Chapter 5—(1893) The Servant of the Lord Could Rejoice

The school has been a success!” wrote Ellen White jubilantly to the president of the General Conference on December 13, 1892.4BIO 48.1

She had just attended the closing exercises of the Australasian Bible School, a simple service held in the chapel room. For almost three months she had been away, working in Adelaide and Ballarat, and had returned to Melbourne for this significant event. She had not forgotten that one of the basic reasons she and her son had been urged to spend a couple of years in Australia was to aid in starting an educational work there. Fighting indifference, financial depression in the country, and prolonged, debilitating illness, her persistence had won out.4BIO 48.2

The school had been conducted with a limited teaching staff and just a few more than two dozen rather mature students. Her letter to Olsen carried this report:4BIO 48.3

The first term of our Bible School has just ended. Today we attended the closing exercises. The schoolroom was well filled with those interested in the school....4BIO 48.4

Testimonies were borne by the students expressing their gratitude to God for the opportunity they had had of attending the school, saying they had been blessed in their studies. They were especially grateful for the light received from the Word of God. They had been so happy in their associations. Many regretted that the school must close, and this precious season come to an end.... All were determined to be present and enjoy the next term.—Letter 46, 1892.4BIO 48.5

Writing a short time later to Dr. J. H. Kellogg in Battle Creek, she went into more detail in reporting the students’ comments on the benefits they had received in Bible study:4BIO 49.1

How much better they understood the plan of salvation, justification by faith, the righteousness of Christ as imparted to us. This term has been a success; next term we shall have double, I hope treble, the number of students.—Letter 21b, 1892.4BIO 49.2

Most of the students left immediately to enter the literature ministry in several of the Australian colonies. Church leaders turned briefly to planning for the next term of school, setting the time for opening as June 6. Then the ministers, including the president, scattered to the principal churches to lead out in the newly instituted Week of Prayer.4BIO 49.3