Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 13 (1898)

Ms 108, 1898

Higher Education

September 1, 1898

Portions of this manuscript are published in TDG 253.

Education means much, very much, to every child and youth. To educate means to impart that knowledge which will enable the mind to grasp and contemplate those things that will be for the students’ highest present and eternal good. The contemplation of the Word of God will make us wise unto salvation. This knowledge will ensure our happiness and success in the perfection of Christian attainments. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 1

All who in faith receive the Word of God will be doers of that Word, and their works will be an influence among influences, a savor of life unto life. They will practice the truth, and hold forth the Word of life to others. Their minds will be enlarged by a true knowledge, which Christ represents as eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 2

Christ said, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: for he that eateth of this bread shall live forever.” [John 6:63, 56-58.] 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 3

Satan will do everything that he can to satisfy the appetite for food that does not pertain to the knowledge of the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. You will hear the words of men exalting human beings, lifting up those who are called great by this world. But in doing this, they lose sight of Christ in the Word as all and in all, the first, the last, the best in everything. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 4

Christ declared, “The Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” Then He explains the wonderful works of God: “As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” [John 5:20-24.] 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 5

The truest, the highest, the most exalted knowledge is found in the word. In its simplicity there is eloquence. There are those who will grasp at the words of the supposed great men of the world, who love to swell on their phraseology, as something they need to esteem and value. These need to sit at the feet of Jesus, and learn of Him, whom to know aright is life eternal. In reading the word of God, in studying the meaning of the word, in bringing its principles into the heart and life, the teachers in our schools will eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God. The mind will be enlarged by a true saving knowledge. The heart will be softened, subdued, refined, expanded. They will be partakers of the divine nature, one with Christ. They will communicate their knowledge to others, that it may become the property of mankind. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 6

Those who retain the grosser traits of character, and continue to reveal human defects in their words and disposition, bear the testimony that they are not eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. Christ says, “He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” [John 6:56.] 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 7

And the disciple John says, “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. ... In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” [1 John 3:6, 7, 10-12.] 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 8

This whole chapter contains lessons that teachers would do well to learn. “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because (we claim to keep the commandments? no, because) we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” [Verses 22-24.] 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 9

This is the genuine evidence of true conversion. Whatever our profession may be, it amounts to nothing unless Christ is revealed in the actions, in works of righteousness. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” [1 John 4:7-11.] 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 10

Christ is our personal Saviour, and if we are His disciples, the wrongdoing will cease, the lifting up of the soul unto vanity will come to an end; all unrighteousness will come to an end. The strife to be first will no longer exist; for Christ is formed within, the hope of glory. Pure and undefiled religion will be seen in our lives. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 11

“No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” [Verse 12.] This is the result of an experimental knowledge of Christ. The truth admitted into the heart will be seen in the sanctification of the receiver. There will be a continual growth in grace, a preparedness to accomplish that work which God has appointed us; we shall answer the purpose for which we were redeemed. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 12

There must be a continual work going forward in us. We are to gain a better and more intelligent knowledge [of] how to work. The individual worker will receive an education which will be of the highest value to himself personally—an education which will qualify him to reach and save his fellow beings. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 13

When Christ called His disciples from their fishing nets, He told them that they were to be fishers of men. In communicating the truth to others, they were to cast their nets on the right side of the ship. By this Christ meant that they were to work in faith to save souls. And this work for individuals would, in the providence of God lead them to work for communities. They were not to think themselves part of different systems of work, but individual threads of the great whole, inseparably united, like links in a chain with their fellow men and with God. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 14

God desires that the youth shall become skillful, thorough laborers, wearing Christ’s yoke, lifting His burdens. “Ye are laborers together with God,” He says. [1 Corinthians 3:9.] The children and youth should seek most earnestly to advance in understanding, in mental acquirements; their aim should be in spiritual as well as temporal things, to work upon the plan of addition. “Giving all diligence,” the apostle Peter says, “add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [2 Peter 1:5-8.] 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 15

All these virtues are essential, and will develop in the character of the receiver the attributes of Christ. They will enlarge his own knowledge of the spiritual graces. He will desire to impart his benefits and understanding to others. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 16

Advancement in true education does not harmonize with selfishness. True knowledge comes from God, and returns again to God. His children are to receive that they may give again. Those who, through the grace of God have received intellectual and spiritual benefits are, as they advance, to draw others with them to a higher excellence. And this work, done to promote the good of others, will have the co-operation of unseen agencies. As we faithfully continue the work, we shall have high aspirations for righteousness, holiness and a perfect knowledge of God. We ourselves will become complete in Christ in this life, and will take with us to the courts above our increased capabilities, there to continue our Higher Education. 13LtMs, Ms 108, 1898, par. 17