p. 18 | Correspondence Study by W. E. Howell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 5, 1909

Correspondence Study

By W. E. Howell

Who Should Pursue It; Some of Its Methods

THERE are no people who have so emphatic a need of education as have believers in the third angel's message. This is not because they are so unlearned, but because a mighty work is laid upon them,—a work that makes requisition upon every fragment of time and every trace of talent in the believer. God holds the leaders of this work responsible for searching out every hidden or latent talent and assisting its possessor to put it to the exchangers; and he expects every man to whom he has delivered his goods, whether it be ten talents or five or one, to go and trade with the same.

Our young people who have gone out to trade with their talents in the book field and in our resident schools the past few years, have realized a remarkable increase both in means and in ability. God accepts the usury which they bring. But there remain many who can not go out, who are detained at home by sick or dependent or unbelieving parents, by the care of orphan brothers or sisters, by their employment, by lack of means, or by providential circumstances of some kind. These must trade with their talents at home. To all such let it be said, The Correspondence School brings the opportunity to your very door. For a pittance you can obtain power,—power to think, power to will, power to serve. You can begin at the bottom if you need to. You can aim as high as you ought to. You can climb as fast as you want to.

Read again the article, “The Correspondence School,” in last week's REVIEW (July 29). Examine carefully the list of studies outlined there. Look at that first line of English, Applied Grammar, and reflect whether or not your use of the mother tongue needs purging and toning up. With our enlightened methods, grammar is not the dry study it once was. The use of good English is one of the very first requisites to your wider usefulness. Look also at the second subject in English, the Foundations of Rhetoric, which starts you in good writing, presupposing a fair working knowledge of grammar in its wider sense.

Do you feel the need of learning to calculate rapidly and correctly the interest on your father's or neighbor's note? or to know for yourself the exact amount of lumber you are paying for? or to keep the accounts for your uncle's business? Take our course in simplified, practical arithmetic and in elementary bookkeeping.

Then you can not afford to be without a more accurate and systematic knowledge of our great doctrines of present truth. We offer a beginning course in this study. The lessons in physiology and hygiene will be of an untechnical and exceedingly useful character. Preserve your health for higher service. According to the Scriptures the United States is playing and will continue to play a very important rôle in the fulfilment of prophecy. No one should fail to acquaint himself with the leading facts and principles involved in the birth and development of our nation. Take United States History.

The Method of Instruction

by correspondence will be very simple. We prepare the outline for your lesson in printed form, making assignments for study in your text-book and requirements for work outside of it, asking questions for you to answer, and offering suggestions to help you in preparing the lesson. Space is left on these lesson sheets for you to write your answers and fill in requirements on the same sheet. When ready you mail it to us, together with any points you can not understand and any questions you wish to ask. Your paper is carefully corrected, your difficulties explained, helpful observations made, and your paper returned to you promptly. Meanwhile you are preparing your next lesson. We wish you to work conscientiously on the basis of completing at least one lesson a week, and as much more as your time will permit you to do thoroughly. Forty lessons will complete a subject. You are taking

The First Correspondence Lesson

by the reading of this article and complying with its requests. The lesson topic is, Make a Beginning. Special theme: Only Make a Beginning. Conclusion: Only Make a Beginning Now. Read this article repeatedly. Ponder it well. Pray over it fervently.

Your text on this first lesson will be a written one. Write to the principal of the Correspondence School or to your State young people's or educational secretary, and ask for a registration blank. Fill it out carefully, enclose five dollars with it, mail it to the Correspondence School, Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., and you will become a charter member of the school for the first half of your first course of study. If you wish to prepay the whole tuition for one course of forty lessons, enclose $9.50. Should you not have the five dollars in hand when you register, send in the registration blank at once, and the money a little later. When the money arrives, you will be enrolled as a full member.

Start out with simple, straightforward business principles. The first essential to success is to form a definite purpose. The second is to be prompt in entering upon it. The third is to persevere until you fulfil it. Make these three P's—Purpose, Promptness, and Perseverance—your watchword. The compensation will be power—power to serve. But whatever you do, do it now. Watch the REVIEW next week.

W. E. HOWELL, Principal.