don’t often think about is that love for Cod and 
doing His service produces real joy of heart, mind and body, 
and that the desire to serve is one of the “ laws of  life."  "A ll 
things,” says Mrs. W hite, "both in heaven and in earth declare 
that the great law of life is a law of service.”  Education,  p.  103.
“ My job is boring . . If  service is to bring joy in mind, 
why do so many people who are in God’s service consider their 
tasks dull drudgery? Mrs. W hite states that if a worker resents his 
duties, he cannot be classified as a true servant of God. "The true 
workers do not regard  it (work) as a drudgery. They are ready to 
spend and to be spent, but it is a cheerful w ork, done with a glad 
heart. Joy in God is expressed through Jesus Christ. Their joy is 
the joy set before Christ—‘to do the will of Him that sent me, 
and to finish  His w ork’ John 4:34.”  Positive Christian Living, 
p.  368.
“ My mind seems always fatigued . • Why,  if service for 
God is a joy, does one find so many worn out and  run down 
Christians? M ainly — this is because we aren’t willing to allow 
the loads on our backs to be placed  upon the broad and strong 
shoulders of Jesus. "A s you commit yourself to His service, He 
will be at your right hand to help you. Day by day you will be 
strengthened and ennobled." Isn’t that a wonderful thought? For, 
the more we depend on Christ and are willing to let Him help us, 
the more able we will be to help our fellow man.
When one considers the fact that love for God and serving 
Him makes a joyous heart, isn’t it amazing how many 
Christians worry about doom, destruction and despair? A true 
follower of Jesus who happily performs his Christian service 
will seldom dwell on the destruction in store for the wicked. 
Instead  he will let his mind dwell on the love of Christ and His 
forgiving nature.  It is not necessary to be a ‘somber’ Christian. 
"There is nothing gloomy in the religion of Jesus.  If Christians 
give the impression by a mournful attitude that they have been 
disappointed in their Lord, they misrepresent His character and 
put arguments into the mouth of His enemies. Though in words 
they may claim God as their Father, yet in gloom and sorrow 
they present to the world the aspect of  orphans."  - M ount  o f 
Blessings p. 88.
A concerted effort on the part of us as Christians to allow the 
service we do for God to produce a joyous spirit in our hearts, 
minds and  bodies, will prove to the world that we are indeed 
sons and daughters of God - and not  orphans.
Cindy McCaw is an elementary education major at Union College.


□  April 4
Wednesday God’s Way by Bruce Crissman
EVIDENCE
Science,
History,
Philosophy 

At the heart of the Great Controversy lies the claim that 
serving Jesus will  not result in our greatest happiness.  It is the 
purpose of this week's lesson to show that this claim is  false; 
that true happiness can be fulfilled only by the love of God and 
anything apart from this can end only in sorrow.
O ne of the areas that spells out the benefits in following God’s 
plan is the science of the body. O ur bodies respond radically to 
our care and our neglect. God has given us rules to follow for 
the proper care of our bodies.  It must be stressed here, however, 
that following these rules will not result in a closer relationship 
with God, but if we follow these rules we may better fit 
ourselves to grow in that relationship.
This subject may be talked about in theory but to help us 
understand more clearly, examples may be used. O ne example 
common to most Seventh-day Adventists is the use of sugar.
Have you ever wondered why it is easier to catch a  cold  when 
you eat foods with a high content of sugar? The higher the 
amount of sugar in your blood, the lower your white blood cell 
action is. And your white blood cells are what your body uses to 
fight infective diseases.
Another example can be found in the use of alcohol. Of 
course, alcohol has many detrimental effects on the body. 
Physiologically, it depresses the part of the brain that controls 
compulsive behavior, judgement and memory. It causes body 
heat to leave rapidly, which contributes to digestive disorders 
and can increase fat deposits in the body. Profuse alcohol 
consumption depresses the appetite, resulting in severe vitamin 
deficiencies and many resulting diseases.
The human body, while it is prepared to care for impurities, 
will soon become susceptible to infectious diseases when these 
defenses are worn down by continual combat with the poison — 
alcohol.
O nly recently is  science  discovering  these  and  many  other 
dangers resulting from going contrary to God's law.  If 
anything, this should be proof enough that service to God in the 
form of obedience to his health laws will result in happiness — 
true happiness in mind and in body.
Everything that God tells us is for our benefit!  Every time we 
are confronted with any temptation, we should tell ourselves 
that our God of love knows and tell us us what is for our best.
This is the part we play in the Great Controversy — to have 
faith in God by believing everything He says is for our greatest 
happiness. 

