(BATTLE CREEK) COLLEGE RECORD
《巴特尔克里克学院记录》
1878年1月1日
“敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端”
如果上我们学院的人想成为有影响力和有能力的人，他们必须学会尊敬和尊敬他们的创造主;如果他们想获得充分的教育，他们必须通晓最重要的书——聖經。这本書包含真理的宝石，使他们得救的智慧。论到聖經，那位离开宝座、降卑為人、拯救墮落人類的天上大君曾吩咐说：“你们查考圣经，因你们以为内中有永生，给我作见证的就是这经”。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 1}
我们的大学不仅是一个培养智力的文化机构，而且是一个塑造品格的地方。学生不应認為，要最充分地利用时间，他的心思必须完全投入到各門學科研究中去。这只是教育的一个分支。身心的所有力量都应该受到训练以獲得最大的善果。学生应该看到并感受到在正确的基础上进行建造的重要性。他應當以敬畏耶和华的开始，以公平正义的律法为指引。耶稣是完美的楷模。祂在纯洁无暇的生活中所樹立的榜样应该作为年轻人的示範不断地展现出来。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 2}
我们所有已经学会爱上帝並敬畏祂的学生，都不要低估获得这一知识的价值;因为聖經说，敬畏耶和华是一切知识的根基。那些敬畏上帝、热爱上帝、以上帝的力量为目标、勇敢地承担责任的人，将在他的宗教生活中体现上帝的仁爱、智慧和力量。法利賽式的宗教家言行不一，那些崇尚真理、诚实和正直的人不喜欢他並回避他;但是真正向耶稣學習，并在生活中表现谦卑温柔的人，将通过他的举止和宗教生活，对同伴發揮有效的影响。任何人都不应该觉得，要成为眾所周知的基督徒，就必須采取一种令人感到恥辱的立场，或者想要躲藏起来。这是道德品质有缺陷和懦弱的表現。与天上的上帝相連就是与宇宙間最富有最强大的君主结盟。作全能上帝的儿女，就是与万王之王，天地的主宰建立關係。这是最高的地位。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 3}
不要任憑年轻人擅自思考和行动。他们应该以有经验之人的忠告为指导。青年人每一天在生活的園地里播撒种子。将来有什么收成呢?所有人都在为自己编织一张习惯的网，一旦形成，要打破它就很費力。所有对青年人施加促进健康、興旺和心灵安宁的影響是多么重要啊!许多年轻人在关键时刻，因为缺少親切的同情和鼓励的话而轉入错误的方向。几乎每个青年人都有一个人生的转折点，他的道德价值要么上升，要么下降到一个低水平。在人生的关键时刻，青年人受到的影响决定了他们今生的品格和永恒命运。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 4}
如果年轻人选择與品格低劣的人為伴，沉溺于像秋天的落葉那樣遍地散落的庸俗的情感故事和不潔的是看，他們的心靈就會留下所吸收之物低劣污穢的印記。不洁的事物和不洁的思想会对心灵产生黑暗的影响。这等人可能会忏悔，对过去所受的教育深感遺憾，但是他们的品格将会留下污点;曾经怀有的不潔思想無法隨意完全消除。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 5}
全面的教育不仅包括文学造诣，還包括正确行为的知识。离家上学的学生不要因为没有父母的眼睛注视着他们的进出就抛弃所有的約束感。他们应该認識到比在家中更需要自製;他們需要对自己的行为是否恰当有成熟的判断。随着他们在知识上的进步，他们应该培养优雅的举止。那些仅仅满足于各科知识的人，是在接受片面的教育。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 6}
富人的儿子一般比穷人的儿子更难管教。富翁的儿子们往往用自己的行動告訴別人：“你們对待我要小心。我是富人的儿子，我愿意做什么就做什么。”但在现实中，那些认为父辈的财富和土地增加了自己的重要性的学生，却在不断地說明这样一个事实：他们需要接受文雅和礼貌的教育。金钱、房屋和土地都无法为他们买到发展完善的高尚品德，而这些品德将提高人在社会中的道德价值，并提高他们在上帝心目中的地位。造就人的不是财富，也不是地位，而是道德价值。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 7}
在我们国家的许多大学裡，年轻人与同学们交往，有变得不道德和堕落的危险。对诱惑保持开放心态的人，在智力文化中不可能达到很高的造诣。那些不參與轻浮和虚幻的享乐就不安分和不满意的年轻人，以一种永远不会给他们带来好处的方式，使用上帝赋予他们的能力，結果就是心智低能。那些允许低級的情慾、食慾、自私和骄傲支配自己的人，违犯他们本性的一切法则，在道德堕落越陷越堕深。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 8}
但愿巴特克里克学院不留这类学生。一个这样的人会败坏许多年轻人的道德，成为学校的污点。年轻人从父母的家里被送到我们的大学接受教育和訓練，畢業時應擁有文化知識和平衡的思想。他们的道德和靈性可以通过文化課程的训练和巴特克里克他們周圍宗教帮助的影响而得到启发和提高。这就是我们学院所要完成的任务。我们希望全世界的人都知道，我们的青年不仅在文化學科方面受过教育，还不断地向他们顯示認識和服从上帝律法的重要性。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 9}
合適的交往对年轻人来说是最重要的。他们不应该选择那些道德標準低下的友伴。这种友谊具有一种潜移默化的影响，使他们有缺陷的品格，与他们所交往之人的品格同化。另一方面，如果我们青年人的伙伴是具有良好思想和健全原则的人，他们将通过他们的自觉和无意识的影响，大大有利于那些与他们接触的人。思維的能力將得到激發。純潔的思想、言语和行动将产生显著的影响，使人得到提升。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 10}
良好的习惯对青年男女來說有着不可言说的价值。他们的境遇也许永远是卑微的，但如果他们成长为有思想的人，勤劳的人，善良的人，谨慎的人，他们的道路将是稳步向上的。他们在社会上有用，值得信赖，值得尊敬，不容易被引誘離開正直的道路。他们养成的宝贵习惯将使他们结交好朋友;这些朋友的影响将加强美德和原则的紐帶。以好习惯為品格基石的年轻人不会被诱惑的风暴所动摇。他们可以像约瑟那样堅贞，像摩西那样温顺，拥有所罗门那樣的智慧。他们不論在城市，在鄉村，在帳房或在大学都是安全的。他们可以成就任何事情，因为他们与大能之主，就是一切智慧和能力的泉源相聯絡。{CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 11}
(BATTLE CREEK) COLLEGE RECORD
January 1, 1878
“The Fear of the Lord Is the Beginning of Wisdom.“
If those who attend our College would become men of influence and power, they must learn to reverence and honor their Creator; if they would obtain a thorough education, they must become acquainted with the Book of all books. This volume contains the jewels of truth that are able to make them wise unto salvation. Concerning this book, the Majesty of Heaven, who left his royal throne and stooped to the level of humanity that he might elevate the fallen race, has given the injunction: “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.” {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 1}
