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Our Foreign Seminaries

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 13, 1913

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 90, No. 11.

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Our Foreign Seminaries

By Ole Andres Olsen

RECENTLY I had the privilege of visiting our foreign seminaries. It was arranged for me to give a series of studies at the Danish-Norwegian Seminary at Hutchinson, Minn. I arrived at the place January 21, and remained one week. I was greatly pleased with what I learned and observed while there. The seminary has an enrolment of 102, and a fine class of young people they are—earnest and devoted. At the time of the week of prayer, all then present who had not already done so gave their hearts to the Lord's service. An excellent spirit seemed to prevail in the school. The principal told me at the time I was there that so far during the year not a single case of discipline had been called for. We are very thankful for the blessings attending this branch of the work.
February 4-7 I attended the annual board meeting of the German Seminary at Clinton, Mo. We had an excellent meeting, and everything passed off very harmoniously. We found the school in a fine spirit; unity and harmony prevailed, and the work is moving very successfully. The German Seminary has an enrolment of 139 with 135 in attendance.
Elder W. A. Spicer on his way from the West made us a call and spoke twice to the school. This was very much appreciated, and I think he, too, enjoyed the privilege.
Our German people are taking hold of the school work in earnest. Recently $11,000 has been paid on their note indebtedness, and more money will soon be coming in to further reduce what is still owing.
It was an inspiring sight to see all these young people so earnest and so bent on improving their opportunities to hasten the preparation for the work in the field. There are several mission bands—one a South American band, another a China band, and so on—consisting of those that have set their minds on a certain field.
The Swedish Seminary is located at Broadview, about twelve miles west of Chicago. The Swedes have not so large a constituency to draw from as the Germans and the Danish-Norwegians have. Their present enrolment and attendance is 42, and they are having a fine school.
It is an inspiration when visiting any of these schools to see the earnestness of these young people. Altogether we have in these schools 283 students of these various nationalities.
Sometimes the question has been raised, “Was it a proper move to break up these departments at Union College and start these separate schools?” That such an undertaking would have its difficulties no one would question, but if ever the providence of the Lord has helped in a very marked manner in any undertaking, we see it in the blessings that have come to these schools. We have had difficulties, and perplexing ones, but in the midst of it all great victories have been gained.
The action to dissolve the foreign departments at Union College was taken in October, 1909, and steps were immediately taken to find locations for the new schools, so by Sept. 23, 1910, all three schools opened up in their new places with a larger attendance than was expected for the first year.
The remarkable success that attended the locating committees was a matter of very special interest. The first to locate were the Danish-Norwegians. In looking about they were directed to Hutchinson, where there was a vacant college building that had been built by Lutherans, but had been abandoned. It was in excellent condition, and the location was a favorable one. As it was offered to us at a greatly reduced price, we could but feel that the opening was a very providential one, just such as the Lord had indicated that we should find.
In the location of the German Seminary at Clinton, we had a like experience. Everything seemed to be ready. A large college building in a very fair state of repair was there.
If it had not been for such providential openings in the matter of location, it would have been impossible for us to have got started so quickly with our schools. In all these things we could but recognize the guiding hand of the Lord.
The first year's school in each of these institutions was a real success. During the second year all of them had an increasedattendance and a still better school. Now the third year shows an increase over the second year, and the schools still more improved.
What has already been achieved in these foreign schools would not have been possible had they remained parts of Union College. We now rejoice not only over the success of gathering such a large number of our young people into these schools, but over the educational agitation that has taken place among our Germans and Scandinavians, as it in itself has been a wonderful blessing in the work among these nationalities.
We begin to see results of this in various ways—in the unifying of the work and in the increased missionary interest. And this increased interest among the old and young will result in the gathering of many souls for the kingdom of God. We have reason for sincere gratitude to God for the blessings that are attending these efforts. No one who is acquainted with the situation can fail to see the good providence of God in the establishment of these foreign schools.
We are also glad for the beginnings that have been made in the French in connection with the South Lancaster Academy. This department is a small one, but small as it is, it is a very important factor in connection with our French work in this country.
At the Sheyenne River Academy in North Dakota we have a Russian department, and in connection with that there are a goodly number of Russian young people who are preparing for work among the hundreds of thousands of Russians throughout this country.
The harvest is great and the fields are white, and these many foreign nationalities in our midst have a decided claim upon us. The work can not be finished until these people also have heard the message. Yet the dearth of laborers among the foreigners in this country is exceedingly great. However, we are looking forward with joyful anticipation to the time when these young people in our foreign schools will be ready to enter the work as the way opens.
May the Lord pour out his Spirit in larger measure and hasten the time when this gospel of the kingdom shall have been preached in all the world as a witness unto all nations, and then usher in the glorious day of redemption.
O. A. OLSEN.