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Joseph Smith taught that a true educational program should have a divine
purpose with a two-fold objective: First, it should teach man now to commune with
God so that he can receive truth by revelation from the Supreme Intelligence. Second,
it should teach man the law of God as it applies to all phases of life—spiritual, social,
economic, political, etc. Only in this way can the kingdom of God be fully established
on earth. A Third purpose in the Prophet's philosophy of education was to teach the
Saints the things of this world so they could reason with unregenerated men on their
plane of life and elevate them to the higher programs of Zion.
Joseph Smith held that man can obtain truth through spiritual and intellectual
processes. He should utilize both methods in his quest for understanding. In
evaluating the two methods, he said: "The best way to obtain truth and wisdom is not
to ask it from books, but to go to God in prayer, and obtain divine teachings."