Our College is not only a literary institution, where minds are to be educated, but it is a place where character is to be molded. The student should not feel, that, in order to improve his time to the best account, his mind must be exclusively devoted to the study of the sciences. This is but one branch of education. All the powers of mind and body should be trained to accomplish the greatest amount of good. The student should see and feel the importance of building upon the right foundation. He should commence with the fear of the Lord, and be guided by his just and righteous laws. Jesus is the perfect pattern. His example in a pure and spotless life should be continually presented as a model for the youth. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 2}
Let none of our students who have learned to love and fear God, undervalue the acquisition of this knowledge; for the pen of inspiration has declared that the fear of the Lord lies at the very foundation of all knowledge. He who fears and loves God, and is making it his aim in the strength of God to be brave to duty, will exemplify in his religious life the love, the wisdom, and the power of God. The Pharisaical religionist, whose life contradicts his profession, will be disliked and shunned by those who admire truth, honesty, and integrity; but he who has indeed learned of Jesus, and who manifests in his life the meekness of humility, will, by his deportment and religious life, exert a winning influence upon his associates. No one should feel that in becoming an acknowledged follower of Christ he has taken a position to be ashamed of, or that he should wish to hide. This would evidence weakness of moral character, and cowardice. To be connected with the God of Heaven is to be allied to the richest and mightiest sovereign that ever held a scepter. To be sons and daughters of the Almighty, is to bear relationship to the King over all kings, the Monarch of the heavens and the earth. This is the highest exaltation. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 3}
The young should not be left to themselves, to think and act independently. They should be guided by the counsel of those of experience. The youth are every day sowing seed in the field of life; and what will the harvest be? All are weaving for themselves a web of habits, which, when once formed, will task the strength to break. How important, then, that the influence exerted over the youth be such as will promote health, prosperity, and peace of mind. Many a youth has, in a critical moment, balanced in the wrong direction for want of kindly sympathy and encouraging words. There is, with almost every youth, a turning-point in life, from which he will either rise in moral worth or sink to a low level. The influence thrown around youth at these critical points in life, determines the character which they shall develop for time; and their destiny for eternity. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 4}
If the youth choose the society of those whose characters have been cast in an inferior mold, if they indulge in the reading of the cheap sensational stories and impure books which are scattered through the land like autumn leaves, their minds will have the inferior, impure cast of that upon which they feed. Impure objects and impure thoughts will exert a blackening influence upon the soul. This class may repent, they may deeply mourn over their past education, but marks of the stain will be left upon the character; unhallowed thoughts once cherished cannot be entirely banished at will. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 5}
Thorough education comprises not only literary attainments, but a knowledge of proper behavior. Students who leave their homes to attend school should not cast off all feeling of restraint, because no watchful parental eye is upon their going out and coming in. They should feel that self-control is even more necessary than when at home, and that they must have maturity of judgment with regard to the propriety of their acts. As they progress in knowledge, they should cultivate refinement of manners. Those who are satisfied with a knowledge of the sciences merely, are obtaining a one-sided education. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 6}
