Education

Duncan Sinclair

There is great need today that parents should give watchful heed to the education of their children. While it is correct to say that many parents recognize that education, considered in its widest sense, goes on continually from a child's earliest days, determining its intellectual, moral, and spiritual status, as well as its physical, there are others who apparently are oblivious of the fact. The point is that since education molds the individual, the nature of the education should be carefully considered and regulated.

Viewed from the academic standpoint, education is a process whereby knowledge is acquired in a subject or subjects and the reasoning power or logical faculty of the student developed. Usually the subject studied is one which is considered valuable in itself, as, for example, a language, either an ancient or a modern one, or a science such as mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, or physics. The study of any such subject will train the child or youth in the collecting and arranging of facts, and empower him to be accurate in the drawing of conclusions therefrom.

But although such studies develop the intellect, they are not specially intended to cultivate either the moral or the spiritual side of a child's nature. Yet, it must be admitted that if a subject is studied with an eye to accuracy, there cannot fail to be a certain moral affect in that the child is bound to gain in respect for facts. And this is important, since without character, morally and spiritually developed, youth is poorly equipped for the battle of life. Hence the need for education specially along moral and spiritual lines. Mrs Eddy was very emphatic on this as the following from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 62) shows. She writes, "The entire education of children should be such as to form habits of obedience to the moral and spiritual law, with which the child can meet and master the belief in so-called physical laws, a belief which breeds disease."

Parents, then, should not lose sight of the necessity of having their children trained morally and spiritually. To ensure this training they should wisely consider the institutions to which they shall send their children for instruction. What is the status of those institutions? What is the status of the teachers or others under whose influence those of tender years will come? How will the teachers teach their subjects? Will they instruct their pupils in truthful ways, always having their moral well-being before them? And what an asset in the educational process is thought that is impregnated with spiritual truth, that understands the divine Principle which Christian Science reveals and the laws of the Principle to which human thought should be subject! Our Leader says (Science and Health, p. 235): "The teachers of schools and the readers in churches should be selected with as direct reference to their morals as to theirlearning or their correct reading. Nurseries of character should be strongly garrisoned with virtue."

Culture is a valuable asset to everyone. Mrs. Eddy certainly did not decry it, although she always viewed it in the right perspective. This is what she always viewed it in the right perspective. This is what she says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 356): "My students, with cultured intellects, chastened affections, and costly hopes, give promise of grand careers." No one knew better than she the futility of striving after intellectual culture while neglecting the development of the moral and spiritual sides of one's nature. Intellect, however highly trained, should always be handmaid to morality and spirituality.

There is an aspect of this question which parents ought to consider, and consider well, namely, their relationship to their children in their, the parents', capacity of educators. After all is said, mothers and fathers who themselves are living moral lives and have proved the value of spiritual understanding should be the best educators of their children along moral and spiritual lines. To enable them to exercise this influence they should cultivate the closest mental relationship with their children, in order to secure and retain their confidence. It is only when a child or youth trusts the love and wisdom of a parent that it will listen and learn. What gems of moral and spiritual truth a father may impart, what wealth of love a mother may bestow, on those whose keeping is in their care as a very sacred thing!

A verse—the tenth—of the one hundred and forty-third Psalm reads, "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God; thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness." The words embody the desire of every sincere Christian Scientist. And to aid in establishing the children in "the land of uprightness," what a tremendous help is the Christian Science Sunday School! For here, up to the age of twenty years, the pupils learn of Principle, of God as the loving Father-Mother; learn His laws and how to apply them to the various problems of human experience. Here, too, the beauty of purity and the power of virtue and taught, and the value of truthfulness, love, humility, and obedience. Considered in its highest sense, education should instruct mankind as to how to demonstrate the real man—spiritual man in God's image and likeness.

Duncan Sinclair

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The Burning Bush

February 16, 1935

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