August 19, 1884
Importance of Education.
[AN ADDRESS DELIVERED
BEFORE THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF BATTLE CREEK
COLLEGE AT THE TIME OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE,
IN
-
By Mrs. E. G. White.
-
Text: "The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Ps. 111:10. {RH, August 19, 1884 par. 1}
The true object
of education should be carefully considered. God has intrusted
to each one capacities and powers, that they may be
returned to him enlarged and improved. All his gifts are granted to us to be
used to the utmost. He requires every one of us to cultivate our powers, and
attain the highest possible capacity for usefulness, that we may do noble work
for God, and bless humanity. Every talent that we possess, whether of mental
capacity, money, or influence, is of God, so that we may say with David.
"All things come of thee, and of thine own have
we given thee." {RH, August 19,
1884 par. 2}
Dear youth, what
is the aim and purpose of your life? Are you ambitious for education that you
may have a name and position in the world? Have you thoughts that you dare not
express, that you may one day stand upon the summit of intellectual greatness;
that you may sit in deliberative and legislative councils, and help to enact
laws for the nation? There is nothing wrong in these aspirations. You may every
one of you make your mark. You should be content with no mean attainments. Aim
high, and spare no pains to reach the standard.
{RH, August 19, 1884 par. 3}
The fear of the Lord lies at the foundation
of all true greatness. Integrity, unswerving integrity, is the principle that
you need to carry with you into all the relations of life. Take your religion
into your school-life, into your boarding-house, into all your pursuits. The
important question with you now is, how to so choose
and perfect your studies that you will maintain the solidity and purity of an
untarnished Christian character, holding all temporal claims and interests in
subjection to the higher claims of the gospel of Christ. You want now to build
as you will be able to furnish, to so relate yourself to society and to life
that you may answer the purpose of God in your creation. As disciples
of Christ, you are not debarred from engaging in temporal pursuits; but you
should carry your religion with you. Whatever the business you may qualify
yourself to engage in, never entertain the idea that you cannot make a success
of it without sacrificing principle. {RH,
August 19, 1884 par. 4}
Balanced by
religious principle, you may climb to any height you please. We would be glad
to see you rising to the noble elevation God designs that you shall reach.
Jesus loves the precious youth; and he is not pleased to see them grow up with
uncultivated, undeveloped talents. They may become strong men of firm
principle, fitted to be intrusted with high
responsibilities, and to this end they may lawfully strain every nerve. {RH, August 19, 1884 par. 5}
But never commit
so great a crime as to pervert your God-given powers to do evil and destroy
others. There are gifted men who use their ability to spread moral ruin and
corruption; but all such are sowing seed that will produce a harvest which they
will not be proud to reap. It is a fearful thing to use God-given abilities in
such a way as to scatter blight and woe instead of blessing in society. It is
also a fearful thing to fold the talent intrusted
to us in a napkin, and hide it away in the world; for this is casting
away the crown of life. God claims our service. There are responsibilities for
every one to bear; and we can fulfill life's grand mission only when these
responsibilities are fully accepted, and faithfully and conscientiously
discharged. {RH, August 19, 1884 par. 6}
Says the wise man, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of
thy youth." But do not for a moment suppose that religion will make
you sad and gloomy, and will block up the way to success. The religion of
Christ does not obliterate or even weaken a single faculty. It in no way
incapacitates you for the enjoyment of any real happiness; it is not designed
to lessen your interest in life, or to make you indifferent to the claims of
friends and society. It does not mantle the life in sackcloth; it is not
expressed in deep-drawn sighs and groans. No, no; those who in everything make
God first and last and best, are the happiest people in the world. Smiles and
sunshine are not banished from their countenance. Religion does not make the
receiver coarse and rough, untidy and uncourteous; on
the contrary, it elevates and ennobles him, refines his taste, sanctifies his
judgment, and fits him for the society of heavenly angels and for the home that
