A Brief Training for City Work by David Paulson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 5, 1911

A Brief Training for City Work

By David Paulson

For years there has been a pressing demand for a training-school that should furnish in a few months' time the most essential principles and methods necessary for the intelligent care of the sick and suffering, and at the same time equip the workers with a sufficient knowledge of the Scriptures so they could, as the opportunity was afforded, give interesting and helpful Bible readings. All through our ranks there are consecrated workers who are not situated so that it is possible for them to spend several years before they actively enter the harvest-field.

To give this class of workers the opportunity which they desire, and also in as short a time as possible to fit up workers who could go out quickly into the highways and lanes of the city, was what led the Northern Illinois Conference Committee and the trustees of the Hinsdale Sanitarium to join hands, the first of last October, in the establishment of a six months' training course for city medical missionaries. The conference became responsible for the Bible instruction, and the faculty of the Hinsdale Sanitarium for the medical training.

Sixteen earnest, consecrated women availed themselves of this opportunity, and joined this first class, and God has in a wonderful manner added his blessing to this effort. A stirring and practical Bible class is conducted each day by Elder M. H. Serns, who, with his wife, is located in the school. The following hour is devoted to practical demonstrations of simple treatments, bedside nursing, physiology, hygiene, etc. I have never seen a deeper interest in the class work, or more earnest study.

The classes are held late in the afternoon, so that the day may be devoted to the sale of our various magazines, the commissions on which make the students easily self-supporting. But, best of all, this work affords many opportunities to drop the seeds of truth into hungry hearts. Abundant opportunities have already been found for helping the sick and giving Bible readings.

Two members of the class have been selling a thousand magazines a month. Another student has already been the means of bringing a sick woman into the truth. She is ready for baptism, and her husband has also become interested; and is praying for light. Another student is visiting nine different families, some of whom are earnestly studying the truth.

This is enough to indicate the practical character of this training course. There should be one hundred trained and consecrated workers in Chicago where there is but one to-day. This training-school has been established to fit up self-supporting workers for this field; and after they have a good experience here, they can go out and help do a similar work in other large cities. The great masses in the cities must be warned of the coming crisis, or their blood will be on our garments. The time is short, and we must speedily enter these great centers of population.

April 1 we shall graduate our first class, and another class will be immediately begun. We have leased the old branch sanitarium on the South Side, and have renovated and refitted it from top to bottom. The training-school is held in this institution. Board and excellent accommodations are furnished for about three dollars a week; the tuition is free.

Those desiring to enter the next class should correspond at once with either Elder M. H. Serns, 528 Thirty-third Place, Chicago, or the undersigned, at Hinsdale, Ill.

DAVID PAULSON, M. D.