Earlier text: IN CO-OPERATION WITH CHRISTBut the mere reading of the word will not accomplish the result designed of heaven: it must be studied, and cherished in the heart. The Bible has not received the close attention it deserves. It has not been honored above every other book in the education of children and youth. Students devote years to acquiring an education. They study different authors, and become acquainted with science and philosophy through books containing the results of human research; but the Book that comes from the divine Teacher has, to a great extent, been neglected. Its value is not discerned; its treasures remain hidden. An education of this character is defective. Who and what are these men of learning, that the minds and characters of the young should be moulded by their ideas? They may publish with pen and voice the best results of their reasoning; but they grasp only an item of the work of God, and in their short-sightedness, calling it science, they exalt it above the God of science. Man is finite; there is no light in his wisdom. His unaided reason can explain nothing in the deep things of God, nor can he understand the spiritual lessons that God has placed in the material world. But reason is a gift of God, and His Spirit will aid those who are willing to be taught. Man’s words, if of any value, echo the words of God. In the education of youth they should never take the place of the divine word. Cold, philosophical speculations and scientific research in which God is not acknowledged, are a positive injury.424 And the evil is aggravated when, as is often the case, books placed in the hands of the young, accepted as authority and depended upon in their education, are from authors avowedly infidel. Through all the thoughts presented by these men their poisonous sentiments are interwoven. The study of such books is like handling black coals; a student cannot be undefiled in mind who thinks along the line of skepticism. The authors of these books, which have sown the seeds of doubt and infidelity broadcast over the world, have been under the training of the great enemy of God and man, the acknowledged head of principalities and powers, the ruler of the darkness of this world. The word that God has spoken concerning them is, “They . . . became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools;” “because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful.” Rom. 1:21, 22. They rejected divine truth in its simplicity and purity for the wisdom of this world. Whenever books by these infidel authors are given the precedence, and the word of God is made secondary, there will be sent out of the schools a class of students no better fitted for the service of God than they were before they received their education. CAUSE OF OPPOSITION TO THE BIBLE
It is not for want of evidence that men doubt divine truth; they are not infidels through ignorance of the character of the word of God. But through sin the whole human organism is deranged, the mind is perverted,425 the imagination corrupted. Temptations from without find an answering chord within the heart, and the feet slide imperceptibly into sin. And so it is that many hate the Bible. Some would not care if there were not a Bible in the world. When the Son of God was on trial, the Jews cried out, “Away with Him, crucify Him!” because His pure life and holy teaching convicted them of sin and condemned them; and for the same reason, many in their hearts cry out against the word of God. Many, even of the children and youth, have learned to love sin. They hate reflection, and the thought of God is a sting to their conscience. It is because the human heart is inclined to evil that it is so dangerous to sow the seeds of skepticism in young minds. We would not discourage education, nor put a low estimate on mental culture and discipline. God would have us students as long as we remain in the world. Every opportunity for culture should be improved. The faculties need to be strengthened by exercise, the mind to be trained and expanded by taxing study; but all this may be done while the heart is becoming an easy prey to deception. Wisdom from above must be communicated to the soul. It is the entrance of God’s word that “giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Ps. 119:130. His word is given for our instruction; there is nothing in it that is defective or misleading. The Bible is not to be tested by men’s ideas of science, but science is to be brought to the test of the unerring standard. Yet the study of the sciences is not to be neglected. Books must be used for this purpose; but they should be in harmony with the Bible, for that is the standard. Books of this character should take the place of many of those now in the hands of students. God is the author of science. Scientific research opens to the mind vast fields of thought and information, enabling us to see God in His created works. Ignorance may try to support skepticism by appealing to science; but instead of upholding skepticism, true science contributes fresh evidences of the wisdom and power of God. Rightly understood, science and the written word agree, and each sheds light on the other. Together they lead us to God, by teaching us something of the wise and beneficent laws through which He works. When the student recognizes God as the source of all knowledge, and honors Him, submitting mind and character to be moulded by His word, he may claim the promise, “Them that honor Me I will honor.” 1 Sam. 2:30. The more studiously the intellect is cultivated, the more effectively it can be used in the service of God, if it is placed under the control of His Spirit. Talents used are talents multiplied. Experience in spiritual things widens the vision of saints and angels, and both increase in capability and knowledge as they work in their respective spheres. