What busy months these have been! We left our office near the end of May and arrived in England in time for the British section of the two University Extension Courses conducted in the Northern European Division this year. From the moment we landed at Southampton, every clay was crowded with appointments. The teaching schedule itself was a heavy assignment, but added to this we had a full program of weekend meetings, including regional gatherings, youth camps, and institutional appointments.
It has been both a privilege and an inspiration to meet with ministers, teachers, and Bible instructors day after day in the classroom, and to unfold the purpose of God for this Advent Movement. A spirit of genuine revival and heart searching has been apparent, and we have been deeply conscious of God's presence. Truly the Lord has been speaking to us by His Spirit.
The British Extension School was held at the Newbold College, some thirty-five miles from London. This fine institution is admirably suited to a program such as this. The classes were conducted in the main chapel, and in addition to the students regularly enrolled, a number of ministers living in the London area and unable to be in attendance all the time came for two or three days a week.
Dr. W. G. C. Murdoch was the director of these extension courses, and Arthur L. White of the White Publications gave wonderful instruction on the background of the movement, stressing particularly the place of the Spirit of Prophecy writings. Another course was conducted by the writer in public and pastoral evangelism. At the conclusion of this six-week school all the workers from the British Isles came together for four intensive days of study. This was not actually a part of the extension school, but the inspiration from the classrooms carried over into these workers' meetings, which were designed to give inspiration in the field of evangelism.
Following the British Extension School the faculty moved to Norway, where a similar extension course covering the same subjects was conducted. The excellent college building at Tyrifjord in this northern country is attractive in every way. This new structure is built on the shores of one of Norway's most beautiful lakes.
Two thirds of the way through our course in Norway, the workers from the East and West Nordic unions came together for four days of intensive counsel. Like the one in Britain, this was different from an ordinary workers' meeting, there being no reports from workers and no promotion of any kind. We met for deeper study of God's Word and clearer understanding of the counsels of the Lord's Spirit to the leaders of this Advent Movement.
At first it was felt that the break in the regular class study might weaken the program, but we feel now that it actually had many things to commend it. Indeed it proved a strengthening of the whole program. For these hard-working heralds of the cross to be able to draw together for a period of concentrated study has meant much. Some said that no group as large as this one had met in Scandinavia for more than twenty years. Already we are witnessing an eagerness on the part of all for a larger soul-winning program throughout these lands. As this report goes to press many who left the classroom are now in the midst of intensive campaigns.
As already intimated, during the four or five days of our Scandinavian workers' meeting the regular program of classwork was carried on as usual, the larger group joining in the class discussions. The visiting workers procured the syllabuses and the textbooks, thus catching the spirit of study.
In addition to the classwork we had the chapel appointments every day. Each afternoon and evening was filled with additional meetings and discussions—in all, eight meetings a day! But no one complained; instead there was a happy spirit of fellowship that made it a time long to be remembered. God seemed to be leading in a particular way on the last day when the class period and meeting climaxed in a consecration service just before the evening meal. Then right afterward we gathered for a wonderful fellowship meeting, when that large group of dedicated ministers and Bible instructors met around the Lord's table. As the eighty or ninety additional workers took their leave that night or early the next morning, the regularly enrolled students got down to their heavy class programs again. Those of us who use English as our mother tongue cannot fully appreciate what it means for those who have to take their study assignments in a language other than their own. As teachers we honor those who make such noble attempts to build themselves up in knowledge and techniques to make themselves more efficient stewards of their Lord. We can report with great satisfaction that the graduate work of these students is not one whit behind the standards in the classrooms at the home base.
Lakeside Evangelistic Center
As we write these lines we are in the midst of another heavy program, right in the heart of Finland. All of our workers from the Finnish Union have gathered at the campsite in jyvaskyla. Concerning this camp we can truly say that here is a place "where every prospect pleases." We are comfortably housed right on the bank of one of Finland's sixty-two thousand lovely lakes. We were informed that we were coming to a youth camp, but this place is far more than that. Here is a campsite that is used from the beginning of March right through until November each year. In the spring, groups of Adventist ski parties come together here. Not all who come are Adventists, but those not of our faith are carefully selected friends. Everyone in Finland is a skier, and during the weeks that these groups come together meetings are held and a spirit of devotion is encouraged. Thus the ski party becomes a kind of evangelistic gathering. Now with the warm summer sun shining on the lakes around us it is difficult to imagine this as a land of ice and snow. When the snow melts the mothers' camp begins. This offers an unusual opportunity for hard-working mothers to come together for ten days or more. And as in the ski parties, some mothers are not actual members; but they are encouraged to attend. The wholesome spirit of fellowship and evangelism leads many of these mothers who as yet are not full-fledged members to understand the philosophy of the Advent Movement, and it is not long before they too want to join the ranks of God's people.
Following the mothers' camp come the junior camps. And what wonderful occasions these are! There is no more important group among us than the boys and girls. Then come the youth camps. No one camp is permitted to be larger than from 120 to 150, because as the leaders say, they do not want numbers so large they would lose the personal touch. The youth camps over, then come the workers from the Finnish Union. Every year these ministers and Bible instructors come together for prayer, counsel, and study. It is in this particular council that we find ourselves. Soon these workers will be back at their posts, planning their evangelistic programs. But another group will be coming; this is the Bible study group, composed of those whose interest has been awakened through Bible correspondence lessons. We are told that this will be a large and enthusiastic company. In a spirit of wholesome fellowship and intensive study, every day they enjoy not only the beauties of nature but more particularly the beauties of the Word of God.
So group after group comes and goes in this unique evangelistic center. Here is evangelism of the highest order, and God is blessing the work. Two of us, Arthur L. White and the writer, came for a long weekend from the Norwegian Extension School, and during the days we have been here we have taken all the meetings. And how these dear people love meetings! Not only is every day filled to the full, but each evening has two full meetings from 7:15 to 8:30 and 8:45 to 10:00! It is inspiring to see the confidence of our workers growing in the Spirit of Prophecy writings and the place these books have in the strengthening of the church. It means much for the people of these smaller countries to hear the story of God's leading in the history of the Advent cause. God surely expects much of us in the intense days in which we are privileged to preach.
Finland borders on the great country of Russia, and it was an unusual opportunity to cross the border and pay a brief visit to that interesting land. Not all who go to Russia visit the great city of Leningrad. It has a population of 3.5 million, and no city of this nation is more interesting than is this one, which is the birthplace of modern Russia—a place where world-shaping history has been made during the past lour decades. My one regret is that the heavy program of our teaching work did not permit me to remain in Russia longer. Every courtesy was extended to me, both officially and unofficially, and many times I was urged to revisit this land. How wonderful it is to know that the Lord has His own in every corner of the globe. Soon the Spirit of God will be poured out and great will be the rejoicing of His people as they see the multitudes of earth coming to a knowledge of His grace. The tragedy is that through the centuries much that has gone by the name of Christian has been alien to the spirit of its Founder, who loved everyone of every race and kindred and tribe. Whoever we may be and wherever we may live, we are all members of one family, friends and brothers of a Carpenter, who left the 'bench to build a kingdom.
As I left that land of interest two stanzas of a song we sometimes sing were ringing in my ears:
We've a story to tell to the nations
That shall turn their hearts to the right.
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light.
'We've a Saviour to show to the nations
Who the path of sorrow hath trod,
That all of the world's great peoples
Might come to the truth of God.
REFRAIN:
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright,
And Christ's great kingdom shall come to earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
—COLIN STEARNE.
R. A. A.
