Holy Spirit in the Schools
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than our lessons in ordinary lines. Let us listen; let us bow before God,
and seek him with the whole heart.
Let me tell you what I know of this heavenly Guest. The Holy
Spirit was brooding over the youth during the school hours: but some
hearts were so cold and dark that they had no desire for the Spirit’s
presence, and the light of God was withdrawn. That heavenly visitant
would have opened the understanding, would have given wisdom and
knowledge in all lines of study that would be employed to the glory
of God. The Lord’s messenger came to convince of sin, and to soften
the heart hardened by long estrangement from God. He came to reveal
the great love wherewith God has loved those youth. They are God’s
heritage, and educators need the “higher education” before they are
qualified to be instructors and guides of youth.
The teacher may understand many things in regard to the physical
universe; he may know all about the structure of living things, the
inventions of mechanical art, the discoveries of natural science; but he
cannot be called educated unless he has a knowledge of the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent. A principle of divine origin
must pervade our conduct and bind us to God. This will not be in any
way a hindrance to the study of true science. The fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom, and the man who consents to be molded and
fashioned after the divine similitude, is the noblest specimen of the
work of God. All who live in communion with our Creator will have
an understanding of his designs in their creation, and they will have a
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sense of their own accountability to God to employ their faculties to the
very best purpose. They will seek neither to glorify nor to depreciate
themselves.
The knowledge of God is obtained from his word. The experi-
mental knowledge of true godliness, in daily consecration and service
to God, insures the highest culture of mind, soul, and body; and this
consecration of all our powers to God prevents self-exaltation. The
impartation of divine power honors our sincere striving after wisdom
for the conscientious use of our highest faculties to honor God and
bless our fellow men. As these faculties are derived from God, and
not self-created, they should be appreciated as talents from God to be
employed in his service.
The heaven-entrusted faculties of the mind are to be treated as the
higher powers, to rule the kingdom of the body. The natural appetites