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” Rom. 11:33. — “Special Testimonies on Education,” pp. 52-57; written May 16, 1896. What book can compare with the Bible? An understanding of its teachings is essential for every child and youth, and for those of mature age; for it is the word of God, given to guide the human family to heaven. In the world to-day there are gods many and doctrines many. Without an understanding of the Scriptures it is impossible for the youth to understand what is truth, or to discern between the sacred and the common. The word of God should stand as the highest educating book in our world, and should be treated with reverential awe. It should be placed in the hands of the children and youth as the great lesson-book, that they may know Him whom to know aright is life eternal. The grand truths of sacred history possess amazing strength and beauty, and are as far-reaching as eternity. What more important knowledge can be gained than that which outlines the fall of man, and the consequences of that sin which opened the flood-gates of woe upon the world; which tells of Christ’s first advent? The incarnation of Christ, His divinity, His atonement, His wonderful life in heaven as our advocate, the office of the Holy Spirit,—all these vital themes of Christianity are revealed from Genesis to Revelation. Each is a golden link in the perfect chain of truth. Why, then, should not the Scriptures be exalted in every school in our land? Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, yet he said to Israel, “Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For . . . what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.” Deut. 4:5-9. Where shall we find laws more noble, pure, and just than are exhibited on the statute-books wherein is recorded the instruction given to Moses for the children of Israel? From what other source can we gather such strength or learn such noble science? What other book will teach men so well how to love, fear, and obey God? What other book presents to students more ennobling science, more wonderful history? It clearly portrays righteousness, and foretells the consequence of disloyalty to the law of Jehovah. As an educating power, the Bible is of more value than the writings of all the philosophers of all ages. In its wide range of style and subjects, there is something to interest and instruct every mind, to ennoble429 every interest. The light of revelation shines undimmed into the distant past, where human annals cast not a ray of light. There is poetry which has called forth the wonder and admiration of the world. In glowing beauty, in sublime and solemn majesty, in touching pathos, it is unequaled by the most brilliant productions of human genius. There is sound logic and impassioned eloquence. There are portrayed the noble deeds of noble men, examples of private virtue and public honor, lessons of piety and purity. In studying the Scriptures we become acquainted with God, and are led to understand our relation to Christ, the sin-bearer, the surety for the fallen race. No one is left in darkness as to that which God approves or disapproves. The Bible contains instruction regarding the character God’s children must possess. “Blessed are the pure in heart,” it declares; “for they shall see God.” Matt. 5:8. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” Heb. 12:14. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2, 3. This all-important knowledge should be kept before our children and youth, not in an arbitrary, dictatorial manner, but as a divine disclosure, as instruction of the highest value, essential for their present peace in this world of turmoil and strife, and as a430 preparation for the future eternal life in the kingdom of God. Then place the Holy Word in their hands. Encourage them to search its pages. They will find there treasures of inestimable value. And in receiving Christ as the bread of life, they have the pledge of eternal life. Christ’s sayings are pure gold, without one particle of dross. When those who have received the false interpretation of the word, search the Scriptures with determined effort to know what is truth, the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of their understanding, and the word is to them a new revelation. Their hearts are quickened with a new and living faith, and they behold wondrous things out of His law. The teachings of Christ have a breadth and meaning to them that they have never before understood. The youth are in need of educators who will keep the principles of the word of God ever before them. If teachers will make Bible precepts their text-book, they will have greater influence over the youth. They will be learners, having a living connection with God. They will endeavor to inculcate ideas and principles that will lead to a fuller knowledge of God, an earnest, growing faith in the blood of Christ, and in the power and efficiency of His grace to keep them from falling. They will constantly seek to build up the strongholds of a healthy, well-balanced Christian experience, that their students may be qualified for usefulness. The best ministerial talent should be employed to lead and direct in the teaching of the Bible in our schools. Those chosen for this work need to be thorough Bible students; they should be men who have a deep Christian experience; and their salary should be paid from the tithe. The Bible teacher should be one who is able to teach the students how to present the truths of the word of God in a clear, winning manner in public, and how to do effective evangelistic work from house to house. It is essential that he be skilful in teaching those who have a desire to work for the Master, how to use wisely that which they have learned. He should instruct the students to approach the study of the Bible in the spirit of humility, to search its pages, not for proof to sustain human opinions, but with a sincere desire to know what God has said. Early in their experience our students should be taught to become Bible workers. Those who are consecrated and teachable