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Clinton German Seminary

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 15, 1916

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 93, No. 30.

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Clinton German Seminary

By J. S. Rouse

THE sixth year of the Clinton German Seminary is now in the past. It has certainly been a successful year. From the first, the Lord’s Spirit was manifested. Our enrolment was one hundred and forty-one students, not including the primary department. As a whole, our students were of the mature class, and hence understood the value of time and the importance of preparing themselves for the great work the Lord has for them to do. The general deportment of the students was excellent. The Friday evening social meetings werealways well attended, and were a source of great blessing to the school.
Our two weeks of prayer, one at the usual time in December and the other at the beginning of April, were certainly seasons of refreshing, not only to the students but also to the faculty. Especially was this true of the week in the spring.
The students studied hard, and the grades given at the end of the first semester were the best ever made. The grades at the end of the second semester were still better. This shows a progress on the part of the students in preparing their lessons, as they passed their final examinations extraordinarily well.
May 20-22 were the closing days. Elder R. C. Porter, president of the Asiatic Division Conference, delivered the baccalaureate address, which was very practical, and was greatly appreciated by the senior class. The class numbered twenty, nineteen graduating from the academic course, and one from the college. One member of the class left a few months ago to take up school work in Guatemala, Central America. Some of this class will go into the work permanently, while the larger part will come back to take up college work. The one graduate from the college course has been called to the South Dakota academy to take charge of the German department. We are sure the Lord will go with him and bless him richly.
Our class day program was given Sunday evening, May 21. A large number of people from the town were present, and a splendid program was rendered by the students in both English and German. What they said was appreciated by the large congregation. Many stirring, earnest thoughts were voiced as to the progress of our work.
The commencement exercises were on Monday morning, May 22. Professor Gallion delivered the address. His theme was in full harmony with the spirit of the message. He said that education will never cause a young man to become weak in the faith and leave the truth, but that a good education, rightly given and rightly developed, will strengthen faith in the living God, and in the truth that we as a people hold. It was a most impressive talk.
The class motto was, “Arise and Surmount the Rugged Peaks.” This was very suggestive of the ambition of the class. They are determined to go forward and surmount all the rugged peaks that their future education and experience may present to them,—surmount them all and come off victorious in every attempt put forth to increase their knowledge and to advance the message for this time.
Taking everything into consideration, we can say that this has been a most successful year. We have had our ups and downs. Here and there heavy clouds came up, but the rising sun soon dispelled them, and we are looking forward to the next year with fond hopes of seeing an enrolment of two hundred. Professor Simon is working for the young people, and we expect to see a greater interest taken in the German work by our German-speaking brethren throughout the field. Now is the time to put forth every energy possible to build up our educational work, that we may have efficient workers for the finishing of the Lord’s work in the earth.
The future of the German Seminary is a promising one. This school has a large field from which to draw. The German people have large families, and the Lord has blessed them with means sufficient to send their children to school if they will. The German Seminary is to train workers for a large field. Twenty million Germans are in this country, and one hundred and ten million elsewhere, and this is the only school of its kind in the world. May the Lord bless and strengthen it and develop it until it is second to none in efficiency.
Prof. J. H. Schilling, who has been president of the seminary for the past two years, has been called to evangelistic work in one of our large Eastern cities, and Prof. Frank Isaac has been selected to fill his place. From Professor Isaac’s success in Keene Academy, we believe he will make a success of the work in the Clinton German Seminary.
J. S. ROUSE.