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Special Testimonies On Education
Cold philosophical speculations, and scientific research in which
God is not acknowledged, are a positive injury. And the evil is ag-
gravated, when, as is often the case, books placed in the hands of the
young, accepted as authority, and depended upon in their education,
are from authors avowedly infidel. Throughout all the thoughts pre-
sented by these men, their poisonous sentiments are interwoven. The
study of such books is like handling black coals; a student cannot be
undefiled in mind who thinks along the line of skepticism.
The authors of these books, which have sowed the seeds of doubt
and infidelity broadcast over the world, have been under the training of
the great enemy of God and man, the acknowledged head of principal-
ities and powers, the ruler of the darkness of this world. The word that
God has spoken concerning them is, They “became vain in their imag-
inations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves
to be wise, they became fools;” “because that, when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful.” They rejected
divine truth in its simplicity and purity for the wisdom of this world.
Whenever books by these infidel authors are given the precedence, and
the word of God is made secondary, a class of students will be sent out
of the schools no better fitted for the service of God than they were
before they received their education.
It is not for want of evidence that men doubt divine truth; they are
not infidels through ignorance of the character of the word of God.
But through sin the whole human organism is deranged; the mind is
perverted; the imagination corrupted. Temptations from without find
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an answering chord within the heart, and the feet slide imperceptibly
into sin. And so it is that many hate the Bible. Some would not care if
there was not a Bible in the world. When the Son of God was on trial,
the Jews cried out, ‘Away with him, crucify him,” because his pure life
and holy teaching convicted them of sin and condemned them; and for
the same reason, many in their hearts cry out against the word of God.
Many, even of the children and youth, have learned to love sin; they
hate reflection, and the thought of God is a sting to their conscience. It
is because the human heart is inclined to evil that it is so dangerous to
sow the seeds of skepticism in young minds.
But we would not discourage education, nor put a low estimate
on mental culture and discipline. God would have us students as long
as we remain in the world. Every opportunity for culture should be