Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-17

The presence in our city OF an impor-
tant educational convention. which has
been holding sessions during the past
theme for an occasion of this kind. and
Il the Spirit of the Lord approves, | viii
endcavor to present to the congregation
some ideas upon education. from the
standpoint of a Lattcr-day Saint.
It Is popular supposition that be-
tween Mormonlsm and education
strained relations exist: In other words,
that this system of religion has little 20
do with anything intelligent, cnnoblinG
and refined. a certain reverend gen
tleman. after n residence OF some years
In Utah. expressed himself to the effect
that he could not accept of hormonism,
because it was so unphilosophical.
Many regard It as rnseicntinc, unpoctic,
and inartistic in every way. In short
1t Is held to be the antithesis of every
thing good, pure. wise, vrtuous, and
praisoworthy. deny all these adverse
propositions ard if | may have the
help of the great Teacher Of teachers,
! will present some reasons for differing
from such opinions. l maintain that
Mormonisn, from the beginning has
been the stcadraSt friend of educa-
tion, and that 1t Is philosophical. poetic,
scientific. musical and everything else
that Is beautiful, noble and sublime
JOSEPH SMITH AND EDUCATION.
Joseph Smith. the founder of this
Church, wrote the sign manual Of Nor
monsm when he declared that ''thc
glory Of God is intcilit;cncn.h He taught
that ma is saved no faster than he
gets knowledge" ana that Whatsoever
principles OF intelligence we attain to
In this life, they viii rise with us in the
resurrection" He cxholtcd his people,
in the name of the Lord. to seek wis
dom out of the best books" to seek
learning by study and also by f;tith;"
and lie was commanded by the God of
heaven to make himself acquainted with
the laws of nations. with the principles
of government with languages and
sciences, and to become lcurned-Dut.
in two ways. All the wisdom of the
world was before him; "the best Of
books" meaning not only the Bible
and Book Of Mormon, not merely
Church works and religious publicn
tons. but also history, science. art,
philosophy. ana all that was good and
useful in literature. But he was to
supplement, or rather, associate the
Earning of this world with the wisdom
which comes directly from God by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Two
great sources Of knowledge We're open
to him. and this exhcrtation was laid
upon him ~ the Almighty: Seek We,
out of the best books words of wisdom;
seek learning, even by study. and also
by faith.
EARLY MORMON SCHOOLS.
Joseph Smith not only taught such
principles. he eXempliiicd them: lie was
Il founder of schools While it is true
that at the beginning of his career,
he was an uniettered boy, vino could
scarcely write his name, it is also u
fact that he speedily put into practise
the divine teachings that he hal re-
ceivcd. and when he died he WAS COM
paratively a learned man. He had
passion for knowledge, and was always
studying when he had time. when there
vas n lull in persecution. and he was
not being hunted and driven from pillar
to post by those who we're seeking his
life. When he could find any leisure
at all, he WAS pouring over a book,
seeking know ledge, as he had been com
mandcd. He founded schools in Kirt-
land. Ohio. where the Church had its
headquarters as early as 1881, schools
for the study of ancient and modern
languages. the sciences. and theology.
Many of the early preachers of the
Church attended these schools, and
went forth all the better equipped, be-
cause of that schooling, to present the
Gospel message to the nations, The Pro-
pilet also directed or sanctioned the
establishment Of n school IN Missouri.
where II colony of Latter-day Saints
had settled. and Farley p. Pratt was
the teacher Of that school. which met
under the pine trees In the forest
rrimcvnl" When oui. people were
driven from Missouri. one Of their first
acts, after they had established them
selves in Illinois, WAS to project Il uni
versity. and It would have bceon built.
but for the untimely death of the
founder of the Church In the midst
of the exodus, beginning in February
1916, and while the people were hating
on tho threshold of the Wilderness
having built log and mud huts along
the Missouri river. there schools We're
to be found among them.
uTAH's FIRST TEACHERS.
In Salt Lake valley during the first
winter after the arrival of the pioneers.
two little schools We're taught In the
Old Fort, which stood upon Pioneer
square, the teachers being Julian Moses
and Mary Jane Dilworth. afterwards
Mrs. +. A. Hammond. These were
Utuh's pioneer instructors In those
days. when there We're no school houses,
they taught IN tents and wagons, Sawed
of pieces of log served for seats. and
letters cut from old newspapers and
pasted upon shingles took the place of
alphabet charts In February. 1890,