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Our International Bible Training School

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Dec 29, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 52.

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Our International Bible Training School

By Ole Andres Olsen

RECENTLY I spent a few days at Brooklyn, N. Y., with our International Bible Training School. From the standpoint of numbers, show of buildings, and other things that are looked for in a school, this training-school is a small affair. Our school is two small flats in a tenement house, our enrolment is sixteen, and our class recitations are conducted in the schoolroom in the basement of the German church. Nevertheless this small beginning has great significance.
The enrolment of sixteen represents eight different nationalities. Part of the time is used in study and recitation, while another part is employed in active work in the city, the students going out with our literature among the various nationalities. With only two or three exceptions, these students have had no previous experience in actual field work. The reader can realize what a difficult task it is for inexperienced persons to take up work with our literature among the various nationalities in a great city. Therefore we feel greatly encouraged by the good experiences they are having, and the willingness we find among the people to buy. In this respect the results are more than our highest expectations.
The greatest difficulty we have met with is that the supply of foreign literature in the branch office of the Review and Herald in New York City ran out so fast, and it takes considerable time to get a new supply from Europe. We are also in need of more literature in various languages; this is a matter of the greatest importance, and must have immediate attention.
The Lord has surely gone before us in a providential manner, opening the way for the presentation of the truth among the many nationalities of this great city. The work among the Italians is making interesting progress. Meetings are now being conducted in New York and Brooklyn with a good interest. We are also meeting with success in the Slovak-Bohemian work both in Newark, N. J., and in New York City.The Hungarian part of the work has been moving rather slowly; but at the present time there is an encouraging increase in the attendance at the meetings and a desire to hear the truth. The work is also opening among the Russians. Elder A. Boettcher has invitations to speak in several churches among them. In fact, he can not begin to answer the calls that come to him for work among these various nationalities.
Brother H. R. Johnson is also giving special attention to assisting in the Italian part of the work in connection with giving Bible instruction in the school. Both Brethren Boettcher and Johnson feel very much encouraged by the outlook. It is evident that as we take these forward steps, the providence of God is opening the way more rapidly and more favorably than our highest expectations. In this we also see the fulfilment of what the Lord has been telling us,—that if we would but go forward, and take up the work, the providence of God would go before us and open the way.
We greatly rejoice in the success that the Lord is giving us in this difficult task. We ask the prayers and the sympathetic interest of our people for the work among the hundreds of thousands of these many nationalities that are groping in darkness in our great cities. We hope the time will soon come when we shall be able to open a similar work in other large cities in this country.
O. A. OLSEN.