关于教育的指示
我蒙指示，我们的学院是上帝所设立，要完成伟大救灵善工的。个人的才干只有完全受上帝之灵的控制，才会充分发挥作用。宗教的戒律和原则是获得知识的第一步，是真教育的真实基础。知识和科学必须被上帝的灵所激发，才能为最高尚的宗旨服务。惟有基督徒才能正确地利用知识。为了充分赏识科学，必须从宗教的立场来看待它。这样，所有人就都会敬拜科学的上帝了。因上帝的恩典而高贵的心，能最好地理解教育的真价值。上帝创造之工所表显的上帝品性，只有在我们认识创造主时，才能予以赏识。教师们不但要熟悉真理的理论，而且要体验圣洁的道，以便把青年带到真理的泉源，就是除去世人罪孽的上帝羔羊。知识只有与真虔诚结合，才成为力量。一个倒空自我的人必是高尚的。基督因信住在我们心里，会使我们在上帝眼中看为智慧的人。{PH040 1.1}
我的向导说：“要在所有的学校教育中提高标准。你们不可降低标准。务必维持纪律，对青少年言传身教。”迄今为止我们并不是太严格，而是容忍了太多散漫的行为。但是工人们不要灰心。要与基督的灵同工，按基督的心意纠正现存的弊端。做错事的人自然会同情做错事的人。但忠心的牧人有功课要学习，以便在维持高标准的同时，又教导说希望之星仍在闪耀。要耐心地工作;但要坚决地斥责罪恶，不可予以认可。{PH040 1.2}
在公立学校中，圣经的宗教没有成为教育的一部分。教育计划中忽视了一个必不可少而且最重要的成分。教育是一种会在永恒无尽的岁月中作证的工作。教师们应该是有经验的男女，能在他们一切的教导中传授来自上帝宝座的亮光。父母们的失职是可怕的。孩子们上学的时候，应该有具备忍耐自制品质的人担任他们的教师。{PH040 2.1}
他们像以利一样，没有约束自己的儿女，及至他们儿女的行为对他们的管理作出不利的证明时，他们就想获得解脱，将儿女送到大学去受训练，去学习比父母在家教导他们的更好的礼貌。这就将一项任务交在教师们手中，是很少人能赏识的。要是他们成功地改造了这班粗鲁散漫的学生，父母们就居功，抢他们不应得的功劳，而不给教师们应得的功劳。要是孩子们选择与倾向邪恶的人为伍，从糟糕变得更糟，教师们就受到责难，学校也被指责为是它不应该有的样子，其实应该受谴责的是父母们。孩子们可教且易受感动的最初最好的年月是与父母一起生活的。然而邪恶懒惰的父母们却没能尽他们的本分，他们的孩子就变得在邪恶的行径上更坚定了。他们被送到学院的时候像火石一样坚硬了。{PH040 2.2}
假如父母们更多地研究基督，更少地研究世界;假如他们少关心模仿现代的习俗与时尚，多花时间努力按照神圣的榜样来塑造他们儿女的思想和品格，孩子们出来时就能带着道德的正直，在各科教育中表现出来，使他们能胜任任何重要的岗位。教师们若是敬畏上帝和爱上帝的，就能带着这些孩子向天国更近一步，训练他们，使他们的才能成为福气而不是咒诅。这些教师既与上帝联络，就会发挥一种感化力，影响人们的命运，引导他们学习和顺从上帝的律法，带着他们深思默想永恒的利益，在他们面前展开广阔的思想园地，在他们面前提出要掌握的圣经难题，加强他们的智力去领会重大高尚的主题;然而，还有一个无限的进步空间。{PH040 3.1}
最伟大的工作在我们面前。我们的危险，威胁着我们的效用、若是看不到也不克服就会使我们灭亡的危险，乃是自私——高估我们的计划、我们的意见和我们的工作，行事独立于我们的弟兄。天使们一再地说：“要一起商量。”{PH040 3.2}
撒但可以影响一个人的思想对事物产生偏见。他也能成功地使两个人对事物抱相似的看法。但是若有几个人参与，对付他的诡计就比较稳妥了。每一个计划都要从各方面来观察。每一进展也要更仔细地予以研究。这样，我们所进行的工作就不会带来混乱和困惑，使我们所从事的工作蒙受失败。团结就是力量;分裂就是软弱和失败。上帝正在领出一班子民，预备他们变化升天。我们从事这项工作的人有没有作上帝的哨兵呢?我们有没有同心协力呢?我们乐意成为众人的仆人吗?我们有没有效法那伟大的榜样呢?{PH040 3.3}
巴特尔克里克学院是青年男女应该就上帝的发展与成长计划受训练的地方，是主家中较年幼的成员要深受感动的地方，知道他们是按照造他们的主的形像受造的，他们的精神必须代表基督的精神。所有的人都应感到这是上帝向人传递有关祂知识的一个工具。{PH040 4.1}
上帝的各部门圣工都需要有教养有知识的人;因为新手在开启隐藏的财宝使人富足的事上不能成就蒙悦纳的工作。上帝计划让学校成为培养耶稣基督工人的机构，使祂不至蒙羞。这个目标要始终摆在我们眼前。人们通过适当的培养所能达到的高度，迄今未被认识。
怀爱伦夫人{PH040 4.2}
PH040 - Instruction Concerning Education
I was shown that our College was designed of God to accomplish the great and good work of saving souls. It is only when brought under the full control of the Spirit of God that the talents of an individual are rendered useful to the fullest extent. The precepts and principles of religion are the first steps in the acquisition of knowledge, and lie at the very foundation of true education. Knowledge and science must be vitalized by the Spirit of God, in order to serve the noblest purposes. The Christian alone can make the right use of knowledge. Science, in order to be fully appreciated, must be viewed from a religious standpoint. Then all will worship the God of science. The heart which is ennobled by the grace of God can best comprehend the real value of education. The attributes of God as seen in his created works, can be appreciated only as we have a knowledge of the Creator. The teachers must be acquainted, not only with the theory of truth, but must have an experimental knowledge of the way of holiness, in order to lead the youth to the fountains of truth, to the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. Knowledge is power only when united with true piety. A soul emptied of self will be noble. Christ abiding in the heart by faith, will make us wise in God’s sight.?{PH040 1.1}[1]
My guide said, “Elevate the standard in all school education. You must set up no lower standard. Discipline must be maintained. Teach the youth by precept and example.”?There has not been too much strictness, but too much laxness of action tolerated; but the workers must not despair. Work with the Spirit of Christ, with the mind of Christ, to correct existing evils. Expect that the wrong-doers will have the sympathy of wrong-doers; but faithful shepherds of the flock have lessons to learn in order to keep on an elevated standard and yet teach that the star of hope is still shining. Work on patiently; but rebuke sin firmly, and give it no sanction.?{PH040 1.2}[2]
In the common schools the religion of the Bible is not made a part of the education. One essential, and the most important element, is left out of the program. Education is a work which will tell through the ceaseless ages of eternity. The teachers should be men and women of experience that can impart light from the throne of God in all their instructions. There has been a fearful neglect of duty with the parents, and when the children are sent to school, they should have teachers who have patience and self-control.?{PH040 2.1}[3]