Jesus has gone to prepare. {RH, August
19, 1884 par. 7}
Let us never lose
sight of the fact that Jesus is a well-spring of joy. He does not delight in
the misery of human beings, but loves to see them happy. Christians have many
sources of happiness at their command, and they may tell with unerring accuracy
what pleasures are lawful and right. They may enjoy such recreations as will
not dissipate the mind or debase the soul, such as will not disappoint, and
leave a sad after influence to destroy self-respect or bar the way to
usefulness. If they can take Jesus with them, and maintain a prayerful spirit,
they are perfectly safe. {RH, August 19,
1884 par. 8}
The psalmist
says: "The entrance of thy words giveth light;
it giveth understanding to the simple." As an
educating power the Bible is without a rival. No scientific works are so well
adapted to develop the mind as a contemplation of the great and vital truths
and practical lessons of the Bible. No other book has ever been printed which
is so well calculated to give mental power. Men of the greatest intellects, if
not guided by the word of God in their research, become bewildered; they cannot
comprehend the Creator or his works. But set the mind to grasp and measure
eternal truth, summon it to effort by delving for the jewels of truth in the
rich mine of the word of God, and it will never become dwarfed and enfeebled,
as when left to dwell upon commonplace subjects. {RH, August 19, 1884 par. 9}
The Bible is the
most instructive and comprehensive history that has ever been given to the
world. Its sacred pages contain the only authentic account of the Creation.
Here we behold the power that "stretched forth the heavens, and laid the
foundations of the earth." Here we have a truthful history of the human
race, one that is unmarred by human prejudice or human pride. {RH, August 19, 1884 par. 10}
In the word of
God we find subject for the deepest thought; its truths arouse to the loftiest
aspiration. Here we hold communion with patriarchs and prophets, and listen to
the voice of the Eternal as he speaks with men. Here we behold what the angels
contemplate with wonder,--the Son of God, as he humbled himself to become our
substitute and surety, to cope single-handed with the powers of darkness, and
to gain the victory in our behalf. {RH,
August 19, 1884 par. 11}
Our youth have
the precious Bible; and if all their plans and purposes are tested by the Holy
Scriptures, they will be led into safe paths. Here we may learn what God
expects of the beings formed in his image. Here we may learn how to improve the
present life, and how to secure the future life. No other book can satisfy the
questionings of the mind, and the cravings of the heart. By giving heed to the
teachings of God's word, men may rise from the lowest depths of ignorance and
degradation to become sons of God, associates of sinless angels. {RH, August 19, 1884 par. 12}
The more the mind
dwells upon these themes, the more it will be seen that the same principles run
through natural and spiritual things. There is harmony between nature and
Christianity; for both have the same Author. The book of nature and the book of
revelation indicate the working of the same divine mind. There are lessons to
be learned in nature; and there are lessons, deep, earnest, and all-important
lessons, to be learned from the book of God.
{RH, August 19, 1884 par. 13}
Young friends,
the fear of the Lord lies at the very foundation of all progress; it is the
beginning of wisdom. Your Heavenly Father has claims upon you; for without
solicitation or merit on your part he gives you the bounties of his providence;
and more than this, he has given you all heaven in one gift, that of his
beloved Son. In return for this infinite gift, he claims of you willing
obedience. As you are bought with a price, even the precious blood of the Son
of God, he requires that you make a right use of the privileges you enjoy. Your
intellectual and moral faculties are God's gifts, talents intrusted
to you for wise improvement, and you are not at liberty to let them lie dormant
for want of proper cultivation, or be crippled and dwarfed by inaction. It is
for you to determine whether or not the weighty responsibilities that rest upon
you shall be faithfully met, whether or not your efforts shall be well-directed
and your best. {RH, August 19, 1884 par.
14}
We are living in
the perils of the last days. All heaven is interested in the characters you are
forming. Every provision has been made for you, that you should be a partaker
of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust. Man is not left alone to conquer the powers of evil by his own feeble
efforts. Help is at hand, and will be given every soul who really desires it.
