Ministerial Reading Course by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 22, 1914

Ministerial Reading Course

By Editor

THERE is a growing desire on the part of the ministry for self-improvement. The Lord is stirring the hearts of his servants to attain greater efficiency in his work.

There is a great work before us. The message of present truth must go to the high and the low, to the rich and the poor, to the pagan and the Mohammedan. All the cultivated ability of all our ministry and believers in the truth is required for the finishing of the work. We are publishing three testimonials selected from several scores of letters received from workers who express a desire to take the Ministerial Reading Course. A young minister writes:—

"I received your letter, also the leaflet describing the Ministerial Reading Course. I believe this reading course will be a great help to workers, especially to beginners, like myself. I sincerely hope the time will soon come when we shall have a paper published especially for the benefit of our workers. As it is now, we cannot use anything from our church papers to present to the people, lest it be something which has already been studied by the majority of the hearers."

An older minister writes:—

"I am inclosing my entrance blank for the Ministerial Reading Course, which I trust will be helpful in building up a stronger ministry. I have felt for a long time that something of this kind should be started, and have done some reading along that line myself. I hope to be able to encourage others to start the work, and shall be pleased to have the opportunity to speak from personal knowledge of the value of the course."

"I believe it would be a good plan to require a certain amount of such work, with proper examinations, for every candidate for ordination. I think we have lost much so far in our work by not placing more emphasis on the value of proper study of methods in our work

as ministers. I shall be pleased to do all I can to cooperate with the plans of the Educational Department in this matter."

The following is written by the president of a conference:—

"I hasten to inclose my order for the first book in the Reading Course. I have long since recognized the need of better qualified laborers, and wish myself to have every advantage to gain a better preparation for the work.

"I humbly join in this study, hoping thereby to have my vision broadened and my ability strengthened. Also, I consider it honorable and dutiful to 'study' to show myself 'approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed.'

"In this enlightened and progressive age, city, village, and country labor demands better qualified workers than in former years. And to successfully meet the issues, guide the people in their search for truth, and maintain a position that will receive the respect of the ministry, church folk, and the thinking public, it becomes necessary for us to study and to accept most cheerfully any suggestions that will place us at better advantage before the public, and enable us to better represent the truth and honor God.

"Thinking that the studies will cover the special points which I might mention, I will defer writing about them for the present. Yet it may be helpful to suggest one thing which has been of great value to me in my reading and study,—making notes, references, classified connections, etc., in a notebook, for the purpose of bringing under associated heads and topics those references that enable one to get a better conception of the theme. I keep my notes and references in alphabetical order, indexed for quick reference, thus enabling me to find the points wanted from time to time very quickly. I value the marking of a book that is my own for emphasis and reference. But urge a carefulness in marking which will leave the page with a neat, clean appearance. Another reason that I have for making references is that it teaches me to watch for these helpful points, and, too, it often makes a point clearer to place in its connection a reference to another on the same thought. It opens and magnifies the idea.

"I trust that all our workers will esteem this a privilege, profitable to the ministry, helpful to the church, bringing confidence to the worker and the people."

J. L. S.