The present age is one of show and surface work in education. Brother ----- possesses naturally a love for system and thoroughness, and these have become habit by lifelong training and discipline. He has been approved of God for this. His labors are of real worth because he will not allow students to be superficial. But in his very first efforts toward the establishment of a school he encountered many obstacles. Had he been less resolute and persevering he would have given up the struggle. Some of the parents neglected to sustain the school, and their children did not respect the teacher because he wore poor clothing. They allowed his appearance to prejudice them against him. This spirit of disrespect was rebuked of the Lord, and the teacher encouraged in his work. But the complaints and unwise reports carried home by the children strengthened the prejudice of the parents. While Brother ----- was seeking to inculcate true principles and establish right habits, overindulged children were complaining of their taxing studies. These very ones, I was shown, were suffering because the mind was not sufficiently occupied with proper subjects. Their thoughts were upon demoralizing matters, and both mind and body were enfeebled through the habit of self-abuse. It was this vile practice, not overstudy, that caused the frequent illness of these children and prevented them from making the advancement which the parents desired. {5T 90.2}

Den nuværende tidsalder er en med opvisninger og overfladiske uddannelser. Bror ___ har en naturlig kærlighed for system og grundighed og dette er blevet en vane ved livslang træning og disciplin. Gud har anerkendt ham for dette. Hans arbejde er af virkelig værdi, fordi han ikke lader de studerende være overfladiske. Men i sit allerførste arbejde med oprettelsen af en skole, stødte han må mange hindringer. Var han mindre standhaftig og udholdende ville han have opgivet kampen. Nogle af forældrene støttede ikke skolen og deres børn respekterede ikke læreren fordi han bar fattige klæder. De dømte imod ham på hans udseende. Denne respektløshed blev irettesat af Herren og læreren hjalp til i dette. Men børnene beklagede sig og gav ukloge beretninger i deres hjem og det har styrket forældrenes fordomme. Da bror ___ forsøgte at indprente sande principper og danne rigtige vaner, beklagede overforkælede børn sig (91) over deres hårde studier. Jeg fik vist at netop de, led fordi de ikke var tilstrækkeligt optaget af deres studier. Deres tanker var over demoraliserende ting og både sind og legeme blev svækket af selvbesmittelse. Det var denne skammelige behandling, ikke for mange studier, der fremkaldte disse børns hyppige sygdomme og forhindrede dem i at gøre fremskridt, som forældrene ønskede.