Christian Character Exemplified in Teachers and Students
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angels of God are about you. It is right that you should feel that you
must climb to the highest round of the educational ladder. Philosophy
and history are important studies; but your sacrifice of time and money
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will avail nothing, if you do not use your attainments for the honor of
God and the good of humanity. Unless the knowledge of science is a
stepping stone to the attainment of the highest purposes, it is worthless.
The education that does not furnish knowledge as enduring as eternity,
is of no purpose. Unless you keep heaven and the future, immortal
life before you, your attainments are of no permanent value. But if
Jesus is your teacher, not simply on one day of the week, but every
day, every hour, you may have his smile upon you in the pursuit of
literary acquirements.
Daniel ever kept before him the glory of God, and you should
also say, Lord, I desire knowledge, not for the glorification of self,
but to meet the expectation of Jesus, that I may perfect an intelligent
Christian character, through the grace he has given unto me. Will the
students be true to principle as was Daniel?
In the future there will be more pressing need of men and women
of literary qualifications than there has been in the past; for broad
fields are opening out before us, white already for harvest. In these
fields you may be laborers together with God. But if you are lovers of
pleasure more than lovers of God, if you are filled with levity, if you
allow the golden opportunities to pass without acquiring knowledge,
without placing solid timbers in your character building, you will be
dwarfed and crippled in any line of occupation you may undertake.
While a good education is a great benefit if combined with con-
secration in its possessor, still those who do not have the privilege of
gaining high literary attainments need not think they cannot advance
in intellectual and spiritual life. If they will make the most of the
knowledge they have, if they will seek to gather something to their
store every day, and will overcome all perverseness of temper through
the studious cultivation of Christ-like traits of character, God will open
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channels of wisdom to them, and it may be said of them as it was said
of old, concerning the Hebrew children, God gave them wisdom and
understanding.
It is not that brilliant young men always make the greatest success.
How often men of talent and education have been placed in positions
of trust, and have proved failures. Their glitter had the appearance of