p. 20 | A New Order of Things by Percy T. Magan

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 17, 1903

A New Order of Things

By Percy T. Magan

FOR many years we were told through the spirit of prophecy that if the Battle Creek College were moved away from that congested center to some quiet country spot, a new order of students would arise. Time and again the Spirit of God proclaimed that if this were done, and only a simple, Christian education imparted to those who might attend, the school would send out twenty workers where it then sent out only one.

When at last, in the summer of 1901, the school was taken away from Battle Creek, it was quite generally predicted that instead of “a new order of things,” the exodus from Battle Creek would mark the winding up of the work of the school forever.

It took faith to move. A heavy debt still rested upon the Battle Creek College, which would have to be paid off. There was no assurance that there would be any money available for the starting of the new school, until the creditors of the old were satisfied. Many advised us to wait a year or two before attempting to re-open the school.

When the summer school of 1901 was opened, the location of the new school had not yet been decided upon. With but a few dollars, and a few cents borrowed from the conferences, we pitched in a grove on the banks of the St. Joseph River at Berrien Springs, Mich. We knew not what was coming next, nor where we were to go. We only knew that God had promised to be with us, to bless us, and to give us students of “a new order,” if we would have faith to move without hesitation when he should speak.

Next the land was purchased, the comforting message being received that God had led our feet to the blessed spot. At every step his blessing was made manifest; at every turn his guiding hand, his leading power, was discerned.

In some rented buildings the first winter’s school was held, and with the coming of the spring the erection of buildings by student labor was begun. The winter came upon us with our buildings only about half finished. There was no murmuring, however, from the students, who believed that God was in the work.

As the winter was passing away, but few copies of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” from the proceeds of which the school was to be built, were being sold.

The students had just got comfortably settled down to their work. It seemed hard to ask them to leave now, and go out into the field to canvass for “Christ’s Object Lessons.” It looked like a strange thing to do in the middle of the school year. But the voice of God was whispering to the hearts of the students, “Son, go work to-day in my vineyard.”

The school had moved from Battle Creek. The long courses of study had been abandoned. A new kind of school had come into existence, and a new order of things in the school had been inaugurated; and as a result the sure promise of God had been fulfilled, and a new order of students had arisen.

A meeting of all the students was called, and they were told that so few copies of “Christ’s Object Lessons” were being sold that there would be no money with which to complete the necessary buildings, unless something should be done immediately. For a number of days both students and teachers met together, seeking God to know what was their duty in this matter. As we met before him, the clear light of heaven poured in more and more. When the question was asked, “How many will be willing to drop their studies at this time and enter upon a strenuous campaign for the sale of ‘Christ’s Object Lessons’?” practically every teacher and every student in the school arose. To take the step was a great sacrifice, to both teachers and students; but the words of the Lord were called to mind, that Christian education is a battle and a march.

It was unanimously voted by the whole school to offer our services to the conferences, without any salary or remuneration whatever, beyond the traveling expenses, for work in the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons.” The offer was immediately accepted.

Two weeks were spent in earnest study and heart-searching preparation for the work. Neither students nor teachers were experienced canvassers, and all realized that whatever success they had must come entirely from God. Professor Sutherland conducted a class in the study of the book, “Christ’s Object Lessons.” Elder B. E. Fullmer, taking Elder Loughborough’s book, “The Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists,” carried on systematic work in the history of the denomination, while the writer gave a series of lessons in the story of educational work and educational reform among our people.

On January 18 practically the entire school started for the field. Many times we had been told by the Spirit of God that our schools should be patterned more closely after the schools of the prophets. When more buildings were needed for the schools of the prophets, the students themselves went out and cut down timbers with which to construct their dwellings. Our students had already constructed the buildings which we now occupy. The jubilee campaign for “Christ’s Object Lessons” was a further step in advance, as the students were now assisting to raise the money to buy material for construction.

We are deeply thankful for the good spirit which God, in his loving mercy, has placed in our school, and among our students. The praise and the glory for all that has been accomplished belong to him, and to him alone. In the history of the building of educational institutions by the church, in any age or clime, we verily believe that the Emmanuel Missionary College is the first to be built by the sale of a book. It is, possibly, the first whose students as a body have been willing to drop all their school work in the midst of the school year, for a considerable period of time, and take the field to assist the kind friends who, in the largeness of their hearts, were working to raise means with which to build the school.

In a later issue of the REVIEW we will tell the story of the campaign itself, with some of its blessed lessons and experiences.

PERCY T. MAGAN.