Theology in Education, IV

THEOLOGY IN EDUCATION. BY PROFESSOR WILLARD DONE, OF THE BRIGHAM YOUNG COLLEGE^ LOGAN.

IV.

THEOLOGY AS A BRANCH OF STUDY. As before stated, the division of the subject named in the above heading, may be treated from two standpoints. The first is the value of theology as a means of developing the higher faculties; the second, its value for its own sake. The first of these standpoints was taken in the preceding paper, and the study under consideration was briefly treated in that relationship. In this paper, the task will be to consider theology in its own proper value as a branch of study. In other words, its utility is here to be treated. When a student is about to undertake a subject of study, one question he is prone to ask is "Of what use will this knowledge be to me?" This is the question to be put and answered with reference to theology. But let us first be sure of our ground. What kind of utility are we to consider? Dr. Butler in his excellent treatise, "What knowledge is of most worth?" makes these statements: "Immediate utility makes demands upon the school which it is unable wholly to neglect. If the school is to be the training ground for citizenship its products must be usefully and soundly equipped, as well as well disciplined and well informed. * * * This is as it should be, but it exposes the school to a new series of dangers against which it must guard. Utility is a term that may be given either a very broad or a very narrow

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meaning. There are utilities higher and utilities lower, and under no circumstance will the true teacher ever permit the former to be sacrificed to the latter. This would be done if in its zeal for

fitting the child for self-support, the school were to neglect to lay the foundation for that higher intellectual and spiritual life which constitutes humanity's full stature. This foundation is made ready only if proper emphasis be laid, from the kindergarten to the college, on those studies whose subject matter is the direct production of intelligence and will, and which can, therefore, make direct appeal to man's higher nature." In this paper, the term "utility" will be used 'in its broader and higher sense, and from that standpoint the question, "Of what use is theology?" will be answered. The money-making value of a study is scarcely considered at all in legitimate education. One might count on the fingers of one hand all the subjects which are directly capable of being turned into dollars and cents; and scarcely any of these are truly educative. It is clear, therefore, that this narrow utility can not

be made the basis of judging the value of our subject of study. It would be found particularly unsatisfactory in our Church, where

preparation for the ministry as a money-making vocation is not

thought of. A narrow utility such as this might be considered in the case of sectarian churches, whose ministers preach for hire; but the young person among the Latter-day Saints who becomes a theological student, must have a different and a higher motive. In a word, his motive and aim must be preparation for complete living. Among the Latter-day Saints completeness of life means much more than among any other people, and this additional meaning is almost entirely in the domain of religion. This should be thoroughly impressed upon the mind. Whatever is demanded of us additional to that required of the world, is demanded by our religion. And it must be remembered that the life of an ordinary "man of the world" would be very incomplete if lived by a man of God. To make small religious profession, and to gain small religious knowledge, living a life of general, though perhaps not specific, honesty and morality, may approach the standard set by the world at large:— it can not suffice for the Saints of God. Their lives

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should be generally and specifically higher; and this elevation is essentially religious. Therefore it follows, "as the night the day," that their additional knowledge must be religious. Hence, even from the standpoint of general utility, without considering as yet specific uses, theology is a most valuable subject of study to the Latter-day Saint. I take it that our peculiar mission is to enlighten the world religiously. Like the beautiful statue which stands on Bedloe's Island, in New York harbor, we are to shed rays of light abroad for the guidance of all who would enter into the haven of spiritual rest. It'may be accepted as a demonstrated fact that the world is far less advanced religiously than intellectually and materially. This lack of advancement is

well shown by Apostle Parley P. Pratt in his"Key to Theology," and it has become much more strikingly manifest since that work was written. The same truth is expressed by Latchford in this terse sentence: "The world at present needs conscience more than intellect, and its morals are at least a couple of centuries behind its knowledge." It seems accordingly, that the Latter-day Saints have resting upon them the responsibility of teaching the world in religion, in conscience, and in morality —the directions in which it is most deficient. Surely no stronger argument than this is needed to prove the indispensableness of theological advancement on our part. The field of missionary work is growing wider, and as the field grows wider, the work becomes higher. Better efforts, it is clear, must be put forth by our missionaries, as they leave the country districts and go to the cities. As the great waves of life go throbbing through the busy streets of the city; as wealth and luxury and learning mingle in palatial homes and schools and churches, and as correspondingly increasing corruption "infests unseen" beneath the filmed and polished surface —men must be trained to enter into all that is good in such life, and gain the ears and the hearts of the people. It will be their task to probe with consummate skill beneath the surface, find the plague spot, and apply efficient remedies. And consummate skill will be required in the work. It will not require an uncouth Jonah, proclaiming repentance in the streets of Nineveh; nor a hair-clad John, crying in the wilderness of Judea; but a learned and eloquent Paul, enter-