may have success in active service for Christ while pursuing their courses of study. If they spend much time in prayer, if they humbly take counsel from their instructors, they will grow in a knowledge of how to work for souls. And when they go forth into the great harvest-field, they may with confidence pray, “Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.” Ps. 90:17. In our schools the work of teaching the Scriptures to the youth is not to be left wholly with one teacher for a long series of years. The Bible teacher may be well able to present the truth, and yet it is not the best experience for the students, that their study of the word of God should be directed by one man only, term after term and year after year. Different teachers should have a part in the work, even though they may not all have so full an understanding of the Scriptures. If several in our larger schools unite in the work of teaching the Scriptures, the students may thus have the benefit of the talents of several. Why do we need a Matthew, a Mark, a Luke, a John, a Paul, and all the writers who have borne testimony in regard to the life and ministry of the Saviour? Why could not one of the disciples have written a complete record, and thus have given us a connected account of Christ’s earthly life? Why does one writer bring in points that another does not mention? Why, if these points are essential, did not all these writers mention them? — It is because the minds of men differ. Not all comprehend things in exactly the same way. Certain Scripture truths appeal much more strongly to the minds of some than of others. The same principle applies to speakers. One dwells at considerable length on points that others would pass by quickly or not mention at all. The whole truth is presented more clearly by several than by one. The Gospels differ, but the records of all blend in one harmonious whole. So to-day the Lord does not impress all minds in the same way. Often through unusual experiences,433 under special circumstances, He gives to some Bible students views of truth that others do not grasp. It is possible for the most learned teacher to fall far short of teaching all that should be taught. It would greatly benefit our schools if regular meetings were held frequently in which all the teachers could unite in the study of the word of God. They should search the Scriptures as did the noble Bereans. They should subordinate all preconceived opinions, and taking the Bible as their lesson-book, comparing scripture with scripture, they should learn what to teach their students, and how to train them for acceptable service. The teacher’s success will depend largely upon the spirit which is brought into the work. A profession of faith does not make men Christians; but if teachers will open their hearts to the study of the word, they will be able to aid their students to a clearer understanding. Let not the spirit of controversy come in, but let each seek earnestly for the light and knowledge that he needs. God’s word is true philosophy, true science. Human opinions and sensational preaching amount to very little. Those who are imbued with the word of God, will teach it in the same simple way that Christ taught it. The world’s greatest Teacher used the simplest language and the plainest symbols. The Lord calls upon His shepherds to feed the flock with pure provender. He would have them present the truth in its simplicity. When this work is faithfully done, many will be convicted and converted by the power of the Holy Spirit. There is need of Bible teachers who will come close to the unconverted, who434 will search for the lost sheep, who will do personal labor, and will give clear, definite instruction. Never utter sentiments of doubt. Christ’s teaching was always positive in its nature. With a tone of assurance bear an affirmative message. Lift up the Man of Calvary higher and still higher; there is power in the exaltation of the cross of Christ. It is the student’s privilege to have clear and accurate ideas of the truth of the Word, that he may be prepared to present these truths to other minds. He should be rooted and grounded in the faith. Students should be led to think for themselves, to see the force of truth for themselves, and to speak every word from a heart full of love and tenderness. Urge upon their minds the vital truths of the Bible. Let them repeat these truths in their own language, that you may be sure that they clearly comprehend them. Be sure that every point is fastened upon the mind. This may be a slow process, but it is of ten times more value than rushing over important subjects without giving them due consideration. It is not enough that the student believe the truth for himself. He must be drawn out to state this truth clearly in his own words, that it may be evident that he sees the force of the lesson and makes its application. In all your teaching never forget that the greatest lesson to be taught and to be learned is the lesson of copartnership with Christ in the work of salvation. The education to be secured by searching the Scriptures is an experimental knowledge of the plan of salvation. Such an education will restore the image of God in the soul. It will strengthen and fortify the mind against temptation, and fit the learner to become435 a worker with Christ in His mission of mercy to the world. It will make him a member of the heavenly family, prepare him to share the inheritance of the saints in light. The teacher of truth can impart effectively only that which he himself knows by experience. Christ taught the truth because He was the truth. His own thought, His character, His life experience, were embodied in His teaching. So with His servants: those who teach the Word must make it their own by personal experience. They must know what it is to have Christ made unto them wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Every minister of Christ and every teacher should be able to say with the beloved John, “The life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.” 