Northwestern Bible School - Scroll Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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IDe wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

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Our School, ‘Past and Present ACKWARD, turn backward, O Time, in thy flight ' - that through these pages wc may see in the progress of our school, God ' s marvelous grace to us-ward. A— A church that is increasing in spiritual knowledge and practise will always feel the need of Christian training for her young people. To satisfy this desire and to give young men and women a better knowledge of the Bible, Dr. Riley launched out on a new enterprise in 1902. With seven students, eager to study the Word of God, the Northwestern Bible School began. Though the beginning was small, yet the faith, trust and enthusiasm of the leaders have reaped their fruits in the abundant realization of their hopes. “The study of the Bible was fundamental from the start. From the beginning, the verbal complete inspira¬ tion of the Scriptures was taught, and those who organized this school enjoyed with other earnest Bible students, the faith of the imminent return of the Lord. 5 Interdenominational in character, aggressive in spirit, sound in doctrine, our school has kept true to the faith. Originally classes were held in the First Baptist Church, out of whose doors went our first graduate to missionary work in Burma “The first year closed without a dollar of debt, although no public appeal for funds was made during that time.” This was made possible through the friends whom God raised up for us, chief among whom was Mrs. Elizabeth Augusta Russell, whose consecrated use of her means proved so great a blessing to us In October, 1904, articles of incorporation were approved; and in November of that same year, the school began circulating “The Bible Student and Teacher,” a monthly maga¬ zine published in New York and issued simultaneously here—a worthy forerunner of “ 1 he Pilot ” the thirty two-page periodical published by our school today. A deep sense of our responsibility in proclaiming the Gospel found expression in the Bible conferences held during the summer by the faculty of the school, and developed into the Northwestern Bible School conferences held at Medicine Lake each summer. In August, 1905, due to the inadequacy and inconvenience of the First Baptist Church for class rooms, “Six South” was purchased and furnished for use. Here the entire school was housed under the same roof, the superintendent, deans and treasurer all using the same office, quite different from our present commodious quarters. The growing school soon overflowed these buildings, and in 1921 it became necessary to add to school property the three dormitories located across from Loring Park. As each need arose, God supplied the answer. Through each new- development He was proving again that anything of Him will be blessed. In 1922 came the greatest development in a material way. The old “parsonage” and dormitory on the corner of Harmon Place was wrecked and on that site was laid the corner¬ stone of our beloved Jackson Hall, with its spacious halls and its sunny classrooms, hallowed by memories of great spiritual feasts. As each new class treads its marble stairways, we praise God that Lie lias shown again His love for His favorite number, seven, for our student body has grown from seven to four hundred and sixty-one. From a single Bible class taught once a week, the course of study now includes thirty-nine subjects taught by sixteen faculty mem¬ bers. In addition to the regular day school courses, the night school has gone through a period of transition until it has reached the same high standard which the day school maintains. The first graduate went out to Burma to serve her Master. Since then, scores of conse¬ crated young men and women have followed their Lord and Saviour to the uttermost parts to establish there miniature Northwesterns as lighthouses in the awful heathen darkness. As we look back along the path wc have climbed, we sing “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ”; and then, w-ith renewed courage and hope, we turn again and gaze steadily into the future, bright with the promises of God ' s blessings. Page Twenty-five