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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 26, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 48.

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Schools and Missions

By Frederick Griggs

THE heathen world is awakening to the benefits of Christianity, but it is to be questioned whether in this it is not looking more to temporal than to spiritual benefits. The uplift of the heathen, however, depends upon his grasp of the principles of Christianity. Fundamental among these is unselfish intelligent service. The Christian religion seeks to develop the whole man,—to restore in him the lost image of his divine Maker. In this work, education plays a most important part. The object of the Christian in all matters of education should be to prepare for intelligent service in gospel work. Consequently every Christian should seek to give his child an education of which pure religion is the warp and woof. It is only by recognizing God’s hand in all things that the facts of knowledge can be properly interpreted, and given their true setting; and thus only can skepticism be avoided, and a pure, saving faith established.
TRAINING-SCHOOL, FRIEDENSAU, GERMANY
TRAINING-SCHOOL, FRIEDENSAU, GERMANY
Believing this, Seventh-day Adventists have developed a system of education which takes the child at the primary school, and conducts him through a systematic course of study, embracing all grades to the completion of a college course. It is the earnest endeavor throughout the entire curriculum to hold before the child, as he grows to manhood, the one only true ideal,—that of Christian service. To this end the students are educated for the ministry, to be teachers, physicians, nurses, editors, musicians, and for all lines of business work necessary to the carrying forward of the great enterprises of gospel work. In this system are about five hundred fifty primary schools, doing work up to and completing the grammar grades, and nearly seventy-five preparatory schools and colleges. After finishing a course of study at an academy or college, special courses of instruction are offered in the Foreign Mission Seminary, located at Washington, D. C., to those purposing to do mission service in heathen lands.
FOREIGN MISSION SEMINARY
FOREIGN MISSION SEMINARY
This system of schools extends into all portions of the world. There are advanced schools for the training of Christian workers in England, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Brazil, Argentina, Singapore, South Africa, West Indies, and the South Pacific Islands. At nearly every mission station operated by the denomination, a well-organized school is established, generally of an industrial nature. In all grades of these schools, exclusive of those at the mission stations, there are nearly fifteen thousand pupils, about one third of whom are in the colleges and preparatory schools. Industrial education is a prominent feature of all the courses of instruction, over seven thousand acres of land being connected with these schools for the purpose of teaching agriculture. Many other enterprises, such as bakeries, broom factories, printing plants, carpenter shops, apiaries, and the like, are also connected with these schools. The total property value of the schools is about two million dollars.
GIRLS' SCHOOL, CANTON, CHINA AVONDALE SCHOOL, N. S. W.
GIRLS' SCHOOL, CANTON, CHINA AVONDALE SCHOOL, N. S. W.
More than half of this world is in ignorance of Christ, but as God is no respecter of persons, the souls of those who know him not are valued as highly by him as are those who know and appreciate his great sacrifice of love, and they should have the most intelligent service possible given them. Consecrated, native-born evangelists and teachers are absolutely necessary for the maintenance and advancement of the gospel in heathen lands. But consecration is not all that is necessary. These natives, in order to do efficient work, must be intelligent. This requires schools especially adapted to their needs. An essential feature in the education of many heathen is manual work. Generally speaking, these peoples do not appreciate the value and dignity of labor; by many it is even looked upon as menial and degrading. Industrial education assists them in the development of strong, well-balanced characters. It teaches them the great principles of sacrifice and service.
UNION COLLEGE, COLLEGE VIEW, NEB.
UNION COLLEGE, COLLEGE VIEW, NEB.
A great educational reform movement is sweeping over the Orient. This is particularly manifested in China. Three years ago the empress dowager, by one stroke of her pen, changed the entire educational system of China. The hoary chains of conservatism, which for thousands of years had held four hundred million people in the bondage of superstition and stagnation, were thus snapped asunder, and the gates opened to the highway of freedom and progress. Without doubt national and commercial motives almost wholly inspired this great change; but he who views the affairs of nations with the clear eye of faith sees in this and insimilar movements in other lands most glorious opportunities for the development of native-born gospel workers by means of a Christian education. The purposes of a Christian education and of gospel work are one, and they must be united in mission work.
FREDERICK GRIGGS, Chairman Educational Department.