The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1915-05-21

known personally
ali the men who
have been prominent in England dur
ing the last fifty years, in business,
politics, or literature, and of the sixty
most prominent men, ftfty-four have
been protesting Christians"
# Mr.. Gladstone was right, and II
the question of cne's relation to
Christ is the leading question which
confronts a student, it is very impor-
tant that he settle it early. Indeed this
question lies at the basis Of all educa-
ton. What is the real object of edu-
cation? 1t is to increase ones Ca
pacity to know God, and to make him
known to Others This is what educa.
ton is for, what life is for. And this
is life eternal that they should know
thee the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom thou hast sent John
17:3).
l. The keenest delight of which we
are capable comes to us from know
ing God When the devout astrono-
1ner Kepler made his great discovery,
he exclaimed, 20 God, l think thy
thoughts after thee" There is no
greater Joy than this, unless it be that
of seeing Gods character reproduced
in our lives. If this be true, then edu.
cation is not optional with us, but
imperative. We are bound to cultivate
every talent which we possess, be-
cause each Is an avenue through
which God can reveal himself to us.
We are bound to open every window
Of our soul towards Jerusalem" and
let in the light OF Gods glorious
truth.
No wonder the Great Teacher said.
Take my yoke upon you and learn
of me and ye shall find rest
unto your souls" Young people have
souls as well as minds, and the former
need training quite as much as the
latter. It is possible to develop the
mind at the expense of the soul, and
to leave the spiritual nature in a
dwarfed and stunted condition. In
deed. is it not possible for a student
to go forth with well-trained mind
and irreproachable morals, and still
fall far short of being a whole man,
because he does not know God? "Hav
ing no hope, and without God in the
world" The Greek student does not
need to be told that without God"
means atheist"
II. The superior advantages which
students enjoy make it doubly fmpor-
tant that they should become &C.
quainted early with the Lord Jesus.
Education en1arges ones capacity to
see and foresee, to do and to undo. It
multiplies his influence, and thus in
creases his responsibility, since the
welfare of others depends upon his
action and attitude. No educated per
son can possibly live Christless life
without leading others to do the same.
This consideration should have great
weight. A professor in large mill
tary school recently told the writer
that it was the thought OF his influ-
ence with the boys which led him to
decide for God and put himself on rec
ord as Christian.
III. Again, the peculiar temptations
which confront student make an ac-
quaintance with Jesus Indispensable
Among these may be mentioned:
(a) The freedom from home re-
straint. The strong, steadying hand
Of the father and the indescribable in
f1uence of the mother is lacking. There
is no younger brother or sister to be
considered, not even the restraining
influence of someone else's sister
The consequence is that one grows
selfish and comes to think that all the
world was made for him,
OBJ The petty vices which prevail
SO commonly among students. By the
side of the writer in college sat the
valedictorian of the class. He was
a weu-disposed man. but he had no
religious principles, When others
drank he was not strong enough to
refuse. After graduation he studied
law and became one of the most bril-
liant and promising lawyers In the
state. Temptations now grew stronger
and more frequent, and having no ac-
QudiuldhCS Will AlAl WIZ 10 oDlS W
save to the uttermost,' and "able to
keep you from falling" he soon lost
his standing and business. and died
common drunkard.
(c) Not the least of the dangers
which confront student is the temp
tation to doubt. He lives In an atmos-
phere of inquiry and criticism. Old
theories are being laid aside and new
facts are constantly being discovered.
Possibly he sees some of his instruc
tors, for whose ability he has the high
est respect, utterly Indifferent to the
claims of the Gospel. Literature Is
full Of covert sneers at religion. He Is
just at the age when his critical facul.
ties are being developed, and he be,
gins to question everything which he
once believed. Add to this the natural
willingness Of the heart to have it so.
and you have a combination OF cir
cumstances calculated to shake the
strongest faith. Some. indeed, think
it sign of superior intellect to doubt.
but this is a mistake. It Is sometimes
sign Of spiritual blindness. and often
of moral obliquity. A large part of
the skepticism OF students Is Of the
heart rather than OF the head.
How reasonable it is to trust our.