Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-03-26
CHRISTIAN EAIEsvOR
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Reuinnina March 80. 1a1a.


Topie.-Mission work al nome ana
abr6ad.-IIL Education. Acts xviii, IN
Edited by Rev. Sherman H. Doyle. d. ID
Education has always played an i'm
portant part in the religions life ana
work Of Gods people. In the Old Tes
lament dispensation the chosen peopis
of God were required to teach His Law
diligently unto their children." Chris
In His great commission to Ills apps
ties commanded them to teaeh-"fio We
therefore, and teach all nations" Pau
after turning from the Jews to the
.gentiles at Corinfh continued there G
year and six months. teaching the WORD
of God
That Christian Instruction would moi
be confined to supple religious truth
but extend to the general education OF
the mind. is readily apparent. Chill
dren would need general education
where it was not provided for. and edu-
cation from the standpoint of Chris
tiallity would be necessary to all. The
value of education canHot be too muck
emphasized, but education without reli-
gion is very dangerous thing. The
church has divine authority to teach
and from its very inception has exer-
cised this important function. Not only
has 1t provided for the education Of its
own children under religious influences.
but in its missionary work both at
home and abroad education has been
III,
Educational work In connection with
home missions dates back TO the time
of John Eliot, the apostle TO the In
dams. When we think OF the unevan-
gelized classes ip the United States We
can see the VASE Importance of school
work.
The hope of hesne missionary work
among the Alaskans, the Mormons, the
mountaineers and the foreigners in our
land lies largely in the children, and
they can, of course, best be reached
through the establishment of schools.
No matter how ignorant parents may
be, they are anxious that their children
shall be educated. and in the schools
the children are brought under Chris
tan influences.
The missionary schools of our land
are of the highest character and have
done and are doing most successful
work. There are day schools in needy
localities for smaller children and
academies and colleges for the more
advanced. who are largely trained that
they may teach in the day schools. In
dustrial work is also carried on. Boys
are taught to cook and to sew and TO
do housekeeping. An Alaskan indus
trial school turns out boot and shoe
makers, boat builders, carpenters, coop
ers, painters and paperhangers, and
while being trained along these lines
the scholars are also taught daily the
word of God. and every effort. with re-
markable success. is made to lead them
to a personal knowledge of the Lord
Jesus Christ as their Savior
Education in connection with foreign
missionary work is assuming greater
Importance every year. A recent de-
nominational missionary report says:
There is vast surge of non-Chris-
tan races toward universal education.
We are confronted by the fact that the
children of far more than half of the
human race may within the next gen.
Grafton be educated without any refer
ence to those spiritual truths which are
the only real and permanent support
Of social order and personal morality.
We have now more than 1000 schools.
colleges and universities located in the
midst of teeming millions eager for
knowledge" And when to these 1,600
educational institutions there are add.
ed the thousands of other denomina-
tions we can still see how inadequate
Is the number to meet the demands of
these ''teeming millions eager for
knowledge" Higher education is the
supreme demand of the oriental coun.
tries. and the young men of brightest
intellects and greatest ambitions are
brought in touch with Christianity
through our great colleges and hniver.
stiles, and many are won for Christ.
Missionary schools provide great
opportunity to Christian Endeavor so
cieties 10 do most important, def.
mite missionary work which will at
the same time greatly increase mis-
sionary interest and zeal. 1t Is posi-
Bile for most societies to pay for a
scholarship In such school at home
or abroad and to receive personal let.
tiers from the recipient of the scholar
ship. Such scholarships usually cost
about $50 per year. and the informa-
ton obtained and the new interest
aroused make the effort to support such
a scholarship well worth while.