536
Patriarchs and Prophets
to serve as a barrier against the widespread corruption, to provide for
the moral and spiritual welfare of the youth, and to promote the future
prosperity of the nation by furnishing it with men qualified to act in
the fear of God as leaders and counselors. In the accomplishment
of this object Samuel gathered companies of young men who were
pious, intelligent, and studious. These were called the sons of the
prophets. As they communed with God and studied His word and His
works, wisdom from above was added to their natural endowments.
The instructors were men not only well versed in divine truth, but those
who had themselves enjoyed communion with God and had received
the special endowment of His Spirit. They enjoyed the respect and
confidence of the people, both for learning and piety.
In Samuel’s day there were two of these schools—one at Ramah,
the home of the prophet, and the other at Kirjath-jearim, where the ark
then was. Others were established in later times.
The pupils of these schools sustained themselves by their own
labor in tilling the soil or in some mechanical employment. In Israel
this was not thought strange or degrading; indeed, it was regarded a
crime to allow children to grow up in ignorance of useful labor. By
the command of God every child was taught some trade, even though
he was to be educated for holy office. Many of the religious teachers
supported themselves by manual labor. Even so late as the time of the
apostles, Paul and Aquila were no less honored because they earned a
livelihood by their trade of tentmaking.
The chief subjects of study in these schools were the law of God,
with the instructions given to Moses, sacred history, sacred music,
and poetry. The manner of instruction was far different from that in
the theological schools of the present day, from which many students
graduate with less real knowledge of God and religious truth than
when they entered. In those schools of the olden time it was the grand
object of all study to learn the will of God and man’s duty toward Him.
[594]
In the records of sacred history were traced the footsteps of Jehovah.
The great truths set forth by the types were brought to view, and faith
grasped the central object of all that system—the Lamb of God that
was to take away the sin of the world.
A spirit of devotion was cherished. Not only were students taught
the duty of prayer, but they were taught how to pray, how to approach
their Creator, how to exercise faith in Him, and how to understand and