Fireside Correspondence School by William E. Howell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 3, 1912

Fireside Correspondence School

By William E. Howell

Grow in Efficiency

Merely to be a keeper of the truth, merely to be an enlisted worker for God, does not meet the Christian ideal; there must be constant growth in efficiency. There can be no growth in efficiency without increase of knowledge. There can be no increase of knowledge without effort put forth to obtain it—not merely casual, convenient effort, but effort that costs something.

With All the Mind

That treasury of simplified, practical wisdom, "Christ's Object Lessons," says:—

"God requires the training of the mental faculties. He designs that his servants shall possess more intelligence and clearer discernment than the worldling, and he is displeased with those who are too careless or too indolent to become efficient, well-informed workers. The Lord bids us love him with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and with all the mind. This lays upon us the obligation of developing the intellect to its fullest capacity, that with all the mind we may know and love our Creator."

The mind is the greatest natural endowment in the possession of man. "If placed under the control of his Spirit, the more thoroughly the intellect is cultivated, the more effectively it can be used in the service of God." Serving God "with all the mind" does not mean merely all we chance to have when the truth finds us or when we read this article, but it means with all that the mind is capable of becoming through diligent and persistent cultivation.

Improve Your Time

Lack of time is an almost universal human ailment. It is made the scapegoat for ignorance, procrastination, indolence, aimlessness, and many other symptoms and causes of inefficiency. Every man has twenty-four hours a day at his disposal. The wide difference we see in what men are and in what they accomplish, results largely from their different ways of using this time. The bearing of this point upon success is strongly suggested in the following pointed words from the same book quoted from above:—

"Upon the right improvement of our time depends our success in acquiring knowledge and mental culture. The cultivation of the intellect need not be prevented by poverty, humble origin, or unfavorable surroundings. Only let the moments be treasured. A few moments here and a few there that might be frittered away in aimless talk; the morning hours so often wasted in bed; the time spent in traveling in trams or railway cars, or waiting at the station; the moments of waiting for meals, waiting for those who are tardy in keeping an appointment,—if a book were kept at hand, and these fragments of time were improved in study, reading, or careful thought, what might not be accomplished! A resolute purpose, persistent industry, and careful economy of time, will enable men to acquire knowledge and mental discipline which will qualify them for almost any position of usefulness."

Nothing perhaps would help more to carry out the spirit of these words than to read and study by some definite plan, to some definite end. Our Correspondence School at Takoma Park, D. C., provides for this very thing, and many are taking advantage of this provision by enrolling for a study or two for the coming winter. Our calendar tells you how to do likewise. Send for it before our fourth annual opening, October 7.

W. E. HOWELL.