Frankfort Pilgrim College - Pilgrim Yearbook (Frankfort, IN)

Page 49 text:

What Has Education Done For Religion? S WITH the spread of Christianity, education has inereasedg so, in turn, education has helped to purify the current of many religious doctrines and practices. Though it is true that the uneducated are more simple in their belief and less subject to doubts, yet even in that lies a danger. They are ready to be- lieve and practice church decrees whether true or false in doctrine. The evil attending such practiqls is evidentg if the clmrch leaders do not follow Christ, neither will those that believe their teachings. On the other hand the educated have the ability and means to sift prac- tices and separate truth from error if as it should be, their education is in har- mony with the Scriptures. During the Dark Ages. a time that was given this name became the lamp of learning and light of Christ had almost gone out, the religious life was at a low ebb. Gross superstition was p1'evalent. Many practices originated that were unscriptural. The great awakening of the Reformation came in the uni- versities among men, who because of extended vision could see the evils of their day. They compared the conditions as they saw them with those re- corded in the Bible, and the difference was evident. True the Holy Spirit was a great-in fact, the chief force, but a greater opportunity for His work was given in awakened minds that were learned. Education has made possible the translation of the Bible into different. languages so that all may share its treasures. A better understanding of its truths has been brought about through the studying of the Greek and Hebrew languages. The Bible was Written by educated men who were inspired by the Holy Ghost. Saint Paul was counted high among the scholars of his day. Education used for God's glory is a great blessing. The wise men ascertained Christ 's coming through their knowledge of the stars. Wliat a benefit their wisdom was to them. Luther was professor in the Wittenburg University. Wesley was a fellow of Oxford. Too much stress can- not be placed on education, nor too much stress on the kind of education, pre- vided the Holy Spirit is not ignored. It is true modern education is making infidels. destroying the faith of young men and women, and setting up false standards. But modern education will have to change or lose the objects it hopes to win. Are we then to cast aside education, which has ever been a means of strengthening religion, because it is wrongly used? Assuredly not. VVe must seek the truth as set forth in the Bible and base our educational system on this. VVe must profit by the experience of the past. XVhen education has been used in harmony with God's word it has brought light and blessing to the world. It has helped to formulate methods of, a11d to present the christian religion, to spread it to the ends of the earth, and to keep it in its original es- sence. As the educational system embraced error instead of truth. there has been a turning from belief in God to a feeling of the security and sufficiency of man. When education and salvation have waned. superstition and sin have crept into the church. No doubt this was because of the waning interest edu- cation had in Christ and the rejecting of the light of God and greed for money and power on the part of church leaders. It is clear that education and re- ligion have gone hand in hand and will continue to do so if the highest good in either field is accomplished. -Hester Havard. .-.45-.

