Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-11-21
EDUCATION AND
THE MORMON VIEW.
Elder o. r. Whitney Delivers Mas
terly Discourse at Tab
ernacIe Sunday.
SPLENDID SCHOOLS FOUNDED
SPLENDID SCHOOLS FOUNDED
church Educational System Refutcs
Statements That Lnttcr-day Saints
oppose Advancement.


of public instruction in this city. Elder
Orson +. Whitney delivered Sunday
afternoon at the tabernacle MASTER
full sermon on Education Among the
Iatter-day Saints" In n comprehen-
size review Of the history of the Church,
he showed that the Morrnons. as they
are called by the world, have always
been the friends of education and have
stood for the highest in literature, art
music and science.
The meeting. which was presided over
by President Anthem II. Lund, was
opened by the choir singing the anthem,
..Hnrk Listen to the Trumpetcrs." In
vocation was offered by President En-
cry of Salt Lake stake. The choir
then sang the anthem, From Afar
Gracious Lord
Elder Whitney prcfaced his sermon
by saying that the recent educational
gathering In this city suggested IDEAS
on education from the standard of the
Latter-day Saints. He said in part:
1T Is popular supposition that Nor
monism has nothing to do with any
thing that Is noble or refined and be-
tween this system or religion and cdu-
cation it is believed that at least
strained relations exist. One reverend
gentleman. after n residence of some
years In Utah. expressed himself to the
effect that he could not accept Nor
monism because 1t was sunphilosophicnl.
Others find fault with 1t because 1t Is
unpoetical. others because 1t Is unscien-
tiic: others because 1t Is unmusical
and In short the antipodes of what that
article of It's faith sets forth. which do
clares that If there is anything goof
and pure. wise. virtuous and praise
worthy. we seek after these things.
II deny all these adverse PROPOSE
tIons. and n may have the help OF
the Great Teacher of teachers. the
spirit of the living God. will endeavor
to present some OF the reasons why
differ from such things, l maintain
that Mormonism from the beginning
has bcena staunah and steadfHst friend
Of education. and that 1t is philoEoph-
ical and poetic and scientific and mu-
steal and everything else that is re-
fined. beautiful. noble and sublime.
Joseph Smith. the founder of this
Church. was q friend Of education. He
wrote and signed the manual OF Nor
monism when he declared that the
glory of God Is intellj gence' He taught
that man Is saved no faster than he
principles of intelligence he attains to
III this life they will rise with him in
the resurrection. He exhorted his peo-
pie in tho name of the Lord to seek
wisdom out Of the best books: to seek
learning by studying and also by faitf,
md he WINS told by the God Of heaven
to make himself acnuainted with the
laws Of nations. with the principles OF
government. languages and sciences to
mcLe h'nec'f Learned.
"All the literature of the world was
before him to choose from and he was
exhorted to draw knowledge from the
hest OF books, meaning not merely the
Bible. not merely the Book OF Mormon
or Church works and periodicals, but
history. poetry. science and philosophy
and all that is good and cnnobling In
literature. He was to associate with
his religion learning. the wisdom of the
world, which Is calculated to make
men better. more mature and more cap
able in all the walks of life, since
knowledge is power in any sphere. He
was required to associate with 1t the
knowledge OF eternal things.the
knowledge which comes directly from
on high through the exercise of faith.
These two great sources were open to
him and thus was the nature of the
exhortation laid upon him by the Al
mighty,
Joseph Smith was as good as ms
word He not only taught such prln-
ciples, but he exemplihed them. He
was n founder of schools, and while at
the beginning OF his career he was an
illitcrate hoy, who could scarcely write
his name, he put into effect these teach
ings that he had received and when he
died he was comparatively u learned
man. He had passion for learning
and he was always studying when he
could find time. When he was being
bounded from pillar 10 post. he was
porting over II book and seeking learn
Ing by studying and also by faith.
CHURCH SCHOOLS FOUNDED.
"He founded schools at Kirkland.
Ohio, where the Church had hcadqnar-
tiers in the early 30's. Many of the
Saints there at that time went forth
better equipped because OF that cducn-
ton to preach the gospel to the ma
tons Of the earth. The prophet also
directed the establishment OF school
In Missouri. in jackson county. Parlcy
p. Pratt was the teacher of this school,
md when the people were driven from
Missouri and settled IN Illinois one OF
their first acts WAS to project uni
versity, and this would have been conf
Melted, would have been formally cs-
tabishcd but for the untimely death
of the founder; of the Church. In the
midst OF the exodus. WHICH began III
February, 1916. while the Church was
battling on the Threshold of tho wilder
ness, the school was to be found among
them, During the first year of pio-
ncer occupancy of Salt Lake valley. two
little schools were taught in the little
fort which then stood on Pioneer
SQUARE. These schools were taught
by Julian Moses and Mary Jane Dill
worth. In those days, they taught IN