Benjamin Franklin Hall (1803-1873), at the age of 18 developed a desire to preach. But he felt that he needed an education in order to do it. His father was not a religious man and told him he could preach under one condition – that he leave home and never come back. So the young B.F. Hall left to pursue the education he thought would be necessary for him to preach.
Leaving home with nothing, Hall could not afford to pay for an education. But he had someone willing to pay for him – his brother-in-law. The only catch was that he join the Presbyterian Church. Hall was unwilling to do this, choosing to hold onto the truth rather than compromise to get something that he desired.
“My brother-in-law authorized my sister, as she informed me, to say to me, if I would join the Presbytery, and become a candidate for the ministry, he would send me to Princeton College, N.J. and pay all my expenses there until I graduated in both the Literary and Theological Departments. I was anxious for an education, not, however, to preach Presbyterianism, which I did not believe, but to preach what I understood at that time to be the Gospel. I could not sacrifice principle to policy. Nor could I do such violence to my conscience for worldly honor and renown.
“[…] Had I joined the Presbyterians, where would I have been today? Not a preacher of the gospel, certainly. I would rather be right, however obscure, than to be the Pope of Rome. I would rather be the humblest member of the Church of Christ than to occupy the loftiest position on earth in any other society” (Autobiography of B.F. Hall).
Hall’s convictions were commendable. But they also led him to forfeit his education. Understandably, he was discouraged when this happened. To many, it would seem as though his thoughts of preaching the gospel were ruined. After all, without a formal education, how could he possibly learn to preach effectively? Fortunately, Hall met a young preacher named Harrison Osborne. He recalled Osborne’s advice to him when they first met:
“He told me if I was called to preach, I ought to be at the work. He advised me to quit school and travel with him around his circuit through Fleming, Lewis, Mason and Bracken Counties” (Autobiography of B.F. Hall).
If one is to preach, he does not need a formal education. Of course, he must have a good knowledge of the Scriptures and be able to teach them to others. But as far as a formal education, it is unnecessary.
We should learn two lessons from the early life of B.F. Hall. First, knowing the truth is more important than getting an education. Second, one does not need a formal education to preach the gospel. Whether we intend to devote our lives to preaching the gospel or not, we must value the truth of God’s word over the education found in any institution of man.
