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Teaching from Nature
153
law of the Most High, the brightness from the face of God departed
from the face of nature. Nature is now marred and defiled by sin. But
God’s object lessons are not obliterated; even now, rightly studied
and interpreted, she speaks of her Creator....
The most effective way to teach the heathen who know not God
is through His works. In this way, far more readily than by any other
method, they can be made to realize the difference between their
idols, the works of their own hands, and the true God, the Maker of
heaven and earth.... There is a simplicity and purity in these lessons
direct from nature that makes of the highest value to others besides
the heathen. The children and youth, all classes of students, need the
lessons to be derived from this source. In itself the beauty of nature
leads the soul away from sin and worldly attractions, and toward
purity, peace, and God.
For this reason the cultivation of the soil is good work for children
and youth. It brings them into direct contact with nature and nature’s
God. And that they may have this advantage, there should be, as
far as possible, in connection with our schools, large flower gardens
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and extensive lands for cultivation.
An education amid such surroundings is in accordance with the
directions which God has given for the instruction of youth; but it
is in direct contrast with the methods employed in the majority of
schools.... The minds of the young have been occupied with books
of science and philosophy, where the thorns of skepticism have been
only partially concealed; with vague, fanciful fairy stories; or with
the works of authors who, although they may write on Scripture
subjects, weave in their own fanciful interpretations. The teaching
of such books is as seed sown in the heart. It grows and bears fruit,
and a plentiful harvest of infidelity is reaped. The result is seen in
the depravity of the human family.
A return to simpler methods will be appreciated by the children
and youth. Work in the garden and field will be an agreeable change
from the wearisome routine of abstract lessons to which the young
minds should never be confined. To the nervous child or youth, who
finds lessons from books exhausting and hard to remember, it will
be especially valuable. There is health and happiness for him in the
study of nature; and the impressions made will not fade out of his