The Gospel Herald
July 1, 1900
Education
[The following extracts are from private letters recently received by the editor.] GH July 1, 1900, par. 1
How pleased I am that the work of the Southern field is advancing. My prayer is, Let it advance, deepen, widen, enlarge, until it shall be a part of the vineyard no longer neglected, but under cultivation. May it be a fruitful garden of the Lord. This can only be done by educating the colored people to read. Then the Word of God, the Bible, placed in their hands, even though unexplained by human agencies, will be made plain and applied by the Holy Spirit. GH July 1, 1900, par. 2
The apostle Paul considered that the Jew had a great advantage above the Gentile, “because unto them had been committed the oracles of God.” This is the highest commendation or testimony as to the value of the Bible. Every effort should be made to have the sacred book containing the whole of the revelation of God, placed in the hands of all nations, tongues, and people. GH July 1, 1900, par. 3
If the mere possession of the Bible is an advantage, how much greater is the privilege of knowing how to read and study its pages. All who wish to understand the Word are stewards of God as verily as those who have been entrusted with riches. Earthly possessions are talents to be imparted to others to advance the work of righteousness in the world. GH July 1, 1900, par. 4
The Bible is becoming more and more an educating lesson book for children and for youth, giving to the young and to those of mature age, and the aged of every nation, the instruction of truth in heavenly things, which is the higher education. GH July 1, 1900, par. 5
A writer says, “We always refer [recur] with delight to the testimony of a deist, who after laboring to disprove Christianity, and bringing the Scriptures into contempt as a forgery, was found instructing his children from the New Testament. When taxed with the inconsistency, his only reply was, that it was necessary to teach the child morality, and that nowhere was morality to be found such as was in the Bible. We thank the deist for the confession.” GH July 1, 1900, par. 6
Teach the colored people to read the Word of God, and it will have a transforming power upon their life, upon their character, give vigor to the intellect, and as the principles contained in the Word of God are sent home by the power of the Holy Spirit, they will work a positive reformation in the human minds of all who will receive the Word. GH July 1, 1900, par. 7
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, that something is being done for the Southern field! Character will be transformed where the Bible is reverenced as the Word of the Living God. The promises of God can be repeated over and over again and with every repetition light comes to the mind. The entrance of thy Word giveth light, it giveth understanding to the simple. The Word of God is to be an educating book, giving knowledge of what true faith is. It should be impressed upon the minds of all, that God stands back of every promise. To claim these promises is our privilege. They are given to all who claim them by faith and appropriate them, which is eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. GH July 1, 1900, par. 8
Especial promises are given to all who shall be instrumental in turning souls from sin to righteousness, converting the sinner from sin to truth, from darkness to light. Ever bear this in mind and teach it to others. GH July 1, 1900, par. 9
“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.... Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand.” Daniel 12:3, 10. GH July 1, 1900, par. 10
We have every encouragement that the Lord hears us and will work for all who are meek and lowly of heart. The work of all who engage to improve the condition of the fallen race will meet with singular resistance, because Satan would make sorry the heart of Christ, by working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, to hedge up the way that the Lord would long to have made plain and distinct. GH July 1, 1900, par. 11