EDUCATION AMONG SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.
By George I. Butler
The Latin word educatio, from which our word education is derived, signifies “to lead out.” And when applied to the human mind, it properly means to draw out its faculties into healthy and vigorous action. We often speak of education as if it were but the acquirement of some of the facts of science to be obtained at school, by an attendance of some months or years. But it should never be understood in this limited sense. It is more properly the development and training of the whole man, so he may be in the best condition for usefulness. Education, in its truest, broadest sense, embraces the physical, mental, and moral powers. A healthy mind depends much upon a healthy body; hence the necessity of forming right habits, and understanding the relation of our physical system to mental and moral power. A solemn responsibility rests upon every person to make the best of those powers conferred by the great First Cause. And every parent and guardian take such an obligation upon them for the children committed to their care. The mind of a new-born child is an utter blank to be filled with something. There is the germ awaiting future development. In that germ are all the possibilities of the future man. What it may become in time largely depends upon its education. If wisdom is used in its training, the child may become a refined, intelligent, moral man,—a power for good in the world. If neglected or perverted, that same child may become a ruffian, a savage,—a curse to the world. Nations and churches, as well as individuals, show the power of education. What a surprising difference between the powerful, intelligent and enlightened English nation of to-day, and the piratical Anglo-Saxon freebooters of twelve centuries ago. So of the French and Germans. Churches which have given greatest attention to education have been most successful in molding the minds of mankind, and exert the greatest influence, and can do the most good. Ignorance is a disgrace, and God has placed a discount on it, in nations, churches, and individuals. What an additional amount of happiness and power for good might accrue to the world could the countless myriads of savages and the ignorant masses generally be refined and truly educated. Bigotry and falsities of all kinds lurk under the cover of ignorance. Error hates the light. Truth rejoices in it. It is safe to say that education in its fullest sense, embracing the physical, intellectual and moral, would correct many of the evil practices and bad habits which afflict mankind and hold them in thralldom. True education gives power and self-control; it enables the mind to reason correctly, and thus to come to right conclusions. If one has no higher motive than mere worldly success, the gaining of riches, honor and influence, and personal pleasure in this life, education would be a good investment of time and means. A person desirous of leaving his children that which would secure a comfortable support through life would be far more likely to do it by securing them a good education, leaving their minds well stored with useful knowledge and well disciplined to think correctly, than to leave them one hundred thousand dollars without it. In the latter case, how soon it might take to itself wings and fly away. The fire might burn it, accident destroy it, foolish habits born of ignorance might waste it. But the well disciplined and instructed mind carries its capital securely; it remains as long as the man remains. It is best prepared for all emergencies, and to take advantage of all chances. If property is lost, it knows how to make more. Other things being equal, the educated mind has ten times the chances that the ignorant has even for success in acquiring property. The same is true if positions of honor and influence be thought desirable. In the nature of things, in civilized countries these do not fall to the lot of ignoramuses. The men who occupy positions of trust and honor in our nation must be men whose minds are disciplined. They may not always be men who have gone through college, but they have been schooled somewhere till their faculties have been prepared by discipline to think. They cannot successfully fill such positions without this training. Education is likewise indispensable if mere personal pleasure is the object desired. What a narrow circle of enjoyment is open to the undeveloped mind. The mere routine of every day life, the neighborhood gossip, the product of the field, the stall, or the workshop,—these cover the most of his field of vision. The mind is dwarfed, the noblest part of man neglected. I speak, of course, of those who live merely for this life. The little passions, annoyances, and frivolities of life engross the attention, and their world of enjoyment is circumscribed mainly to what transpires in the radius of a few miles around. Such minds are sure to become narrow and bigoted, and to magnify the trifles above the important things of life; while the mind developed by a proper education reaches out on all sides, in ever expanding circles, for food for its enjoyment. The stars and suns traveling in their courses, the wonderful works of nature scattered over the broad earth, the beautiful in art, the products of other lands and other climes, the works of scholars, the history of the past, the triumphs of science, all furnish for it rich fields of enjoyment. It experiences in its own consciousness emotions of pleasure as it reaches out in the universe of God. So even in this life alone it is easily seen that education is most important. But when it is considered that man is not merely a creature of to-day, to spend a few years in this life, but that he has committed to him possibilities reaching into eternity, and that his future will depend upon the use he makes of the powers conferred by a wise Creator, then the importance of education with which to develop these powers can be partially estimated. The Scriptures teach the importance of wisdom and knowledge. And if it be said that this wisdom refers especially to knowledge of God and religious truth, we reply that true education necessarily embraces this also. In the first verses of “the Proverbs,” we have the object of that book stated. “To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; to give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels, . . . Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” “If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.” “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her.” “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee; she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.” I have not given the references of these quotations, hoping the reader will study the first nine chapters of Proverbs, which contain many other like words. The wisdom here referred to evidently relates largely to that light which cometh from God. True education embraces the same. We know that much which passes for education in this age relates wholly to the intellect, and to the acquirement of mental strength and facts of science. But true education embraces much more. Man has a physical, mental, and moral nature. Each of these is closely related to the other. If he neglects either, he will necessarily be one-sided. Each part should have its proper attention. How many a bright intellectual genius has failed to accomplish anything for himself or the world, because he had neglected or abused his health. He died prematurely. All his brightness of mind went out in gloom, because there was no physical strength to give it power. Had he understood and obeyed the laws of health, this result might have been avoided. The world has been cursed by men of great intellectual power, whose moral training had been neglected. The world is too familiar with those who have used their great power in doing harm. Selfishness, ambition, greed of gain, carelessness of the rights or sufferings of others, have characterized multitudes of the world’s great men. Moral power is greatly needed in our age. No education which neglects this is worthy of the name. The mere acquisition of knowledge, and mental discipline to use it effectually, may become absolutely dangerous to the well-being of society unless with them is associated a proper development of the moral powers. Man’s religious interest demands proper consideration, and must receive it unless we place the temporal above the eternal. A noble character is the best result of education. Learning is important, culture is important; mental discipline and refinement are excellent. But moral power is much more important. The formation of a symmetrical, pure, and noble character is the highest possible attainment for man in this life. True education therefore relates to the physical, mental, and moral development of the man. The physical training should teach the child the importance of pure air, wholesome food, proper clothing, cleanliness, exercise, rest,—in short, how to maintain the body in the best state of health. It should also embrace good manners, and teach how to appear in good society with ease and grace. The importance of mental training is most generally recognized, and no doubt an undue importance is attached to this, to the neglect of the physical and moral. But the development of the understanding and the power of reason, till the mind is capable of thinking closely and correctly, is surely a matter of great importance. The acquisition of knowledge alone is not education. The mind feeds on knowledge; but it must have the power to properly digest and use it. The mind must put its powers into exercise in order to properly comprehend and use the knowledge it obtains. In that way it learns how to use these powers, and this is the greatest advantage of education. Such a mind will have power anywhere and everywhere, and can thus be always useful, because there is power in itself. There are many who have a great fund of knowledge, and yet it is of little practical benefit to them or anybody else, because they do not know how to use it. Education, if it be thorough, will teach the mind to think. This cannot be accomplished without hard work, patience, and persistency. The education of the moral nature is necessary to teach the will to be always obedient to conscience and the will of God. Faculties are placed within us which enable us to distinguish between right and wrong. How important that these be properly educated to the highest degree of efficiency. They certainly are not of less importance than the intellect. They connect us with Deity and the eternal world. Their possession elevates and distinguishes us above and from the brute creation more than any other human power. We must not neglect their proper development, and we cannot without endangering our eternal well-being. There is a well-known tendency in human nature to neglect the cultivation of the moral powers, much more than the physical or mental. It is therefore of the greatest necessity that they receive special attention. An education which neglects this, in that period of life when the mind is forming and hardening, between the years of ten and twenty, must be very deficient. Parental instruction will, of course, have its influence earlier than this. But between these ages most of the rising generation attend schools which are to have an important influence on their future lives. Religious influence must not then be neglected. The mind is prepared to receive seeds of truth or the seeds of error. Happy will that people be who have schools of instruction where the great principles of morality and religion can be instilled into the minds of its youth so as to enable them to resist their natural inclinations to disregard the dictates of conscience and duty. This tendency must be resisted and overcome by education. We must aim to strengthen the moral faculties, or the true object of instruction is lost. Physical, mental, and moral education embrace the proper instruction of the whole man. If all these have their proper attention, he is then fitted to be what his Creator designed him to be, a pure and noble being, fitted for usefulness in this life, and for a home in the eternal world. The general principles above stated relative to education will be denied by very few. We wish now to consider their bearing upon our own special work, the preparation of a people for the second coming of Christ. What is the duty of S. D. Adventists relative to education? The thought is sometimes expressed by those not desirous of our prosperity that it is rather inconsistent with our faith in the soon coming of Christ to pay so much attention to the subject of education, and to be at so much expense in the erection of large buildings for this purpose. There might be90some force in this if we were of that class of Adventists who expect the Lord to come at any moment, and hence have nothing to do but to fold their arms and wait. But believing as we do that a warning message is to be preached among all the civilized nations of the earth, that there is a work of preparation to be made, a high state of moral purity to be gained, and a grand religious movement to be consummated, this objection is entitled to no weight whatever. On the contrary, there is not a people on the earth who ought to be so interested in the work of true education as S. D. Adventists. Their well-known religious views demand it. They believe it is a religious duty to cultivate the mind and bring it to the highest possible state of excellency. They believe that their eternal salvation depends upon the proper cultivation of their moral nature. They believe that God is the author of the laws of life and health, and that to transgress them is a sin which will bring a sure penalty. They believe that they have a work to do for God and the world by spreading abroad among all the peoples of the earth the glorious truths which he has committed to their trust. In doing this they