Just Between Seminars

Glimpses into ministerial training.

By various authors. 

Helderberg.— We have this year had a most remarkable experience in the matter of practical evangelism in Hel­derberg College. Our Bible teacher, Elder A. W. Staples, conducted a pub­lic effort in one of the near-by towns, which ran through the school year. No sooner had school begun than he rented a hall, and began to conduct Sunday night meetings. The older students of our school would go to the village to conduct Bible studies, give out personal invitations, and so forth, on Sabbath afternoons or Sunday after­noons. Then they accompanied him to the Sunday night meetings, sang, ush­ered, and did other things in connec­tion with the meetings, which gave them a first-hand contact with an evan­gelistic effort. The results are that a number of people will take their stand for the truth, and a keen interest in evangelism has been developed in the hearts of the students. This has brought a live missionary spirit into the school, and the students' interest and activities have been devoted to these lines rather than to play or games. As a result, before the school closed, in fact, before they had had their spring Week of Prayer, every student except one had given his heart to God. At the close of the spring Week of Prayer, twenty-two students were baptized.

We have also voted that we would have as an activity of the Ministerial Association a missions rally in this European college, rather than a min­isterial institute. It is altogether likely that at least 90 per cent of the product of our school will be used in the mission field of this country. At the present time there is a strong min­isterial sentiment running in our school, and we are anxious to have this blended with a strong missions objective. It is planned to have Pastor Hubert Sparrow, who is now superin­tendent of the Southern Rhodesian Mission field, come to the school for at least ten days, to conduct a missions rally.

E. D. Dick

Assn. Sec. for African Division.

Stanborough.— While we are not this year actively engaged in conducting meetings, our school is doing what perhaps none of our other schools are doing, and that is sending out from twelve to thirty students each Sunday to canvass. They take our books and papers to the suburbs of London, and sell from £12 to £25 worth of literature each week. We are hoping to arrange matters so that they can also have training in Sabbath school work, young people's work, etc. We have a minis­terial seminar operating, though not yet ideally, where a number of the young men are together studying ways of making themselves more efficient soul winners, and conducting services together.

Lynn H. Wood, President.

Walla Walla.This has been a busy year here at the school, as well as in our student Ministerial Association. Our membership numbers at present thirty-five, and is increasing from week to week. I have been a member for the past four years, and do not believe that we have ever had a more consecrated group of young men than we have this present year. The matter of the Min­isterial Reading Course and The Ministry have both been brought to our attention, and there are twenty-three endeavoring to read the Reading Course books and twenty-two are sub­scribers for The Ministry.

In our field work we are somewhat handicapped because of lack of work­able territory, but our members are active and busy, visiting weekly sev­eral different churches. Also, the daily worship hour in the Walla Walla Sani­tarium is taken by one of our number. During the December Week of Prayer, members were appointed to lead out in different churches, spending the entire week with them. Each reported a wonderful experience, and truly God was good to us all during that time.

As you think of us over here in the great Northwest, remember us as a group of young men with only one aim and purpose,— the finishing of the work in this generation.

Arthur Hemple, Leader.

Southwestern Junior College.For a number of years the Southwestern Junior College has been promoting a ministerial seminar, with its various possibilities. Its growth has been steady from the first. At the present time our signed membership is seven­ty-five, and our attendance ranges around 115. The Bible room is too small to accommodate those attending, so we have had to occupy the chapel.

Perhaps our main effort is in our bi­weekly meetings which occur on Fri­day evening just after vespers. In these meetings we follow a series of studies such as is given in a regular series of public lectures. We make this difference, that we divide subjects ordinarily into three divisions and have three speakers appear within the hour. In this way we have opportu­nity for a number of our twelfth to fourteenth grade seminar students to appear a number of times during the year. Their work is constructively criticized. These meetings are well attended and greatly enjoyed by those present.

Then there are prayer meetings that are fostered by the seminar in the village of Keene and its immediate en­virons. These meet every Friday eve­ning, and our seminar is responsible for their maintenance. They have been greatly appreciated by the village of Keene, and have been the occasion of effective development for a number of our students. We also have two places of endeavor in the city of Cleburne, which is five miles from Keene. Under my direction the services of the white church in Cleburne are carried on al­most exclusively by the young men of the seminar. This affords an oppor­tunity for really constructive and ag­gressive work for a number of our members. It is also greatly appreci­ated by the membership of the church.

There is also a colored mission in the city, the work of which is fostered by the seminar. Because of the activi­ties of members of both the white and colored churches in Cleburne, last year the interest was such that we felt that we could not properly handle it, and it was turned over to a colored brother of experience; but the work will be resumed by the seminar again this year. Some effective work has been done here in the past.

Two additional units in the sur­rounding country are being launched. In one of these places last year there was a regular attendance from a re­gion as remote as thirty miles from our meeting place. The interest was good, though we were not able to bind it off as we should have done. Work will be resumed here immediately. There are other very promising places of which we shall avail ourselves. This will make opportunity in which from four to six more of our young men may do constructive work.

There is still another aspect of our work that I wish to emphasize, namely, two symposiums that are conducted in the latter part of the school year, one for the young men and one for the young women. There are usually five in the young men's unit, and while their talks cover one subject, these sermonettes have not been definitely committed. This has given opportu­nity for that enthusiasm that comes with specially prepared and yet not formally committed endeavor. The preparation of each one has been care­fully made, and the talk has been de­livered again and again, subject to criticism. Then these young people go out to the near-by churches and give Sabbath morning programs. The work has been very liberally and favor­ably commended. This is a great stim­ulus to our young people.

The young women's unit last year prepared a program on " Christian Ed­ucation " which was very highly com­mended by all the churches in which it was given. We find it has given favorable advertising for the school. Work in all these aspects will be car­ried on again this year. We have an enthusiastic and earnest group of young people who are working untir­ingly and give promise of successful accomplishment in the future.

H. S. Miller, Bible Teacher.

Los Angeles Academy.— We have a ministerial band of fourteen boys here at the academy. They go out to the different churches here in the city and in the surrounding towns, conducting Sabbath services. They surely enjoy their work. We are planning for them to hold a series of evangelistic meet­ings very soon.

H.B. Prout, Principal.


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By various authors. 

March 1929

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