1 John 1:2. Often it will seem to the teacher that the word of God has little effect on the minds and hearts of many students; but if his work has been wrought in God, some lessons of divine truth will linger in the memory of the most careless. The Holy Spirit will water the seed sown, and it will spring up after many days, and bear fruit to the glory of God. Teachers may learn a lesson from the experience of the farmer who placed the food for his sheep in a crib so high that the young of the flock could not reach it. Some teachers present the truth to their students in a similar manner. They place the crib so high that those whom they teach cannot reach the food. They forget436 that the students have only a small part of the opportunity that they have had to gain a knowledge of God. They are too high up on the ladder to reach down a helping hand, warm with tenderness and love, and deep, earnest interest. Let them step down, and by their manner say to the students: “I will no longer stand so far above you. Let us climb together, and we will see what can be gained by a united study of the Scriptures. Christ is the one who imparts all knowledge. Let us work together in an earnest effort to learn from God how to understand the truths of His word, and how to place these truths before others in their beauty and simplicity. “Let us study together. I have nothing that you cannot receive if you open your mind to Christ’s teachings. The Bible is your guide-book and my guide-book. By asking questions you may suggest ideas that are new to me. Various ways of expressing the truth we are studying will bring light into our class. If any explanation of the Word differs from your previous understanding, do not hesitate to state your views of the subject. Light will shine upon us as in the meekness and lowliness of Christ we study together.” This is the way in which the schools of the prophets were conducted. Time was given in the class for a faithful study of the thoughts presented. Hearts were warmed, and the voice of praise and thanksgiving was heard. The sacred gospel was humanized, as in the teachings of Christ. Much was accomplished for both teachers and students. Time was given for each one to partake of the heavenly437 repast,— to study the truths presented, and then to add that which he had received from God. When the right spirit is cherished by teachers and students, they will have special grace from God, enough for each, enough for all, enough continually and forever. As the teacher learns from the divine Teacher, the Bible becomes a lesson-book such as God designed it to be, giving clear conceptions to those who strive to grasp its grand and glorious truths. As the students search for truth as for hidden treasure, their minds are enriched with the highest of all knowledge. There is shed into the mind a flood of light on the problem of human life. They see how it is possible for men and women to be sanctified through a belief of the truth as it is in Jesus. The jewels of truth lie scattered over the field of revelation; but they have been buried beneath human traditions, beneath the sayings and commandments of men; and the wisdom from heaven has been practically ignored. Satan has succeeded in making the world believe that the words and achievements of men are of great consequence. There are veins of truth yet to be discovered; but spiritual things are spiritually discerned. One passage of Scripture will prove a key to unlock other passages, and in this way light is shed upon the hidden meaning of the word. By comparing different texts treating on the same subject, viewing their bearing on every side, the true meaning of the Scriptures will be made evident. A FAILURE TO STUDY GOD’S WORD
That which in the counsels of heaven the Father and the Son deemed essential for man’s salvation, is clearly presented in the Holy Scriptures. The infinite truths of salvation are stated so plainly that finite beings who desire to know the truth cannot fail to understand. Divine revelations have been made for their instruction in righteousness, that they may glorify God and help their fellow-men. These truths are found in the word of God,—the standard by which we are to judge between right and wrong. Obedience to this word is the best shield for the youth against the temptations to which they are exposed while acquiring an education. From this word they learn how to honor God, and how to be faithful to humanity, cheerfully performing the duties and meeting the trials that each day brings, and courageously bearing its burdens. Christ, the great Teacher, sought to win the minds of men from the contemplation of earthly things, that He might teach them of heavenly things. Had the teachers of His day been willing to be instructed by Him, had they united with Him in sowing the world with the seeds of truth, the world would be far different from what it now is. Had the scribes and Pharisees joined their forces with the Saviour, the knowledge of Christ would have restored the moral image of God in their souls. But the leaders of Israel turned from the fountain of true knowledge. They studied the Scriptures only439 to sustain their traditions and enforce their man-made observances. By their interpretation they made them express sentiments that God had never given. Their mystical construction made indistinct that which He had made plain. They disputed over technicalities, and practically denied the most essential truths. God’s word was robbed of its power, and evil spirits worked their will. Christ’s words contain nothing that is non-essential. The sermon on the mount is a wonderful production, yet so simple that a child can study it without misunderstanding. The mount of beatitudes is a symbol of the spiritual elevation on which Christ ever stood. Every word He uttered came from God, and He spoke with the authority of heaven. “The words that I speak unto