Angels of God, that ascend and descend the ladder that Jacob saw in vision,
will help every soul who will to climb even to the highest heaven. They are
guarding the people of God, and watching how every step is taken. Those who
climb the shining way will be rewarded; they will enter into the joy of their
Lord.
(Concluded next week.) {RH, August 19, 1884 par. 15}
August 26, 1884 Importance of Education.
[AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BEFORE THE
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF
OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE, IN
-
By Mrs. E. G. White.
-
(Concluded.)
-
Text: "The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Psa.
111:10. {RH, August 26, 1884 par. 1}
With Daniel, the
fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. He was placed in a position where
temptation was strong. In king's courts, dissipation was on every side; selfish
indulgence, gratification of appetite, intemperance and gluttony, were the
order of each day. Daniel could join in the debilitating, corrupting practices
of the courtiers, or he could resist the influence that tended downward. He
chose the latter course. He purposed in his heart that he would not be
corrupted by the sinful indulgences with which he was brought in contact, let the consequences be what they might. He would
not even defile himself with the king's meat, or with the wine that he drank.
The Lord was pleased with the course that Daniel pursued. He was greatly
beloved and honored of heaven; and to him the God of wisdom gave skill in the
learning of the Chaldeans, and understanding in all
visions and dreams. {RH, August 26, 1884
par. 2}
If the students
who attend our colleges would be firm, and maintain integrity, if they would
not associate with those who walk in the paths of sin, nor be charmed by their
society, like Daniel they would enjoy the favor of God. If they would discard
unprofitable amusements and indulgence of appetite, their minds would be clear
for the pursuit of knowledge. They would thus gain a moral power that would
enable them to remain unmoved when assailed by temptation. It is a continual
struggle to be always on the alert to resist evil; but it pays to obtain one
victory after another over self and the powers of darkness. And if the youth
are proved and tested, as was Daniel, what honor can they reflect to God by
their firm adherence to the right. {RH,
August 26, 1884 par. 3}
A spotless
character is as precious as the gold of Ophir.
Without pure, unsullied virtue, none can ever rise to any honorable eminence.
But noble aspirations and the love of righteousness are not inherited.
Character cannot be bought; it must be formed by stern efforts to resist
temptation. The formation of a right character is the work of a lifetime, and
is the outgrowth of prayerful meditation united with a grand purpose. The
excellence of character that you possess must be the result of your own effort.
Friends may encourage you, but they cannot do the work for you. Wishing,
sighing, dreaming, will never make you great or good.
You must climb. Gird up the loins of your mind, and go to work with all the
strong powers of your will. It is the wise improvement of your opportunities,
the cultivation of your God-given talents, that will make you men and women
that can be approved of God, and a blessing to society. Let your standard be
high, and with indomitable energy, make the most of your talents and
opportunities, and press to the mark.
{RH, August 26, 1884 par. 4}
Will our youth
consider that they have battles to fight? Satan and his hosts are arrayed
against them, and they have not the experience that those of mature age have
gained. {RH, August 26, 1884 par. 5}
Satan has an
intense hatred for Christ, and the purchase of his blood, and he works with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness. He seeks by every artifice to enlist the
young under his banner; and he uses them as his agents to suggest doubts of the
Bible. When one seed of doubt is sown, Satan nourishes it until it produces an
abundant harvest. If he can unsettle one youth in regard to the Scripture, that
one will not cease to work until other minds are leavened with the same
skepticism. {RH, August 26, 1884 par. 6}
Those who cherish
doubts will boast of their independence of mind; but they are far enough from
possessing genuine independence. Their minds are filled with slavish fear, lest
some one as weak and superficial as themselves should ridicule them. This is
weakness, and slavery to the veriest tyrant. True
liberty and independence are found in the service of God. His service will
place upon you no restriction that will not increase your happiness. In
complying with his requirements, you will find a peace, contentment, and
enjoyment that you can never have in the path of wild license and sin. Then
study well the nature of the liberty you desire. Is it the liberty of the sons
of God, to be free in Christ Jesus? or do you call the
selfish indulgence of base passions freedom? Such liberty carries with it the
heaviest remorse; it is the cruelest bondage.
