Our College
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with them from college, than in regard to the success and advancement
made in their studies.
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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 a power when united
with true piety.
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
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there was no fault with the 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.
Parents do not always move wisely. Many are very exacting in
wishing to bring others to their ideas, and become impatient and
overbearing if they cannot do this; but when their own children are
required to observe rules and regulations at school, and these children