p. 7 | What We See in the Training-Centers by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 6, 1913

What We See in the Training-Centers

By W. A. S.

In three things we can plainly see the hand of God set for the missionary advance,—in the swift opening of doors of access to the multitudes in the fields; in the rising stream of gifts for missions in the churches; and in the growing army of youth in the training-centers, intent on getting into the field of service.

These are signs to gladden the hearts of all who look to see the Lord quickly finish the work.

But all reports agree that in the school centers the missionary spirit is stronger than ever before. We see it wherever we meet the student bodies. The development in our own work in the mission fields speaks with a direct challenge that is shaping the student aim every day. There is a clearer understanding of what the fields demand and of the work before us.

From the church-school period onward—in fact, from the Sabbath-school kindergarten stage—the missionary motive is kept ever at the fore in the entire course of instruction, with encouragement to active service for others all the way through the student life. It is the ideal of a system of preparation for a missionary movement; and it is the possession, in its most complete form, of the plain, simple people who stand for the proclamation of the definite message of Christ’s soon coming, the last gospel message to the world.

In the sanitarium nurses’ schools and the Loma Linda Medical College, we have provision within the ranks for the development of medical missionaries, thus completing the entire series of educational agencies, aiming at every point at the giving of the advent message to all the world in this generation.

Apropos of the special offering of March 15 for the medical college hospital, it is of interest to note that our Loma Linda brethren are aiming to keep their college students face to face with the definite missionary call, supplying opportunity for that spiritual development by Bible study and personal service which all the great missionary societies recognize as most essential, and yet especially difficult of attainment in medical missionary training. This feature was discussed at the World’s Missionary Congress in Edinburgh. It was urged that “the intellectual atmosphere in class-room and laboratory may be out of sympathy with, or even antagonistic to, religious belief,” hence, the congress declared, the greater necessity of the missionary society’s making special effort to keep in touch with its medical candidates through the years of college work, endeavoring to encourage such in Bible study and in “direct spiritual work for others.” At our Loma Linda medical school, naturally, the atmosphere of simple faith in the advent message and the incentive to personal service in that message are maintained, the same as in all our training-schools.

Yes, the reenforcements are on the way. It may well give courage to the missionaries who see their work outgrowing their utmost efforts, and it is an inspiration to the believers to keep the gifts for missions and missionary training agencies flowing on in yet more liberal streams of blessing. W. A. S.