you,” He said, “they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63. His teaching is full of ennobling, saving truth, to which men’s highest ambitions and most profound investigations can bear no comparison. He was alive to the terrible ruin hanging over the race, and He came to save souls by His own righteousness, bringing to the world definite assurance of hope and complete relief. It is because Christ’s words are disregarded, because the word of God is given a second place in education, that infidelity is riot and iniquity is rife. Things of minor consequence occupy the minds of many of the teachers of to-day. A mass of tradition, containing merely a semblance of truth, is brought into the courses of study given in the schools of the world. The force of much human teaching is found in assertion, not in truth. The teachers of the present day can use only the ability of previous teachers; and440 yet with all the weighty importance that may be attached to the words of the greatest human authors, there is a conscious inability to trace back to the first great principle, the Source of unerring wisdom. There is a painful uncertainty, a constant searching, a reaching for assurance that can be found only in God. The trumpet of human greatness may be sounded, but it is with an uncertain sound; it is not reliable, and the salvation of souls cannot be assured by it. In acquiring earthly knowledge, men have thought to gain a treasure; and they have laid the Bible aside, ignorant that it contains a treasure worth everything else. A failure to study and obey God’s word has brought confusion into the world. Men have left the guardianship of Christ for the guardianship of the great rebel, the prince of darkness. Strange fire has been mingled with the sacred. The accumulation of things that minister to lust and ambition has brought upon the world the judgment of heaven. When in difficulty, philosophers and men of science try to satisfy their minds without appealing to God. They ventilate their philosophy in regard to the heavens and the earth, accounting for plagues, pestilences, epidemics, earthquakes, and famines, by their supposed science. Questions relating to creation and providence they attempt to solve by saying, This is a law of nature. KNOWLEDGE THROUGH OBEDIENCE
Disobedience has closed the door to a vast amount of knowledge that might have been gained from the word of God. Had men been obedient, they would441 have understood the plan of God’s government. The heavenly world would have opened its chambers of grace and glory for exploration. In form, in speech, in song, human beings would have been altogether superior to what they are now. The mystery of redemption, the incarnation of Christ, His atoning sacrifice, would not be vague in our minds. They would be not only better understood, but altogether more highly appreciated. A failure to study God’s word is the great cause of mental weakness and inefficiency. In turning from this word to feed on the writings of uninspired men, the mind becomes dwarfed and cheapened. It is not brought in contact with deep, broad principles of eternal truth. The understanding adapts itself to the comprehension of the things with which it is familiar, and in this devotion to finite things it is weakened, its power is contracted, and after a time it becomes unable to expand. All this is false education. The work of every teacher should be to fasten the minds of the youth upon the grand truths of the Word of inspiration. This is the education essential for this life and the life to come. And let it not be thought that this will prevent the study of the sciences or cause a lower standard in education. The knowledge of God is as high as heaven and as broad as the universe. There is nothing so ennobling and invigorating as a study of the great themes which concern our eternal life. Let the youth seek to grasp these God-given truths, and their minds will expand and grow strong in the effort. It will bring every student who is a doer of442 the word into a broader field of thought, and secure for him a wealth of knowledge that is imperishable. The ignorance that now curses the world in regard to the binding claims of the law of God, is the result of neglecting the study of the Scriptures. It is Satan’s studied plan so to absorb and engage the mind that God’s great guide-book shall not be regarded as the Book of books, and that the sinner shall not be led from the path of transgression into the path of obedience. Why is it that our youth, and even those of more mature years, are so easily led into temptation and sin?—It is because the Bible is not studied and meditated upon as it should be. If it were made the daily study, there would be an inward rectitude, a strength of spirit, that would resist the temptations of the enemy. A firm, decided effort to turn from evil is not seen in the life, because the instruction given by God is disregarded. There is not put forth the effort that there should be to fill the mind with pure, holy thoughts, and to rid it of all that is impure and untrue. There is not the choosing of the better part, the sitting at the feet of Jesus, as did Mary, to learn lessons from the divine Teacher. When God’s word is made the man of our counsel, when we search the Scriptures for light, heavenly angels come near to impress the mind and to enlighten the understanding, so that it can be truly said, “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Ps. 119: 130. It is no marvel that there is not more heavenly-mindedness seen among the youth who profess Christianity, when so little attention is given to the word443 of God. The divine counsels are not heeded; the divine admonitions are not obeyed. Grace and heavenly wisdom are not sought, that every taint of corruption may be cleansed from the life. If the minds of the youth were directed aright, their conversation would be upon exalted themes. When the mind is pure and the thoughts ennobled by the truth