Teacher Must Be a Learner
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search and compare the evidences of the Word of God on messages
that He sends to the church, that you may know what is truth, and be
able to direct those who look to you into the way of righteousness.
Listen with Candor
When asked to hear the reasons of a doctrine that you do not
understand, do not condemn the message until you have given it a
thorough investigation, and know from the Word of God that it is not
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tenable. If I had an opportunity, I would speak to the students of every
Sabbath-school in the land, lifting up my voice in earnest appeal that
they go to the Word of God, seeking for truth and light. God has
precious light to come to His people at this very time, and you should
strive earnestly in your investigations to aim at nothing less than a
thorough knowledge of every point of truth, that you may not be found
in the day of God among those who have not lived by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
The momentous issues at stake through neglect of the Word of God
should be carefully considered. The study of the Bible is worthy of
the best mental effort, the most sanctified ability. When new light is
presented to the church, it is perilous to shut yourselves away from it.
Refusing to hear because you are prejudiced against the message or the
messenger will not make your case excusable before God. To condemn
that which you have not heard and do not understand will not exalt
your wisdom in the eyes of those who are candid in their investigations
of truth. And to speak with contempt of those whom God has sent
with a message of truth, is folly and madness. If our youth are seeking
to educate themselves to be workers in His cause, they should learn
the way of the Lord, and live by every word that proceedeth out of
His mouth. They are not to make up their minds that the whole truth
has been unfolded, and that the Infinite One has no more light for
His people. If they entrench themselves in the belief that the whole
truth has been revealed, they will be in danger of discarding precious
jewels of truth that shall be discovered as men turn their attention to
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the searching of the rich mine of God’s Word.
Those who have entered upon the work of teaching, or who have
been called to any position of responsibility, should not be satisfied
to take the product of the researches of other minds, but they should