Pacific Union College by C. W. Irwin

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 31, 1916

Pacific Union College

By C. W. Irwin

The determining factor in estimating the success of any Christian college should be the depth of spiritual power pervading its work. Such a condition manifests itself in contentedness and happiness on the part of the students, and in their willingness to comply cheerfully with a few tried regulations and to assist in every missionary endeavor.

Viewed from this standpoint, the past year has been undoubtedly the best in the history of the Pacific Union College. A most cheerful spirit of coöperation has been manifest on the part of both students and teachers throughout the year. This has been shown in the fervor of missionary zeal which has been present in the student body. Everything pertaining to the advancement of the message has been entered into most heartily by the students, and they have rejoiced in every token of progress as reported from our foreign missions.

The prayer bands have been numerous and well attended. The Friday evening social meeting has been a time of special blessing and encouragement. The students engaged enthusiastically in the Harvest Ingathering campaign, and more than four hundred dollars was raised in this way for the support of our mission work. Those taking the ministerial course have held meetings in various churches within reach of the college, and the results have been very encouraging. The Missionary Volunteer Society held its meeting each Wednesday morning at chapel hour. This meeting was attended by the whole school, and proved to be very helpful to the students in learning missionary methods and in kindling missionary zeal. Thirty-one Standard of Attainment certificates have been given out in the society during the year. It has been the aim of those leading out in the spiritual work of the year to foster a steady growth in spiritual life, rather than to arouse a sudden but transitory flight of religious fervor which might be the result of sentiment rather than of a steady growth in grace and a knowledge of the Saviour.

The location of Pacific Union College is especially adapted to the happy combination of physical, intellectual, and spiritual training. In harmony with the light which has been given us through the Spirit of prophecy, the school is located in the country, far removed from the excitement and bustle of city life. Here the students, surrounded by the beauties of nature, have the opportunity of pursuing their studies under the most favorable conditions for the healthful development of their bodies. The fresh mountain air and the pure spring water, with good food and abundant exercise in useful labor, make for the best development of true Christian men and women.

Incidentally, these advantages are much appreciated by those students who find it necessary to meet part of their expenses by the labor of their own hands. During the past year our students earned $25,000, which was placed to their credit for school expenses. At the rate of $200 a student, 125 students in this way earned their schooling in the industrial departments of the college. Nearly two thirds of the students in the school homes earned part or all of their expenses, and slightly more than one third of them paid their accounts in full in cash. Under these conditions the college can easily follow the light given in the Testimonies regarding the importance of discarding games of various kinds; for useful labor provides the necessary exercise.

In the normal department, which includes the church school grades, 45 pupils were enrolled; 180 students pursued academic work, and 100 were in the college department. Fifty students were graduated from the various courses at the close of the year, seventeen of these receiving degrees from the full collegiate course. The ministerial, normal, and premedical courses were well represented, and a smaller number of students completed the music and shorthand and business courses. Our college has given special attention to strengthening itself for giving the necessary premedical studies for the benefit of those who wish to enter the College of Medical Evangelists at Loma Linda. Six of our graduates expect to enter the medical college this fall.

The new college chapel is now under process of construction. It will probably not be ready for occupancy until the fall of 1917. It will contain a commodious chapel with gallery, with seating capacity for an audience of six hundred people. The building will include commodious offices for administrative purposes, large library and reading-room, two study-rooms for members of the faculty, and ample space for the commercial department. The present temporary chapel can then be divided into recitation-rooms. These rooms will provide ample accommodation for many classes which are now compelled to meet in undesirable places. All the work, from the felling of the trees in the woods to the completion of the building, will be done by student labor.

As the Pacific Union College is situated near the Golden Gate, which is the natural port of departure for all missionaries going to the Orient, it is natural that much attention should be given to the foreign mission work. Ten members of the faculty have traveled extensively or labored in foreign fields. The Oriental fields and South America seem to be the natural goal for those students who contemplate foreign service. During the summer vacation ten students have departed for fields abroad.

In short, it may be said that the real purpose and aim of the teachers in Pacific Union College is to prepare young men and women for places of active service in proclaiming the third angel's message to the world in this generation.

C. W. IRWIN, Pres. Pacific Union College.