What Shall We Teach?

Purpose of Church School Work

“When properly conducted, church schools will be the means of lifting the standard of truth in the places where they are established; for children who are receiving a Christian education will be witnesses for Christ. As Jesus in the temple solved the mysteries which priests and rulers had not discerned, so in the closing work of this earth, children who have been rightly educated will in their simplicity speak words which will be an astonishment to men who now talk of ‘higher education.’ As the children sang in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord,’ so in these last days, children's voices will be raised to give the last message of warning to a perishing world. When heavenly intelligences see that men are no longer permitted to present the truth, the Spirit of God will come upon the children, and they will do a work in the proclamation of the truth which the older workers cannot do, because their way will be hedged up. PH124 19.6

“Our church schools are ordained by God to prepare the children for this great work. Here children are to be instructed in the special truths for this time.... By them God's message will be made known, and His saving health to all nations.”—Testimonies for the Church 6:202, 203. PH124 20.1

1. The Bible.—“The Word of God is the most perfect educational book in our world.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 19. PH124 20.2

“The word of God is to stand as the highest educating book in our world, and is to be treated with reverential awe.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 233. PH124 21.1

“If used as a textbook in our schools, it will be found far more effective than any other book in the world.”—Christian Education, 108. PH124 21.2

“It is the Word of God alone that gives to us an authentic account of the creation of our world. This Word is to be the chief study in our schools.”—The Review and Herald, November 11, 1909, art. “Counsel to Teachers.” PH124 21.3

“The Bible should not be brought into our schools to be sandwiched between infidelity. God's Word must be made the groundwork and subject-matter of education.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 16. PH124 21.4

“Let teachers be employed who will give a thorough education in the common branches, the Bible being made the foundation and the life of all study.”—Testimonies for the Church 6:198. PH124 21.5

“The cross of Christ,—how many believe it to be what it is? How many bring it into their studies, and know its true significance? There could not be a Christian in our world without the cross of Christ. Then keep it before the schools as the foundation of all true education. Turn from the examples of the world, cease to extol the professedly great men; turn the mind from the glory of everything save the cross of Christ. Said Paul, ‘God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.’”The Youth's Instructor, July 7, 1898, art. “God's Word our Study Book.” PH124 21.6

The Holy Scriptures were the essential study in the schools of the prophets, and they should hold the first place in every educational system; for the foundation of all right education is a knowledge of God. Used as a textbook in our schools, the Bible will do for mind and morals what cannot be done by books of science and philosophy. As a book to discipline and strengthen the intellect, to ennoble, purify, and refine the character, it is without a rival.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 422. PH124 21.7

“The Bible has not received the close attention it deserves. It has not been honored above every other book in the education of children and youth. Students devote years to acquiring an education. They study different authors, and become acquainted with science and philosophy through books containing the results of human research; but the Book that comes from the divine Teacher has, to a great extent, been neglected. Its value is not discerned; its treasures remain hidden. PH124 22.1

“An education of this character is defective. Who and what are these men of learning, that the minds and characters of the young should be molded by their ideas? They may publish with pen and voice the best results of their reasoning; but they grasp only an item of the work of God, and in their shortsightedness, calling it science, they exalt it above the God of science.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 423. PH124 22.2

2. Philosophy.—“The Bible contains a simple and complete system of theology and philosophy.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 442. PH124 22.3

“Here in the Word is ...the most profound philosophy.”—Special Testimonies on Education, 25. PH124 22.4

“Cold, philosophical speculations and scientific research in which God is not acknowledged, are a positive injury.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 423, 424. PH124 22.5

“God's word is true philosophy, true science.”—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 433. PH124 22.6

“The cross of Calvary, rightly regarded, is true philosophy, pure and undefiled religion.”—The Youth's Instructor, July 7, 1898, art. “God's Word Our Study Book.” PH124 22.7