Are not the teachers in our schools in danger of blasphemy, of charging the Holy Spirit with being a deceiving power and leading into fanaticism? Where are the educators that choose the snow of Lebanon which comes from the rock of the field, or the cold, flowing waters that come from another place, instead of the murky waters of the valley?(Jeremiah 18:14). (CT 358.1) MC VC

A succession of showers from the living waters has come to you at Battle Creek. Each shower was a consecrated inflowing of divine influence; but you did not recognize it as such. Instead of drinking copiously of the streams of salvation so freely offered through the influence of the Holy Spirit, you turned to satisfy your soul thirst with the polluted waters of human science. The result has been parched hearts in the school and in the church. Those who are satisfied with little spirituality have gone far in unfitting themselves to appreciate the deep movings of the Spirit of God.... (CT 358.2) MC VC

A Failure to Recognize God’s Messenger VC

I ask you who are living at the very heart of the work to review the experience of years and see if the “Well done” can truthfully be spoken to you. I ask the teachers in the school to consider carefully, prayerfully, Have you individually watched for your own soul as one who is co-operating with God for its purification from all sin and for its entire sanctification unto Him? Can you by precept and example teach the youth sanctification ... through the truth unto holiness, obedience to God? (CT 363.1) MC VC

Have you not been afraid of the Holy Spirit? At times it has come with all-pervading influence into the school at Battle Creek and into the schools in other localities. Did you recognize it? Did you accord it the honor due to a heavenly Messenger? When the Spirit seemed to be striving with the youth, did you say, “Let us put aside all study; for it is evident that we have among us a heavenly Guest. Let us give praise and honor to God”? Did you, with contrite hearts, bow in prayer with your students, pleading that you might receive the blessing that the Lord was offering you? (CT 363.2) MC VC

The Great Teacher Himself was among you. How did you honor Him? Was He a stranger to some of the educators? Was there need to send for someone of supposed authority to welcome or repel this Messenger from heaven? Though unseen, His presence was among you. But was not the thought expressed that in school the time ought to be given to study, and that there was a time for everything?—as if the hours devoted to common study were too precious to be given up to the working of the heavenly Messenger. (CT 363.3) MC VC

If you have in this way restricted and repulsed the Holy Spirit of God, I entreat you to repent of it as quickly as possible. If any have closed and padlocked the door of your heart to the Spirit of God, I urge you to unlock the door and to pray with earnestness, “Abide with me.” When the Holy Spirit reveals His presence in your schoolroom, tell your students, “The Lord signifies that He has for us today a lesson of heavenly import of more value than our lessons in ordinary lines. Let us listen; let us bow before God and seek Him with the whole heart.” (CT 364.1) MC VC

Let me tell you what I know of this heavenly Guest. The Holy Spirit was brooding over the youth during the school hours; but some hearts were so cold and dark that they had no desire for the Spirit’s presence, and the light of God was withdrawn. The heavenly Visitant would have opened the understanding, would have given wisdom and knowledge in all lines of study that could be employed to the glory of God. He came to convince of sin and to soften the hearts hardened by long estrangement from God. He came to reveal the great love wherewith God has loved these youth.... (CT 364.2) MC VC

A principle of divine origin must pervade our conduct and bind us to God. This will not be in any way a hindrance to the study of true science. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10); and the man who consents to be molded and fashioned after the divine similitude is the noblest work of God. All who live in communion with the Creator will have an understanding of His design in their creation. They will have a sense of their own accountability to God to employ their faculties to the very best purpose. They will seek neither to glorify nor to depreciate themselves.... (CT 364.3) MC VC

When the students thus beheld Jesus, the suspension of their studies was counted as no loss. They were catching glimpses of Him who is invisible. They earnestly sought the living God, and the live coal of pardon was placed upon their lips. The Holy Spirit wrought not only for those who had lost their first love, but also for souls who had never placed themselves on the Lord’s side.... Tokens of His grace and favor called forth rejoicing from the hearts of those who were thus blessed, and it was known that the salvation of God was among His people.... (CT 370.1) MC VC

Why should we not expect “the Holy Watcher” to come into our schools? Our youth are there to receive an education, to acquire a knowledge of the only true God. They are there to learn how to present Christ as a sin-pardoning Saviour. They are there to gather up precious rays of light, that they may diffuse light again. They are there to show forth the loving-kindness of the Lord, to speak of His glory, to sound forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.... (CT 370.2) MC VC

Again and again the heavenly Messenger has been sent to the school. When His presence has been acknowledged, the darkness has fled away, the light has shone forth, and hearts have been drawn to God. The last words spoken by Christ to John were: “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17. When we respond to God and say, “Lord, we come,” then with joy shall we draw water out of the wells of salvation. (CT 370.3) MC VC