The Cause of Christian Education at Walla Walla College
By M. E. Cady
The first semester of the school year has passed, and we are now well started in the work of the second. As we review the work of the first half of the year, we see multiplied evidences of the blessing and presence of God upon and with us in our efforts to carry out the principles of Christian education in this institution. The large attendance at the school has been a great encouragement to the faculty. Already the enrolment has reached three hundred sixty-five, which considerably exceeds the enrolment of last year. Of this number, one hundred seven are students of the normal training department. Even though there are eight intermediate schools in the North Pacific Union Conference, with an enrolment of about four hundred students, still the enrolment of the college has more than doubled during the last four years. Surely the Lord is calling our youth to hasten the work of preparation necessary to qualify them to act their part in the closing message, and more and more clearly do we see the great work that lies before our schools, from the primary school, where the children are taught, to the training-school, where young men and women are trained for active service in the great world-wide field. The normal training department is a demonstrated necessity in connection with our college work. This work has been changed from a poorly lighted room in the basement of the college to quarters of its own, consisting of a well-lighted, properly heated, two-story building, with necessary facilities for carrying on the work. The enrolment has increased from thirty to one hundred seven; and four thoroughly trained, consecrated teachers constitute the normal faculty. There are twelve students in the normal teachers' class, but there ought to be twice that number. The college has an excellent, earnest class of students, who are doing thorough work in their studies, thus showing an appreciation of their opportunities. But the success of the school does not depend upon large numbers, nor upon strong courses and elaborate equipments, but upon the degree of moral power pervading the school. We are glad to report good interest in the religious and missionary phases of our work. The week of prayer was a precious season. The Lord came near to the school last year during this time, but this year the28blessing and presence of the Spirit of God was still more manifest. The enemy of souls was present to resist the workings of the Spirit, but he was vanquished, and many captives were set free. I have never seen the powers of darkness so determined to resist the powers of light, but truly, “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” On two occasions, the Spirit of God was present with such convicting power that all studies were laid aside, and the Heavenly Guest was our instructor; and he taught lessons of far greater import than those assigned for the day. There was confession of sins, and an earnest seeking of God for complete victory in the life. The Sabbath following the week of prayer twenty-seven souls were buried with Christ in baptism. Others have since decided to take this step at the first opportunity. Every Tuesday, at 5:45 P. M., the Missionary Volunteer Society meets for a general program, or the various working bands of the society meet to lay plans for aggressive work. A good work has been accomplished, and temperance and missionary rallies, held from time to time, have emphasized the importance of a thorough preparation to do efficient service for the Master. An important feature of the missionary work of the school is the Foreign Missionary Band, which meets each week, the evening after the Sabbath. It has now a membership of sixty, and all hold themselves in readiness to respond to the calls that come from the fields afar. The members of this band are earnest workers in the Missionary Volunteer Society, and believe that home missionary work and experience is a necessary step in the preparation needed to qualify them for the work in foreign lands. The Lord has blessed in the temporal and material things necessary for the progress of the work, and this has been a source of great encouragement to the students and faculty. Through the efforts and sacrifices of the students, teachers, friends, and patrons of the school, we have been enabled to improve our chemical and biological laboratories, and now, through a five-hundred-dollar contribution from Dr. Mary Johnston, of Boise, Idaho, we are installing a physical laboratory. Last year we were enabled to secure a four-and-one-half inch achromatic telescope, provided with an equatorial mount. This instrument greatly multiplies the interest in the study of the starry heavens, which declare the glory of God. We are looking forward with great interest to two memorial days. The first of these will be Sunday, February 7, 1909, at which time the normal school building will be dedicated, free from debt. For this building, so comfortable and convenient for carrying on the work of normal training, we are indebted to Elder and Mrs. H. W. Decker, now living in Portland, Ore. These faithful pioneers have always had an interest in the proper training and education of the children and youth, and have always freely contributed of their means to this end; and their recent gift of three thousand dollars for the erection of a normal school building, where children may be properly taught, and teachers thoroughly trained to teach in our church-schools throughout this union conference, and elsewhere, is certainly a wonderful uplift to the cause of Christian education. May God richly reward these servants of his for their love and sacrifice in behalf of the struggling cause of Christian education. We hope soon to have the second memorial (memorable) day, when we shall dedicate the Walla Walla College to God, free from debt. A little over three years ago a plan was laid for lifting a debt of twenty-five thousand dollars from the college. Already a little over twenty thousand dollars of this debt has been paid, and we hope, before the present school year closes, to sing the song of jubilee of freedom from debt, and evermore to remain free from it. The past three years the Walla Walla College has been operated without running behind. It has not only met its running expenses and kept up the repairs, but it has also paid the interest on the debt, and last year it had a net gain of two thousand dollars. The sanitarium building, erected two years ago, has proved inadequate for the increasing patronage; so another story is being added to the building. The sanitarium is a real blessing to the school, and we trust that the general educational advantages offered by the college will prove a real help by giving the nurses an opportunity for laying a good foundation for their special work. Thank God that the work is onward all along the line. Pray that the work at Walla Walla College may not come behind, but may move steadily forward in its heaven-appointed work.