THE DUTY OF THE CHURCH ETC.                473

making of great men and women. No great teacher will
have pride in a pupil who uses the development of his phy-
sical powers to play the bully over men of weaker bodies,
or who uses the development of his mind to devise and exe-
cute plans for the spoiling or impoverishment of his neigh-
bors that he may line his own pocket, or who uses highly
cultivated powers of speech or imagination to write books
which damage, pollute, and lead astray those who read them.
  True greatness inheres in character. The end of all edu-
cation, therefore, the ever-present and final purpose, must
be character, and character of such sort that it will by its
very existence assuredly guarantee right conduct, which is
simply the right use of all a man's powers, both native and
acquired.
  What relation does the Church bear to education?       Is
there any sufficient reason why we should own, control, and
support schools and colleges? This depends upon the view
taken of the proper work of the Church. The aim of the
Church is the salvation of men from a life of sin, which is
but a short name for a life which is lived out of harmony
with God. To bring men into harmony with God, that they
may revere him for his wisdom and power, that they may
love him for his goodness and holiness, that they may obey
him because they reverence and love him; this is the mission
of the Church. Or, to put it in other words, to show God
to men in the person of Jesus Christ, who glorified the
Father by manifesting his wisdom, holiness, and love to
men, and to build up men "into the knowledge of the Son
of God, unto perfect men, unto the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ;" in short, to develop men and women
of Christlike character, who like Christ will glorify, that is,
make manifest, God unto men: this is the glorious mission
of the Church.
  If this be a correct statement of her mission, the Church
cannot agree that any system of education is satisfactory
which does not contain the Christian idea in its concept of
character. The insertion of elimination of that single word,




			

OHS/National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center Serial Collection

African Methodist Episcopal Church Review, Vol. 28, Num. 1

Volume:  28
Issue Number:  01
Date:  07/1911