Where should Bible and Witnessing Training Schools be located?
Ellen White was apparently asked regarding a school that was going to be established in an isolated location. She gave no support for the endeavor, cautioning that such a school would (1) draw finances and personnel from the cities where the multitudes were working, (2) would be less than ideal for training since the students would not be able to apply their lessons on a practical basis in a location where many people were located. In reading the letter remember that she encouraged working from outposts, but apparently those outposts were not to be located so far away that the cities could not be worked. The ideal might be to have an outpost school and a city satellite where the students could go to spend quality time practicing what they were learning.—Dan
Matthew 28:18 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
These paragraphs come from a letter written in 1911 to Elder and Mrs. Laird, Mr. and Mrs. Hurlbutt, and Mr. Black.
"To build up and maintain in Lake County such a school as you have in mind to establish for the training of Chinamen to be laborers in the cause of present truth will require much means to supply all the needed facilities and will call for the employment of much precious talent to conduct the work properly. {Lt52-1911.2}
Recently much light has been given to our people regarding the urgent work to be carried forward in our large cities. There must be great wisdom used as to where and how we establish our work for the Chinese and those of other nationalities. {Lt52-1911.3}
All questions regarding such a work as you have in mind should be carefully weighed by our brethren having the responsibility of leadership. Should a school be established for the Chinese, it ought to be where much can be accomplished with a moderate outlay, and not too far from our working centers. {Lt52-1911.4}
This matter was clearly presented to me, and I was instructed that to establish a school in such an isolated place as the Hurlbutt farm would draw our workers away from the places where they are needed and would lead to an expenditure in an out-of-the-way place of much means which is needed for the work waiting to be done for the multitude in the cities. Therefore I must say that I see no light in the proposal to establish a missionary training school in the place you have in mind, the place we visited with Professor Sutherland about three years ago. {Lt52-1911.5}
An important part of the education of Chinamen who are under training for evangelistic work will be for them to see the successful efforts of those who are winning souls to belief in Jesus Christ. When a missionary and educational work is undertaken for this people, it should be begun where there are missionaries at work and where the Chinese can see an example of right methods of carrying on gospel work for their countrymen. Much will be gained as a result of their observations of successful methods and plans for the handling of missionary enterprises. {Lt52-1911.6}
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I see no light in drawing away ministers and teachers from the multitudes needing gospel truth to isolated places where they would labor to serious disadvantage with a few. Let workers go forth among the multitudes, laboring two and two, doing a vigilant work. Personal labor for individuals is greatly needed now. The servants of Christ should arouse and trim their gospel lamps and go forth with zeal and courage to find those who are lost. With simple, fervent prayer, they are to lay hold of the power of heaven and labor as those realizing their responsibility. {Lt52-1911.11} Let not means be diverted into enterprises of men’s choosing, where a large investment would be required to make a beginning, and where a continuous work will call for the use of large sums of money for the accomplishment of small results." {Lt52-1911.12}