The History of the Missionary Training-School of Correspondence of Emmanuel Missionary College by Edward Alexander Sutherland

Review and Herald Publishing Assn. · Washington, D. C. · Jan 7, 1904

The History of the Missionary Training-School of Correspondence of Emmanuel Missionary College

By Edward Alexander Sutherland

One can not long be connected with an educational institution without realizing that there are many persons who earnestly desire a preparation for active service who are unable, because of the force of circumstances, to connect directly with a school.

One who understands the principles of Christian education must also recognize the fact that but a small part of a great educational movement can be carried on within the walls of an institution. There are the mothers and fathers in hundreds of homes who should be progressive thinkers; there are thousands of little children who, from their infancy, should be taught as God himself has commanded. There are young men and women upon whom rests the responsibility of caring for parents, and who have but a few spare hours out of the twenty-four, but who, if these hours could be rightly used, would make the best of workers for the Master. To many of these the truth has come as it came to Acquilla and Priscilla, the tent-makers. They can not leave home; they can not afford to give up their work, and yet they wish to know how to teach others.

For years the importance of giving to our people a course of instruction by correspondence has pressed itself upon the minds of a number of teachers. It is an interesting fact that the church-school movement, now so well known to all of us, received its first impetus from lessons given by correspondence. Before the days of summer schools the attention of teachers in our public schools was called to the importance of Christian education, and there are those still numbered in the ranks of church school teachers who received their first inspiration by correspondence.

Then came the summer schools and the special effort to train teachers. This was followed by the move from Battle Creek. Still the call kept sounding in our ears to help those who were not able to attend our schools. Many letters were received which to us seemed like a Macedonian call, but with the pressure of other work the starting of a school by correspondence was postponed month after month.

The school was opened last October. The plan of work may be illustrated by the course in Bible. This course consists of forty lessons, beginning with the first of Genesis. Each lesson consists of suggestions to be followed in the study, and a set of test questions. The assignment is to be thoroughly studied before the envelope containing the test is opened. When ready to write, the student takes the test, and complies with the requirements.

For the ordinary student the preparation of a lesson requires about one week. It is not the object to give theory or man's interpretation of the Bible, but to encourage close study of the Word itself, and to familiarize the student with the gospel truths in their original setting.

The written answers are sent to the Correspondence School, and the papers are carefully corrected, and returned in most cases to the student. In this way each student has personal supervision; each lesson becomes a drill in the use of language, correct spelling, in writing, geography, history, and other related subjects. While this is not the primary object of the Bible study, yet its value is not to be overlooked. Credit is given for all work done, and this is of advantage should the student wish, at some later date, to become a resident student in one of our schools.

Students are encouraged to take a course in Bible first, because in the system of Christian education the Word of God takes pre-eminence. Every Christian teacher feels the need of a more thorough knowledge of the Scripture in order rightly to teach the children under her supervision. Every mother and father feels the need of a better acquaintance with the Word of God in order to educate the children in the home. The young people in the denomination are deplorably weak in their knowledge of the Scriptures. In many cases this is due to the fact that they have been brought up in Sabbath-keeping homes, and think they have fallen heir to a knowledge of the truth. With this they rest content, although they have never made a close study of the Bible for themselves. These young people may be deficient in the common branches, they may be ambitious to pursue some of the higher subjects, but first of all they need to understand the Word of God.

The work now being done by those who have enrolled as students in the Missionary Training-School of Correspondence is most gratifying. It shows that it is possible for an ambitious person to take, in his own home, a thorough course of instruction.

In addition to the regular work as outlined in the lessons, the students are encouraged to ask questions, and many of the questions which have been asked show that they give deep thought to the subject.

The student of the Correspondence School has an opportunity for quiet, independent study without leaving his home work. There is an incentive to take the truths learned to friends and neighbors. It is the constant study to put into practice the things learned; and when this is done, the student grows. These are some of the advantages of the correspondence course.

E. A. SUTHERLAND.