Characters Not Formed in One Mold—Teachers are to consider that they are not dealing with angels, but human beings with like passions as they themselves have. Characters are not formed in one mold. There is every phase of character received by children as an inheritance. The defects and the virtues in traits of character are thus revealed. Let every instructor take this into consideration. Hereditary and cultivated deformity of human character, as also beauty of character, will have to be met, and much grace cultivated in the instructor to know how to deal with the erring for their present and eternal good. Impulse, impatience, pride, selfishness, and self-esteem, if cherished, will do a great amount of evil which may thrust the soul upon Satan’s battleground without wisdom to navigate his bark, but he will be in danger of being tossed about at the sport of Satan’s temptations until shipwrecked. Every teacher has his own peculiar traits of character to watch lest Satan should use him as his agent to destroy souls, by his own unconsecrated traits of character.— Letter 50, 1893. (Fundamentals of Christian Education, 277, 278.) {1MCP 354.3}

Karakteren formes ikke i en form. - Lærere skal tænke over at de ikke har med engle at gøre, men (355) menneske-væsener med samme lidenskaber som de selv har. Karaktertræk skal ikke formes i én form. Børn modtager alle karaktertrækkenes afskygninger som en arv til dem. Derved afsløres karaktertrækkenes mangler og dyder. Lad enhver instruktør tænke over dette. Nedarvet og opdyrket deformitet i menneskekarakteren, såvel som karakterens skønhed, vil vi møde, men også megen nåde som instruktøren har optrænet, til at vide hvordan den fejlende behandles, for deres nuværende og evige godes skyld. Hvis der gemmes på impulser utålmodighed, stolthed, selviskhed og selvophøjelse vil det gøre en masse ondt, der kaster sjælen på Satans slagmark uden visdom til at styre hans fartøj, men han vil være i fare for at kastes hid og did, som mål for Satans fristelser indtil skibsforlis. Enhver lærer har sine egne særlige karaktertræk at passe på, så Satan ikke bruger ham som sin agent til at ødelægge sjæle, ved sine egne uhelligede karaktertræk. - Brev 50, 1893. (FE 277, 278.)