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The True Aim Of Education t TRUE education aims to implant a love of knowledge, an adherence to truth because it is truth, a reverence for man because he is man, an enthusiasm for. liberty, a spirit of candor, of sympathy, and, above all, a supreme regard for duty. It is evident that the modern idea and view ot education to-day falls far beneath its true standard and purpose. It is true that we have many fields of knowledge. There is seemingly no limit to the extent in which some may be pursued. But what is the object and aim of that pursuit? Many of our colleges of to-day are filled with young men and women who go for a good time or for the name they get by attending some popular school, while others go in order to procure enough knowledge along some line to enable them to bring fame and renown to themselves. They get only a disordered smattering of knowledge and do not sound the depths or touch the truth of a living vital knowledge. Theirs is only a hollow and false education. Learning is not found alone in books. lt does not commence with the alphabet, it begins with a mothe1 s look, with a father's nod of approbation, or a sign of reproofg with a sister's gentle pressure of the hand, or a brother's nobel :ict ot torbearance, with handfuls of Howers in green dells, on hills, and daisy meadows, with bird's nests admired, but not touched: with creeping ants, and nith lnnnming-bees, with pleasant walks in shady lanes, and with thought directed in sweet and kindly tones and words to nature, to beauty, to acts of benevolence, to deeds of virtue, and to the source of all good-to God Him- Selffl The purpose of true education is the awakening of a love for truth, giv- ing a ,just sense of duty, opening the eyes of the soul to the great purpose and end of lite. lt is not so much giving words, as thoughts, or mere maxims, as living principles. lt is not teaching to be honest because 'thonesty is the best policyf' but because it is right. It is teaching the individual to love the good, for the sake of the good, to be virtuous in action, because so in heart, to love tiod supremely, not from fear, but from delight. It is an evident fact that we cannot have a true knowledge of things or be truly educated unless we have the help of God. Only as He reveals hidden truths to us and helps us to discern what is true learning can we assimilate and incorporate real knowledge. In modern education God has been left out. One writer has said, Educate men without religion, and you make them but clever devilsu. Recently the editor of one of our prominent papers, in discussing the relationship between the school and religion said, Men who seek to intrude their particular religious beliefs and literature into the public school work are doing their country a disservice. Let religion be taught freely in the proper places-but let the public schools be free for their own particular workf' God is able to enlighten the minds of men but if they refuse His help, He will let them alone to go on in their blindness and folly,-seeking truth, but not find- ing it. The knowledge they gain for themselves will suffice to serve only their own end and will be of no lasting benefit to their fellow-men. If we work upon marble, it will perish, if on brass, time will efface it, if wc rear temples they will crumble into dust, but if We work upon immortal minds, and imbuc them with principles, with the just fear of God and love of our fellow-men, we engrave on these tablets something that will brighten to all eternity. -Bernadine Beisner. ..44-.

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fp Religious Activities Of Our College t' OW beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of gpeace, and bring glad tidings of good things. This precious bit from the Book of books has been verified in our college this year. The students have sought to carry the glad tidings to those in sinls dark night. On Sunday afternoons many of them have gone to the poorer sections of Frankfort to show the people of these districts the way of life ever-lasting. Members of the Sociology class wishing to obtain information for themselves concerning the social conditions have also gone to visit homes. They did not go just to receive information alone, but to tell the old, old story so dear to the heart of every follower of the Cross. These visits have proved great blessings to the visitor and the visited. The President, Vice-president, and Secretary of the Pilgrim Holiness Young Peoples' Society of the State of Indiana are members of our student body. These young people have been going over the week end to the different churches in the districts to aid the local societies in their work. The State President held several revivals during this school year. One of our students is pastoring the Forest church, and conducted their spring revival. Other students assisted in this meeting by song and preach- ing. Our mathematics teacher organized a Missionary Band who not only ask God to help and bless the Missionaries but put feet to their prayers by making promise boxes, and Scripture picture puzzles. Pictures from Scripture Text Calendars have been shellaced on both sides and bound. These can be used in lesson instruction. Sunday school papers and cards are collected and toys are being made from spools. Scrap books are also being made by these young people and these will be a blessing to our missionaries. The Deaconess and her co-workers have been busy during the school year visiting in the homes of the sick and poor, and distributing clothing and food to the needy. At Thanksgiving time a special effort was made to reach every needy family in the city. While ministering to the body, opportunities are presented to minister to the soul. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth tothe Lord. During the first semester teachers and students held services at the County Farm. The hearts of these poor old people were made glad by the good tidings of great joy carried so willingly to them by these soldiers of King lmmanuel. We hope many precious souls may be gathered from this sowing of the seed of God's word. The Chapel services begin the day for us and the Lord graciously meets with us. Here He gives strength and grace, and binds our hearts together in His love. The messages, which are delivered by our President, the teachers, and visiting ministers, inspire us to seek the Lord more and to love and serve Him better. In these services we have seen the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in old-fashioned conviction and souls have fallen at the altar and there found the joy and peace they sought. Sometimes it seems that Heaven comes a lit- tle nearer and our hearts are melted in adoration and praise to Him, who has saved and sanctified us by His own precious blood. The lasting results of these activities of students and teachers will probably never be known until the day of final reckoning. -Helen Andrew. ..45. 1 .. . ... ...... 1 g ilqQxg