In no part of the world where the message has gone, and churches have been established, have we needed a school more than in Great Britain. Our churches in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, like those all over the world, are made up very largely of people with limited means. With the exception of the youth of well-to-do families, education is confined to the knowledge of the common branches, the pupil leaving school at thirteen to begin a trade at fourteen, only those of means having recourse to private schools, colleges, and finally the university. The result has been that very few of our young people have been fitted to enter the work, and many have drifted away from the church. To save them by fitting them for usefulness, and above all to provide more laborers for a field where we now have less than one worker for every two millions of our population, Duncombe Hall College began its work January 6 of this year. Of our attendance, which has reached forty, one half of the pupils live in London; and as we are yet in temporary quarters, those coming to the school from outside of London have been provided with rooms among our brethren who live near the hall. The average age of our students is about twenty-five years.
Over two thirds of our students have paid their entire way by canvassing or working in the International Tract and Missionary Society printing office, while doing full year's work at school. London is one of the hardest cities in England in which to canvass, yet during the sixteen weeks in which the school has been in progress, the students have sold 9,689 copies of Present Truth, 11,061 copies of Good Health (English), 389 copies of "Christ's Object Lessons," 180 of "Great Controversy," 30 of "Home Hand Book," with other books, amounting, in all, to $1,270.81. Many have learned their first lesson in canvassing since coming to the school.
With hardly an exception, the students are planning to spend the entire summer vacation in the work. Our next session begins in September.
