The man sat kitty-corner from Bill in the railway coach as the train pulled out of Spedden. Bill knew he was being stared at. Then the man finally came and spoke to him. 

        “Where are you from? Where are you heading? Oh, Calgary!” Question followed question. Politely, Bill answered each one. 

        “What are you going to do there?” This white man had an endless list of questions. Well, Bill thought, at least he’s friendly. 

        “I’m going to Bible School,” Bill replied. Two years into his Christian life, he was excited about the prospect. 

        “Very good. That’s a great idea. It’s good to see a young man like you bettering yourself.” The man’s warm enthusiasm made Bill feel good. Maybe this white man whose inside was full of questions was also a Christian. 

        Returning to his seat, the man came back a little later. Now he seemed like an old friend. 

        “What barber school did you say you were going to?” He leaned forward to catch Bill’s reply. 

        “Bible School. Not barber school. I said Bible School,” Bill explained. 

        “Oh!” A frown crossed the man’s face. “Bible School.” His tone made it sound like Bill was going to some very bad place. “Hmm!” Without another word, the man went back to his seat. For the rest of the trip, he ignored the young Native man to whom he had been so friendly at first. 

        Bill couldn’t help noticing the change in the man’s attitude. It didn’t really bother him, but he reflected upon it for the rest of the train trip. Personally, he was excited that he was on his way to Calgary. He’d been excited ever since the letter had come. Really longing to know God’s Word more and more, Bill had written Prophetic Bible Institute for help in studying the Bible. They replied, advising Bill to enroll in evening studies for the 1953/54 winter academic year. Very sure that God was leading him, Bill made arrangements to leave for Calgary. 

        The man on the train wasn’t the only one who scorned the idea of Bible School. There were a number of others as well. The priest on the reserve expressed a strongly worded disapproval. 

        For Bill, the struggle had been fought—and won. God had brought him into the light of truth. There was only one authority. There was only one truth. There was only one foundation on which people can build their hope for life and for eternity. That foundation is the written Word of God and Bill was determined that he would learn the Word of God. 

        Later, there were others who tried to discourage him from continuing Bible School. Neither did his parents approve of this choice that he had made. 

        Bill loved and respected his parents. He knew God expected people to honor their father and mother. That was one of the ten commandments God gave to Israel through Moses. But, in matters of obedience to God, he also knew the verse which said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). 

        The Bible says to Christians, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). That was Bill’s basis for leaving the security and comfort of home, for turning his back on career planning. Sensing God’s call to Bible School, he resolutely made his decision. To Bible School he would go!

        After arriving in Calgary, he made his way to the Prophetic Bible Institute to enroll for night classes starting the following week. 

        Bill related, “Before I boarded the train, I had $31.00. I arrived at Calgary with $15.00. I needed a job to pay for rent and school tuition. I found a bed at the Salvation Army for 50 cents a night, and the following day I started looking for work.” 

        Day after day Bill prayed, and then went out looking for a job. Night after night he came back without finding work. Soon he was down to his last dollar. 

        Had he been wrong in believing that God wanted him to be here to study the Bible? Why couldn’t he find a job? He was trying hard enough. Why didn’t God answer his prayer? His bed was paid for until the end of the week, just four more days. Thursday he used the last of his money. Friday and Saturday he did not have anything to eat. 

        On Sunday morning he went to worship at a Gospel Hall that was nearby. An elderly couple, the Lehmans, befriended him and invited him to their home for dinner. 

        “I was hoping they wouldn’t hear my stomach growling. I could hardly wait for the prayer to end so that we could start eating,” Bill remembered. Even that Christmas pudding stuff that he didn’t like at residential school would have been welcome about then. 

        When Mr. Lehman learned that Bill was looking for work, he offered to hire him for a few hours of odd Jobs around his shoe repair shop. For the next few days, that was where Bill spent his mornings, then job hunting again in the afternoon. 

        Later in the week he received a phone call from Vein Edwards, a man he had met at the Bible Institute the previous Sunday evening. Vein told him about a construction company that was hiring men. 

        At last Bill had work! He soon found a boarding house and settled into a schedule of working during the day, hurrying home to clean up, and get to evening class on time.

        It had been a time of testing, but now his heart was full of gratitude to the Lord. 

        Though the job lasted only two months, he made enough money to pay evening class tuition and rent for most of that year. There wasn’t anything over for luxuries like bus fare. Wherever Bill went, to school, to church, or job-hunting, he walked each time. He had no sense of poverty. He was rich in the privilege of studying God’s Word.