World War II has proved to the world one important military fact. It has demonstrated beyond a doubt the potent power and effectiveness of a strong air force. It is the strong air force that precedes the advancing army, and prepares the way. It breaks down the enemy, weakens its defenses, and destroys its communications. The more effective the air arm, the easier it is for the advancing army.
Similarly, we conceive radio work to be the mighty "air arm" of the third angel's message. It has proved to be so in our endeavors here in Indiana. The radio has before it greater potentialities than has any other device that God has given to us as a people to hasten the finishing of the work. The final movements are to be rapid ones. Our methods of soul winning must be kept apace with rapidly accelerated movements in the world. The old-fashioned horse-drawn artillery, regardless of its effectiveness in its day, could not maintain the pace of modern conflicts.
Our world has been made radio-conscious. The proper use of the radio, combined with effective follow-up work, will prove to be the real "air arm" of the message. The great objection to radio work in the past has been the meager results obtained from the outlay of a large amount of money. The "Bible School of the Air" plan, however, has changed the approach and method of conducting radio work, and has largely removed the financial objection.
We prepared the way for our summer evangelistic campaign by beginning our Bible School of the Air six weeks before our tent effort began. During these weeks general topics were discussed, such as world conditlons and the need of spiritual revivals. It was so planned that the Bible lessons on the air were co-ordinated with the subjects to be presented in the tent. Thus, when we announced our opening meeting at the tent, we began the same study on Daniel 2 over the Bible School of the Air. We urged all those attending the lectures at the tent to listen to the radio lectures also. In this way the messages at the tent were reinforced, and these truths became fixed in the minds of the people. All who were members of the Bible School of the Air received printed Bible lessons. Thus they received more literature on the subject than they would have received at the tent alone.
We experienced more concerted opposition to our work here in Anderson than in any other place in which we have labored. Local churches distributed printed sermons and thousands of pieces of literature by local pastors, denouncing us, and radio time was purchased during which the public was warned against us. The local ministerial association of Protestant ministers brought in nationally known evangelists to preach in a tent with a seating capacity of 2,500 people. They continued their work for six weeks. But through all this, our work has come forth victorious. Our crowds increased, our offerings grew larger, and we packed more people into our little three-pole tent than the other speakers could persuade to come out to hear them.
How were we able to maintain a large attendance and an interest through all this? Primarily, we must attribute it to the protecting hand of God over His cause. Secondly, we sincerely believe that the radio work was our constant defense. We could reach the people by stating the truth of God in an affirmative way. Thus far we have baptized forty-two people here in Anderson, and we have more than a hundred more names on our selected list. We also have 91 additional families who are members of the Bible School of the Air. This makes a calling list of at least 191 families.
We have been on the air less than five months, and have more than five hundred members in our Bible School of the Air. The plan is simple, but effective. We are using the Community Bible School lessons. We invite the people to write to us, requesting membership in the Bible School of the Air. Our initial radio announcement concerning the course is something like the following:
Dear Radio Friends:
Haven't you always wanted to have a clear understanding of the Bible ? Those difficult passages, those strange prophecies, have probably baffled you. Now your prayer has been answered. In times past it required considerable money to attend some religious school and systematically study the Bible. But now you will have opportunity to study the Bible in the most modern and fascinating way. And better yet, these Bible lessons are presented to you absolutely free of charge.
The "Bible School of the Air" is a radio Bible correspondence institution. It consists of twenty-four, well-printed, illustrated Bible lessons. One printed lesson will be sent you each week. All you do is study the lesson carefully, while it is taught to you over this station every day at this same hour. You simply write out the answers to the test questions at the end of the lesson, send them to us, and we then grade your paper and return it to you with the next lesson. Isn't that interesting? Don't you think that would be a real blessing to you? It will snake the Bible a new book to you.
Why not write today for full information and for the introductory lesson, "How to Understand the Bible"? It's all free of charge. Amazing though this offer is, don't think for a moment that there is a catch to it. It is the newest idea in religious broadcasting. Write to us tonight.
The Bible School of the Air
Box No. 5
Anderson, Indiana
To those who write us requesting membership in the Bible School of the Air, we send a letter explaining the plan of study, and enclose a membership card shown here. (No. 2.) This gives an idea of how we got the plan started. Once it is moving, it will increase in momentum every week. We are now sending our lessons to more than seventy-five different towns and cities, and our station is only a 250-watt station. Where a larger station is available, the possibilities are enormous.
After we presented the Sabbath truth over the air, we sent the names and addresses of the Bible school members to the elders of local Seventh-day Adventist churches. We asked them to contact these people, determine their interest, and begin Bible studies with them.
[Introductory letter to accompany first lesson]
Dear Student:
Enclosed with this letter you will find your introductory lesson to the "Radio Bible Correspondence School," known as the "Bible School of the Air."
This is just the first of a series of 24 Bible lessons. We suggest that you secure an inexpensive binder, at some ten-cent store, in which you can place these lessons and preserve them for future reference.
This introductory lesson does not contain any test questions. All the following lessons will have test questions at the end of the lesson. You are to write out the answers to these test questions and send them in to me. As soon as I receive your answers, I will correct them and send them back to you with the next lesson. You need not wait until we have discussed the lesson on the air. In fact, it will be more enjoyable for you if you will write out your answers and then see whether you had them right.
If at any time you have any questions concerning the lesson under discussion, feel free to write to me. We shall answer your question over the radio unless you request us not to. Your name will not be mentioned.
I know you will get a real thrill out of this course. May God richly bless you as you study.
Very sincerely,
M.K. Eckenroth.
While our conference home missionary secretary was doing Harvest Ingathering work in Kokomo, Indiana, he met a woman who is a prominent physician. She asked whether his work had anything to do with the Bible School of the Air. He told her it did. She replied that she desired studies in her home, and that at least thirty of her acquaintances were interested in studying with her. Arrangements were made for a Bible school to be formed in her home.
This worker met a man in the same city who was a member of the Bible School of the Air. For more than forty years he has been a Sunday school teacher in a large city church. He said: "That man Eckenroth has sent me literature that has undermined all my faith in' the doctrines of my church." When asked what he intended to do, he replied, "What else can a man do but believe it ?"
Experiences like these could be multiplied. Testimonial letters that would fill a book could be given. In five months of this work we have received more than four thousand letters and cards. In our first fruits of the effort here in Anderson, we have baptized five persons who were directly interested in this truth by the radio. Two of these are a doctor and his wife. Their conversion is a story in itself. Their first tithe check to this cause was $125.44.
How is such a program financed? The conference here has not assisted our work with a single penny. But our people are willing, yes, eager, to sacrifice for any program that will hasten the coming of Jesus our Lord. Funds from the radio audience are increasing, and will largely remove the burden from our people in a little while.
The Bible School of the Air idea is still in its embryonic form. I believe that when sufficient experience has been gained in producing the best type of lessons, methods of promotion, etc., we shall see even greater victories gained for this truth by radio. The Bible School of the Air affords that personal touch so necessary to the successful winning of souls. Radio is truly the "air power of the advent message. Let us develop this "air arm" until its influence is irresistible.
*Accompanying this article are reproductions of cards, letters, and other promotional material used in Elder Eckenroth's radio work. Any who are interested in a further study of radio correspondence course work, principles, and procedures, may well study the series of articles by Dallas Youngs in the March, April, and May, 1941, Ministry,—Editor.
