General Conference Bulletin, vol. 7
From Former Sessions
W. A. Spicer, C. P. Bollman, C. C. Crisler, T. E. Bowen, H. E. Rogers, J. N. Anderson
REPORT OF THE MISSIONARY VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT
(Read during eleventh meeting of Conference session, May 21, 10 A. M.)
Our young people’s work was organized as a separate department of the General Conference six years ago. The plans on which the department should operate were laid at a convention held at Mount Vernon, Ohio, during the summer of 1907. The General Conference in session four years ago approved of the action of the General Conference Committee in establishing the department, and of the plans laid at Mount Vernon, and also passed resolutions calling the attention of our people to the importance of this work, and outlining its salient features. This, therefore, is our first quadrennial report. GCB May 23, 1913, page 105.1
The present officers of the department took up their duties with fear and trembling, recognizing the greatness of the work to be done, and sensible of their own inefficiency to do it. But the work is of God; and as we look back over the past period of four years, we can but exclaim, Behold “what hath God wrought!” These years have, we believe, proved the wisdom of the plans which were agreed upon at that time. GCB May 23, 1913, page 105.2
PHOTO-The Capitol, Washington, D. C.
Throughout the field, faithful leaders have worked diligently and prayerfully to carry out these plans, and God has signally blessed their efforts. Not all that we desire has been accomplished, but we are truly grateful for what has been done, which, without a special effort for the youth, would probably have been left undone. GCB May 23, 1913, page 105.3
The interest in Missionary Volunteer work has been manifestly deepened. More time is being given to its development; more extensive and intensive work is being done; and well-directed efforts are resulting in conversions and increased missionary activity among the youth. There is a general awakening to the fact that “the Lord has appointed the youth to be his helping hand” in giving the gospel to the world; and that our young people well organized for service are a powerful factor in the prosecution of that work. GCB May 23, 1913, page 105.4
Training in Service
The work of the Missionary Volunteer Department naturally falls into three divisions, as outlined on this chart, “Training in Service” [chart exhibited]. I will trace the development of this work by following this outline. GCB May 23, 1913, page 105.5
| Training in Service | |
| I. | Devotional— |
| 1. | Consecration Services. |
| 2. | The Morning Watch. |
| II. | Educational— |
| 1. | The Youth’s Instructor. |
| 2. | Society Lessons. |
| 3. | Missionary Volunteer Reading Courses. |
| 4. | Standard of Attainment. |
| 5. | Leaflet Series. |
| 6. | Libraries. |
| 7. | Camp-meetings and Institutes. |
| III. | Organized Missionary Effort. |
| 1. | Personal Evangelism. |
| 2. | Literature Work. |
| 3. | Christian Help Work. |
| 4. | Bible Readings and Cottage Meetings. |
| 5. | Temperance, Religious Liberty, etc. |
| 6. | Missionary Correspondence. |
| 7. | Christian Stewardship. |
Devotional
The first and greatest need of our youth is more devotion to God and a more definite Christian experience. The Morning Watch plan is a call to begin each day with secret prayer, and doubtless the faithful observance of the Morning Watch will do more than almost any other one thing to establish between the individual and Heaven that unbroken communion which is the secret of right living and of successful soul-winning. Thousands of young people testify that the Morning Watch plan is helping them to form the habit of daily secret prayer and personal Bible study. GCB May 23, 1913, page 105.6
The calendar used for promoting the Morning Watch gives a Bible text for each day, and several topics for special prayer each month. The first edition appeared in 1908. That the calendar has made friends rapidly is seen in its circulation, which is shown on this chart. GCB May 23, 1913, page 105.7
Circulation of Morning Watch Calendar GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.1
| ENGLISH EDITION | |
| 1908 | 6,000 copies |
| 1909 | 14,500 copies |
| 1910 | 17,500 copies |
| 1911 | 22,000 copies |
| 1912 | 25,000 copies |
| 1913 | 33,000 copies |
Aside from the English edition for 1913, the calendar texts were printed also in German, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. Thus morning by morning, the members of this large prayer circle, in all parts of the world, press around the same throne, seeking the same loving Father for victory over temptation and power for Christian service. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.2
Consecration services have been one very effective way of safeguarding young people’s societies against formality, and of bringing spiritual power to their members. These services have always been recommended to our Missionary Volunteer Societies, but for 1913 each society program allows some time for social service. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.3
Educational Features
The Youth’s Instructor for more than fifty years has been one of the greatest single factors in the religious work for the children and youth of this denomination. It is now the organ of the Missionary Volunteer Societies, but for 1913 fulfilling, we believe, a still wider mission to our youth. The Jugenbode (Youth’s Messenger) has helped to develop the Missionary Volunteer work among the German-speaking youth. This paper has been a monthly publication, but after July 1, 1913, it will be a weekly, with a Missionary Volunteer Department in each issue. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.4
The department has undertaken to supply each week through the Instructor, material and outlines for the society lessons. The following is a list of the various groups of lessons from November, 1906, to the end of 1911. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.5