{RH, August 26, 1884 par. 7}
True independence
of mind is not stubbornness. It leads the youth to form their opinions on the
word of God, irrespective of what others may say or do. If in the company of
the unbelieving, the atheist, or the infidel, it leads them to acknowledge and
defend their belief in the sacred truths of the gospel against the cavilings and witticisms of their ungodly associates. If
they are with those who think it a virtue to parade the faults of professed
Christians, and then scoff at religion, morality, and virtue, real independence
of mind will lead them courteously yet boldly to show that ridicule is a poor
substitute for sound argument. It will enable them to look beyond the caviler
to the one who influences him, the adversary of God and man, and to resist him
in the person of his agent. {RH, August
26, 1884 par. 8}
Stand up for
Jesus, young friends, and in your time of need Jesus will stand up for you.
"By their fruits ye shall know them." Either God or Satan controls
the mind; and the life shows so clearly that none need mistake to which power
you yield allegiance. Every one has an influence either for good or for evil.
Is your influence on the side of Christ or on that of Satan? Those who turn
away from iniquity enlist the power of Omnipotence in their favor. The
atmosphere that surrounds them is not of earth. By the silent power of a well
ordered life and a godly conversation, they may present Jesus to the world.
They may reflect Heaven's light, and win souls to Christ. {RH, August 26, 1884 par. 9}
I am glad that we
have institutions where our youth can be separated from the corrupting
influences so prevalent in the schools of the present day. Our brethren and
sisters should be thankful that in the providence of God our colleges have been
established, and should stand ready to sustain them by their means. Every
influence should be brought to bear to educate the youth and to elevate their
morals. They should be trained to have moral courage to resist the tide of
moral pollution in this degenerate age. With a firm hold upon divine power,
they may stand in society to mold and fashion, rather than to be fashioned
after the world's model. {RH, August 26,
1884 par. 10}
There can be no
more important work than the proper education of our youth. We must guard them,
fighting back Satan, that he shall not take them out
of our arms. When the youth come to our colleges, they should not be made to
feel that they have come among strangers, who do not care for their souls.
There should be fathers and mothers in
The future of
society will be determined by the youth of today. Satan is making earnest,
persevering efforts to corrupt the mind and debase the character of every young
person; and shall we who have more experience stand as mere spectators, and see
him accomplish his purpose without hindrance? Let us stand at our post as
minute men, to work for these youth, and through the help of God hold them back
from the pit of destruction. In the parable, while men slept, the enemy sowed
tares; and while you, my brethren and sisters, are unconscious of his work, he
is gathering an army of youth under his banner; and he exults, for through them
he carries on his warfare against God.
{RH, August 26, 1884 par. 12}
The teachers in
our schools have a heavy responsibility to bear. They must be in words and
character what they wish their students to be,--men and women that fear God and
work righteousness. If they are acquainted with the way themselves, they can
train the youth to walk in it. They will not only educate them in the sciences,
but train them to have moral independence, to work for Jesus, and to take up
burdens in his cause. {RH, August 26,
1884 par. 13}
Teachers, what
opportunities are yours! What a privilege is within your reach of molding the
minds and characters of the youth under your charge! What a joy it will be to
you to meet them around the great white throne, and know that you have done
what you could to fit them for immortality! If your work stands the test of the
great day, how like sweetest music will fall upon your ear the benediction of
the Master, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy
of thy Lord." {RH, August 26, 1884
par. 14}
In the great harvest field there is abundance of work for all, and those who neglect to do what they can, will be found guilty before God. Let us work for time and for eternity. Let us work for the youth with all the powers God has bestowed upon us, and he will bless our well-directed efforts. Our Saviour longs to save the young. He would rejoice to see them around his throne clothed in the spotless robes of his righteousness. He is waiting to place upon their heads the crown of life, and hear their happy voices join in ascribing honor and glory and majesty to God and the Lamb in the song of victory that shall echo and re-echo throughout the courts of heaven. {RH, August 26, 1884 par. 15}