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Show A nnouncing THE ELLIS BIBLE SCHOOL OF THE SHANTUNG DISTRICT. AMERICAN BOARD MISSION, LINTSING, NORTH CHINA. The Opportunity. As. f a r a s we can learn, this is the first and only training school for volunteer lay workers in China. A church membership of more than two thousand is already gathered, and the constituency from among whom students may be drawn is above five thousand. Some twenty-five men and women have already enrolled at their own charges for the three-year course, on the completion of which they will be "scattered abroad" throughout the whole area to strengthen and guide the rural churches whence they came. At oresent some ten Chinese leaders and missionaries are giving part time as teachers. As soon as money is available for this purpose a properly qualified Chinese man will be engaged as Principal of the school, and a Chinese woman to head the Women's Department. The History. Such a school has long been planned for by the missionaries on the field. Classes were first started in the autumn of 1924 at Lintsing, using as temporary quarters the 'Men's and Women's Station Class buildings. In January, 1925, Lintsing's good friend^ Hans Hansen of Los Angeles, sent an initial gift of $2,500 to start a building and endowment fund for the Lintsing Bible School. Two conditions were specified. First, this gift was to become available for use when an equivalent amount had been raised to add to it. The Chinese of Shantung District were to raise $700 and the other $1,800 was to be collected in the United States, the total of $5,000 to be in hand by January, 1926. Second, in some way Mr. Hansen's good friends, Mr. and Mrs. Emery W. Ellis, so long identified with Lintsing, and now giving themselves in helpful service at Tehchow, were to be honored in the name given to the school. We have not as yet heard what has been selected as the Chinese name, but the English name will correspond, and probably be, either, "The Ellis Bible School," or "The Ellis Lay Workers' Training School." The Treasurer s Report. The Treasurer of t h e A m e ri c a n Board, 14 Beacon Street, Boston, under date of August 15, reports gifts for this fund already in hand as follows: Initial gift of Mr. Hansen $2,500.00 From a friend, Winnetka, 111 500.00 From Claremont, Cal., friends 60.00 From Women's Societies, Amherst, O . . . . 11.25 Total in hand $3,071.25 This leaves, then, yet to be raised, in order that Mr. Hansen's conditions may be complied with, and $5,000 made available by January, 1926, for new buildings and endowment for the Ellis Bible School, Lintsing, North China. To be raised in China $ 700.00 To be raised in U. S. A 1,228.75 If each one of you who receives this letter would give as God has prospered you toward this fund, sending in your check before January, 1926, to the Treasurer of the American Board, Boston, not only would our immediate goal be speedily reached, but more likely twice or thrice that sum would be made available for this most promising work. _ There is a limit below which we dare not fall, viz., $5,000; but no one has yet limited us on the other side! |
