Spencer W. Kimball a modern day prophet of The Church of Latter-day Saints and the prophet of my youth said the following:
Learning that includes familiarization with facts must not occur in isolation from concern over our fellowmen. It must occur in the context of a commitment to serve them and to reach out to them. [Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, edited by Edward L. Kimball (Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft, 1982). p. 385.]
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Secular knowledge has eternal significance. We believe in and encourage education, but not for education's sake alone. We educate ourselves in the secular field and in the spiritual field so we may one day create worlds, people and govern them. [Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, edited by Edward L. Kimball (Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft, 1982) p. 386].
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The secular without the foundation of the spiritual is but like the foam upon the milk, the fleeting shadow.
Do not be deceived! One need not choose between the two . . . for there is opportunity to get both simultaneously; but can you see that the seminary courses should be given even preferential attention over the high school subjects; the institute over the college course; the study of the scriptures ahead of the study of man-written texts; the association with the Church more important than clubs, fraternities, and sororities; the payment of tithing more important than paying tuitions and fees?
Can you see that the ordinances of the temple are more important than the Ph.D. or any and all other academic degrees? . . .
The Lord emphasized: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
If we spend our mortal days in accumulating secular knowledge to the exclusion of the spiritual then we are in a dead-end street, for this is the time for man to prepare to meet God; this is the time for faith to be built, for baptism to be effected, for the Holy Ghost to be received, for the ordinances to be performed. Contemporary with this program can come the secular knowledge, for even in the spirit world after death our spirits can go on learning the more secular things to help us create worlds and become their masters. . . .
A highly trained scientist who is also a perfected man may eventually create a world and people it, but a dissolute, unrepentant, unbelieving one will never be such a creator even in eternities.
Secular knowledge, important as it may be, can never save a soul nor open the celestial kingdom nor create a world nor make a man a god, but it can be most helpful to that man who, placing first things first, has found the way to eternal life and who can now bring into play all knowledge to be his tool and servant.
Our training must not only teach us how to build dams and store water to dampen parched earth to make the desert blossom as the rose and feed starving humanity, but it must prepare us to dam our carnal inclinations and desires with self-denial, creating reservoirs to be filled with spirituality.
We must study not only to cultivate fertile acres, plant seeds therein, and nurture them on to harvests, but we must plant in the hearts of men seeds of cleanliness and righteous living and faith and hope and peace.
We must not only know how to kill weeds and noxious plants which befoul our crops, but learn to eradicate from the souls of men the noxious theories and manmade sophistries which would cloud issues and bring heartache and distress to men.
We must not only be trained to inoculate and vaccinate and immunize against disease, set broken limbs, and cure illnesses, but we must be trained to clarify minds, heal broken hearts and create homes where sunshine will make an environment in which mental and spiritual health may be nurtured. . . .
Our schooling must not only teach us how to bridge the Niagara River gorge, or the Golden Gate, but must teach us how to bridge the deep gaps of misunderstanding and hate and discord in the world. [Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, edited by Edward L. Kimball (Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft, 1982). pp. 390-391].
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We have this life of limited years in which to learn of God, to become the masters of our own destiny and secondly, we have this life plus eternities to learn of the earth and the things thereon, and to accumulate secular knowledge which will help make us gods, which is our destiny....
Peter and John had little secular learning, being termed ignorant. But Peter and John knew the vital things of life; that God lives and that the crucified, resurrected Lord is the Son of God. They knew the path to eternal life. This they learned in the few decades of their mortal life. This exaltation meant godhood for them and creation of worlds with eternal increase for which they would probably need, eventually, a total knowledge of the sciences.
But this fact escapes many: Peter and John had only decades to learn and do the spiritual but have already about nineteen centuries in which to learn the secular or the geology of the earth, the zoology and physiology and psychology of the creatures of the earth....
Can you see why spiritual training through the Church organizations, family life, seminary, and other agencies must be given priority over the secular? Can you see why a mission should be an unalterable preferred activity to the college work?...Can you see why the Lord emphasized: "....seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) [Beloved Youth, Study and Learn Life's Directions, Deseret Book, 1962, pp. 177-80]
Last update: November, 2006
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