Schools

Although we have freequently [frequently] spoke of the necessity of having children taught in all things appertaining to their welfare in this world, and that to come, still we feel a great anxiety on the subject, seeing that many children among the disciples, are deprived of, or do not enjoy the blessing of a school.

If children are to be brought up in the way they should go, to be good citizens here, and happy hereafter, they must be taught. It is idle to suppose, that children will grow up good, while surrounded with wickedness, without cultivation. It is folly to suppose they can become learned without education. And it is vain to think they may be saved in the kingdom of God, without salvation.

As soon as our father Adam was born of the water and the Spirit, he received a commandment to teach his children; and, as soon as the church was called to prepare for the Lord, in these last days, the fathers and mothers in Israel, were commanded to teach their children the plan of salvation; to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.

In order to do this as it should be, it is necessary that children should be taught in the rudiments of common learning out of the best books; and then, as they grow up they can be qualified to search the

scriptures, and acquire the knowledge of the Lord, become heirs of the kingdom, and, guided by the Holy Spirit, which is a never failing promise to the saints, they will walk in all the commandments of the Lord blameless, in thanksgiving forever.

Brethren, if you want your children to be useful, industrious, temperate, humane, meek, and charitable, teach them so; if you want them to be prayerful, watchful, and godly, teach them so; and if you want them saved in the celestial kingdom, teach them faithfully the doctrines of that kingdom, and they will soon come to the day, that they will grow up without sin unto salvation, and walk with God where the wicked will not trouble.