Encouraging Reports by J. L. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Feb 12, 1914

Encouraging Reports

By J. L. S.

We are receiving very encouraging reports from our colleges and academies. Prof. H. U. Stevens writes from Argentina, South America:—

“This, as you may know, has been my first year in the Colegio Adventista del Plata, and truly it has been a good one to me. Our enrollment reached one hundred and twenty-one. This is thirty per cent over the total enrollment of last year, the largest in the history of the school. Throughout the year a spirit of earnestness and consecration pervaded the school. The rite of baptism was celebrated three times during the year, and nearly all the young people who remained with us throughout the year at least showed the movings of the Spirit of God in their hearts. Some of these are of families not of our faith. This year our students have put in regularly twelve hours a week in industrial work, which has had the effect of reducing our disciplinary matters to a minimum. We are fully convinced that our industrial work is a blessing to both students and teachers, and we expect to continue this work the coming year, with an attempt at more complete organization.

“At the close of the school year, the Argentina Conference held its annual camp meeting on the school campus. Elder W. W. Wheeler was appointed educational secretary of the conference, and action was taken which looked to the organization of a system of church schools. A call was made for means with which to help worthy young people prepare themselves for service as quickly as possible in the Colegio Adventista. This call was answered by the brethren with a donation of eight hundred and forty dollars United States money.

“I have been very much interested in the plans for the educational convention to be held in the summer of 1914. I wish I might attend and partake of the good things that will be there.”

Elder E. J. Hibbard, Bible teacher at the Pacific Union College, speaks of the spiritual interests in that college as follows:—

“This morning, after several of the students had related their experiences in holding Bible services in Calistoga during the vacation period, the Holy Spirit again took possession, and we gave him the school all the forenoon. Many devoted their lives to the ministry of the word. I am confident that to the twenty-five or more who had already decided on that calling, about as many others were added. We hope this school may become such as were the Waldensian schools during the Middle Ages. We really dare hope that it will be such. It is all the work of the Holy Spirit, and no man has any credit coming his way for what has been done here of late.”

Prof. G. C. George, principal of Plainview Academy, at Redfield, S. Dak., writes:—

“At this time I shall give you a brief report of what we are doing here at Plainview Academy. At present our enrollment is ninety-four. This is not quite so large as last year at this time. Our enrollment for the year 1912-13 was one hundred and fourteen, but we had passed the hundred mark by the middle of the term. The crops in South Dakota were very light last season, due to the drought that prevailed quite generally over the State. All things considered, we feel that our enrollment this year is very good.

“During the week of prayer, we had splendid meetings. Services were held at the regular chapel hour and every evening. Aside from these two general meetings, the prayer bands met twice a day, just before chapel for twenty minutes and just before the evening service for a short meeting. After the general services of the evening, special prayer was offered for the unconverted, and those who had just made a start had the privilege of seeking God. We have continued these after meetings after our Friday evening service, and we consider that the week of prayer was only the beginning of a spiritual awakening in the school. Our students have been advancing step by step since that time. We are very grateful for the evidence that God’s Spirit is attending and blessing our efforts here.

“Financially our school is in a prosperous condition. We have every reason to expect that this will be a good year for Plainview Academy.”

J. L. S.