MENTAL CULTURE IN THE PULPIT.
By George I. Butler
There is a feeling quite prevalent, especially among the common people, that there is great danger of loss of spirituality among ministers if they devote much attention to acquiring a thorough education. And it would be well to inquire whether this is an unreasonable prejudice, or whether it is founded upon facts sufficient to give it a firm basis. This inquiry is the more pertinent for us at the present time, as the subject of having a school, partly denominational at least, for the purpose of giving instruction to those entering the ministry, is under contemplation. If such a school as that which is proposed to be founded at Battle Creek is in danger of destroying our spirituality or injuring us in that direction at all, I should be against it, surely; for I do not think we have any of that to spare now; and I would to God we had a far greater supply. The question is an important one, and must come before our people prominently, as I fully believe this question of a school is to be a leading one among us very soon; and I fully believe it will be taken up and acted upon with the accustomed good sense and energy of our people. It is therefore proper that those questions which are really involved in the subject should be carefully considered by our people, that they may act understandingly. I am not one of that number who think there is any necessary good fellowship between ignorance and spirituality. If I was, I should look for my great exemplars of piety among the Digger Indians, the Hottentots, and the tribes of Central Africa, instead of among the enlightened nations of the earth. If I mistake not, the best examples of piety have been found among the latter. It is a noticeable fact that the advent of our divine Lord and the planting of his religion in the earth took place near the Augustine Age, the most celebrated for its light and knowledge of any which the Roman empire ever saw. The Dark Ages, when papacy reigned supreme, and a cloud of fearful darkness hung over the kingdoms of Europe, and the grossest ignorance prevailed among all classes of people, came the nearest to seeing the utter extinction of true piety and religion of any age since its introduction into the world. Just as quick as there began to be an awakening of the human mind in the sixteenth century, and men began to think, then it became possible for piety once more to flourish, and the Reformation to become an accomplished fact. Had Martin Luther arisen a century before, he had shared the fate of Huss and other reformers. All the most eminent men of piety and religion in that age were educated men. (Martin Luther could and did translate the Scriptures from the Hebrew and Greek languages. The people never could have had the Bible had not the reformers been men of education.) The history of our race will show that the men whom God has used to wield the most powerful influence for good of any who have lived in the world, have been men of learning. Moses stands highest of any name in the old dispensation for piety, meekness, and true religion. He was learned in all the knowledge of the Egyptians, the most accomplished nation of ancient times. Who can observe the elevated style with which the prophecy of Isaiah is written without concluding that its author was a man of learning? The prophet Daniel, to whom God revealed the most wonderful prophecy of the Bible, giving the history of the world for thousands of years in advance, and every fact of whose history proves him to have been a man of the most fervent piety, was thoroughly educated in Babylon, a city illustrious for its schools where astronomy and all the sciences were taught; and he was given the best opportunities that Nebuchadnezzar the Great could furnish. What man has given us the most important instruction in the Christian age? The apostle Paul, whom we know to have been a most thoroughly educated man. It seems evident that he was chosen for this reason; and we well know that Melancthon, Zwingle, the Wesleys, and others, who have done most to advance true piety in the world, were men of learning. From these considerations, it is evident that God does not prefer ignorance to learning when soliciting agents to do his work, but the reverse. Hence we conclude that the means necessary to give instruction and fit men for usefulness are acceptable to him. There are two great objects to be obtained by education. The first is an acquaintance with the facts and knowledge connected with science. For instance, in mathematics we become familiar with the principles, the rules and modes of operation by which problems are solved; in grammar, with the nature of words and their connection with each other, and their proper arrangement as established by the best usage; in geography, with the position or relation of the different places and countries on our globe. The facts of science and the knowledge of the principles connected with them are of immense value to an individual in after life, let his occupation be what it may, as he can apply them in all the exigencies that may arise, and accomplish results which he could not possibly bring about otherwise. But there is a second result of education which is not less important. It teaches men to think. There are many people in our world who do not seem to know what brains are for; at least, they never use them much. They do not seem to know how to think. They cannot set the thinking machinery into operation. Instead of the intellect being alive and awake and keenly alert to everything around it in which they should have an interest, they go