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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
both sexes to become workers in the various branches of the cause.
These students needed a knowledge of the common branches of educa-
tion and, above all else, of the word of God. Here our school has been
deficient. There has not been a man devoted to God to give himself
to this branch of the work. Young men moved upon by the Spirit of
God to give themselves to the ministry have come to the college for
this purpose and have been disappointed. Adequate preparation for
this class has not been made, and some of the teachers, knowing this,
have advised the youth to take other studies and fit themselves for
other pursuits. If these youth were not firm in their purpose, they were
induced to give up all idea of studying for the ministry.
Such is the result of the influence exerted by unsanctified teachers,
who labor merely for wages, who are not imbued with the Spirit of
God and have no union with Christ. No one has been more active in
this work than Brother-----.The Bible should be one of the principal
subjects of study.
[61]
This book, which tells us how to spend the present life, that we
may secure the future, immortal life, is of more value to students than
any other. We have but a brief period in which to become acquainted
with its truths. But the one who had made God’s word a study, and
who could more than any other teacher have helped the young to gain
a knowledge of the Scriptures, has been separated from the school.
Professors and teachers have not understood the design of the
college. We have put in means and thought and labor to make it what
God would have it. The will and judgment of those who are almost
wholly ignorant of the way in which God has led us as a people,
should not have a controlling influence in that college. The Lord
has repeatedly shown that we should not pattern after the popular
schools. Ministers of other denominations spend years in obtaining an
education. Our young men must obtain theirs in a short time. Where
there is now one minister, there should be twenty whom our college
had prepared with God’s help to enter the gospel field.
Many of our younger ministers, and some of more mature experi-
ence, are neglecting the word of God and also despising the testimonies
of His Spirit. They do not know what the testimonies contain and do
not wish to know. They do not wish to discover and correct their
defects of character. Many parents do not themselves seek instruction
from the testimonies, and of course they cannot impart it to their chil-