The Education of Our Children
By F. G.
THERE is no better investment which one can make of his money than to use it in the education of young men or women. There is no way in which the work of the world can be better forwarded than by sending out into it men and women properly qualified intellectually and spiritually to proclaim the truth with force and power. We should have a large number of ministers and Bible workers going forth from our schools and colleges every year. If this is to be accomplished, there must be an appreciation by fathers and mothers and all our church-members of the value of educated workers. If the older members of our churches are thoroughly awake to the importance of educational advantages, they will naturally hold these ideas before the children and youth so that they will be aroused to the importance of good educational attainments, and will be willing to deny themselves many things in order that they may be properly educated for the work of life. We certainly need a higher standard of education, and we need to appreciate the importance of the training of workers. Years ago the spirit of prophecy uttered these words: “Many have felt, ‘Well, it doesn’t matter if we are not so particular to become thoroughly educated,’ and a lower standard of knowledge has been accepted. And now when suitable men are wanted to fill various positions of trust, they are rare; when women are wanted with well-balanced minds, with not a cheap style of education, but with an education fitting them for any position of trust, they are not easily found. What is worth doing at all, is worth doing well. While religion should be the pervading element in every school, it will not lead to a cheapening of the literary attainments. While a religious atmosphere should pervade the school, diffusing its influence, it will make all who are truly Christians feel more deeply their need of thorough knowledge, that they may make the best use of the faculties that God has bestowed upon them. While growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will groan under a sense of their imperfections, and will seek constantly to put to the stretch their powers of mind, that they may become intelligent Christians.” Hundreds of our young men and women who are content with cheap educational attainments, and who are of but very ordinary ability, could by proper training become really valuable in the world. Five dollars’ worth of iron made into horseshoes is worth ten dollars. This same ten dollars’ worth of iron made into needles is worth $180. This $180 worth of iron made into watch-springs is worth $200,000. This $200,000 worth of watch-springs is worth $400,000 when made into hair-springs. So by a process of refining, that which is ordinarily worth but five dollars may be made worth $400,000. This is but an ordinary illustration of what education will do in refining and qualifying an individual for real worth in the world. When the Lord specifically calls upon us to be awake to this matter, we should realize that an enormous responsibility is thus placed upon parents and church-members to create by every laudable means an earnest longing on the part of our children and youth for such educational attainments as will increase their worth many times. Every church should feel the importance of having every young person educated. May the Lord lay the burden upon us all. F. G.