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Fundamentals of Christian Education
Lord with deep humiliation of soul, and be converted, that God may
heal their transgressions.
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The one standing at the head of a school is to put his undivided
interests into the work of making the school just what the Lord de-
signed it to be. If he is ambitious to climb higher and still higher, if
he gets above the real virtues of his work, and above its simplicity,
and disregards the holy principles of heaven, let him learn from the
experience of Moses that the Lord will surely manifest His displeasure
because of his failure to reach the standard set before him.
Especially should the president of a school look carefully after
the finances of the institution. He should understand the underlying
principles of bookkeeping. He is faithfully to report the use of all
moneys passing through his hand for the use of the school. The funds
of the school are not to be overdrawn, but every effort is to be made
to increase the usefulness of the school. Those intrusted with the
financial management of our educational institutions, must allow no
carelessness in the expenditure of means. Everything connected with
the finances of our schools should be perfectly straight. The Lord’s
way must be strictly followed, though this may not be in harmony with
the ways of man.
To those in charge of our schools I would say, Are you making
God and His law your delight? Are the principles that you follow,
sound and pure and unadulterated? Are you keeping yourselves, in the
life practice, under the control of God? Do you see the necessity of
obeying Him in every particular? If you are tempted to appropriate the
money coming into the school, in ways that bring no special benefit to
the school, your standard of principle needs to be carefully criticized,
that the time may not come when you will have to be criticized and
found wanting. Who is your bookkeeper? Who is your treasurer?
Who is your business manager? Are they careful and competent?
Look to this. It is possible for money to be misappropriated without
anyone’s understanding clearly how it came about; and it is possible
for a school to be losing continually because of unwise expenditures.
Those in charge may feel this loss keenly, and yet suppose they have
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done their best. But why do they permit debts to accumulate? Let those
in charge of a school find out each month the true financial standing
of the school.