A Sin to Be Ignorant by H. F. Phelps

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 28, 1871

A Sin to Be Ignorant.

By H. F. Phelps

THERE is an old proverb, or new it may be, it matters not which, that says, “To be ignorant is bliss.” This may be true of certain things, as, “when a tale-bearer goeth up and down,” revealing pretended secrets. To be ignorant of his or her secrets, will save a soul from much trouble. Also, to be ignorant of the future of one’s life, that is, the trials, &c., which may be before us, may be bliss. But in these days of knowledge, when the land is full of opportunities to cultivate one’s own mind, and to obtain wisdom, it seems to me to be a sin to be ignorant, especially concerning the common branches of education. Who need be so ignorant as not to be able to tell how much a certain number of pounds of any commodity bought or sold at a given rate will amount to? or ignorant of the common rules of language, writing, and punctuation, especially so much so as to use a small i in speaking of the first person, one’s own self? There may be some who, thinking that time is so short there is no necessity of learning these things, or even of having their children learn them; but at the same time are very willing to learn Bible, or pretend to be at least. If there are any so very unfortunate, I would invite their attention to a few passages of Scripture found in Proverbs. This book was no doubt written by a wise man, and the writer is ever and anon urging upon the reader to get wisdom and understanding, and represents it as being more precious than gold or silver; for these may take wings and fly away; but wisdom, when once gotten, will never depart. True, some may make a wrong use of it; but this does not hurt the article itself any more than by one’s putting a gold dollar to a wrong use would soil or injure the coin.

But, says one, these all mean Bible wisdom; for it says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” True; but many a man is so very ignorant as to be entirely unable to discern what the Bible does teach. Then why scorn the learning of the world, since it all comes from God. It will not, of course, do alone, for some of it is very imperfect; but taken in connection with heavenly wisdom, how good it is. We will not pass idly by these mercies lent us from the Lord, but occupy till he come.

H. F. Phelps.