1. Mission studies, including something of the countries, peoples, and our work around the world.
2. Lessons on the book “Ministry of Healing.”
3. Religious Liberty.
4. Temperance.
5. Second Coming of Christ.
6. Negro Work.
7. Bible Doctrines.
5. Second Coming of Christ.
9. Missionary Volunteer Methods.
10. Miscellaneous and special subjects.
GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.6
The society lessons for 1911 were printed in leaflet form, to enable the societies to plan their work as far ahead as desirable. The program, with additional help, also appeared weekly in the Instructor. The same plan was followed for 1912. The lessons for that year consisted of twenty-four studies on missions, twelve on Missionary Volunteer work, eleven on helps for everyday life, and a few miscellaneous subjects. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.7
The reading-course work is a success, and doubtless is destined to become a power for much good. It is an effort to establish in the lives of our young people the habit of systematic reading of good literature. Thousands of young people and children enroll in the courses, and it is evident that many others read the books without enrolling. The reading-circle membership embraces young people in several different countries. The senior and junior courses for our English-speaking youth are used most extensively in Australia, Canada, and the United States. In the fall of 1911 a German course was begun; this has met with splendid success. In January, 1913, a Spanish course was opened in South America, and our youth there pressed into the ever-growing reading circle. The workers in Japan are making plans for a Japanese course. To each person completing the assigned reading in any course and writing the required book review, a reading-course certificate is granted. During 1912 about ten times as many reading-course certificates were issued as in 1908. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.8
A young man who is now in foreign fields attributes his choice of his life work to a reading-course book; a young girl wrote, “I used to be an Adventist because my parents were, but since I read ‘Great Controversy,’ I am an Adventist because I know it is right.” It is still too early to measure the influence that the reading courses are exerting. However, there is abundant evidence that they are fulfilling their intended purpose. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.9
[The speaker here exhibited a chart, giving a list of the books used in the reading course, 1907-13.] GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.10
Standard of Attainment
The Standard of Attainment plan inaugurated at the Mount Vernon convention, has been used of God to stimulate our youth to study Bible doctrines and denominational history. Every young person is invited to become a member of attainment. One year “The Great Second Advent Movement” was given in the Senior Reading Course, and the society programs contained a series of forty lessons on Bible doctrines. Aside from this, no special general effort has been made to help individuals in reaching the Standard of Attainment goal. Missionary Volunteer societies have been urged to organize Standard of Attainment bands to meet regularly to study Bible doctrines and denominational history. This plan has met with favor, and today we find several hundred young people studying together in bands the important subjects of which the Standard of Attainment membership demands a knowledge. Until the present year the Standard of Attainment membership has grown slowly, though steadily; but about the close of 1912 this plan received a remarkable impetus. Twice each year Standard of Attainment examinations are held, when the general Missionary Volunteer Department sends out as many test questions as the conference Missionary Volunteer secretaries order. In the spring of 1913, nine times as many sets of test questions were ordered as at any previous examination. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.11
Missionary Volunteer Leaflet Series
The Missionary Volunteer Leaflet Series has grown until we now have forty-four leaflets on instructive and inspirational subjects. Of each of these leaflets the department has circulated several thousand. The demands have made it necessary to republish a number of them. Nearly forty thousand temperance pledges have been circulated, and about twenty-five thousand membership cards. Aside from the leaflets and pledges, a reporting system, including record books, has been completed. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.12
Libraries
Libraries are found in many Missionary Volunteer societies, and the efforts young people’s workers are putting forth to get other societies to build libraries, are amply justified, because of the saving influence of good books. To help in the selection of books, each young people’s society is invited to procure fifteen recommended books as a nucleus of an ever-growing library. It is also suggested that the Reading Course books be added from year to year. The fifteen books and all the Reading Course books can be seen in the Missionary Volunteer exhibit in room 22 of the Seminary Hall. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.13