along as in a dozy state, aroused, perhaps, from time to time to learn they have blundered here, or been neglectful there, and made trouble for themselves or somebody else, which might have been saved had their thoughts been in active employ. Education is designed to partially remedy this by arousing the intellect and setting it to work. We all know it is a law of nature of universal application that exercise gives strength. The arm of the blacksmith and the strength of the athlete are familiar examples of physical law. The intellectual power of a Webster or Choate are just as good illustrations of mental law. In order that there may be strength, exercise is of absolute necessity. In many instances, those who pass for men of great talent do not possess greater natural ability than others, but they have become familiar with subjects of discussion, and above all, their minds have become disciplined by study. Their brains have been set to work, and they have learned to work; and when a subject comes up for consideration, the mind knows how to take up its salient points and give it that examination which it seems to deserve, and consequently they have something to say about it; while another man of equal natural ability may sit by, and those things never occur to him, simply because he had trained his muscles to work, but never his brain. These facts are indisputable. From time to time, individuals, by some sudden turn of circumstances, are snatched from a field of physical labor and placed where the mind is called into action principally, and all their old neighbors and friends are surprised that they possess so much intellectual power. It is simply because their minds are set to work. Now the school is just the thing to work this change. It makes people acquainted with many facts of great importance for them to know, and it gives them mental discipline which is of exceeding importance to those who must use their minds. That this discipline can be obtained in other ways than by attending high schools I will not dispute. Individuals here and there of great energy of character and with a clear understanding to see the bearing of such matters may set to work and accomplish the desired result by themselves. But they will have to surmount obstacles that most will never surmount. Many, unless they place themselves under circumstances where they feel a special influence brought to bear upon them, will never set themselves to the work. Their minds have been mainly devoted to other pursuits. They have not yet acquired a taste for mental exercise. There are so many things calling for their time and labor that they never set themselves at it. Even when they would be very glad had they knowledge of the facts alone to be acquired by study and in a measure see its importance, yet they never get started by themselves to take hold of the work. Now if a proper place was prepared where such surroundings could be secured as would tend to help them in this direction where they were weak, a taste for study would be developed that might result in great benefit to themselves and to others. No man of sense will dispute the fact that mental discipline and study gives great strength to the mind. This is too plain to deny. It cannot possibly be refuted. The question then very forcibly presents itself to our people, Is it best to present ourselves to God for a place in the ministry, the highest and noblest work he has committed to man, our minds dwarfed by lack of mental culture, and unprepared to do the greatest amount of good for lack of study and exercise? Or to present them in a condition to labor successfully, in a preparation to accomplish as great and good a work as their strength will naturally permit? Shall we present a lame and sickly offering to him, or our full strength and vigor? It cannot be a question with us as to the importance of every one who enters the ministry being in a condition to do the greatest amount of good possible for him to do. This is a solemn duty. If this be so, shall our young men be obliged to seek this where they will be exposed to influences and society more or less detrimental to them in other directions, and where that instruction most needed to fit them for preaching the present truth cannot be obtained? This question can admit of but one answer; and this shows the importance of our people having a school under their own control, where those who desire such instruction may receive it. The peculiar circumstances existing in connection with the special work in which our people are engaged demands at our hands nothing less than the establishment of such a school. This work contemplates nothing short of warning the people of the world of the dangers before them, and setting forth that unpopular truth which we believe is calculated to save them from destruction. It is a great work, and one that will require experience, mental training, and great energy, to accomplish. A thorough understanding of the truth is absolutely necessary on the part of those who will go forth to battle in this warfare. This is to be no holiday work. It has already come to this, that those who go abroad to teach this truth in communities where a hearing can be obtained have to meet the combined talent and learning of the strongest ministers within a radius of many miles. Trained champions of many a debate are sent for sometimes at a distance of hundreds of miles away to bolster up the tottering structure of error against the assaults of truth. It is no small thing to meet this array of influence, learning, and ability, supported as it is by wealth, popularity, and