Assisting Worthy Students
WHEN I meet with a young person who could go to college as well as not, whose parents are anxious to have him go and are ready to meet the expenses, but who is either too indifferent or too greedy for gain or too worldly minded to even accept the advantages within his reach, I feel almost too indignant to say anything except, “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.” But when I talk with others who are thirsting for an education, and whose eyes fill with tears of mingled desire and disappointment as they acknowledge their lack of money to go to school, my heart goes out to them in sympathy. To some I would cry, Stand firm, brave heart! You can win an education by your own efforts and the blessing of God. God has given you health, strength, ability. Consecrate these to the task of gaining your heart’s desire, that you may honor God and bless humanity. Work at any honest employment, the job nearest you. Work hard. Study how to serve the interests of your employers. Be saving. Shun pleasures which scatter your earnings as the sun scatters mist. You will succeed, and will be all the stronger for your exercise of self-reliance. Others there are, just as earnest, just as deserving, just as able to work out their education; but circumstances bind them to other objects. They have aged parents to sustain, or afflicted friends to care for. Never mind; you will never do anything nobler, even if you should gain the best education the schools can afford. Love and duty are the highest motives. Your duty is not in two places at the same time. Your lot needs a sublimer courage, a more patient faith, than that of the other. But the dear Lord has promised you strength for your day, grace for your need. He will help you to wait for his salvation. Do not give up, circumstances will change, the way will yet open for you to attend one of our training-schools. To my brethren and sisters, let me say: Are you watching to help these persons? They are in all our churches. We are prone to overlook them because we know them. Merit and need seem great when far removed from us. Let us search out these cases and aid them judiciously; some one has said that such work is planting seed corn for eternity. Please read the following from “Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. VI, page 213:— ‘The churches in different localities should feel that a solemn responsibility rests upon them to train youth and educate talent to engage in missionary work. When they see those in the church who give promise of making useful workers, but who are not able to support themselves in the school, they should assume the responsibility of sending them to one of our training-schools. There is excellent ability in the churches that needs to be brought into service. There are persons who would do good service in the Lord’s vineyard; but many are too poor to obtain, without assistance, the education that they require. The churches should feel it a privilege to take part in defraying the expenses of such.
‘Those who have the truth in their hearts are always open-hearted, helping where it is necessary. They lead out, and others imitate their example. If there are some who should have the benefit of the school, but who can not pay full price for their tuition, let the churches show their liberality by helping them.’