NEW BIBLE TRAINING I banner. 66 T may not be known to all the readers of the MAGAZINE that another "school of the prophets" has unfurled its This infant seat of theological learning is located at Jaro. Perhaps. Perhaps it is too ambitious to speak of it as a theological seminary, but, as mighty oaks from little acorns grow," so the Bible Training School is in embryo the Philippine Baptist seminary of the future. Although this is the first year of its existence it has a total enrolment of eleven students. They are largely from the peasant class, which means that they are not brilliant students. But they mean business; and if their spirit is right we can forgive them for not shining as pulpit artists, or for losing their way in the labyrinth of theology. SCHOOL The importance of the school as a factor in the religious life of the Visayan people can hardly be overestimated. For over 300 years the "voice of prophecy has not been heard in the land." The religious leaders have taught morality neither by precept nor example. They obscured the way of salvation, so that they neither entered in themselves nor permitted the people to enter in. In this state of transition from the darkness and superstition of the Middle Ages to the light of the gospel, as we have it in this twentieth century, the people are easily led by any one who has more intelligence and force of character than the rest. So that it is of great importance to their future that men should be forthcoming who can lead their people into paths of righteousness and truth. This school aims to furnish just the men to do it. Two years of study ought to acquaint them with a fundamental knowledge of the text of Scripture and with its spirit. Then as they go among the villages teaching and preaching, they will be like leaven, which in time will We have one student, however, who is promising. He is of the middle class and is far more intelligent than the others. He always knows his lesson; and, more remarkable still, on one or two occasions has shown signs of having thought for himself; and, most remarkable of all, he rarely fails to understand my Visayan. Photos by H. W. Munger TRAINING SCHOOL AND PUPILS BACOLOD, P. I. AND PAPAL SPECIAL TOPIC EUROPE FEBRUARY F NOR the information of those who may not be familiar with the relations between the Missionary Union and the Baptist churches of Europe, a word of explanation may not be out of place. It is many years since missionaries have been sent from America to Europe, but the Union continues to send to several countries certain sums of money which are administered by local committees and used especially for theological institutions and evangelistic work. In France the work is conducted under two committees. the Franco-Belgian and the Franco-Swiss. In connection with the first we aid five groups of weak churches and two evangelists; with the latter three groups of churches and six evangelists. Great success has attended the work in France during the past months. In Germany aid is given only to the work of theological instruction and to the publication house in Cassel. In Sweden the Baptist churches constitute quite the largest dissenting body in the country. The Union aids only the Bethel Theological Seminary at Stockholm. To Russia, Finland, Denmark and Norway sums varying from $1,300 to $1,900 for each are given to aid in paying salaries of pastors and mission workers. The Union also makes a small allowance to work in Spain, in addition to the salary of our missionary, Mr. Marin. For further details in regard to each of these countries we refer the reader to the Annual Report of 1905 and the MAGAZINE for December, 1904. WORK IN GERMANY AND FRANCE PROFESSOR H. C. VEDDER, D.D. CROZER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY I T was my privilege and delight, during the summer of 1904, to visit a number of the Baptist churches in Europe and to learn much about the conditions and prospects of the work in Germany and France. Perhaps I can convey to others the vividness of the personal impressions. in no better way than by making a few extracts from my diary, to be followed by some general summary of what I saw and learned. SUNDAYS IN GERMAN CITIES AND VIENNA MUNICH, JUNE 12. Hunted up the Baptist church. Nine present, besides the minister and ourselves. They met in a little hall, at the back of a courtyard in an obscure street, on account of police. Good singing, and the Sunday school children intelligent. After service one of the young men was arrested by police for distributing tracts on the street, but the judge released him with injunction not to do it again. The pastor, Herr Fiehler, was once fined 50 marks for offering a prayer in a cemetery, and at another time 40 marks for singing a hymn in public, on the ground that such public religious exercises were disorderly and a nuisance! VIENNA, JUNE 26. Went to the Baptist church, which we had a hard time finding, but when found, it was a delight. Met in a hall that will seat 200 and was well filled. Several soldiers in uniform were in the congregation. A choir of young people sang Christian Endeavor hymns. Excellent sermon by Rev. J. Hoffman. No Sunday school can be held, owing to interference of priests; otherwise they are now unmolested. Baptisms were announced for