I took a visit to God’s Bible School (GBS) in June 2023.
In a sense, I followed the footsteps of people I admire: Oswald Chambers, Lettie and Charles Cowman, and Juji Nakada.
Chambers taught one year, the Cowmans took classes, and Juji?
Well, he learned about the school from the Cowmans, and invited Chambers there to visit.
Martin Wells Knapp founded the school in 1900.
Lettie and Charles were among the first students in attendance.
While there, Knapp challenged them on their plans to establish a mission in Tokyo. “Why wait for a mission board to send you?”
What were Chambers and Nakada doing at God’s Bible School?
Chambers and Nakada met in England and “bonded” over a shared pulpit for the Protestant League of Prayer as they traveled through the nation in 1906.
“This small Japanese is very good at stealing hearts and minds,” Chambers said. “He stole mine, and then visited my home and stole the hearts of my father and brother, and he made them willing to send me to Japan.”
Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God. By David McCasland; p. 97
Nakada introduced Chambers to Holiness folks in New England and then they traveled to God’s Bible School in Cincinnati, Ohio for a speaking gig at their 10-day Christmas Convention.
The school needed a teacher, and Chambers agreed to stay for a semester to teach a class in Biblical Theology (which he also taught for the League of Prayer meetings in England). Nakada embarked on a deputation tour for the Oriental Missionary Society.
GBS paid him a $500 honorarium for his service when the semester ended in June.
After that summer’s camp meetings, he continued with Nakada on to Japan. He wanted to see the Oriental Mission Society‘s work in Japan.
(During World War I, Biddy Chambers regularly sent magazine articles based on Chambers’ teachings to the GBS magazine God’s Revivalist.)
The Cowmans?
During their short time at GBS, Charles led evening services and Lettie conducted popular children’s meetings.
They did not stay long after Knapp challenged them, but they regularly visited the school for years afterward during their own deputations tours from Japan.
Knapp joined three others in November 1900 to lay hands on both Charles and Lettie and ordain them ministers. They traveled to Japan and founded the Oriental Missionary Society two months later.
After their move to Tokyo, Lettie wrote monthly articles for God’s Revivalist.
They may have met Biddy Chambers for the first time at GBS’s 1910 camp meeting.
So, why did I visit God’s Bible School?
Like my biography subjects, I, too, have written articles for God’s Revivalist. (Including Summer 2023)
(Here’s a link to a 2017 edition devoted to Oswald Chambers).
Since my husband and I were in the area, we invited ourselves for a visit.
I particularly wanted to see the Oswald Chambers Room at the school.
The room boasts photos of OC (the final one before his death), the remembrance of him from his memorial service (just above my head), and a painting overlooking copies of all his books.
Since I’d forgotten GBS has OC’s desk, that was quite a surprise to see, sit at, and touch!
I also met the president of the college, as well as my editor friends, and caught a glimpse of the centerfold for this month’s God’s Revivalist Magazine.
Thoughts on driving up to “The Hilltop”
God’s Bible School sits on top of a hill overlooking downtown Cincinnati.
For that reason, people often referred to GBS as “the Hilltop.”
I’d forgotten that as we drove up steep streets, but when we reached the top, my mouth dropped open.
There it was, just as I’d seen it in countless photos from Lettie Cowman writings.
But, after marveling for a moment, I wondered, “When did they paint the buildings?”
Then I realized the sky behind the (red brick) building was blue, and I laughed.
I’d seen lots of photos–but they all were taken 100+ years ago!
Ah, the foibles of an historical writer!
We brought a local writer friend along with her daughter on this visit. The pretty 18-year-old will be a freshman this fall at the school.
It was so fun to be at the site where the Cowmans and the Chambers came together–both in my mind and in history. All three, and possibly Biddy, met there at the 1910 camp meeting.
This is the only place still standing where I know they all were–and at the same time.
A minor thrill for most people–but a major one for me that day in June 2023.
Tweetables
A Chambers and Cowman biographer visits where they met in 1910. Click to Tweet
God’s Bible School: a loved place for Oswald Chambers & the Cowmans. Click to Tweet
Great article! I really enjoyed it…and, we enjoyed your visit to our campus!