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ing with keenest tact into the polished of Athens, and pro- life

claiming the true God, to them unknown. But as, to reach the hearts of the Athenians, Paul must possess some of their culture, to which he had fitted his knowledge of Christianity, so should the missionaries to the intellectual centers of our day, possess a corresponding intellectuality, tempered and softened by the fire of faith and theological knowledge. Not the cold, frigid intellectuality which blights all faith and warmth of feeling, reducing all mental growth to formulas and logic-chopping, but the glowing tender, soul- culture which impels one to work for God, and fully qualifies him for such labor. This kind of development can be secured only if this work in theology be done in connection with the other culture-studies. Hence, the advantage of the Church School training consists not only in the fact that it includes theology, but more in the careful co-ordination of theology with the other subjects. It may be seen at once how great an advantage a man

equipped with this training, will possess in entering homes and assemblies of wealth and refinement. His polished manner and gentlemanly bearing will secure him admittance; his knowledge of science, literature, and art, will make him welcome; and his acquaintance with theology will give him the subject-matter of his message. Add to this the zeal for the work, and the testimony of its divinity inculcated in properly conducted theology classes, and missionary material is provided that may reasonably be expected to bring about just such a revolution in religious thought as Paul produced in the Gentile world. But in order to be as efficient as sketched above, this missionary knowledge of theology shall be broad and thorough. It should go to the root of matters. It will not be enough that a smattering of theological knowledge and of the correlated subjects, be ob- The foundation principles should be mastered, that the tained. young missionary may be put on his guard against the misleading depth of knowledge possessed or professed by the world. As an A missionary friend was in discussion with a minisillustration: Bible for settleter on a subject which had to be referred to the missionary's argument. ment. The English rendering favored the and Immediately, the minister appealed to the Greek original,

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either found, or pretended to find, The a different rendering. missionary was helpless. He had no knowledge of Greek, and could not even deny, not to say disprove, the minister's claim. Imagine the effect this would produced on a group of the minister's sympathizers. It would not matter whether the minister's

rendering of the original were true or false. The discomfiture of the missionary would be the same in either case. There is another point of view from which this correlation of theology with other subjects of study may be regarded. Reference has already been made to the great advancement of the world in intellectual culture, and its need of corresponding religi-

ous growth. The fact should be clearly understood, that the Latter-day Saints, whose duty it is to foster this growth, can best do so if they are able to grasp in full degree the intellectuality of the world, and to make their religious teachings and culture correspond with this intellectuality. To illustrate: A young man goes into a centre of learning and refinement. He comes in contact with the most advanced secular thought of the day. He is familiar with this thought, and can speak intelligently upon any subject suggested. As he proceeds on the topics of his friends' proposing, he gradually introduces appropriate principles of the Gospel, and shows their harmony with the secular truths under discussion. Almost without knowing it, his hearers are won over to give attention to the direct instructions which he may safely give soon thereafter. For let it be borne in mind that our religion is expansive — or perhaps it would be better to say, adapted to expansive minds. It

is not like the narrow creeds and dogmas of the day, subject to revision by human hands to fit them to secular truth, and avoid ludicrous conflict with it. Like a solvent, against which only refractory error is proof, the true faith easily absorbs and makes part of itself every truth from every domain of knowledge. From this fact arises the certainty that it will stand long after human creeds are relegated to oblivion. It has all the elements of eternity of life, because it is all-comprehending, and the infinite must necessarily exist forever. It cannot do otherwise. The broad missionary work here imperfectly outlined, will soon become a necessity of the time. We are on the threshold of it now. And it is not clear that the key to all progress and ad-

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vancement in this direction, must be a thorough knowledge and a burning testimony of the Gospel of Christ, which has kept pace with advancement in secular knowledge? And is it not equally clear that this knowledge and testimony can best be acquired where theology is a regular part of the school curriculum? But this is only one phase of the subject. Missionary work abroad is no more necessary or important than missionary work at home. There are growing up among us many young people whose secular knowledge is fast outstripping their religious advancement. They necessarily see a disparity between their secular and their religious knowledge,and they unfortunately make the mistake of thinking that the disparity is between the Gospel and the secular truth. Fascinated by the latter, they soon begin to regard the former as outof-date, and ready to be superannuated. It is easily seen what kind of missionary work is needed in such cases. The remedy should be suited to the condition needing correction. Let the earnest, faithful, educated men and women, trained in the Church Schools, approach in a kindly way, either privately, or through the associations provided for the purpose, these young people, and help them to see the beautiful harmony between the two lines of thought, which has been so clearly manifested to them. It seems

reasonable to suppose that such efforts will ordinarily meet with a hearty response from the sons and daughters of Ephraim, —twofold heirs of the blessings of the covenant. With them the labor is similar to that which is to be done in the world; though for two reasons, it will be more fruitful, and not so difficult. First, be-

cause these children are born through the lineage of Ephraim, and that is the blood which warms most readily to the Gospel message. Secondly, the disparity between their secular and their religious knowledge is not of generations' growth, and rooted in unyielding prejudice. It is the growth of a few years at most, and may be

eradicated with comparative ease. Why should we leave or even neglect this fruitful field to become a nursery for the poisonous weeds of unbelief, and turn our best attention to the broader, but more refactory and barren, field of the world? Closely linked to this subject is the improvement of the work of the educational institutions in Zion. With the infusion into them of a larger proportion of young people well trained in theol-

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ogy, their work will gain in thoroughness and in* its power to reach the hearts of those who are to be benefited by them. Mutual Improvement associations, Sunday schools, quorums of Priesthood, Primary associations, private families visited by priests and teachers — all ! these should and will feel the beneficial impress of the thorough knowledge, the earnest zeal, and the burning testimony of the well-trained theological student. Here is an unlimited field of effort, promising fruits of unequaled abundance and richness to be garnered for the glory of God. To recapitulate: specific theology is not only a legitimate,but an essential object of man's study and research. It may and should be pursued in connection with other lines of study, and properly correlated with them. It has a striking value as a means

of mind- and soul-development. Its value is great from a standpoint of utility. This utility is found in completeness of living; in efficiency for foreign missionary work; in missionary work at home; and in the efficiency of the work in the various organizations of The Church. Although much more might be said on all the phases of the subject, yet it is believed that in general, the proposition has been sustained that theology is not only a necessary, but an indispensable element of education among the Latter-day Saints.