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."
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.
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.
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.
But never commit so great a crime as to pervert your God-given powers to devil 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.
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.
Let us never lose sight of the fact that Jesus is a wellspring 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Importance of Education
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 is 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.
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.
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.
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
Israel who will watch for their souls, as they that must give account. Brethren and sisters, do not
hold yourselves aloof from the dear youth, as though you have no particular concern or
responsibility for them. You who have long professed to be Christians have a work to do to
patiently and kindly lead them in the right way. You should show them that you love them
because they are younger members of the Lord's family, the purchase of His blood.
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.
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.
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."
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.--Review and Herald, August 19, 26, 1884.