Like Eli, the parents have not restrained their children, and when the conduct of their children is such that it testifies against their management, they think to obtain relief by sending them to college to be disciplined, and to learn better manners than the parents have taught them at home. Here the teachers are left with a task on their hands which few can appreciate. If they succeed in reforming this crude and undisciplined class, parents take the credit instead of giving it to the teacher. If the children choose the society of the evil-inclined, and go from bad to worse, then the teachers are censured, and the school is denounced as being what it should not be, when the condemnation justly belongs to the parents.?They have the first and best years of the lives of their children, while they were teachable and impressible. But wicked and slothful parents have failed in their duty, and their children have become confirmed in an evil course. They were hardened like flint when sent to the College.?{PH040 2.2}[4]
If the parents had studied more of Christ and less of the world, if they had cared less to imitate the customs and fashions of the present age, and devoted time and painstaking effort to mold the minds and characters of their children after the divine Model, then they could send them forth with moral integrity to be carried forward in the branches of study to qualify them for any position of trust. The teachers, if God-fearing and God-loving, could take these children a step nearer heaven, train to make their capacities a blessing and not a curse. Connected with God, these instructors will exert an influence affecting the destiny of souls in leading them to the study and obedience of the law of God, carrying their minds up to the contemplation of eternal interests, opening before them a broad, expansive field of thought, presenting before them difficult Bible problems to master, strengthening the intellect to grasp grand and ennobling themes. After all this there will be an infinity beyond.?{PH040 3.1}[5]
The greatest work is before us. The peril which threatens our usefulness, and which will prove our ruin, if not seen and overcome, is selfishness,—placing a higher estimate upon our plans, our opinions, and our labors, and moving independently of our brethren. “Counsel together,” have been the words repeated by the angel again and again.?{PH040 3.2}[6]
Satan may move through one man’s mind to warp things out of their proper channel. He?may succeed with two who view things in a similar light, but with several minds enlisted, there is greater safety against his wiles. Every plan will be more liable to be viewed from all sides, every advance will be more carefully studied, so that no enterprise will be so likely to be entered upon which will bring confusion and perplexity and defeat to the work in which we are engaged. In union there is strength: in division there is weakness and defeat. God is leading out a people, and fitting them for translation. Are we who are acting a part in this work standing as sentinels for God? Are we uniting our forces? Are we willing to become servants of all? Are we imitating the great Pattern??{PH040 3.3}[7]
The College in Battle Creek is a place where young men and women should be trained according to God’s plan of development and growth, where the younger members of the Lord’s family should be impressed that they are created in the image of their Maker, and that their spirit must represent the Spirit of Christ. All should feel that it is one of God’s instrumentalities to make known the knowledge of himself to man.?{PH040 4.1}[8]
Cultivated intellects are now needed in every part of the work of God, for novices cannot do the work acceptably in unfolding the hidden treasure to enrich the soul. God has devised that schools shall be an instrumentality for developing workers for Jesus Christ, of whom he will not be ashamed, and this object must ever be kept in view. The height man may reach by proper culture, has not hitherto been realized.?{PH040 4.2}[9]
---Mrs. E. G. White[10]
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