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The Educational Missionary Movement

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 2, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 14.

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The Educational Missionary Movement

By J. S. Washburn

The Most Highly Educated People in the World

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS should not be satisfied with a cheap or superficial or one-sided education. They should seek by the aid of the Great Teacher to attain to the very highest cultivation, the very highest development of the powers of hand and mind and soul.
An industrial training is most valuable and practical. To become an intelligent farmer or a skilled mechanic, is a most worthy attainment. It would be a serious mistake for us to look upon this training as unnecessary or of little value, but there ought also to be developed every power of the mind.
The highest skill and knowledge attainable in the study of science should certainly be sought. How marvelous are many of the scientific inventions of these last days! In the facilities for travel, for transmitting knowledge, we see God's mighty purpose is being worked out that the message may be quickly sent to all the world; and yet everywhere, working in the development of these marvelous inventions, are mathematical, scientific principles, which our schools should teach, and which our young men should be trained to understand. Mechanical ingenuity should certainly be encouraged. There is one art in which Seventh-day Adventists should excel. We should certainly have among us printers, bookmakers, and skilful artists, who can do the very best work possible to be done.
What people can better use the lessons that history teaches than Seventh-day Adventists? Our young people should have the highest possible literary training. Not all that the world counts high literature is valuable. With the empty fictitious works, clothed with a false and fascinating beauty, even with some of those which are counted classics, an intimate acquaintance is only dangerous. Our people should know the highest principles of true literary skill. They should be trained to be keen, correct, simple, yet powerful writers.
As students of languages Seventh-day Adventists should excel. How absolutely necessary to the people who are carrying the message to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that there should be a training in all the principal languages of the world. There are certainly also to be among us (the more the better) those who can use correctly some of the ancient languages, especially the languages in which the Bible is written, Hebrew and Greek.
Higher than any other department of education is that of the heart and soul. The mightiest power in the universe, that of love,—the tenderest, truest, God-implanted instincts of the heart,—should be developed, not artificially, but on the right foundation of true and eternal motives. How to reach individuals, how to win, and not to overthrow and destroy, should be dwelt upon and taught as far as it is possible to teach that which must be in a measure first divinely planted in the heart before it can be developed to the highest state of perfection.
Yet even those who are blundering, coarse, unsympathetic, and who naturally give offense to those whom they approach, can be helped greatly by the teaching of him who is a channel of the Holy Spirit. No individual, therefore, among Seventh-day Adventists can be a true educator who is not himself taught constantly by the Holy Spirit.
Of that teacher our Lord said: “He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
It is true that experience itself is a great teacher, and yet much of a preparatory nature can be done in our schools and colleges.
An army of skilled, trained workers, developed under earnest, consecrated teachers, aflame with the power of the message is to go forth from our schools to the speedy conquest of the world, whose wise, keen, developed intellects, and Spirit-taught and directed minds, shall fit them to be to all men a “savor of life unto life” or of “death unto death.” Every soul in this world whom God can reach and save will thus be won to him and his truth. Others, rejecting the clear light, will bring upon themselves eternal loss.
J. S. WASHBURN.