“How many can truthfully answer this question, What is the essential education for this time? Education means much more than many suppose....Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 1

“The youth are in need of educators who shall keep the Word of God ever before them in living principles. If they will keep Bible precepts ever as their text-book, they will have greater influence over the youth; for the teachers will be learners, having a living touch with God. All the time they are inculcating ideas and principles that will lead to a greater knowledge of God, and earnest, growing faith in their behalf in the blood of Jesus, and the power and efficiency of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to keep them from falling, because they are constantly seeking the strongholds of a healthful and well-balanced Christian experience, carrying with them qualifications for future usefulness, and intelligence, and piety. The teachers see and feel that they must labor not to dwarf and taint the minds of their associates with a sickly, half-religious service. There is need of separating from our educational institutions an erroneous, polluted literature, so that ideas will not be received as seeds of sin. Let none suppose that education means a study of books that will lead to the reception of ideas of authors that will sow seed and spring up to bear fruit that must be bound up in bundles with the world, separating them from the Source of all wisdom, all efficiency, and all power, leaving them the sport of Satan's arch-deceiving power. A pure education for youth in our schools, undiluted with heathen philosophy, is a positive necessity in literary lines.Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 2

“The well-being, the happiness, of the religious life in the families with which they are connected, the prosperity and piety of the church of which they are members, are largely dependent upon the religious education that the youth have received in our schools.”Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 3

“Why, then, should not the Scriptures be ennobled and exalted in every school in our land? ... The Bible should ever have been made the great, grand book of study.Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 4

“Should that book which tells us what we must do in order to be saved, be set aside in the corner, and human productions be exalted as the great wisdom in education? ... The Word of God is to stand as the highest educating book in our world, and is to be treated with reverential awe. It is our guide-book; we shall receive from it the truth. We need to present the Bible as the great lesson book to be placed in the hands of our children and youth, that they may know Christ, whom to know aright is life eternal. It is the book to be studied by those of middle age and those who are aged. The Word contains promises, warnings, encouragement, and assurances of the love of God to all who accept him as their Saviour. Then place the Holy Word in their hands. Encourage them to search the Word, and they will, in so doing, find hidden treasures of inestimable value to them in this present life, and in receiving Christ as the bread of life they have the promise of eternal life.Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 5

“What book can begin to compare with the Bible? It is essential for every child, for youth, and for those of mature age to understand; for it is the Word of God, the word to guide all the human family to heaven. Then why does not the word from God contain the chief elements which constitute education? Uninspired authors are placed in the hands of children and youth in our schools as lesson books—books from which they are to be educated. They are kept before the youth, taking up their precious time in studying those things which they can never use. Many books have been introduced in the schools which should never have been placed there. These books do not in any sense voice the words of John, ‘Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ The whole line of study in our schools should be to prepare a people for the future, immortal life.Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 6

“The teachers in our schools have [great] respect for authors and books that are current in most of our educational institutions.Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 7

Popular Authors

All heaven has been looking upon our institutions of learning, and asking you, What is the chaff to the wheat? The Lord has given us the most precious instructions in his Word, teaching us what characters we must form in this life to prepare us for the future, immortal life. It has been the custom to exalt books and authors that do not present the proper foundation for true education. From what source did these authors obtain their wisdom, a large share of which does not deserve our respect, even if the authors are regarded as being wise men? Have they taken their lessons from the greatest Teacher that the world ever knew? If not, they are decidedly in the fault. Those who are preparing for the heavenly abodes should be recommended to make the Bible their chief book of study.Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 8

“These popular authors have not pointed to the students the way that leads to eternal life. ‘And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent.’ John 17:3. The authors of the books current in our schools are recommended and exalted as learned men: their education is in every way deficient, unless they themselves have been educated in the school of Christ, and by practical knowledge bear witness to the Word of God as the most essential study for children and youth.Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 9

What should Replace Popular Authors?

“Books should have been prepared to place in the hands of students, that would educate them to have a sincere, reverent love for truth and steadfast integrity. The class of studies which are positively essential in the formation of character, to give students a preparation for the future life should be kept ever before them.”Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 10

“In an assembly where the school question was being discussed, the question was asked, ‘Why has not appropriate matter for reading and lesson books been selected and compiled? Why has not the Word of God been extolled above every human production? Have you thought that a Thus saith the Lord would have a deleterious effect on teachers and students?’ There was a hush in the assembly, and self-conviction came upon students and teachers.... The speaker took from the hands of the teachers those books which they had been making their study, some of which had been written by infidel authors, and contained infidel sentiments, and laid them on the floor. Then he placed the Bible in their hands, saying, ‘You have little knowledge of this book. You know not the Scriptures nor the power of God. When you have taken your students through the course of study you have followed in the past, they will have to unlearn much that they have learned, and this they will find a more difficult work. Objectionable things have taken root in their minds, like weeds in a garden, and some will never be able to distinguish between right and wrong. The good and the evil are mingled in their work.” ...Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 11

“The question has been asked, ‘Shall we have no study-book but the Bible? ‘I answer, ‘Take the Bible as a study-book, and see if you are not filled with the love of God.... This is the higher education. No learning of human origin can reach these heights, for they reach into eternity and are immortalized. The altar and the plough are the experiences for all who seek eternal life. We know altogether too little of the greatness of the love and compassion of God. Let students put to the stretch the faculties of their minds, that they may comprehend the forty-fifth chapter of Isaiah. Such chapters as this should be placed in form, and brought into our schools as valuable studies.”Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 12

“It is high time for Sabbath-keepers to separate their children from worldly associations, and place them under the very best teachers, who will make the Bible the foundation of all study. If authors have the knowledge and temperament to enter some of these open fields as educators, they can by so doing, inscribe the truth on the tablets of the soul.”Advocate October 1, 1900, par. 13

August 1, 1900

November 1, 1900