CHRISTIAN EDUCATION by Mrs. Pearl A. Ginther

A Talk Given to Augustana Academy Students and Faculty and Supporters in 1940s

Dear Friends, it is my privilege this p.m. to speak to you on the subject of Christian Education. I consider myself highly honored in being selected to prepare this part of the afternoon's procedure, however, I do not consider myself an authority on the subject. Nevertheless, I will endeavor to do my best for the cause.

At the very onset may I direct your thoughts to Proverbs 22:6 and a poem based on it:

"Train up a child in the way he should go."

Is it true that "when he is old,"

He will not "depart" from what he is taught

But always remain in the fold?

The Word must be true! But heed what it says,

Take note of the little word GO.

To train is to move, not passively tell,

But to do, and to think, and to know.

Teach him the GO as well as the WAY,

Center his eyes on Christ's Goal;

Then pray and believe--the promise is yours__

God has given His Word for that soul.

---by Mrs. Ida Kays

[Permission to Republish Poem is Requested, though the Poem is Old Now and the Author Probably No Longer Living]

As a preface to the remarks I am going to make, there is nothing more valuable to a young person than an education based on sound Christian principles. But it is tragic indeed when Christ is left out of the realm of mind culture. What youth needs today, and I mean youth in any condition of life, also in the higher institutions of learning, is the personal presence of the living Christ in their minds and in their hearts.

No education is complete if separated from religion. Therefore, the ideal school is the Christian school. If you have interest in one, thank God for it, and work at improving it. It is said, short-sighted people need glasses, but short-sighted parents need spiritual glasses. Many parents look ahead for their children's future only far enough to see a job, a farm, a business or similar things. WHAT a short view! Look at what lies ahead! One hundred years from now it won't make any difference how much money your son or daughter had in the bank. Raise our children with eternity in view.

Many parents cry for their children when it is too late. Now while the children are little, it is the time to live for them. Christian Education has taught us the one thing needful, and helped us find the road to life through Christ to be saved. Christian Education helps us to be faithful, dutiful, kind, trustworthy, and dependable as every good Christian should be. It taught us to appreciate and love freedom and to become true Christian American citizens. It taught us Christian love and charity which are the answers to all our problems of today. When we leave a Christian school, we do not leave its ways nor Christ Who is the Cornerstone of our lives.

Martin Luther claimed there could be no true education without the Word of God. Immeasurable is the tragedy of our day that in the field of education, God has been left out to a large extent. I am not now referring to Christian schools and colleges. Thank God there still are some left where we can send our children.

Martin Luther vehemently declared all education worse than valueless that was not accompanied by sound spiritual training. In harsh terms he denounced the training of the mind which does not go hand in hand with moral culture. He called the godless schools of his day "devil schools". Luther had the great idea that mind culture could be beneficial only when it went hand in hand with soul culture. Today we have gone forward immeasurably in scope of mind training, but we've gone backward in character building and the cultivation of the heart.

Our godless educational authorities have much to answer for. They have spread a cold, materialistic philosophy which denies God as a Creator and of course leaves out Christ as the Redeemer of the world. What we need today in our educational system is God. We need to emphasize again that education is valueless unless it builds character, and that character can be built only under the guidance of the Spirit of God. We must not forget that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom in knowledge, as we read in Colossians. Of what value is high educational attainment if our young people learn not that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life?

We might think of the words of Jesus--if we gain the whole world and lose our own souls, [what have we profited?]. Right here I want to emphasize the importance of supporting our Christian academies and colleges as well as our Lutheran Bible Institute. Some think that when a young person goes to a Bible institute he is wasting his time. They fail to recognize that in this training, character is being built. If we want our Christian schools to exist, we must encourage our young people to attend them. We must not feel that any school is good enough for our children just because it's handy. We must be willing to sacrifice for our children in this connection. My own parents [treated all their children in this manner, and we all benefitted greatly from a Christ-centered education here at the Academy and at other Christian schools and colleges as we continued to seek God's training for service in His kingdom on earth].

PLEASE RETURN TO VIEW "WHY THE ACADEMY CLOSED," BY RONALD GINTHER, 1960 GRADUATE, WHO WILL GIVE HIS CONSIDERED OPINION ALONG WITH COMMENT BY A CLASSMATE CLINT ASBENSON THE LINK WILL BE ON THIS PAGE AND ALSO ON THE ACADEMY CENTRAL PAGE.

REV. R. E. HOFSTAD, AA PRESIDENT,

EXCERPT OF LETTER TO PEARL A. GINTHER

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