p. 14 | The Call for Ministers by M. E. Kern

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 3, 1911

The Call for Ministers

By M. E. Kern

THE salvation of the lost is accomplished through the Word of God, and those who are called to be preachers of the word have a most sacred responsibility in connection with God's work. The time was in the history of the advent message when the ministry was about the only calling open to our young men; but as the cause has developed, and demands have arisen for so many kinds of workers in connection with it, there has been a scarcity of young men who have entered the ministry.

This should not be. All departments of the work are important and have their place; but the majority of the strongest, brightest, and most consecrated young men among us should give their lives to the direct preaching of the gospel both at home and abroad. Some, because of a sense of the sacred character of this work, and of the high standard to be reached by the gospel minister, have hesitated to express their convictions that God is calling them to the ministry. But let our young men rejoice that God has a great work for them to do. Let them seek by consecration, activity in service, and thorough education, to make themselves worthy of the call. Hundreds of good ministers are needed in the great cities of the home land and in the foreign fields.

The Foreign Mission Seminary is endeavoring to do its part in supplying the demand of the hour. The faculty has been chosen with reference to this very idea of developing evangelistic workers. Our pastoral training teacher is a successful evangelist, and is this summer making a special study of Eastern city work.

The following is an outline of our —

Ministerial Course

First Year

History of antiquity, three terms.

Greek or Hebrew, three terms.

Pedagogy, one term.

General diseases, or tropical hygiene and diseases, and skin diseases, one term.

Hydrotherapy, practical and theoretical, one term.

Public reading and speaking (two recitations a week), two terms.

Accidents and emergencies (two recitations a week), one term.

Industrial subject, three terms.

Vocal music (two recitations a week), three terms.

Second Year

Historic and prophetic review, three terms.

Pastoral training, theoretical and practical, three terms.

Greek or Hebrew, three terms.

Reform epochs, three terms.

Government and international law (one recitation a week), three terms.

Advanced rhetoric or journalism or Biblical literature (two recitations a week), three terms.

Voice culture and vocal music (two recitations a week), three terms.

Some may need to take prerequisite work (which includes the academic course, grades nine to twelve) along with these special lines; and others may require a slightly different course than the one here outlined. Each case will be studied with reference to the attainment of proficiency in the ministry.

Are there not mature young men who already have considerable education, and who are engaged in successful business or professional work, who will leave all for Christ and the finishing of his work, and take up a course of training for the gospel ministry? We should be very glad to correspond with such. Ask for the calendar.

“The day is short; the work is vast; the reward is great; the Master urges.”

M. E. KERN,

Pres. Wash. For. Miss. Seminary.