next Sunday. The congregation was composed mainly of poor people, but clean, well-dressed and intelligent. On entering we were presented with a printed invitation to attend the service! On inquiry learned this was for our own protection; by police regulation only adults specially invited may attend the service, and without this notice we were liable to arrest on leaving the hall. And this in the twentieth century, in a country called Christian! DRESDEN, JULY 3. (See article by Professor Anderson. The Saxon court is Roman Catholic, but the Saxon people are three fourths Protestant; and I am told that the Lutheran ministers are the chief instigators of such petty persecution. LEIPZIG, JULY 17. Heard an excellent, practical sermon from Pastor Kuss at the Baptist chapel. Good congregation, several English-speaking people among them. Leipzig Baptists quite unmolested; too many Americans in this city, and Lutheran clergy do not venture on the tactics they employ elsewhere. Prospects of this church excellent. HALLE, JULY 23. The Halle Baptists have a really good chapel, altered over from a café and beer hall! The church numbers about 150, but the congregation is much larger. Pastor Drews has just returned from a collecting tour of some weeks among the Baptist churches of Germany and Switzerland, that help one another generously in their building enterprises. No church yet visited has seemed so well circumstanced, and so likely to flourish. BERLIN, JULY 31. What a satisfaction it was this morning to find a Baptist church that was built right on the street, as in America, a large brick house, with a congregation of perhaps a thousand. And hardly less satisfaction this afternoon in visiting another, with a congregation of 8oo. In both churches excellent sermons, and people who would compare favorably with any American congregation. There are at least two other Berlin churches that we shall not be able to visit. Baptists are strong here in the chief city of the empire, and for years have been unmolested. HAMBURG, AUGUST 7. Attended the Altona church this morning; very enjoyable service. Choirs are a feature of the German Baptist churches, usually very good. . . . Sermon evangelical, strong, fervid. At told, however, that the liebesmahl is a regular institution in all German Baptist churches. These are by no means all the churches visited, but the above extracts are sufficient to show the character of the first impressions received. Later reflection, and comparison of things observed or learned by persistent questioning, led to certain general conclusions regarding the work in Germany. MARKED FEATURES, TYPICAL OF NORTH EUROPE 1. Most promising for the future of the German Baptist churches is the character of their ministry. I suppose there must be some gray-haired ministers, but I did not chance to meet one. All the men whom I met and heard were young men, mostly in the thirties; none seemed over forty-five. And they were men of whom any denomination might be proud: bright, keen, thoroughly grounded in the Scriptures, excellent sermonizers, with delivery. more than good. No German preacher uses a manuscript; preaching is preaching with them. If I were to spend two months in traveling about the United States, attending Baptist churches in whatever town I happened PROFESSOR J. LEHMANN, SEMINARY, HAMBURG, GERMANY the Wandsbek chapel in afternoon, much impressed. Baptist cause very prosperous in and about Hamburg, where it originated. ZURICH, SEPTEMBER 15. Refreshing to find another Baptist church on a prominent street corner, a handsome and roomy house, and well filled. At the morning service it was announced that there would be a liebes mahl (love-feast) at 5 P.M., and we were glad to attend that. It was much like the Moravian love-feasts, only more of a real meal. Sandwiches (rolls and wurst) and mugs of tea were served. The sandwiches were passed several times, and the mugs as often replenished from huge pitchers, until all had enough. All ate and drank heartily, evidently making this their evening meal. Several brief addresses were made by ministers and laymen present. There was singing of hymns and two anthems by the choir. Would not have missed this service on any account, as to me it was unique; am to stay over Sunday, I should count myself fortunate if I met as intelligent a set of pastors and heard as good preaching as I found among these German churches. 2. The piety of the members of these churches makes an instant and deep impression on an American visitor. The people are earnest, evangelical, aggressive. This does not mean undue demonstrativeness; rather one observes a fervor that at home he would call Methodist, but without Methodist noise. Germans are ashamed to be emotional and do not repress all outward expression of emotion, as does the Anglo-Saxon. The congregations are not composed mostly of plain people, accustomed to hard toil and frugal living, but in some of the churches there are men of wealth. In Hamburg, for example, one of Oncken's early associates and helpers is now the John Wanamaker of the town, and his sons are following in his steps. In the years to come, other Baptists will forge to the front; it cannot be otherwise. Let us hope that increase of wealth will not mean less of piety and missionary zeal in these churches. 