Following 
God’s plan 
leads to 
happiness 
- as seen
in exam­
ples:
Sugar
Alcohol
Trusting
God
brings
happiness 

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Bruce Crissman is an engineering major at Union College.
118


□  April 5
Thursday Security and Joy By Editors
Security 
only in 
Christ
Security
brings
joy
Christ 
became 
insecure 
for us 

The desire for security is one of the main motivations for our 
behavior. We do those things that make us feel secure. We don’t 
do those things that make us insecure.  In fact, a man will  live 
only as he has security and support. When  he can’t find these, 
he dies.
In this age of instability and  rapid transitions, where in this 
world can a person find security?
I  believe Jesus showed us where to find total security in His 
discussion of the vine/branch relationship. He said, “I am the 
vine  .  .  (John 15:5). I am your support. I am your 
strength. I am your source of nourishment.
Now, how many vines does it take to support a branch? How 
many trunks does it take to support a  limb? Then, how many 
sources of security does it take to support the Christian?
“ I  am  the  vine.” You  see,  we  cannot  trust  in  our families  for 
our support. W e cannot trust in just the best situations to bring 
us security. W e cannot even trust in the church  or  its  doctrines 
to supply the support and security that we need. The Christian 
has one source of strength — he finds security in only one place 
— and that is in Jesus Christ. He is our only vine.
When one trusts solely in Christ to meet all of his needs and 
to fulfill  his dreams, then he may lose his fam ily, his friends, 
his health, and still be totally secure, for he will always have 
Christ.  Indeed, heaven and earth can  pass away, but while we 
maintain a close relationship with Christ we can  never feel 
threatened or insecure.
Now, what does this have to do with joy? Simply this.
Security, total security in Christ, is the only source of joy. For 
what man can be unhappy when he’s resting secure? O r who 
can be happy  while  he  feels  threatened  or  insecure?  O nly  the 
person who abides in Christ can feel secure;  thus, only the 
Christian can have true joy and  happiness. W hen we maintain 
a close relationship with Christ, we can always have security — 
and true joy.
O nly once in  His life was Jesus insecure and  was thus  lacking 
true joy. “ Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, 
my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). The second 
death that Jesus died was gross insecurity. Separated from  His 
Father, He who, "can of mine own self do nothing,” died. Jesus 
lived as long as He had security in God.  He died when  His 
Father withdrew His support.
But the good  news is that Jesus, on the cross, became insecure 
so that the Christian  might always be secure. Thus, Jesus, on 
the cross, became very unhappy that the Christian  might 
always have joy.
Truly, while we maintain a close relationship with Christ we 
can always have security — and true joy.


DS   To Find |oy  by Denise Shultz
HOW
TO 

The popular belief these days is that you  must serve yourself 
and work for yourself in order to achieve happiness.  It states  ^
that you will go nowhere, and do nothing significant unless 
you do all you possibly can to achieve your goals (using 
either honest or dishonest means.) This lesson  is intended to
show you  how to achieve happiness and true joy while  t*.
bypassing man’s procedure and elevating God's.
Human  nature demands recognition. O f course, we all  like  *
praise for the work w e’ve done. But the concept I want to
discuss is this: true joy and happiness can be found when  *
we forget ourselves and humbly serve God. Consider the 
following steps in finding joy by serving the O ne we love.
1. Make a list of your talents. This step sounds quite easy.  T
It is, however, more difficult than it appears. First of all, sit
down with a piece of paper and  list all of your talents you are  „
aware of. Then, add those you feel you could develop with a
small amount of work.  «
Now sit back and study the list you  have just completed. After 
studying it, write beside each talent a way you could put it into 
use in your everyday life.  Look at each talent and think of it in
terms like this:  Can  I  use this talent to help others? Can  I  use  *
this talent to give God  more glory? Can I  use this talent to 
spread the gospel? These are just a few suggestions, and  I am
sure that you can think of many more questions to ask; O ne  ,
important rule is this:  be honest!  This is your own personal  list
and  no one else will see it.  Underestimating your own talents
can be, and  is, dangerous. That is one of the great deceits used
by Satan. He really would  like us to believe that we are capable
of less than we actually are.
2.  Apply these talents. Unlike the first step, this is actually easier  "*
than it seems. Using the list of talents and  being in a situation  in
which you could  make use of them , just start doing them. You
will be surprised to discover how many new situations will arise  ^
where you can  use these talents in situations that you  never even
thought of while you were completing step 1. O ne positive
thought is this:  If you do have difficulties in speaking before
others, praying about others (yes, that is a real talent) or  t-
whatever your particular talents may be, rest assured that with
time, they become easier and easier until they are practically  *
second  nature.
3.  Practice humility. This step, of course, requires  "unlearn-  ^
ing”   many of the  rules  of  survival  we  have  acquired  in  the 
process of growing up. Many people, even the majority of 
people, feel that real satisfaction can only be found in 
recognition. This is not true. The greatest happiness, peace
and satisfaction is realized when we claim nothing, absolutely  ^
nothing, for ourselves. This, of course, will take lots and lots of
will power at first, but as you  realize the results, it becomes  i
easier and easier to give God the glory. Because after all, your
glory is  His  Glory.  He  made  you,  and  gave you  your  inherited
and developed talents.
Now, try these three steps for an extended period  of time,  not  "
just a couple of days or weeks. Try them until you see results.
And the results you see should be great joy and  happiness.
Denise Shultz is an elementary education major at Union College.
120


To Consider:
Yes, I serve God, but I don't feel very happy 
about it. Why? What can  I do?
How do you define joy? Joy of mind? Joy of 
Body?
If happiness doesn’t come through the 
“ ways of the world,” why is it that there are 
so many apparently happy people in “ the 
world” ?
Why does God care if I’m happy or not?
Why should  I care if other people are 
happy?
Read Ps. 35:27,132:9,32:11,5:11. Under 
what conditions would shouting be a correct 
expression of joy today? What about clap­
ping your hands? (II  Kings 11:12;  Ps. 47:1).


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