The sons of the wealthy are generally more difficult to restrain than the sons of poor men. Rich men’s sons frequently say, by their deportment, “You must be careful how you deal with me. I am a rich man’s son, and shall do as I please.” But in reality those students who feel that their importance is increased by the money and lands of their fathers, are continually developing the fact that they need an education in refinement and common politeness. Money, houses, and lands cannot purchase for them well developed, refined characters, which will raise the possessors in moral value in society, and elevate them in the estimation of God. It is not wealth nor standing that makes the man; it is moral worth. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 7}
Many of the colleges in our land are places where, by association with fellow-students, the youth are in danger of becoming immoral and depraved. The mind that is left open to temptation is not in a fit condition to reach high attainments in intellectual culture. Youth who are restless and dissatisfied unless they can be engaged in frivolous and delusive pleasure, use their God given capabilities in a manner that will never bring them returns of good; for the end will be mental imbecility. Those who allow the lower passions, appetite, selfishness, and pride, to govern them, will violate every law of their natures, and sink lower and lower in moral degradation. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 8}
God forbid that Battle Creek College should retain this class of students. One person of this stamp would demoralize scores of youth, and would be a blot upon the school. Youth are sent from the parental home to our College to be so educated and disciplined that they may come forth with well-balanced minds as well as intellectual culture; that the moral and spiritual nature may be enlightened and elevated by the discipline of intellectual studies, and the influence of the religious helps which surround them at Battle Creek. This is the work which our College is designed to accomplish. We are willing that the whole world should know, not only that our youth are educated in the sciences, but that they have continually kept before them the importance of obtaining a knowledge of the laws of God, and of rendering obedience to them. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 9}
Proper associations are of the highest importance to the youth. They should not be left to choose associates who will lower their standard of integrity. The friendship of such has a stealthy influence assimilating to their own deficient characters those who associate with them. On the other hand, if the associates of our youth are persons of good minds and sound principles, they will, by their conscious and unconscious influence, greatly benefit those brought in contact with them. The powers of the mind will be invigorated. Pure thoughts, words, and actions will have a telling influence, elevating in its tendency. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 10}
Good habits are of untold value to young men and women. Their circumstances may be ever so lowly, but if they grow up thoughtful, industrious, virtuous, and discreet, their course will be steadily upward. They will be useful in society, trustworthy, and honorable; they will not be easily beguiled from the path of uprightness. The valuable habits which they have formed will bring around them friends whose influence will strengthen the bonds of virtue and principle. Youth who have made good habits the foundation-stone of character will not be rocked by the storms of temptation. They may be chaste like Joseph, meek like Moses, and have the wisdom possessed by Solomon. They will be safe anywhere, in city or country, counting-room or college. They may be and accomplish anything; for they are connected with the Mighty One, the Source of all wisdom and all strength. {CollegeRecord January 1, 1878, par. 11}
搜索
