"Truth about Ellen White Writings"

Christian Education

1. Philosophy of education

Ellen White (1827-1915): “True education means more than taking a certain course of study. It is broad. It includes the harmonious development of all the physical powers and the mental faculties” (CT, p. 64, 1913).

Ellen White: “True education is the preparation of the physical, mental, and moral powers for the performance of every duty” (COL, p. 330, 1900).

Ellen White: “It is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers” (Ed, p. 13, 1903).

The Christian’s Penny Magazine: “Although education has been divided into four departments… they succeed each other… all must be united in practice, as far as possible. The physical, moral, mental, and religious culture of a child, are all intimately connected, and should all, as far as possible, be begun and continued together” (The Christian’s Penny Magazine, Vol. 1, p. 165, 1832).

W. A. Alcott (1798-1859): “… that the more our whole nature is cultivated, provided the physical, intellectual, social and moral powers are cultivated harmoniously…” (The Laws of Health, p. 90, 1856).

W. A. Alcott (1798-1859): “It is more than probable that the proper and healthful and harmonious development and cultivation of the senses of any one of them, is favourable to the natural and healthful and harmonious development of all the organs and functions of the body…” (Ibid, p. 423).

W. A. Alcott (1798-1859): “Let us cultivate every organ which we wish to have active, strong, healthy, and perfect by exercising its own objects, never forgetting the grand principle in all education, physical, intellectual, or moral, that everything is made perfect by use or practice” (Ibid, p. 419).

Thomas W. Grafton: “He [Alexander Campbell (1788-1866)] conceived an educational institution in which the physical, intellectual, moral and religious constitution of man would each receive training” (Alexander Campbell: Leader of the Great Reformation of the Nineteenth Century, p. 166, 1897).

Note: Campbell conceived of this philosophy of education between 1836 and 1840, before he was appointed the president of the Bethany College in 1840.

2. Bible as a text-book in our schools

Ellen White (1827-1915): “Above all other books, the word of God must be our study, the great textbook, the basis of all education” (6T, p. 131, 1901).

Ellen White: “The Bible is not exalted to its place,… If used as a textbook in our schools, it will be found far more effective than any other book in the world” (FE, p. 131, 1923).

Thomas W. Grafton: [inspired by Alexander Campbell] “… at the next meeting of the college of teachers at Cincinnati, a resolution was passed to the effect, “That in the judgment of the college, the Bible should be introduced in every school, from the lowest to the highest, as a text-book” (Alexander Campbell: Leader of the Great Reformation of the Nineteenth Century, p. 161, 1897). This action took place before 1840.

Thomas W. Grafton: “Therefore, the Bible should, he [Campbell] insisted, be made one of the regular text-books, no student be entitled to honors without being thoroughly acquainted with the Sacred oracles” (Alexander Campbell: Leader of the Great Reformation of the Nineteenth Century, p. 161, 1897 p. 167, 1897).

Thomas W. Grafton: “This sacred volume was made the text-book for the whole college” (Ibid., p. 168, 1897).

3. Neglect of the Bible

Ellen White: “The word of God is the most perfect educational book in our world. Yet in our colleges and schools, books produced by human intellect have been presented for the study of our students, and the Book of books, which God has given to men to be an infallible guide, has been made a secondary matter” (FE, p. 394, 395, 1923).

Thomas W. Grafton: “Mr. Campbell took grounds that were far in advance of his times. He regarded it a serious defect of a college training that so much was devoted to the pagan classics, to the exclusion of the physical sciences and the study of the Christian Scriptures” (Alexander Campbell: Leader of the Great Reformation of the Nineteenth Century, p. 166, 1897).

4. Bible as foundation of education

Ellen White: “The Bible must be made the groundwork and subject matter of education” (FE, p. 474, 1923).

Ellen White: “Of all the books that have flooded the world, be they ever so valuable, the Bible is the Book of books, and is most deserving of the closest study and attention. It gives not only the history of the creation of this world, but a description of the world to come” (FE, p. 129, 1923).

Thomas W. Grafton: “No feature of the institution over which he presided gave Mr. Campbell more satisfaction than this study of the Bible as one of the branches of a liberal education: “A college or school.” Said he, “adapted to the genius of human nature – to man as he is and as he must be hear after be – cannot be found in Christendom, in the absence of a moral education founded upon the Bible, and bible alone, without the admixture of human speculation, or of science falsely so – called… The great motive which prompted him to superadd to his already oppressive labors the additional responsibility of Bethany College, was to “magnify the value of this book of books, – to enforce its claims to authority over the heart and conscience of men” (Alexander Campbell: Leader of the Great Reformation of the Nineteenth Century, pp. 169, 170, 1897).

5. Concept of family schools

Ellen White: “They should be family schools, where every student will receive special help from his teachers as the members of the family should receive help in the home. Tenderness, sympathy, unity, and love are to be cherished. There should be unselfish, devoted, faithful teachers, teachers who are constrained by the love of God and who, with hearts full of tenderness, will have a care for the health and happiness of the students. It should be their aim to advance the students in every essential branch of knowledge” (6T, p. 152, 1901).

Thomas W. Grafton: “His [Campbell’s] system embraced, 1st, A family institution under control of Christian people, where lads under fourteen could be brought together and carefully instructed in the facts, precepts and promises of the Bible, and trained up in the paths of morality and religion” (Alexander Campbell: Leader of the Great Reformation of the Nineteenth Century p. 166, 1897).