390
Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
college than in regard to the success and advancement made in their
studies.
I was shown that our college was designed of God to accomplish the
great work of saving souls. It is only when brought under full control
of the Spirit of God that the talents of an individual are rendered useful
to the fullest extent. The precepts and principles of religion are the first
steps in the acquisition of knowledge, and lie at the very foundation
of true education. Knowledge and science must be vitalized by the
Spirit of God in order to serve the noblest purposes. The Christian
alone can make the right use of knowledge. Science, in order to be
fully appreciated, must be viewed from a religious standpoint. The
heart which is ennobled by the grace of God can best comprehend the
real value of education. The attributes of God, as seen in His created
works, can be appreciated only as we have a knowledge of the Creator.
In order to lead the youth to the fountain of truth, to the Lamb of God
who taketh away the sins of the world, the teachers must not only be
acquainted with the theory of the truth, but must have an experimental
knowledge of the way of holiness. Knowledge is power when united
with true piety.
[428]
Duty of Parents to the College
Our brethren and sisters abroad should feel it their duty to sustain
this institution which God has devised. Some of the students return
home with murmuring and complaints, and parents and members of the
church give an attentive ear to their exaggerated, one-sided statements.
They would do well to consider that there are two sides to the story; but
instead, they allow these garbled reports to build up a barrier between
them and the college. They then begin to express fears, questionings,
and suspicions in regard to the way the college is conducted. Such an
influence does great harm. The words of dissatisfaction spread like
a contagious disease, and the impression made upon minds is hard
to efface. The story enlarges with every repetition, until it becomes
of gigantic proportions, when investigation would reveal the fact that
there was no fault with teachers or professors. They were simply doing
their duty in enforcing the rules of the school, which must be carried
out or the school will become demoralized.