Encourage youth to attend our schools—The youth are to be encouraged to attend our schools, which should become more and more like the schools of the prophets. Our schools have been established by the Lord; and if they are conducted in harmony with His purpose, the youth sent to them will quickly be prepared to engage in various branches of missionary work. Some will be trained to enter the field as missionary nurses, some as canvassers, some as evangelists, some as teachers, and some as gospel ministers.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 489.
(PaM 237.1)
Christian education must be made available to all, not just to a privileged few—The church is asleep, and does not realize the magnitude of this matter of educating the children and youth. “Why,” one says, “what is the need of being so particular thoroughly to educate our youth? It seems to me that if you take a few who have decided to follow some literary calling, or some other calling that requires a certain discipline, and give due attention to them, that is all that is necessary. It is not required that the whole mass of our youth should be so well trained. Will not this answer every essential requirement?”—No, I answer, most decidedly not. What selection would we be able to make out of the numbers of our youth? How could we tell who would be the most promising, who would render the best service to God? In our human judgment we might do as did Samuel when he was sent to find the anointed of the Lord, and look upon the outward appearance.—The Review and Herald, April 28, 1896.
(PaM 237.2)
Purpose
Only those who cooperate with heaven know what true education is—When the Word of God is laid aside for books that lead away from God, and that confuse the understanding regarding the principles of the kingdom of heaven, the education given is a perversion of the name. Unless the student has pure mental food, thoroughly winnowed from the so-called “higher education,” which is mingled with infidel sentiments, he cannot truly know God. Only those who co-operate with heaven in the plan of salvation can know what true education in its simplicity means.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 15.
(PaM 237.3)
Christian education should both fill the mind and teach to share—It is not enough to fill the minds of the youth with lessons of deep importance; they must learn to impart what they have received. Whatever may be the position or possession of any individual who has a knowledge of the truth, the Word of God teaches him that all he has is held by him in trust. It is lent him to test his character. His worldly business, his talents, his means, his opportunities for service, are all to be accounted for to Him to whom by creation and redemption he belongs. God bestows His gifts upon us that we may minister to others and thus become like Him. He who strives to obtain knowledge in order that he may labor for the ignorant and perishing is acting his part in fulfilling God’s great purpose for mankind. In unselfish service for the blessing of others he is meeting the high ideal of Christian education.—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 545.
(PaM 238.1)
Ministers have shown their want of wisdom, by introducing worldly elements into our schools—The object of God in bringing the college into existence has been lost sight of. Ministers of the gospel have so far shown their want of wisdom from above as to unite a worldly element with the college; they have joined with the enemies of God and the truth in providing entertainments for the students. In thus misleading the youth they have done a work for Satan. That work, with all its results, they must meet again at the bar of God. Those who pursue such a course show that they cannot be trusted. After the evil work has been done, they may confess their error; but can they as easily gather up the influence they have exerted? Will the “well done” be spoken to those who have been false to their trust? These unfaithful men have not built upon the eternal Rock. Their foundation will prove to be sliding sand. “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”(James 4:4)—Testimonies for the Church 5:33.
(PaM 238.2)
Teachers
Teachers can do a work of larger importance than even the minister—The teachers for our schools should be selected from the very best class. They should be experienced Christians who are balanced in mind, men and women who have learned the lesson of self-control. Then they can educate and do a work of larger importance than even the minister in preaching the Word. They can prepare the soil that the truth may have effect upon human hearts.—Manuscript Releases 13:95, 96.
(PaM 238.3)
Christian teachers, knowing they sometimes break God’s rules, should not be severe with students who break school rules—I am alarmed for you at Battle Creek. Teachers are very exact in visiting with denunciation and punishments those students who violate the slight rules, not from any vicious purpose, but heedlessly; or circumstances occur which make it no sin for them to deviate from rules which have been made, and which should not be held with inflexibility if transgressed, and yet the person in fault is treated as if he had grievously sinned. Now I want you to consider, teachers, where you stand, and deal with yourselves and pronounce judgment against yourselves; for you have not only infringed the rules, but you have been so sharp, so severe upon students; and more than this, there is a controversy between you and God. You have not made straight paths for your feet lest the lame be turned out of the way. You have departed from safe paths. I say “teachers” ; I do not specify names. I leave that to your own consciences to appropriate. The Lord God of Israel has wrought in your midst again and again. You have had great evidences of the stately steppings of the Most High. But a period of great light, of the wonderful revealings of the Spirit and power of God, is a period of great peril, lest the light shall not be improved. Will you consider Jeremiah 17:5-10; 18:12-15? For you are most surely coming under the rebuke of God. Light has been shining in clear and steady rays upon you. What has this light done for you? Christ, the Chief Shepherd, is looking upon you with displeasure, and is inquiring, “Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?”(Jeremiah 13:20)—Fundamentals of Christian Education, 222.
(PaM 238.4)
School Building
The schoolroom is needed just as much as the church building—This is the work to be done in America, in Australia, in Europe, and wherever companies are brought into the truth. The companies that are raised up need a place of worship. Schools are needed where Bible instruction may be given to the children. The schoolroom is needed just as much as is the church building. The Lord has persons to engage in the work of establishing church schools as soon as something is done to prepare the way for them.—Testimonies for the Church 6:109.
(PaM 239.1)
Members should consider it a privilege and a blessing for the church to have a school building—Brethren and sisters, what will you do to help build a church school? We believe that every one will regard it as a privilege and a blessing to have this school building. Let us catch the spirit of the work, saying, “We will arise and build.” If all will take hold of the work unitedly, we shall soon have a schoolhouse in which from day to day our children will be taught the way of the Lord. As we do our best, the blessing of God will rest upon us. Shall we not arise and build?—Selected Messages 3:213.
(PaM 239.2)
Financing
Tuition should not be so low that schools run in debt—Our brethren say the plea comes from ministers and parents that there are scores of young people in our ranks who need the advantages of our training schools, who cannot attend unless tuitions are less. But those who plead for low tuitions should carefully weigh matters on all sides. If students cannot of themselves command sufficient means to pay the actual expense of good and faithful work in their education, is it not better that their parents, their friends, the churches to which they belong, or large-hearted, benevolent brethren in their conference, should assist them than that a burden of debt should be brought upon the school? It would be far better to let the many patrons of the institution share the expense than for the school to run in debt.—Testimonies for the Church 6:212.
(PaM 239.3)
Financial responsibilities in our schools should not be laid on ministers—Too often ministers have been brought in to carry responsibilities which they were in no way fitted to bear. Lay these responsibilities upon men who have business tact, men who can give themselves to business, who can visit the schools and keep an account of the financial condition, and who can also give instruction regarding the keeping of the accounts. The work of the school should be inspected several times each year. Let the ministers act as counselors, but lay not on them the financial responsibilities.—Testimonies for the Church 6:216.
(PaM 240.1)
Manual Labor
Students should be kept busy in useful labor—The influence for good that the manual training work has exerted over the students overbalances the financial loss, and would overbalance it were it ten times as large as it is. How many souls this work has helped to save, you will never know till the day of judgment. Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do. But when students are kept busy in useful labor, the Lord has opportunity to work with them.—Manuscript Releases 2:216.
(PaM 240.2)