October 11, 1898

Week of Prayer in Australia—No. 3

EGW

In all our planning and preparations for the week of prayer, we sought to make the meeting a blessing to the largest number possible. We desired that this season should be a season of refreshing, not only to our churches, but also to the communities in which we lived. Therefore, the plan and the purpose of the meetings were advertised as widely as possible.RH October 11, 1898, par. 1

At Cooranbong we arranged for a song service, with several short addresses on our educational work, the Sunday evening preceding. The song service drew a large congregation, and the plan of the meetings during the week of prayer was clearly set forth, and all were invited to attend. It was a matter of encouragement to see our commodious meeting-house filled, and also to observe the interest manifested in the several addresses setting forth the aims and objects of our school.RH October 11, 1898, par. 2

Why We are Here

W. C. White said: “The question is often asked us, and is sometimes suggested by our backwoods experiences: ‘Why are you here? Why do you have this large and beautiful meeting-house here in the edge of the forest? Why is it that, hidden away in the bush, a quarter of a mile from the road, you have a school in which one hundred students gather daily for instruction? Why have you selected such an isolated place for the three commodious buildings already erected, and for the others soon to be built? Is not Cooranbong a strange place for a large educational institution?’RH October 11, 1898, par. 3

“As we study questions of truth and duty, we find that hardy, courageous workmen are needed in the Master's service. God needs as laborers men and women who have good physical powers; clear, active minds; and decided moral principles, that can not be shaken by temptation, nor put aside because of difficulties. There is need of persons who have a symmetrical training of all their mental, moral, and physical powers. Practical men and women are wanted,—those who will teach the religion of Christ, and exemplify it in their daily life and work.RH October 11, 1898, par. 4

“Our Conferences say to us: Train us young men and women who will love to minister to others; who will take up any good work that lies in their pathway; who will forget their own comfort, in their efforts to strengthen and comfort others.RH October 11, 1898, par. 5

“Our mission board says: We need many workers for foreign fields,—for Polynesia, Malaysia, India, China, and Japan,—but they should be hardy, practical workers. Sometimes the highly educated students from the most popular schools are quite helpless and inefficient in the mission field. Sometimes those who can read the Oriental languages can not keep a set of accounts, and their reports are very perplexing. Train us men and women who will be thrifty, economical, industrious; who can teach the people the best ways to build houses, to till the soil, to cook, and to sew.RH October 11, 1898, par. 6

“Our medical missionary board says: Train us many missionary nurses,—men and women who love their fellow men; who will minister tenderly to the poor and needy, without raising the question of remuneration; who will dare to go to any place where their ministry is needed. Men and women are needed with muscles like iron and nerves like steel,—persons who can decide quickly what should be done in an emergency, and who will minister with skilful hands, prompted by a tender heart. Such workers are needed in the islands of the sea, in the isolated homes in the Australian bush, and in the slums of our large cities.RH October 11, 1898, par. 7

“What can we do in response to these demands? Shall we go into the city, and build up our school where there will be the most ease and comfort? or shall we use the circumstances and surroundings of the country as a means of developing, as far as possible, the traits and characteristics required?—We have chosen the country, and we do not regret the choice.”RH October 11, 1898, par. 8

Our Relations to those Around Us

“I am very glad,” said Elder Cassius B. Hughes, “to meet so many of our friends and neighbors here tonight; and when I say ‘friends and neighbors,’ I use the words in their deepest meaning. If we do not become to you friends and neighbors indeed, the mission of this school will be largely unaccomplished. Schools are for learning; but we must not forget that ‘the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ In the beautiful parable of the good Samaritan, the Saviour has taught us what it means to be a real neighbor. Therefore, if we fulfill our mission here, you will be better because of having associated with us, and we shall be better because of having associated with you. It is a very essential thing, in order that the school may accomplish what it should, that we become acquainted with you. Our feelings of friendliness will surely grow if we accomplish that for which God sent us here.RH October 11, 1898, par. 9

“When Christ was on earth, he went about doing good, In the school of today, there is too much selfishness. Students attend school that they may themselves be benefited, that they may obtain knowledge that will secure for them good positions. This is not the right idea of education. Our school must not be satisfied with this aim, but it must aim to help men and women, in order that they may help others.RH October 11, 1898, par. 10

“This school has been established to teach men and women how to minister to others, and thus to find happiness. This is a grand object, and you may say, ‘Who is sufficient for these things?’ We will answer this question by asking another, ‘Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?’ Who is ready to do what God asks him to do? If God asks us to give something that we have, are we willing to give it? When we are willing to do this, we shall be accomplishing the object for which our school was established.”RH October 11, 1898, par. 11

The Missionary Nurses’ Class

Elder H. C. Lacey briefly presented the objects and working of the department of hygiene and nursing: “In connection with the other work undertaken by our school, there has been organized this year a special department of physiology and hygiene. This department offers to the student the means of acquiring a practical knowledge of the workings of the wonderful mechanism of the human body, and furnishes an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the most approved methods in the rational treatment of disease. The study of anatomy, the form and structure of the body; of physiology, the use and functions of the various organs; and of hygiene, the laws that underlie their healthful activities, is pursued from a Biblical and scientific point of view.RH October 11, 1898, par. 12

“The object we have before us is the qualifying of laborers to engage in the all-round work of the third angel's message. In this school we are trying to fit ourselves that we may warn others to prepare for the second coming of Christ. We need a thorough fitting up for this work, not only spiritually and intellectually, but also physically. A thorough preparation for work includes the faithful development of the body as well as the soul; and the aim of this department is to prepare us to teach others how to care for the physique which God has given them.”RH October 11, 1898, par. 13

The Business Department

Mrs. H. C. Lacey, in presenting the outlines of the business department, said: “In the business department, the common branches are faithfully and thoroughly taught. After these come bookkeeping, stenography, and typewriting. There are ten in the stenography class, and fifteen are studying bookkeeping.”RH October 11, 1898, par. 14

The Preparatory Department and the Normal Course

Mrs. C. B. Hughes spoke thus of the normal course for teachers: “The wise man says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ We who believe that Christ is soon coming, should be especially faithful so to train the little ones that they, with us, may be ready to meet him when he comes. We know that there are many fathers and mothers all over the land who desire that their children shall be trained aright, and we hear their oft-repeated calls for teachers. Therefore the board has made plans for the normal training of teachers. Most things have small beginnings. Christ tells us that the smallest of seeds, put into the ground, grows to be a tree that the birds may lodge in. So it is with our normal department. So far, it is only a seed. We have about fifty students in the preparatory departments, and three young ladies are being instructed in the work of teaching.”RH October 11, 1898, par. 15

The Agricultural Department

Mr. H. C. Thompson, our farmer, then presented some of the products of the soil. Oranges and lemons from our school orchard, sweet potatoes and other products from the garden, were shown with pride; for they were all of extraordinary size and quality. He spoke briefly of what may be realized as the result of a faithful cultivation of the land, and pointed out that some of the difficulties that must be encountered by the agriculturist in this climate are largely compensated for by the fact that we can successfully engage in the cultivation of garden crops all the year around.RH October 11, 1898, par. 16

The meeting closed with an earnest appeal from the chairman for the people of Cooranbong and vicinity to unite in the development of the district by the planting of orchards and the cultivation of garden produce, so that all may live upon the products of the soil, and not have to subsist on the bodies of dead animals.RH October 11, 1898, par. 17

The good influence of this meeting was felt throughout the week of prayer; and the spirit of cordial friendship continues to grow.RH October 11, 1898, par. 18