social station, and above all by the “rulers of the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits in heavenly places.” Were it not that truth is always more consistent and more easily defended than error, it would be impossible. But as it is, those who represent the truth need to avail themselves of all legitimate means to make the contest successful for the right. They want the benefit of mental culture, and a knowledge of those facts which may be obtained by study alone, to assist them. And while it is evident they must have also God’s help, yet we have no reason to expect God will do for us that which we should do for ourselves. He will not supernaturally instruct us in those things which we could easily obtain by natural means. If we lay idly by and do not use the means he has placed in our hands, we have no reason to expect he will work a miracle to supply our deficiency. This great work of warning the world is before us. There are many men among us possessed of sufficient natural ability to do a good work in preaching the truth to others. But their early life has been spent following the plow, or in the carpenter’s trade, or in some other avocation, where the mind has not been called into active employ. They have not had mental discipline. Now for such a one to step right out in the field of contest to cope with such as I have mentioned above, is a very great step. They have no acquaintance with the proper manner of presenting the truth. They are really unprepared to do justice to these subjects of discussion. They have little knowledge of the difficulties they will have to contend with. They have not the array of facts at their command which those have who have been trained to the work. Their first efforts seem weak to themselves and to others. They find difficulties and strange surroundings for which they are wholly unprepared; and it is no wonder that many fail, become discouraged, while others of a certain turn of mind, getting a view of these difficulties in advance, never dare make the effort lest they shall disgrace themselves or the cause. The truth is, we need something to bridge over this gulf and give these souls who would be glad to work for the cause a chance to enter the work properly and with suitable instruction and proper mental discipline, that they may have a fair chance of success. I do not believe our people have less natural talent or moral courage than the average of other people, but the reverse; yet it is undoubtedly true that most of them are from the common walks of life, the farmers and mechanics of our land who have not had proper chances for mental culture, and whose main attention has been devoted to physical labor and material interests. With many of these men, attention to proper instruction and education would be a great improvement. Our people should be well informed in all good things. The taste needs refining and elevating, and no better2commencement can be made than in providing proper educational facilities. And above all should our ministers set the example in this direction. Some will think time is too short to attend to such matters. But, if I mistake not, many of those who will raise this objection will not think time too short to lay up the “almighty dollar” for a rainy day. For one, I should much prefer being found improving the mind, elevating the taste, and cultivating the intellect, and thus fitting myself for usefulness here, and placing myself in a position to benefit my fellow-men when Christ comes, than merely caring for the material interests around me. I think Christ would be full as apt to say to the former class, “Well done, good and faithful servant” as to the latter. For my part, I am about out of patience with this objection against doing anything worthy in itself, because time is so short. That is just the kind of work I want to be engaged in when time closes. One great reason why our people must have such a school, and that soon, is that time is too short to go on as we are now going, and not make greater efforts to send forth men who are qualified to teach their fellows the way of escape from the plagues of God’s wrath. Will those who have been praying and fasting for God to send out men to labor, be willing to help answer their own prayers by contributing of their means to establish suitable facilities for instructing men properly for this work, when a proper call is made upon them? We shall see. In concluding this article I would express my hearty confidence that knowledge is every way preferable to ignorance, and that our danger as a people does not lie in having the intellect awakened by study and exercise till the understanding is capable of taking broad and intelligent views of all the truth, but rather the contrary in becoming bigoted and notional. All truth is ennobling, elevating, and refining. And while I have no faith in that kind of progress which would break down the barriers of religion and morality established by God in his word, yet I would ever realize that the truth of God has a great work to do. Its “field is the world,” and our views should be such as will adapt us to do that work intelligently. And as the ministry is a leading agency designed of God to act a prominent part in it, it should be intelligent and refined, that it may always cast the right kind of influence. To bring about this end, proper means should be supplied by our people. This duty is one that must soon press itself upon us. May we be able to discern our duties as they present themselves and discharge them faithfully. Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, June 4, 1872.