The readers of the Review are aware of the fact that, through the kindness of Mrs. E. G. White, the book “Christ’s Object Lessons” has been donated for the liquidation of the debts on our educational institutions. The work of printing three hundred thousand copies was to be given by the Review and Herald and the Pacific Press Publishing Associations. These associations have together so far printed one hundred thousand copies. Our brethren and sisters have taken hold well to sell these books. In order that they might come almost entirely free to the schools, a fund of nearly thirty thousand dollars has already been raised, which has paid thus far for the material used in the books, and there is money on hand to print others. It is the desire of the Relief Committee to raise at least twenty-five thousand dollars more, so that these books can be sold everywhere, and the proceeds be given to our schools and colleges.
We herewith give a picture of Union College, the largest of our educational institutions. The illustration represents Union College standing at the left, the ladies’ dormitory to the right. These buildings face the west, the power house and bakery appearing between the buildings, in the rear of the college. The gentlemen’s dormitory stands to the left of the college, but is not shown in the illustration. It is occupied at the present time partly by the gentlemen who attend the college, and partly by the sanitarium, which stands still farther to the left of the college building. The college is well equipped, and its attendance runs from two hundred to four hundred each year. It is the central school for Manitoba, and the States of Minnesota, Iowa, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri.
Connected with the college is a productive farm, which is in a high state of cultivation, worked principally by the students. The college has been self-supporting from the first, possibly with the exception of one or two years, in which the crops were cut short in the country surrounding it. The college and its dormitories, when completed, were in debt over eighty thousand dollars. Had all the plans been successfully carried out, the college would not have been in debt. When first planned and erected, a large piece of land was purchased and donated to it by friends. Part of this land was sold at good prices, and had the purchasers been able to pay the price, there would have been no debt, at least only a small one, but the panic of 1893–96 depreciated the value of real estate. Times became hard, and the money market so stringent that many of those who purchased land were not able to pay for it, and in many instances the college very kindly took the land back. Some paid for parcels at a sacrifice, losing heavily; yet they do not regard it as loss, from the fact that the money went into the institution, which is a noble one, and has done a good work in the education of the young who have attended it.
Before the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons” the great debt had been reduced two or three thousand dollars, but the reduction was very slow.
When “Christ’s Object Lessons” was placed upon the market, the friends of the institution in the district took hold nobly in the sale of the book. Through its sale Manitoba has sent to Union College, for the reduction of its debt, $100, Missouri $300, the Dakotas $593.85, Minnesota $865.37, Colorado $2,000, Kansas $3,000, Nebraska $4,000, and Iowa $6,000, making a total of $16,859.22. As this matter has been introduced in the district, some have felt moved upon to give personal donations to the college, and some have surrendered notes which they held against it. This they have done of their own free will, so that from this source the college has received $1,129.30. Last year Kansas was prospered with fine crops, and through the liberality of the brethren in that good State, they were enabled to pay $694.59 on an old pledge which had been made to the college. Thus through the sale of “Christ’s Object Lessons,” personal donations, and the payment of a pledge on the part of Kansas, the college has received and applied on its debt $18,683.11, reducing her once large debt of over $80,000 to $60,417.
UNION COLLEGE (College View, Neb.)
We feel sure that our brethren will read in regard to this reduction with delight, and we give these figures not only as an item of interest, but to encourage every one in that district to take hold anew at the present time, and prosecute the work of selling “Christ’s Object Lessons” more rapidly during the soon-coming fall and winter than ever before. The book has been on the market only about eight months. The rush of the season will soon be over, and will not our brethren and sisters everywhere in that district, as well as in every other one, press this work as never before?
Iowa has been the banner State in selling “Christ’s Object Lessons.” The officers of the Conference realized the importance of the work, and saw that the opportune time for the reduction of the debt of Union College had come. All have done wonderfully well, yet only a beginning has been made, but it should be a brilliant index to all our brethren in these Conferences and elsewhere, pointing to what may be accomplished in the future. And if every one in that district will take hold for the year to come, and work as some have in the past, Union College may be free from debt before the first day of January, 1903. The Lord has blessed the work of the institution, and will bless it more abundantly as teachers and pupils approach nearer and nearer to the true standard of Christian education.
We trust that all in the district will not only see the necessity of selling “Christ’s Object Lessons,” but will also realize the importance of sending the children to school. A few months’ schooling in one of our excellent institutions may give bent to the life of a child which will influence him through time and eternity. Although our institutions and their teachings are improving, and will yet be what we think God desires them to be, we trust none will depend simply upon an education given by or through an institution, but remember that a humble heart and consecrated life can do more than an education without consecration; but if the two can be combined, the work will be a grand success, and the life and achievements of the soul thus prepared through the grace of God and a Christian education can be measured only in eternity. Shall not all Seventh-day Adventists throughout the country take hold now and work for the liquidation of the debt of every institution that is in debt? May God grant it. S. H. Lane.
