The Educational Convention by W. E. Howell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 12, 1906

The Educational Convention

By W. E. Howell

THE General convention of educators called by the Educational Department of the General Conference, assembled in College View, Neb., on Friday, June 29, at 10 A. M., with about one hundred present.

The unanimous sentiment of the delegates was voiced in the opening address by Prof. W. W. Prescott, of which the following is an abstract:—

Wanted: An inspiration that will arouse us to a sense of our responsibilities, and will impart a zeal befitting our time and work. The great advent movement, of which our educational work is a part, is a movement in behalf of the whole human family; and therefore this convention is called not simply in the interests of a technical education, but to study how to apply the divine method of education with a view to bringing the knowledge of God again to earth, and to making known God's message to the world for this time.

In holding actual communion with God is found the highest education, but this communion does not shut out a knowledge of other things, and does not substitute sentiment for study. It offers, rather, the greatest stimulus to mental development, to earnest investigation, to real application, with the one idea pervading all, that these are paths to glory and to God.

Such work will result in the development of men and women, rather than mental athletes, and will constitute our education work, not a mere technical method, but a living factor in the general movement of God's work in the earth. If our educators do not confine themselves to the work of the schoolroom, but sustain the right relation to the field, they can actually mold the work in both—they can really hold the key to the general situation. In this reform movement there is nothing to prevent every one of our schools being a Wittenberg; for all that Luther and his associates had, and all the light that has shone since, is focused upon our time and our work. All is provided us, it seems, except the divine inspiration, and that must be here. It is high time that it should be here, and that it should abide.

On Friday evening stirring talks were given by Elder A. G. Daniells and Elder G. A. Irwin on the opportunities and privileges before our young people to bear an active part in evangelizing the world. The same general theme was strongly presented on Sabbath forenoon, developing the special phase, the demands of our missions and what our schools can do to supply them.

The field of operations for our missions is the entire world; it is every continent, every kingdom, every colony, State, or province in every continent, and every island of the sea. We are bidden to look upon this vast field, and see that it is white already to the harvest. Our

Saviour has marked out a missionary program for us.

The Demand

Go.—Leave our homes, our friends, our native land—go into every part of the world. There is no other way to do; we must go.

Preach.—Going is a great undertaking, but the mere going is the lightest part of the program. We must preach this message, preach it to every kindred, nation, tongue, and people, and preach it in language they can understand. This means earnest study and application in the acquirement of a new language. Much more is involved in this great task of speaking and writing than in going. But the command is imperative. It must be done.

Serve.—The goer and preacher will do his best service by personal ministry to the needs of the people where he finds them. The physician and the nurse can render this service more effectively than almost any other missionary laborer. The man who relieves the people of physical suffering, gains ready and easy access to their hearts. To overlook the element of personal service is to make a failure of the life-work.

Teach.—Next to the physician and the nurse, if not equal with them, stands the teacher. He can begin his work before people embrace the truth. Through the children, he gains access to the homes and wins the hearts of parents. He must have an inexhaustible fund of patience and love, for the draft upon these will be great. Doubtless, God will call our young people to distant lands to teach the children and youth of those who sit in darkness.

Build and Organize.—There must be power with the missionary to move people to obedience to the truth that is revealed through these different means. The believers must be taught unity and co-operation. They must be organized and trained for missionary service.

Endure.—All phases of missionary effort imply enduring toil, cross-bearing, denial of personal conveniences, working with few facilities, but a wealth of faith and the joy of being accounted worthy to suffer for his name.

The Supply

Preachers.—There is a great dearth of preachers at home and abroad. Our schools must supply men strong in public work, excellent in reading, clear in enunciation, forceful in expression, clear in reasoning. Calls are pouring in upon us. O that our advanced schools would exert themselves strongly to fill this urgent need!

Bible Workers.—Consecrated, intelligent young women must be developed into efficient Bible workers, to go from house to house in our cities, to do a work that the preacher does not accomplish.

Writers.—Clear, forceful writers must be produced to prepare literature in the countries where the people are, that it may be adapted to their special needs.

Physicians.—We must have physicians who can qualify legally in foreign lands to do active medical service. Thorough literary qualifications must be given this class of workers, and we look to our colleges to do the mission field this important service.

Other Workers.—Capable nurses, competent teachers, consecrated canvassers, experienced printers, and wise-hearted Christian business men must be developed by our training-schools, to help hasten this great world movement to a speedy culmination.

On Sunday morning a conference was held to consider further the close relationship that should exist between the school and the field. Following are the leading thoughts expressed:—

It is one thing to plan a course of study from a theoretical or educational standpoint, and another to adapt it to meet the needs of the field in giving the message to the world in this generation.

We must enlist and command the attention of the world to this message; make the educational work a molding, ruling force to this end.

This country is the headquarters, the base of supplies, the inspiration for the world. We must have more than an enthusiasm for the hour.

In the origin of the Student Volunteer movement in Moody's school, the members pledged themselves definitely to mission work. Their watchword was, The Evangelization of the World in this Generation. Ours is, The Third Angel's Message to the World in this Generation. Make the educational work an integral part of this great movement.

Send our youth to school, not alone to be saved, but to learn co-operation with God to save the world. Talk to them less about courses of study and more about the coming of the Lord and the work to prepare for it. Arrange for them to do actual service while in school. Enlist them in canvassing, Bible work, medical missionary work, and the ministry during their school life, and this test and experience will settle the question of what they can do at the close of school.

In the evening Prof. C. C. Lewis read a paper before the convention, in which he set forth clearly and very impressively the origin, the development, and the recent remarkable growth of schools in the denomination. The Lord has done great things for us, but we have been so reluctant and so dilatory in laying hold of the principles of true education as they have been unfolded to us by the spirit of prophecy, from the time just prior to the opening of our first college in Battle Creek to the present hour, that not half the progress has been made in our educational work that God designed should be made. This has shown itself especially in the industrial phase of educational effort, particularly in our advanced schools, and in keeping away from cities and towns. Before the development of Hampton Institute and Booker T. Washington's phenomenal success, the relation of manual labor to education, and the necessity of making it an integral part of our denominational effort, was clearly and urgently set before this people. We have been so faithless and so slow that the world has gone ahead of us, and we are trailing along in the rear of a movement in the educational world that God designed us to lead. Still there are strong marks of distinction between our schools and those of the world; otherwise they have no reason for existence. The Bible has attained a pre-eminence in our curriculum highly befitting a people who profess to use it, and it only, as their ground of faith and their constant guide.

Text-books tainted with evolution, infidelity, and paganism have been largely eliminated, and it is to be hoped will remain so. The missionary spirit and activity is gaining strength, and the third angel's message is being given a certain sound, but still closer working relations should exist between the school and the field. In the building of our courses and in all other features of the work of this convention, let us have due respect to the original and the fundamental purpose in the establishment of separate schools, and constantly pray God to lead us into broader and grander fields of activity in behalf of this glorious cause. W. E. HOWELL.

(To be continued)