nineteen hundred and forty-six - Amazon Web Services

FOREIGN MISSION BOARD 255
Some of the building for a third girls' school is at present under construction
in the town of Agbor. This school, we hope, will serve the needs of the Niger
Delta.
The Teachers' College, located at Iwo, prepares our young men for the
teaching profession. They become the leaders in our schools and communities.
We are trying to develop spiritual leaders, as well as educational leaders. The
Bible is a textbook in our school. In the college church, our boys are trained
in the Training Union, the Sunday school, and the church business meetings,
besides acting as deacons, treasurer, and clerk. After four years of training,
these young men are distributed throughout the various sections of Nigeria.
They teach in the schools, work in the churches, and thus become a part of
our organization. Some of these teachers hear a call to the ministry, and
go to our Seminary for three years of training, after which they are sent back
to the churches as pastors. Thus we have a complete cycle of training in
service which we hope will meet the growing demand of the churches for trained
pastors.
We have begun taking into the College a group of boys who wish to enter
the ministry without assuming the obligation to teach for a minimum of five
years. There are four such boys in the new class this year. As soon as the
building program, at present under way, is complete, we shall take in a full
class of these ministerial students.
The Nigerian is becoming politically conscious and articulate. There is a
desire for a larger share in the management of the affairs of State. The Christian
church has an opportunity to make an outstanding contribution toward
good government and lasting peace by giving its youth a thorough training
which is founded upon the principles taught-by Christ. Nearly all of the leaders
in the political life of the country are products of the Christian schools.
THE WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION
This organization has done, and is still doing an outstanding piece of work
in Nigeria. Miss Neale C. Young has carried the burden alone until last year,
when Miss Ada Jackson joined her. This work is well organized. There are
many district workers selected from women who were formerly students in the
Girls' School at Abeokuta. They have, in many instances, come up through
the ranks from Sunbeams through Girls' Auxiliaries and Young Woman's
Auxiliaries, thus they have a thorough knowledge of all phases of the work
they supervise. Last year the Woman's Missionary Union operated upon a
budget twice as large as that of the Nigerian Baptist Convention of which it
is an auxiliary.
The Woman's Missionary Union property at Ede was occupied by the army
during 1942 and 1943. As soon as it was returned to the Mission, plans were
set in motion to enlarge its usefulness. The first girls' auxiliary camp was
held. The girls attending this camp went back to their homes with a keener
sense of loyalty to the organization than they had known before. The spiritual
uplift received by these young women, from their contact with their leaders,
will carry on and be shared by others. Plans are under way for securing
additional land in order that the camping facilities may be enlarged so as to
accommodate the larger number of girls and women who will wish to attend.
Another dwelling house is planned, and it is hoped that some day in the near
future, the work of Royal Ambassadors will be added.
The Woman's Missionary Union was responsible for the training of Rev.
and Mrs. Ayorinde in America. These young people have returned to Nigeria
and are taking up the task of leading one of the churches in the lar,ge town of
Abeokuta. In this way the Union has taken the lead in giving higher training
to native Africans, thus enabling them to assume a larger share of responsibility
in our denominational life.
SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK
This continues to grow in importance. Teaching the word of God in our
churches has given ample proof of its power during the past year. Miss Ethel
Harmon, with the help of two African assistants, has conducted sixty-one Bible
schools with a total enrollment of more than 14,000. These schools are modeled
somewhat after the daily vacation Bible school, but are not confined to children.
Classes are held in the afternoon. The teachers from the day schools assist by