True Education
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others, are not representatives of his. It is not the great and learned
men of the earth, kings and nobles, who will receive the truth unto
eternal life, though it will be brought to them.
Daniel’s exposition of the dream given by God to the king, resulted
in his receiving honor and dignity. “The king Nebuchadnezzar fell
upon his face, and worshiped Daniel, and commanded that they should
offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him. The king answered unto
Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods,
and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldst
reveal this secret. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave
him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of
Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel
sat in the gate of the king.” “Daniel sat in the gate of the king,”—a
place where judgment was dispensed, and his three companions were
made counselors, judges, and rulers in the midst of the land. These
men were not puffed up with vanity, but they saw and rejoiced that
God was recognized above all earthly potentates, and that his kingdom
was extolled above all earthly kingdoms.
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So we see that the highest line of earthly education may be ob-
tained, and yet the men possessing it may be ignorant of the first
principles which would make them subjects of the kingdom of God.
Human learning cannot qualify for that kingdom. The subjects of
Christ’s kingdom are not made thus by forms and ceremonies, by a
large study of books. “This is life eternal, that they might know thee
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” The mem-
bers of Christ’s kingdom are members of his body, of which he himself
is the head. They are the elect sons of God, “a royal priesthood, an
holy nation, a peculiar people,” that they should show forth the praises
of him who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light.
“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy
God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all
people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his
love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than
any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord
loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn
unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand,