We have many things to say of our school, and wish to make some pointed statements now and here. The first and most prominent object of the Battle Creek College was the mental improvement of those men and women who wish to give themselves to the work of God. But while this grand object is being gained, an opportunity is also offered our brethren and sisters to send their children to a school whose high aim is to secure the best moral and religious influence free from the corrupting blight realized at many other schools. It is admitted that it will cost the most vigilant care to accomplish this; but those who have the charge of our good school decide to maintain it at all hazards.
But the first object is the education of those who feel called of God to give their lives to the gospel. Many of these feel that they have not time to take a full course of study. In this their views and feelings are probably correct. Only one year's study, or even one term, would help them much. At least they could in one term have their minds disciplined to study, if little more was gained, and from that point they could study to better advantage as they shall go forth to teach the word of God to the people. Eld. J. N. Andrews has not attended school since a boy of fourteen years, and has been a hard worker in the gospel since the age of twenty, and yet reads Latin, Greek, German, French and Hebrew. He is an able writer and editor in both English and French.
We say, Let the youth take a full course of study, and let those in manhood and womanhood, who may have reached even the noon of life, have the advantages of our school as their position and the circumstances demand. But what can be done for those who feel urged by the Spirit of God to give themselves to the work of the ministry, and desire the advantages of our school, and have not the means to spare to meet all the expenses of a few terms? There are a few of this class who need help, and without it cannot attend our school. Some of them are hesitating when they should be either at our school or in the field, though difficult and embarrassing their situation.
And it seems to us that there is no time to be lost in this matter. Measures should be taken in all our Conferences to encourage the proper persons to attend our school preparatory, more or less, to entering the ministry. The fields are all white for the harvest. Our preachers cannot fill a tithe of the openings for effective labor, and scores of young men are hesitating for want of that mental training a few terms at our school would give them. Most of these need no help if they will accept that convenient, though humble, board and room, and lodgings, provided at Battle Creek. Others need some help, and none but can help themselves in part if they have to saw wood by candle light.
Now we suggest that those be helped who need help, and are anxious to help themselves. The Executive Committees of the several Conferences should carefully and thoroughly search up this matter, and encourage the proper persons to attend our school, and should also make provisions to assist those who are both worthy and very needy. There are nearly one hundred and fifty students at our school. There should be at least two hundred and fifty at the winter term. Eld. U. Smith should have a class of not less than one hundred during the winter term in attendance at his Biblical Lectures. Every effort will be made to make the winter and spring terms successful; and with proper co-operation on the part of the several Conference Committees, there may be a large attendance at the school and Biblical Lectures.
But we wish to speak of the present financial condition of our College, and suggest what it should be, and, by the grace of God, what it shall be. And, first, we have to state that the College has a debt of not less than $10,000 on it, calling for interest money which it has not to pay. The tuitions from students, while there are less than one hundred and fifty in attendance, are not sufficient to meet current expenses, to say nothing of interest on the debt which must be paid. It will be seen at once, that in the present condition of things, no one need appeal to the directors of the Battle Creek College for pecuniary favors. If assistance be given to students, it must come from individuals, churches and Conferences.
True, the General Conference, in extra session last spring, voted an appropriation of $1,000 to assist those who need help. But the General Conference treasury is nearly empty, being unable to do proper justice to those in its employ. Elders A. C. Bourdeau, Lane, Corliss, and others, are paid in part, and are told that they can no longer look to the General Conference for help. Elders Van Horn and Waggoner must be helped, and should be helped to a greater amount than the treasury holds at this date. We appeal to our churches, Conferences, and to those individuals among us who are able to help, and should help, and must help or lose the favor of God, to come forward at this critical and important hour with the help they are fully able to give.
What our College needs just now is $20,000, one-half to pay the debt, which will also relieve the REVIEW Office, which let the College have the money, and the other $10,000, as an endowment for the benefit of the school. With three hundred students, and an income besides, the school could be properly sustained, and be able to give tuition free to those whose other expenses were met in part or wholly by the several Conferences. This must be done. The amount must be raised. And it will be a disgrace to our people, and a sin in the sight of God, if the needed sum be not promptly raised.
In last week's REVIEW we appealed for the sum of $20,000. And we offered $100 to each and every $500 raised by all our people besides. But we decide not to wait for others to do their duty. One year since Mrs. W. and the writer had stock in our College to the amount of $1,000. At the issuing of the Supplement last spring we took $500 more, making $1,500. And when appealing in behalf of our College on the Michigan Camp-ground, we pledged $500 more, which we have paid, making $2,000. And now we take $1,000 more, making $3,000, and we hope that the men of means among us will be so fully stirred in regard to our school, and so promptly come up to the work with the $18,000, that we shall have the pleasure by New Years of adding the other $1,000. Our people will not resist our appeals in behalf of our Heaven-born and Heaven-directed institution, the Battle Creek College. Before suffering such institutions to suffer and languish for want of means it is their duty to sell houses and lands to raise the needed means, and it is our duty to continue to give until there remains a very frugal competency.
But, at present, the cause in all its branches calls for only a tithe of our income, and those offerings that can be made without inconvenience. We appeal to our ministers to give, and to preach “give” to the people. We appeal to the presidents of all our Conferences to see that all come up to the figures on S. B. We appeal to the officers of the tract and missionary workers to take hold of the work systematically and push it kindly and yet firmly until there be equality among all our people in holding stock in our institutions.
What a shameful exhibit at our anniversaries at Lansing in September! When the stockholders of the S. D. A. Publishing Association, College, and Health Institute were all called forward to vote, not a tithe of our people present at that camp-meeting came forward, for the simple reason that nine-tenths had taken no stock in these institutions. Here is a field of labor for the officers of our Conferences, and T. and M. Societies, to work in the love and fear of God until equality shall exist in the blessed work of giving. We talk of equality in Systematic Benevolence. This is right. God help all our people to reach it. And why not reach equality in those other offerings to build up our institutions so well? This work must be taken hold of in earnest. God will bless his servants and all our people in seizing hold of it.