As a people professing to make all our education Bibliocentric, and in these days of doubt and infidelity standing stanchly for the inspiration and authority of the Bible, we have long felt the need of a graduate Bible school. Being unable financially at present to launch a permanent graduate school, and feeling, furthermore, that it might be well to begin in a small way and gain experience in the conduct of such a school, it was agreed at our last Autumn Council to conduct a series of advanced Bible summer schools, probably to be held in rotation at different senior colleges.
This conception became a gratifying reality on June 6, when the first session of the Advanced Bible School opened at Pacific Union College. We have (on June 18) an enrollment of thirty-nine students, composed of Bible teachers from colleges and academies, principals of academies, ministers, and a few others. These students come from seven of the nine union conferences in North America and from four foreign divisions—Inter-America, South America, Southern Asia, and China. All who have come in for this work are men of mature experience. Most of them are college graduates, and some have a master's degree.
Work is being given in the study of prophecy, world religions, church history, Biblical languages, and speech. For the second semester of six weeks, beginning July 18, there will be classes in Systematic Theology, Science and Religion, Evidences of Christianity, Secondary Education, and a continuation of the classes in Hebrew and Greek. Besides these regular classes there are series of special lectures of two weeks each, covering the subjects of Health, The Spirit of Prophecy, Missions, Methods of Bible Teaching, Evangelism, The Christian Ministry, and Early Advent History Sources.
The location of our summer school seems ideal.--here on Howell Mountain,—cool and restful, and where there is still much of primitive nature, forests with deer and other animals. The college has an excellent library, and can secure valuable books from other libraries for the asking. Teachers and students are happy in their work, feeling that we are experiencing the fulfillment of the promise, "They shall be all taught of God."
By request from the students, special groups for prayer are being organized, for we feel that with our advancement in the knowledge of the Bible and related branches, we must delve deeper into the realm of spiritual experience. These Bible teachers seem to sense very deeply their unique position in our system of schools and the sacred responsibility of being teachers of the word. With minds alert for additional knowledge, reaching out and up for a greater outpouring of the Spirit, they are expecting and obtaining a better fitting for their work—something they could not possibly secure in any other school.
While it is possible that in the future we shall be able to arrange for their credits to be applied on the master's degree, our students are not thinking much of that, but are seeking diligently for that which will make them better teachers of the Bible and more successful soul winners in a work which they firmly believe is soon to close.
The lectures are proving to be a very helpful feature. The first in the series, Dr. McReynolds's lectures on health, have deeply impressed the students with the importance of caring for the body temple. Elder Daniells will begin his lectures on the Spirit of prophecy in a few days. Elder Spicer has already sent on the syllabi of his series on missions. We are duplicating these so as to make the work of more permanent value to the students. The other lecturers will follow a similar procedure. We earnestly solicit the prayers of our workers for the success of this new school, which, if rightly conducted, holds so much of promise for the future of our work.
Angwin, Calif.
