INFERNAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
1. A general view of the vast University of the World with all its
subordinate operations. All working in harmony to destroy the good
that God would do in the world.
The University of the World is so extensive that one could not visit
all its parts during the course of a life-time, but there is a place
called the Magic Observatory whence an observer can have a bird’s-eye
view of all the principal scholastic operations of the Broad Highway.
The Observatory is owned and controlled by careful agents of Satan who
will allow only certain persons to get the benefit of so extensive a
view.
Mr. World and Miss Church-Member left the ground of the Temperance
College and proceeded to get permission to rise to the glorious heights
of the Observatory. Mr. World secured permission, but his companion,
not having had sufficient experience in the service of Satan, was
refused a pass. The difficulty was settled by a happy thought. Miss
Church-Member suggested that while he should improve the opportunity
and rise to see the sights, she would visit the College of Fashions,
for which privilege she had been yearning.
I saw that Mr. World spent a long time in viewing the endless
proportions of the noted Observatory, and finally stood on the lofty
viewpoint with an interpreter at his side.
He was then directed to a seat on a mechanical device that moved in
a circle; and as he sat there he looked through the powerful glasses
of the immense telescope.
He first beheld the Schools of the Fine Arts, with their myriad students
who swarmed through a group of buildings so large that it covered the
first sweep of the telescope.
At the next turn of the magic device Mr. World saw the Special Schools
of Mathematics whose prevalent tendency was to destroy faith. Here the
mind of each student was taught to submit everything to the tests of
proof, so that by the time one’s training was finished he would believe
only what could be scientifically demonstrated. In this way Satan
induced many a student to disregard the Bible because he could not
reduce all its teachings to the cold and rigid rules of human reasoning.
Thus does Satan manipulate affairs so that many of the Christian schools
of the earth have imbibed a similar course:--first exalting Reason,
and doing nothing to correspondingly develop in the student the
functions of Faith.
When the telescope again turned Mr. World saw the Schools of Metaphysics
where Satan operated in harmony with the limitless scheme of the whole
University.
Next the College of Theology came within the range of vision. Here the
clergymen of the Broad Highway are prepared to teach the doctrines of
Hell under the guise of “Broad-Minded Theology.” I envied not Mr.
World’s position, for I could also see what his wondering eyes beheld.
As I took a transient view of this vast group of Theological Halls,
and saw how many human beings resorted hither for information, I could
the better understand why the world is kept so full of perverted truth.
There is a daily inflow of ecclesiastics into this College, even such
as become dissatisfied with the Theology as taught on the Highway of
the King.
At the next turn of the telescope Mr. World saw the extensive Business
College whither so large a number of merchants go to learn how to
advertise, and also how to get rich quickly. One hall alone is set
apart for the purpose of teaching a merchant how to practice fraud
without injuring his good standing in the church; another hall teaches
how far a business man may venture into prevarication without lying;
while a still larger hall is devoted to the wholesale trade, and is
intended to teach the best methods of adulterating foods while yet
allowing them to be sold for genuine goods.
Mr. World was deeply interested in the view afforded by the next turn
of the telescope, for the magnificent groups of buildings comprising
the College of Fashions now lay before his admiring vision. He knew
that his beloved friend was somewhere amongst the moving throngs that
ever kept the College astir.
I looked in wonderment upon the far-reaching operations of this Satanic
center. The teachings of this College were so far-reaching that the
seeds of endless follies were planted in the generations yet unborn.
In one of the larger halls of this imposing group I saw an endless and
popular variety of the gods of Fashion. They were worshiped by the
slavish legions who were willing to sacrifice their all rather than
forsake their chosen idols.
Mr. World plainly saw the connection between this College of Fashions
and the Devil’s Pawn Shop. The next item in the weird program was the
Devil’s Optical College which Mr. World and Miss Church-Member had
visited in the earlier days of their companionship. Satan’s Medical
Schools also lay in the same line of vision, and were intimately
connected with the Devil’s Hospital which had numberless branches in
all parts of the world.
And next the vast College of Literature flashed before the admiring
eyes of Mr. World. As seen through the telescope this section presented
a most beautiful picture.
The surface Schools of Law next attracted the attention of the spectator
who was surprised to get so large a view of these operations.
Mr. World still moved in the magic circle, and saw the whole program
as revealed at the angle at which the telescope was inclined. When the
first circle was completed, the telescope dropped to a new angle and
started on its second revolution, disclosing to the observer a new
world of schools, all of which were also comprehended in the University
of the World.
The Missionary College proved to be an interesting sight, as did also
the Devil’s Temperance College.
One of the most surprising sights that greeted Mr. World in this second
revolution was Satan’s Modern College of Narcotics which is a series
of schools built and operated with great care, intended to counteract
the special efforts ever being put forth by the devotees of the King’s
Highway to teach the relations of narcotics to the nervous system.
Formerly Satan did this branch of work in one of the wings of the
Temperance College, but on account of the great stress put on this
subject by the Surpassing Schools of the Christ, Satan has built this
modern institution, and now the church is in confusion because _so
many of its members have such an indistinct vision that they cannot
discern between the wool of the sheep and the hair of the wolf, even
when each animal is wearing its own hide._
The most mysterious schools revealed by this second revolution were
called the Schools of Emergency. These required the skill of the
interpreters to give Mr. World an idea of their work.
This is also a modern idea of the Evil One, and since their erection
the schools have been patronized by an astonishingly large number of
disappointed church-members who receive instruction more readily from
the modern methods here in vogue than from the old-time system.
Then did Mr. World behold a new line of schools in course of erection,
but the interpreter refused to give him satisfaction when he asked the
purpose of these new schools.
When the great telescope had finished the second revolution, Mr. World
was surprised to see that it commenced on the third round as the outer
end of the telescope pointed more directly toward the base of the
Observatory.
Startling scenes were now laid bare. The underground schools of this
Great University seemed to be greater than the surface operations.
Mr. World first saw the Opium Schools, built in the form of large dens.
After this came the Schools of Iniquity, operated in darkness. Here
all forms of evil are taught and made to appear justifiable under
certain conditions. Many of these underground schools could not be
clearly seen by Mr. World, but ere the telescope completed its third
revolution he saw the Schools of Suicide more distinctly than during
his visit, and got a glimpse of the limitless Law Departments
Underground, and the terrible pictures of sadness and sin as seen
beneath the Devil’s Hospital.
Mr. World raised his eyes from the telescope and looked towards the
interpreter. “What lies beyond those vast elevations?” he asked as he
pointed to a rugged mountain range farther down the Broad Highway.
“Back of those mountains lies the beautiful Wizard City, shut in from
all the world. Ask nothing more about it.”
“But may I not enter it?”
“Not unless you are fortunate enough to discover one of the paths that
lead to the Summit. From thence one can see the City.”