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False and the True in Education
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Jehovah. So today we are to consider the dealings of God with the
nations of the earth. We
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,
and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought
unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient
children, not fashioning yourselves according to the
former lusts in your ignorance:”
1 Peter 1:13-15
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are to see in history the fulfillment of prophecy, to study the workings
of Providence in the great reformatory movements, and to understand
the progress of events in the marshaling of the nations for the final
conflict of the great controversy.
Such study will give broad, comprehensive views of life. It will
help us to understand something of its relations and dependencies,
how wonderfully we are bound together in the great brotherhood of
society and nations, and to how great an extent the oppression and
degradation of one member means loss to all.
But history, as commonly studied, is concerned with man’s
achievements, his victories in battle, his success in attaining power
and greatness. God’s agency in the affairs of men is lost sight of.
Few study the working out of His purpose in the rise and fall of
nations.
And, to a great degree, theology, as studied and taught, is but
a record of human speculation, serving only to “darken counsel by
words without knowledge.” Too often the motive in accumulating
these many books is not so much a desire to obtain food for mind and
soul, as it is an ambition to become acquainted with philosophers
and theologians, a desire to present Christianity to the people in
learned terms and propositions.
Not all the books written can serve the purpose of a holy life.
“‘Learn of Me’,” said the Great Teacher,” “‘take My yoke upon you,’
learn My meekness and lowliness.” Your intellectual pride will not
aid you in communicating with souls that are perishing for want of
the bread of life. In your study of these books you are allowing them
to take the place of the practical lessons you should be learning from
Christ. With the results of this study the people are not fed. Very
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