Sixty-Seven Acre Park Contains the Publishing, Sanitarium, and Educational Buildings — Interesting and Substantial Progress — Wyclif and His Judgment Message, and the Message for To-Day
By H. H. HALL
I N this land where the “morning star of the Reformation” shone so brightly, it is cheering to note the progress of the message for to-day, and the substantial character of the facilities for its advancement. Above the chancel arch in the Wyclif church in Lutterworth may still be seen a painting representing the day of Judgment, and of that day he often spoke. How fitting it is that a message crying aloud, “The hour of His Judgment is come,” should be preached to and accepted by the descendants of the people who listened to his earnest appeals!
451 HOLLOWAY ROAD LONDON, E. C.
Being specially interested in the publishing and school work, I went to 451 Holloway Road, where the Pacific Press opened a branch office in 1889. A view of the building is given herewith. This was not the first that had been done toward publishing the third angel’s message in this country, however; for Elder J. N. Loughborough, whom so many fields delight to honor as their pioneer, began printing in Southampton at an earlier date.
THE SCHOOL WORK
I also went to the little Duncombe hall where Prof. H. R. Salisbury and wife opened a school in 1902, and where, with almost no facilities, they carried it on for two years. The enrolment began with twenty, and closed with fifty. Nearly all the students earned their way by canvassing for gospel literature. Many of them are now in the field preaching, or carrying the gospel in printed form. Later the school was taken to Holloway Road, near the publishing house, and then to Manor Gardens, a large double dwelling-house. Again it was removed to the old mansion house at Stanborough Park, and three years ago to its own quarters in the park, a view of which is here given. This new building is beautifully located near the park entrance and has ample chapel, recitation, dining, and library rooms, also dormitory accommodations for nearly a hundred students.
STANBOROUGH PARK
VIEW IN STANBOROUGH PARK, WITH SANITARIUM ON THE RIGHT AND COLLEGE BUILDINGS ON THE LEFT
Stanborough Park, which was purchased seven years ago, is sixteen miles from London, and near the little town of Watford, county of Herts. It contains sixty-seven acres, a portion of which is well wooded, and the rest is covered with lawns and gardens. Here are grouped the school, the sanitarium, the food company, and the International Tract Society, as the publishing house is called. They represent an investment of more than $152,000. All these institutions, together with twelve cottages, belong to the union conference organization.
JOHN WYCLIF
THE PROSPEROUS SANITARIUM
The sanitarium, which is under the capable care of Dr. C. H. Hayton, has rooms for thirty-five or forty guests, and is now about half full, this being the light time of the year. It has a family of twenty helpers, only five of whom are under salary, the rest taking the nurses’ course and other classes at the school two blocks away. This is true of the employees of the food company and of the publishing house also, for nearly all are taking either one or two studies, and have time off from their regular work, for recitation periods.
There is an air of restfulness about the sanitarium that compares favorably with the best institutions I have ever visited. Like all other growing institutions, it expects to enlarge its quarters again after a time, and has its plans and estimates all drawn up; but in strict harmony with the policy followed over here, it will wait till its patronage will warrant it. That time will soon come if the people find the true worth of the institution.
THE HEALTH FOOD COMPANY
The business of the food company is growing year by year, and now stands at about $35,000 annually. It is under the general charge of Brother W. C. Sisley, and the direct supervision of Brother W. R. White, who also has the management of the book and periodical departments of the International Tract Society.
THE COLPORTEURS — THE OLD WYCLIF BIBLE
To me the publishing work was the most interesting; for how can this great country, with its forty-five millions of people, learn of this gospel of Christ’s13soon coming, if the literature side be weak? History tells us that Wyclif carried on his great work through handwritten portions of the Scriptures and gospel tracts, which were carried throughout England by his organized “traveling priests,” as they were called.
LODGE GATE, AND ENTRANCE TO THE SANITARIUM, STANBOROUGH PARK, NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND
By the way, I saw one of the thirty copies of the first Wyclif Bible. It formerly belonged to Thomas Woodstock, duke of Gloucester, uncle of Richard II. It is beautifully traced, and represents an almost inconceivable amount of work. And appropriately enough, the life-size wax figure of Wyclif in Madame Tussaud’s exhibition shows him with his precious Bible tightly clasped in his arms.
I was glad to find that we have 175 active colporteurs throughout England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, with annual sales of $70,000. Brother S. Joyce, who is in charge of the field work of these agents, had his attention first drawn to this gospel of Christ’s soon coming and kingdom by purchasing and reading a copy of “Bible Readings” back in 1892.
Truly these 175 faithful colporteurs, these rapidly growing institutions, and the 2,500 people who have already accepted this message which is leading them to prepare for our Saviour’s return, are abundant causes for thanksgiving.
