THE PLACE OF MATHEMATICS IN A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL.
By J. H. Haughey
The Lord, through his servant, has told us that if the Holy Spirit had been cherished by teachers and students in our schools, “that heavenly visitant would have opened the understanding, would have given wisdom and knowledge in all lines of study that would have been employed to the glory of God.” The first desire and the continuous prayer of every heart, then, should be, “Abide with me, that I may receive only that wisdom and knowledge which will be employed to the glory of God.” It is not, however, a question of mere use or glory; for it might be used to glorify self or Satan. The two leading considerations therefore in the choice and pursuit of any study are, Is it practical? and will it glorify God? Like taking exercise, knowledge is not to be obtained for its own sake; for this would sooner or later lead to spiritual apathy as well as to mental intoxication or intellectual dyspepsia. Indeed, this was the great defect in the schools of the ancient heathen philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, Seneca, and Socrates. They adored the beauty of an idea without living it. They were theoretical, not practical. This defect also found its way into the schools of the Jewish rabbis, until in the time of Christ their religion was a mere round of formal types and ceremonies. Hollow, vain philosophy in spiritual things helped to make the papacy what it was, so that its adherents became undevotional, unpractical, discontented, unhappy, and unholy, and an almost overwhelming barrier to those who would know “Christ and him crucified” as the Saviour of the world. This delusion characterizes much of the work in many of the colleges and universities, as well as in the secondary and primary schools of the world to-day. Finally, our own schools have not been wholly exempt from this error; for we read: “Much time has been wasted, and the progressive usefulness of students hindered, by the teaching of that which can not be utilized by the Spirit of God.” But the time has come when this holy Watcher is to be the educator of both teachers and students to such an extent that they will be able to follow the example of the Great Teacher, who “imparted only such a measure of instruction as could be utilized.” Again, man is bound about by certain limitations. His powers are finite, his time short. The full tally of years is seventy,6or eighty at most. But, “little children, it is the last time.” What is learned and what is done must be learned and done quickly, whether for time or for eternity. We can not, if we would, know “every thing that everybody knows.” The Lord has seen fit to give to the world much useful knowledge concerning material things, the benefits of which we may receive as it were by faith. To illustrate, one may travel the world over without knowing how to construct the engines which enable him to “traverse the land in cars which whirl along without horses, and the ocean in ships which sail against the wind,” or even without being able to name their parts. In Holy Writ we learn that nations, as well as individuals, were not even mentioned except as they in some way became connected with the people or work of God. Just so, no study should find a place in our schools which is not in some way connected with the last message to a lost world. From such considerations as these we find in the minds and hearts of those who enter the schools for Christian workers among Seventh-day Adventists thoughts like the following: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God shall man live.” He speaks to us in the great books of nature, of revelation, and of providence. So every word must include all the true relations of man to man, and of man to God. This involves the necessity of each one’s learning cheerfully to perform those kinds of labor which will enable him to work “with his hands the thing which is good,” as well as the importance of making a thorough study of the common branches with the Bible and physiology as the bases. In this school is taught “the true higher education,” and we are to see not only science, but the science of redemption; not only philosophy, but the philosophy of salvation; not only the law of nature, but the divine law of God; not only history, music, and poetry, but sacred history, heavenly music, and the language of Canaan. But says one, “I have a definite aim before me. I am working toward a certain end.” He must ask himself these questions, with prayer and much thought: Shall I take up this study? Have I time for it? Is it practical for me? Is it essential? How is it related to the gospel of salvation? What effect will it have upon my heart, my mind, my soul, my life? I have learned that seekers after truth are seekers after God; that to be in the love of the truth is to be in the love of God; that to experience truth is to have the life of God in the soul. These words of the Life-giver have sunk deep into my heart: “My words, they are spirit, and they are life;” and I must pay heed to that injunction of his, “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.” I see that God desires “truth in the inward parts,” to be received, cherished, loved, and lived. Does this Book contain “science falsely so called,” or vain, speculative philosophy? Does it inculcate pagan, papal, or atheistic principles? Is there in any way a mingling of the sacred and the common, of truth and error? If so, I have no time for it; for I have determined to know nothing but pure, simple, unadulterated truth. I want the Spirit of Truth, which brings the light of life in clear bright rays from the throne of glory into my soul. I must have the Holy Spirit to help me in all my studies; for it is the medium of communication, and the unerring guide “into all truth.” Lord, if need be, take from me everything else, but remove not from me thy Holy Spirit; but let it bring to me only that knowledge which enriches the mind, enlarges the heart, links man with God, transforms the character, and disciplines and expands the entire being. From these few general suggestions it seems evident that each individual is largely responsible before God for the place allotted to any given subject in himself. It is also evident that since no truth ever really dies, all truth must have a place, and be useful somewhere. Then where is the7place, from a general standpoint, of mathematics in a school for Christian workers? This question can be answered only by observing its place in the great realm of truth. Number and quantity are the two fundamental conceptions. Wherever these are found, in whatever form or relation, there is a mathematical truth, law, or principle. It is clear, then, to begin with, that the mathematical idea permeates all thought, time, place, and being. Without it there could be no language, science, or philosophy; no form, color, or magnitude; no human or divine symmetry, order, or plan; no relation between God and nature, nature and man, man and God. So far as known, all the forces of nature act in accordance with mathematical law. Indeed, all the laws of the material universe, from the minutest atom to the revolving worlds on high, are mathematical laws. The forces known as cohesion, adhesion, gravitation, sound, light, electricity, and magnetism, have each their definite mathematical law of action. This firm rock crystal, and this gently falling flake of snow, as well as that stationary plant, and yonder swiftly moving animal, are constructed or organized with a certain arrangement, form, color, or magnitude. The law of arrangement of buds or leaves on plants is the same as the law of periodic times in planetary revolutions. The law of temperature in man is constantly ten degrees below that of the feathered creation. In the human race the law of births of male and female is constant. Man’s business relations with his fellow men could not be carried on without arithmetic and bookkeeping. History has its dates, and prophecy its times, without which we could have little, if any, real knowledge of either past or future. Indeed, take away the idea of relative magnitude, and there would be nothing but infinite time and infinite space filled with infinite matter or nothing. Even life itself is a mathematical problem, which, on account of its complex character, has not as yet been solved by man. The mind also must be organized in accordance with mathematical law; for it is so constituted as to be able to grasp and express in mathematical terms, most precisely, those wonderful laws, in accordance with which the Maker and Upholder of all things sees fit to work and manifest his constant knowledge, power, wisdom, love, and care. To illustrate, the general law of gravitation as discovered by Sir Isaac Newton, that “every particle in the universe is bound to every other particle in the universe by a force which acts directly as the mass and inversely as the square of the distance,” shows that man was created in the image of God, capable of comprehending his works, and of knowing him. It is to man a perpetual reminder of the power of God in continuous action. It shows him to be a God of perfect order, as well as of infinite power, knowledge, wisdom, love, and care. It shows, too, that “God is everywhere.” And its contemplation has given birth to that other beautiful thought, “Every truth in the universe is in some way related to every other truth in the universe.” Thus from these general statements we are led to conclude that the place of mathematics in the Christian school, whether consciously or unconsciously applied, is in every class of every department. In other words, the work of the mathematical department should be correlated with the work of every other department. How, when, and where to do this will probably appear in future articles.