3. The most promising feature of all was the number and character of the young people in all the congregations. Seldom less than half, they were often more than half of all present. Many of these I found came from Lutheran families otherwise unattached to a Baptist church. It was unfortunate that the Society of Christian Endeavor first gained a following among the state churches of Germany. In that soil its growth was of necessity both slow and limited; but what was worse, the very fact that the state churches opted Christian Endeavor at all was fatal to its progress among the evangelical churches. It was a great privilege to visit the theological seminary at Hamburg, even in vacation, and learn something at first hand of the work done there. No money given by American Baptists for educational work has been a better investment or is paying larger dividends than that which has been put into this school. The building and all its appointments could hardly be better adapted to the purpose, and the faithful Christian men who make up its faculty are highly qualified for their work. Though I did not see the school at work, I have seen much of the men it is graduating, and heard more, and am certain that this school of the prophets is invaluable to the Baptist cause in Germany. THE SITUATION IN FRANCE My observation of the work in France was much more limited, being confined to Paris; but so far as diligent inquiry could supply the lack of personal acquaintance I made myself familiar with what is attempted and accomplished. The work in that country suffers from the lack of that which the German Baptists possess, a good theological school. As there is practically no means of training Baptist young men for the ministry, trained men are not to be found for the pastorate. There is, however, a great opportunity for evangelistic work in France, a ready hearing for the gospel and readiness to accept its message. One independent evangelist has had great. success in holding street meetings with the aid of an automobile, in which he has spent two seasons in visiting the smaller towns and cities. But to make such a work permanently fruitful, it must be supplemented by the labors of others and the organizing of converts into churches. The final adoption of the act for the disestablishment of both Protestant and Roman Catholic churches in France, though it contains some provisions that are believed to be unfavorable to churches independent of the state, like the Baptist, is believed to be on the whole most favorable to the progress of evangelical religion. It opens wide a door of hope long closed and if American Baptists really appreciated the situation they would give prompt and effective support to our French brethren in a great forward movement. Though there are lacking sufficient trained men for pastors of the churches, there are a few men available for this evangelistic advance, who have been trained in England and have great native endowments, besides rich gifts of the Spirit. Aid given now may mean more for true religion in France than twice the amount a half-century later. Revivals: Romanists Turning REV. A. CADOT, one of the most ex perienced of our French pastors, has accepted the position of general evangelist for the northern or Franco-Belgian division of the field. During the past year he has held numerous meetings among the churches, with a large number of conversions. At Charleroy in Belgium the pastor has baptized ten new converts recently; at Peruwelz and Bernissart an earnest spirit of prayer prevai's. The effect of the revival of last spring abides and is evident particularly in the fervor of the young people. The work at Lens is very encouraging; more than 100 have professed conversion, and twentyfive Roman Catholic families have come out and identified themselves with us. WE France and Algeria E are in the midst of the most encouraging time ever known in Algiers. Night after night a theater is crowded, holding 2,000 people; they drink in the Word with the most amazing readiness; French, Jews, Mohammedans, English. The Lord is melting down the hearts of the people. Many have professed conversion in smaller meetings held in the Protestant church. A Jewish rabbi, formerly converted and sprinkled, has asked me to immerse him. It has been decided that he will be immersed by the French Baptist colporteur here in a few days. Pray for France and Algeria seem to be opened. Oh, that we may be kept humble and empty of self! R. SAILLENS, Paris, France. us. THE DRESDEN BAPTIST CHURCH O PROFESSOR FREDERICK L. ANDERSON NEWTON CENTER, MASS. F all the German Baptist churches which I visited last year, the church in Dresden has the first place in my heart. Perhaps it was because I was very thirsty for the gospel message and Christian fellowship when I first met these good people; but I think it was chiefly because they lived so near to God and seemed so much to enjoy their religion. Far away from the quarters frequented by foreigners, in the quiet Camelienstrasse, you find an archway through the solid wall of houses, leading to the church building in the back yard. This tells a tale of government suspicion and perse cution. They are not allowed to build on the street, and are subject to constant DRESDEN ART GALLERY |