The passing of the years has brought great advancement in the education of the masses over that of early colonial days in America. Even as late as the Civil War, many on the frontier thought that to be able to read, write, and do simple problems in arithmetic was sufficient education for life. The early days of this message found many doctors and lawyers, as well as preachers, with what would now be called a limited education. One who could read well was listened to with respect in villages and towns as well as in rural places.
In those early days, comparatively few farmers were versed in history, or understood current events aside from what they learned from the weekly paper, which was filled with politics. The country school, which seldom taught beyond the elementary grades, gave what was considered a fair education. There were then no telephone systems tying communities together, few international cables, no radio bringing daily news from all parts of the world. Mail was slow; and transportation, though considered fast, was far behind what we have today.
All is different now. Those who will can keep informed by radio on world events, without leaving their own homes. They can listen to music, lectures on education and politics, and talks on religion by able ministers. National addresses on almost every conceivable topic are broadcast by Representatives, Senators, and departmental secretaries. Even the Chief Executive of the United States gives outlines of proposed plans for future legislation in speeches to which millions may listen, and so takes the people into his confidence. In these days any one who commands public attention needs to watch his words, be sure of his statements, and measure up to a degree of accuracy which was not demanded in the early days of this message.
Then we had no schools in which to train men for the ministry of our movement; we had no college where students could study under teachers who believed this truth. Men who felt called of God to preach went to work and did the best they could. They studied hard, and improved their time, and kept pace generally with the increase of knowledge. Thus they held their own fairly well.
Other denominations had not only colleges, but seminaries in which many of their preachers were trained after they had finished college, and sometimes the university. But we were poor in this world's goods, and had a long way to go to get even a start in denominational education. As late as 1873-74, it was not an easy task to find capable teachers who were loyal Seventh-day Adventists to man our first college. Our membership was limited, and our believers were largely scattered in rural communities.
Now all is different. Our educational centers compare well with those of other denominations, and they meet our needs far better than any outside schools. We have now in operation in the world field 2,735 schools, with 5,715 teachers, and an enrollment of 112,832 students.
But all this, commendable as it is, does not supply what many feel as a great need, and that is an advanced training school where a progressive ministry, and the Bible and history teacher group of our academies and colleges, may have a better opportunity to qualify for enlarged service. A training is imperative now which was not needed in yesteryear. This cannot be obtained in outside seminaries, as each seminary teaches and defends the faith of the denomination which it represents. Universities do not meet our need; for many of their professors are impregnated with Modernism and agnosticism. Many who finish in an outside school do not keep their faith in the infallible word of God.
These conditions make it almost imperative that this denomination conduct its own seminary; else it must leave our Bible teachers and ministry to get on with what is already supplied in our colleges, or to attend schools of the world. Our schools do well as far as they go. But our present educational system can give only the standard sixteen grades plus the Bible, and our colleges make no provision for one to specialize in advanced Bible and history and related subjects. The college work gives the preliminary training that every minister needs before he enters a seminary. But a college course cannot substitute for seminary work, nor should a seminary substitute for college work. The seminary takes the student from his B.A. or B.Th., and gives him advanced work in various lines such as additional Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Bible, practical theology, homiletics, archeology, corrective speech, and research methods. Most denominations conduct such advanced work in their own seminaries; but our ministry cannot avail themselves of this advanced work under other teachers than our own.
Few men ought to be more concerned for the advancement of our denominational seminary than our ministry. It concerns our future and the unity of our work. There should be uniformity of teaching, oneness of faith, and singleness of purpose among our workers. This cannot be obtained in schools not of our faith. We must educate our own ministry in the Bible doctrines and Christian verities. It is to meet this obvious need that we have to conduct our own denominational educational system from the church school on through to the seminary.
Every forward-looking minister would find it to his advantage to attend the Theological Seminary. It would prove a most invaluable investment. It ought to appeal to our ministry to see this school supported and maintained. When it is in full operation, and the results of its unifying and uplifting work are seen throughout the world, we believe that all will say the establishment of the seminary was in the providence of God.