expect to meet the determined opposition, not only of men of science in high and influential positions, but of a powerful and learned clergy, who understand the original languages, and who will use their utmost efforts to hinder them at every step. Should such a people despise education and the benefits it will confer, and go forth in ignorance to cope with such opponents? Certainly not. If S. D. Adventists have the special work of God for the last days committed to their hands, which is designed to prepare a people for the close of probation, as they believe, then they should take a leading position in every genuine reform, and be most in earnest in every good work. They should be indifferent to no movement in which true moral principle is involved. Their church should embrace all that is good in every other church, and as far as possible leave out their errors. In view of truths so plain, could the elevating influences of true education be ignored by them? On the contrary, this people, more than any other, should prize its benefits. The idea that because a people are looking for the coming of Christ they should have no interest in the proper training and instruction of their children, but let them grow up in ignorance, and thus let Satan fill their minds with folly, is too preposterous for a moment’s consideration. The mind is certain to be filling with something. If we are not sowing the seeds of intelligence, and morality, and truth, a different class of seeds will surely take root. There was never an age when Christians needed to be so diligent as now to guard the minds of the young. Those who neglect this will not hear the “well done” said to them. As this great subject of education came up before our people, there were certain difficulties which stood in their way. There was no school in the land which really met our wants. There were many good schools for teaching the sciences, many able and conscientious teachers. But with their views in many respects so radically different from the faith of our people, they could not meet the want we felt. Our children should become familiar with the great doctrines of our faith, so that as soon as they come to the age of manhood and womanhood they will not be liable to be led away from them because of ignorance of its principles. We want their help in doing the work which God has committed to our hands. We needed a place where our young people could prepare themselves to labor in our own country, and in other lands. If we have a work to do for the world in warning them of Christ’s coming, and of the truths which will prepare them for it, we must make the most of the ability which God places in our midst. Many missionaries ought to be prepared to go to other lands, and must therefore become acquainted with other tongues. Though these could be learned in other schools, yet necessary instruction in present truth would not there be furnished. Neither would other schools help them to become familiar with Sabbath-school work, and the true spirit of this message. On the contrary, these would lead away their minds from those things we desire our young people to love. There is a subtle influence in the schools, opposed to the views of our people, which it is hard for young persons to resist. It is safe to say that a large majority of the trained teachers of the schools and colleges through the country hold views of geology and science which are in virtual antagonism to the Bible account of creation, the origin of the Sabbath, and other doctrines we hold as most precious. And these are inculcated so insidiously that the unsuspecting minds of youth are very apt to imbibe them almost insensibly. These sap the spiritual strength and take away their zeal for the truth. Other denominational schools wish to disseminate their own doctrines, and especially do they dislike the doctrines of our people. The undenominational schools, of course, outside of mental culture, have no interest in those things which are so important to us as a people. Attending such schools away from home influences, it is very difficult to observe the Sabbath properly, and in most cases our young people would have no religious privileges on the Sabbath, or at any other time, such as would strengthen them in the truth. No doubt there are persons who are so strong in the faith that they could attend schools, having all these disadvantages, and maintain their love for present truth. But experience in the cases of many of our young people has shown that it is dangerous to risk it; for precious talents have thus been lost to the cause, which under more favorable surroundings might have been retained. Again, in these schools there is not all that attention paid to health and the laws of life and temperance that we should desire, considering the important place these occupy in our faith. It is a well-known fact that many of the professional men,—doctors, lawyers, and, alas! some ministers,—go forth from these schools slaves to tobacco, tea, and coffee, and, in some cases, to liquor also. And those who have attended them know that there is hardly any place where a stronger influence is brought to bear upon young people to indulge in smoking and beer drinking than in many of these schools. Perhaps the principal and teachers smoke. And the young men, full of fun and life, think it is just the thing to imitate those who have learned the accomplishment of smoking a cigar. A young person is hardly thought to be accomplished till he can puff tobacco smoke, or drink a glass of beer. It takes considerable stamina to resist these influences. It is a sad thought that many of our largest institutions of learning are full of young people who are devoid of principle. The faculty find it almost impossible to keep them under decent control, and in many cases the strong arm of the law has to be invoked to put down “hazing,” as it is called, where actually the health and life of students have been endangered by barbarous practices more worthy of the slums of New York than of high institutions of learning. Every intelligent person who has attended these high schools and colleges knows that things are done in them that are a disgrace to decent people. The faculty and teachers, of course, do their best to hinder these things; but in many cases they are powerless. Such considerations led to the establishment of our College at Battle Creek. That the circumstances required this move, and that wisdom directed it, there is no good reason to doubt. We needed a school. We had reached a point in our work as a people where it was an absolute necessity. Some provision of this kind must be made for our young people. We could not meet the demands of the time and the work without it. The school has already given evidence of its benefits. Many have found in it the instruction they wanted. That it has triumphed over every difficulty, and attained to perfect success in every particular, we shall not claim. That were too much to expect of so young an enterprise.