We should ask the Lord to open our understanding, that we may comprehend divine truth. If we humble our hearts before God, empty them of vanity and pride and selfishness, through the grace abundantly bestowed upon us; if we sincerely desire and unwaveringly believe, the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness will shine into our minds, and illuminate our darkened understanding. Jesus is the Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He is the Light of the world, and He bids us come unto Him, and learn of Him. Jesus was the great Teacher. He could have made disclosures on the sciences that would have placed the discoveries of the greatest men in the background as utter littleness; but this was not His mission or His work. He had come to seek and to save that which was lost, and He could not permit Himself to be turned from His one object. He allowed nothing to divert Him. This work He has given into our hands. Shall we do it? (FE 183.1) MC VC

In the days of Christ the established teachers instructed men in the traditions of the fathers, in childish fables, mingled with the opinions of those who they thought were high authorities. Yet neither high nor low could discern any ray of light in their teaching. What wonder was it that crowds followed in the footsteps of the Lord, and gave Him homage as they listened to His words! He revealed truths that had been buried under the rubbish of error, and He freed them from the exactions and traditions of men, and bade them stand fast forever. He rescued truth from its obscurity, and set it in its proper framework, to shine in its original luster. He addressed men in His own name; for authority was vested in Himself, and why should men, professing to be His followers, not speak with authority concerning subjects on which He has given light? Why take inferior sources of instruction when Christ is the great Teacher who knows all things? Why present inferior authors to the attention of students, when He whose words are spirit and life invites, “Come, ... and learn of Me”? (FE 183.2) MC VC

Shall we not be intensely interested in the lessons of Christ? Shall we not be charmed with the new and glorious light of heavenly truth? This light is above everything that man can present. We can receive light only as we come to the cross and present ourselves at the altar of sacrifice. Here man’s weakness is made manifest; here His strength is revealed. Here men see there is power in Christ to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. (FE 184.1) MC VC

Shall we not be doers of the words of Him who knows all things? Shall we not make the Bible the man of our counsel in the education and training of our youth? The word of God is the foundation of all true knowledge, and Christ teaches what men must do in order to be saved. Hitherto the designs of the enemy have been carried out in bringing before our students such books as have taught specious errors, and presented fables that have tempted their carnal appetites. Shall we bring into our schools the sower of tares? Shall we permit men who are called great, and yet who have been taught by the enemy of all truth, to have the education of our youth? Or shall we take the word of God as our guide, and have our schools conducted more after the order of the ancient schools of the prophets? (FE 184.2) MC VC

If the Bible was studied and obeyed; if we had the spirit of Christ, we should make determined efforts to be laborers together with God. We should better appreciate the worth of the soul; for every soul converted to God means a vessel dedicated to a holy use, a depositary of truth, a bearer of light to others. God expects more of the schools than has yet been brought forth. Christ has said, “Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life; which the Son of man shall give unto you; for Him hath God the Father sealed.” (FE 184.3) MC VC

The testimony of the Alpha and Omega in regard to the punishment for making nonessential one word spoken by the mouth of God, is the fearful denunciation that they shall receive of the plagues that are written in the book; their names shall be taken out of the book of life, and from the holy city. (FE 387.1) MC VC

How many can truthfully answer this question, What is the essential education for this time? Education means much more than many suppose. True education embraces physical, mental, and moral training, in order that all the powers shall be fitted for the best development, to do service for God, and to work for the uplifting of humanity. To seek for self-recognition, for self-glorification, will leave the human agent destitute of the Spirit of God, destitute of that grace which will make him a useful, efficient worker for Christ. Those who desire only to glorify God will not be striving to bring their supposed merits into notice, or striving for recognition, or for the highest place. They that hear the call of the world’s Redeemer, and obey that call, will be recognized as a distinct, self-sacrificing, holy people. (FE 387.2) MC VC

If the students in our schools will listen for the purpose of hearing and obeying the invitation, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light,” they will be living epistles, known and read of all men. “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” 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 textbook, 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. (FE 387.3) MC VC

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.—Special Testimonies On Education, June 12, 1895. (FE 388.1) MC VC

In our periodicals we are not to exalt the work and characters of men in positions of influence, constantly keeping human beings before the people. But as much as you please you may uplift Christ our Saviour. “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory [from character to character], even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Those who love and serve God are to be the light of the world, shining amid moral darkness. But in the places which have been given the greatest light, where the gospel has been preached the most, the people—fathers, mothers, and children—have been moved by a power from beneath to unite their interests with worldly projects and enterprises. (FE 480.1) MC VC

Great blindness is upon the churches, and the Lord says to His people, “What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (FE 480.2) MC VC