of God, the words will be of the same character, “like apples of gold in baskets of silver.” Prov. 25:11, R. V. But with the present understanding and the present practices, with the low standard that Christians are content to reach, the conversation is cheap and profitless. It is of the earth, earthy, and does not reach even the standard of the more cultured class of worldlings. When Christ and heaven are the theme of contemplation, the conversation will give evidence of the fact. The speech will be seasoned with grace, and the speaker will show that he has been obtaining an education in the school of the divine Teacher. We are to regard the Bible as God’s disclosure to us of eternal things,—the things of most consequence for us to know. By the world it is thrown aside, as if the perusal of it were finished; but a thousand years of research would not exhaust the hidden treasure it contains. Eternity alone will disclose the wisdom of this book; for it is the wisdom of an infinite mind. Shall we, then, cultivate a deep hunger for the productions of human authors, and disregard the word of God? It is this longing for something they never ought to crave that makes men444 substitute for true knowledge that which can never make them wise unto salvation. Let not man’s assertions be regarded as truth when they are contrary to the word of God. The Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Source of all wisdom, is second to none. But supposedly great authors, whose works are used as textbooks for study, are received and glorified, though they have no vital connection with God. By such study man has been led into forbidden paths. Minds have been wearied to death through unnecessary work in trying to obtain that which is to them as the knowledge which Adam and Eve disobeyed God in obtaining. To-day young men and women spend years in acquiring an education which is as wood and stubble, to be consumed in the last great conflagration. Upon such an education God places no value. Many students leave school unable to receive the word of God with the reverence and respect which they gave it before they entered. Their faith has been eclipsed in the effort to excel in the various studies. The Bible has not been made a vital matter in their education, but books tainted with infidelity and propagating unsound theories have been placed before them. All unnecessary matters should be weeded from the courses of study, and only such studies placed before the student as will be of real value to him. With these alone he needs to become familiar, that he may secure the life which measures with the life of God. As the mind is summoned to the consideration of the great themes of salvation, it will rise445 higher and higher in the comprehension of these subjects, leaving cheap and insignificant matters behind. What was it that made John the Baptist great?—He closed his mind to the mass of tradition presented by the teachers of the Jewish nation, and opened it to the wisdom which comes from above. Before his birth the Holy Spirit testified of John: “He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost. . . . And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:15-17. In his prophecy Zacharias said of John, “Thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” And Luke adds, “The child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.” Luke 1:76-80. It was John’s choice to forego the enjoyments and luxuries of city life for the stern discipline of the wilderness. Here his surroundings were favorable to446 habits of simplicity and self-denial. Uninterrupted by the clamor of the world, he could here study the lessons of nature, of revelation, and of providence. The words of the angel to Zacharias had been often repeated by his God-fearing parents. From childhood his mission had been kept before him, and he accepted the holy trust. To him the solitude of the desert was a welcome escape from society in which suspicion, unbelief, and impurity had become well-nigh all-pervading. He distrusted his own power to withstand temptation, and shrank from constant contact with sin, lest he should lose the sense of its exceeding sinfulness. But the life of John was not spent in idleness, in ascetic gloom, or in selfish isolation. From time to time he went forth to mingle with men; and he was ever an interested observer of what was passing in the world. From his quiet retreat he watched the unfolding of events. With vision illuminated by the divine Spirit, he studied the characters of men, that he might understand how to reach their hearts with the message of heaven. Of Christ, Simeon said, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” And the record declares, “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:29-32, 52. Jesus and John were represented by the educators of that day as ignorant, because they had not learned in the schools of the rabbis; but the God of heaven447 was their teacher, and all who heard were astonished at their knowledge of the Scriptures. The first great lesson in all education, is to know and understand the will of God. We should bring into every day of life the effort to gain this knowledge. To learn science through human interpretation alone is to obtain a false education; but to learn of God and Christ is to learn the science of heaven. The confusion in education has come because the wisdom and knowledge of God have not been exalted. The students in our schools are to regard the knowledge of God as above everything else. “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” “The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 1:18, 19, 25, 30, 31. Those who profess to believe the Word should daily pray for the light of the Holy Spirit to shine upon the pages of the Sacred Book, that they may be enabled to comprehend the things of the Spirit of God. . . . The words of men, however great, are not able to make us “perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:17.