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The Philadelphia Ministerial Institute

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 4, 1911

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 88, No. 18.

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The Philadelphia Ministerial Institute

By Arthur G. Daniells

This institute was held in the West Philadelphia Seventh-day Adventist church, April 12-26. The regular attendance was about one hundred seventy-five. These were ministers, Bible workers, and a few others who are devoting their entire time to some phase of our work. They came from all parts of the Canadian, Atlantic, and Columbia union conferences. The president of every local conference in the two latter unions was present, and nearly all the ministers of these same conferences came with the presidents. All remained to the close, and gave themselves earnestly to the interests of the meeting.
The studies were conducted by Elder W. A. Spicer, Elder G. B. Thompson, and the writer. The early morning and evening services were conducted by different ministers present. The lines of study were as follows: “Our Message,” “The Place and Need of the Holy Spirit,” and “The Ministry.” In addition to these studies, an hour each day was given to the question box.
The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference carried the burden of providing entertainment for all who attended the institute, and it rendered most excellent service. One hundred or more were given free lodging in the Pennsylvania Sanitarium. This is the lastservice this institution will render to us, as it has been sold, and will pass to the purchasers in a short time. Our meals were served in the basement of the church in which we met. The food was of a good variety, and was excellently prepared. The dining service of all was certainly a great success. Those who attended to this work labored very hard, and received many expressions of appreciation from those who enjoyed the service. Earnest, painstaking effort surely brings its reward.
This institute was the most remarkable and encouraging meeting, to me, that I have ever attended. We had the evidence on the first day that the presence of God was with us. Those who gave the studies were very conscious of this, and all who were present felt a divine influence working upon their hearts. In a short time deep conviction of sin began to lay hold of hearts. From the meetings, where the Spirit’s presence was so deeply felt, many went to their rooms to plead earnestly with the Lord to forgive their sins, and cleanse them from all unrighteousness. Severe battles were fought, and glorious victories were won by many on their knees. Those who seemed unable to get the victory desired, sought the prayers of some of their fellow workers. Some remained in the church until midnight, struggling for deliverance, and they received it. This conviction and humiliation were attended by suitable confession in public and in private. It was not what are considered great, serious sins that brought this deep conviction. It was the terrible character of sin, and its hold upon our hearts, that laid us in the dust. What had not seemed so very wrong, was made by the searching Spirit of God to appear exceedingly sinful. Every dark corner of the heart seemed to be placed under the great searchlight, and in great agony many prayed for cleansing. As one after another told of the victories he had gained, the presence of God melted our hearts, and peace, joy, and courage came to us.
Running through all this experience, which we hope never to forget, was a great yearning of soul to be led to love righteousness and to hate iniquity. This yearning was reinforced with great desire to have this cleanliness of heart accompanied with the power of God to win souls to Christ. Indeed, this was the key-note of the institute. What can we do, what must we do, to become more successful in our efforts to save the lost? was the inquiry pressed back upon our hearts with terrible force from the first day. Then came the revelation of the sinfulness of sin, and the earnest cry for cleansing and for deliverance.
The victories that were gained day by day were followed by new consecration of life to the great work which God has laid upon us. This brought courage and hope to our hearts.
As the institute closed, the testimony of all was that they never faced the future with such courage. This experience was expressed by such statements as these: “The change that God has wrought in my heart seems to have given me a new existence.” “I feel that we have come back to that upper chamber where preparation was made for Pentecost.”
It is impossible to convey in this report any adequate conception of this excellent meeting. It will surely mark the turning-point in the lives and the work of many who were present; and it must mark the beginning of a new era in our cause. The day when the committee brought in its report on city work will never be forgotten by some. The first recommendation was a call to all our gospel workers, and a solemn pledge on the part of those present, to a new and full consecration of spirit, soul, and body to this work of God. After a few had spoken of the absolute necessity of such consecration, we all bowed down on our knees before God, to make it with all the heart. As we did this, the presence of the Lord in melting, overwhelming power filled the house where we were kneeling, and gave us assurance that the Lord accepted us and the consecration we were making. After this, ministers testified that here, at this point of experience, they would take the stones of their stumbling and failure in the past, and erect a pillar of deliverance and victory, with the prayer that God would keep them from ever going back of this monument.
As we know that it is the Spirit of God that convicts of sin, gives the yearning for righteousness, and leads to the consecration of the life to God, for the salvation of souls, we know that the experiences of this institute were from God, and that if we prove true to our vows, the blessing of Heaven will attend us in our battle against sin, and in our endeavors to win souls to Christ. It was the earnest, united prayer of all that the blessings of this institute may come upon all the laborers and the people of this cause. A. G. DANIELLS.