Scholarships the Fruit of Christian Effort by E. R. Palmer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 17, 1907

Scholarships the Fruit of Christian Effort

By E. R. Palmer

MAN’S ways are not all God’s ways. When men desire to promote an enterprise or dedicate an institution, there is a great blare of trumpets and display of flags. This is not God’s way of beginning things. “He who plans for his mighty work through centuries, accomplishes it by the smallest means, that it may be evident that the glory is all of him.” He plants the tiny seed, waters it by his grace, and tenderly nurtures it to strength and maturity. Every day, in God’s wonderful and inscrutable way of doing things, we see the growth of the mustard seed—that marvelous transition from the infinitely small to the infinitely great.

Notice the following wonderful illustration of this divine principle: About two years ago arrangements were made for a few young people to earn scholarships by selling books containing the third angel’s message. Within that little plant, that tiny seed, was wrapped up the embryo of a great and blessed movement. Within a few short months the scholarship idea has spread to every conference and to every school in the United States, and has illuminated hundreds of youthful hearts with bright rays of hope and a realizing sense of the possibilities which the future may hold in store for them. At the present time it is quite generally recognized that this scholarship plan is one of the primary factors in the prosperity of our tract and missionary work, and in bringing to our schools an army of young people which this year, at the very beginning, has filled the schools to overflowing. Thus far the effort to secure scholarships has been largely, if not wholly, confined to the short vacation period of three or four months. Recently through the columns of the REVIEW we have made a call for one thousand consecrated young men and women to enter the field as canvassers to work for scholarships for next year. If scores and scores can succeed during a period of from ten to sixteen weeks, and earn from one to three scholarships each, why can not hundreds, yes, a full thousand, of our young people secure at least one scholarship before the beginning of another school year in 1908?

An effort to extend the blessings of the scholarship plan has already begun. In the Seed Sower, dated September 20, published by the California Tract Society, appears the following announcement:—

“There will be held at an early date in Mountain View, Cal., a canvassers’ training-school, or convention, for the purpose of giving a thorough training in book salesmanship to all persons in this conference, young, middle-aged, or old, who are anxious to earn a scholarship in Pacific Union College. The course embraces a comprehensive study of the science and art of Christian salesmanship. The tuition will be free. Eachstudent will be expected to pay his transportation to the convention, and his room and board during the four weeks of the course. Those who pass successful examinations, and who sign the salesman’s contract, will be entitled to free transportation to their assigned fields of labor. By consulting the scholarship list in last week’s REVIEW, it will be seen that during the last sixteen weeks over twenty young people sold more than the required value of books for one year’s scholarship in the college. What these young people did in the short summer vacation, you can do between now and the opening of the next school year. Church officers will please forward to me at once the names and addresses of those in their church who desire to take advantage of this excellent course, thus qualifying for entrance into our noble army of the “King’s Messengers.” Further announcement will be made through the Seed Sower, the Pacific Union Recorder, and the REVIEW, as to the exact date of the convention.”

From this same number of the Seed Sower we learn that during the past sixteen weeks the California Tract Society, through its agents, has sold nearly twenty thousand dollars’ worth of books, and although their little army of the “King’s Messengers” has entered the Pacific Union College, yet the sales by the agents still in the field amounted to $689.45 for the week ending September 20. Who will be next in pushing the scholarship effort during the fall and winter months? Hundreds of our young people should volunteer, and thus enter the grand highway of service and achievement. E. R. PALMER.

Sec. Gen. Conf. Publishing Dept.