China Union Training-School
By H. W. MILLER
It was a source of considerable gratification to us to listen, on the closing day of school, while these four men from the western part of Honan read the essays they had prepared on present truth, giving in their own tongue explanations of the sanctuary, the little horn, the three messages, and other doctrines we hold as present truth, which they had prepared during their short stay of twelve weeks. Previously these men knew no history, being unlearned in their own language, yet they grasp this message and love it. We allowed six weeks’ vacation before the spring term began, and during this time the students were advised to sell our literature from village to village, and thus earn a scholarship for the spring term. They were anxious to improve this opportunity to get back into school. They had to go so far to reach their home village that they could not return for more literature when they had sold out; therefore we bought them a wheelbarrow for forty-five cents, and they loaded on it all their literature and bedding, and pushed the wheelbarrow themselves. When all was in readiness for leaving, they came into my study, and wept that they must be separated from those of like precious faith and experience, but expressed strong confidence that God would help them to dispose of their literature, and that they would return to the school. They left their mother with us, as the expense of her going home would be considerable. On rainy days, when they could not sell literature, they planned to carry brick or saw wood. Within two weeks from the date of opening the school, we had all the students we could conveniently accommodate; and even after this many applied for entrance, most of whom we had to advise to wait until the spring term, when they could start their work at the beginning of the classes. Brother Han, our leading evangelist in Anhwei, said, after attending school a few weeks: “Before I learned this truth, I thought I had about mastered the doctrines of the Bible. I received compliments from foreigners and Chinese alike; but after these few weeks of study here, I do not feel I dare to preach a sermon, lest I get some error into it.” This brother, whom we feel we can hardly spare from the field work in that section, is pleading at this time for the privilege of spending more time in school. Although he is about fifty years of age, he is a student, and has been used of God to bring many souls to this truth. While in attendance at the school, he and his wife held some Bible readings with his sister and her companion, both of whom were Bible women in another society. They took their stand for the Sabbath, and entered the training-school. They were both quite familiar with the phraseology of the New Testament; but now they freely confess they did not know the meaning of the Scriptures. They desire to stay in the school until we consider them prepared for service. Our students have been missionaries, and have been doing active work for souls all through the school term. As a result of their missionary efforts, which were seconded by their teachers, six persons began the observance of the Sabbath. Four of these came from heathenism. Only one student, the son of one of our evangelists, made no profession of religion, but he gave his heart to the Lord before the close of the term. Four students were baptized, and taken into church fellowship. Seven others will, we think, be ready for baptism this spring. They are in harmony with us on all points of the truth; in their case baptism was delayed to give them further knowledge, and a little longer experience. Fourteen of the advanced students were baptized church-members when they entered the school. Our Chinese brethren are hungering for more knowledge of this wonderful truth, and the prospects for the future of this school are very bright. We trust that we shall be able to meet this growing14demand in an acceptable manner. To do so we shall have to have more room and suitable buildings. The teaching has been done in the cold, brick-floored, unheated, thatch-roofed, mud-walled houses. The climate is as cold as Michigan winters. In these rooms the shivering teachers stand, teaching the half-frozen students from two to three hours each day. The pupils are wonderfully patient. Such accommodations, however, are not conducive to the best results. We should have land and a dormitory, and have some class-rooms built. The houses may be after the Chinese style, but well lighted, and built so that they can be heated. The greater part of Honan lies in the Great Plain of China. Its soil is one of the most fertile to be found in the world. Many of our students come from farms, and they would do good service in farm work, and thus be enabled to earn their tuition and board. Two prominent lines of instruction will be given in connection with the school at present, and as our teaching force and facilities increase, we hope more may be given later. The course of study provides, first of all, for strong Biblical training. A four years’ course is offered for evangelists and Bible workers. A five years’ medical course is also offered. The medical course includes all the branches of the Biblical course, except two years in Chinese literature; in other words, those desiring to fit themselves to work as medical evangelists take, in addition to the Biblical course, six subjects, running an hour a day throughout the year, and for their four hours’ daily industrial work during the five years of the course, they work either in the laboratory or in the dispensary or hospital. This arrangement cuts down the number of classes, gives the medical students the same Biblical training as the evangelists need, and their theoretical medical instruction is quite sufficient for China. Our hope of carrying the message to China is centered in our Chinese brethren. We must develop them. Every one of talent, and giving promise of becoming a laborer, must be urged into the work of soul-saving. Schools must meet the great demand for their training. Now that we have in China a rapidly increasing constituency of church-members, and a publishing plant issuing periodicals and tracts in the Chinese, we must exert ourselves to train an efficient native ministry, to be leaders of companies, which must be urged forward into unentered territory. These people give promise of being just as enthusiastic in carrying this message to the outskirts of this mighty empire as we are. We desire the prayers and support of our brethren at home, in the establishment of this central training-school for the many millions of needy China. Cheo Chia K’o, Honan, China.