WE WHO are interested in evangelism, eagerly grasp statements from the Spirit of Prophecy writings that identify certain avenues of endeavor as being efficient in be half of soul winning. When such a statement indicates that this is one of the great est means, surely we should proclaim it from the housetops!
As I was reading the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy recently I was interested to dis cover the following statement:
"All connected with our college [Loma Linda] must be men and women who have the fear of God before them and His love in their hearts. ... A sacred influence should go forth from that college to meet the moral darkness existing everywhere. When I was shown by the angel of God that an institution should be established for the education of our youth I saw that it would be one of the greatest means ordained of God for the salvation of souls." Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 419. Did you catch that last phrase?
Again we read, "I wish I could find language to express the importance of our college. All should feel that it is one of God's instrumentalities to make Himself known to man." Ibid., p. 425.
It is unfortunate if any of us take a con descending attitude toward our educational institutions or heave a big sigh when it comes time to support and promote Adventist higher education, or consider it a burden to be put up with until we can move on to something more fruitful.
At times, there has been a deeply critical attitude on the part of one phase of the working force toward teachers and the way discipline has been handled. Let us avoid the critical or the patronizing outlook. After all, the youth do come from our churches and we have been advised that:
"The teacher should not be expected to do the parent's work. There has been, with many parents, a fearful neglect of duty. Like Eli, they fail to exercise proper restraint; and then they send their undisciplined children to college to receive the training which the parents should have given them at home. The teachers have a task which but few appreciate. If they succeed in reforming these wayward youth they receive but little credit. If the youth choose the society of the evil-disposed and go on from bad to worse, then the teachers are censured and the school denounced."—Ibid., vol. 5, p. 29.
God's program is a balanced one. Scripture says, "The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you" (1 Cor. 12:21). On occasion, a remark can even be found in our literature decrying higher education. But note:
"Cultivated intellect is now needed in the cause of God, for novices cannot do the work acceptably. God has devised our college as an instrumentality for developing workers of whom He will not be ashamed. The height man may reach by proper culture has not hitherto been realized. We have among us more than an average of men of ability. If their talents were brought into use, we should have twenty ministers where we now have one." Ibid., vol. 4, p. 426.
Let us remember that it was of our college that Inspiration was speaking when declaring that, "It would be one of the greatest means ordained of God for the salvation of souls."—Ibid., p. 419. (Italics supplied.) May our colleges indeed fulfill this expectation.