Camp-Meetings
The camp-meeting is the golden opportunity of the year. The Missionary Volunteer workers have prayed and planned and worked to make this opportunity a permanent blessing to the youth. God has richly blessed their efforts. Through careful preparation before the meeting, through untiring efforts during the meeting, and by keeping in personal touch with the youth after they leave the camp-ground, much good has been accomplished. Generally the young people have their own tent for services. Some conferences have also provided two other small tents, one for young men and the other for young women, where they meet separately for prayer, study, and personal work. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.14
Institutes and Conventions
Institutes and conventions have been held in several union and local conferences. They have been an inspiration to the workers who attended them, and have done much to develop better methods of work. Of one of the institutes a conference president said, “This has given the Missionary Volunteer work in our conference the greatest impetus it has ever received.” The local conventions, now quite generally held throughout our conferences, are proving to be a very effective method for stimulating and educating the members of Missionary Volunteer Societies. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.15
Organized Missionary Effort
The devotional and educational features, although absolutely necessary parts of the young people’s work, are largely means to an end. The bugle call sounded in the spirit of prophecy is, “Will the young men and young women who really love Jesus, organize themselves as workers?” It is this call that the Missionary Volunteer movement is endeavoring to answer, and, by Heaven’s blessing, the young people’s society is proving to be a training-school for young Christians. Associated together under wise leadership, appointed by the church, the young are built up in Christian life by work and study. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.16
It is the earnest determination of Missionary Volunteer leaders to give personal work its proper place. Naturally, it is fundamental to all other lines of missionary activity, and should form a part of each of them. All societies are urged to have bands or committees for carrying forward aggressive campaigns along the various lines of Christian service. GCB May 23, 1913, page 106.17
A Summary of Work Done
The story of progress and increased missionary activity can be told best by means of a few figures, which I have prepared in the form of a statistical chart. [The chart was exhibited.] GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.1
This summary reveals much, and yet the greater part of the story is left untold. Nothing is revealed of the blessings flowing through these efforts in leading souls to the truth, or in binding more securely to the cause the youth who do the work. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.2
Giving to Missions
Reports show that since the organization of the young people’s work, the youth have given to home and foreign missions about ninety thousand dollars. To tell how this money has been used would fill a volume. Some has gone across the waters to pay laborers; to provide missions with typewriters, organs, sanitarium supplies; to send natives to Christian schools, and to build homes for missionaries. Everywhere our Missionary Volunteers are helping to bear the financial burdens resting upon this denomination. During the present year (1913), the young people in South America are raising money for the work in Peru; the Australasian youth are supporting several missionaries in the South Pacific islands; and our Missionary Volunteers in the United States are raising several thousand dollars for definite enterprises. The Atlantic Union young people are raising $750 for the Canary Islands Mission and West African rest home; the Columbia Union, $1,000 for the work among the Inca Indians in South America; the Lake Union, $1,000 for Elder and Mrs. Wood in India; the Northern Union, $2,000 to $3,200 for training-school in China; and the Central Union, $2,500 for opening a new mission in India; the Pacific Union, $2,000 for treatment-rooms in Bombay. Aside from these, many other conferences are raising smaller amounts to supply equally urgent calls. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.3
Junior Work
With the growing responsibilities of the regular Missionary Volunteer work, the general department has found little time for the development of the Junior work. During the past five years it has conducted a Junior Reading Course, but aside from this the burdens of the Junior work have rested almost entirely upon the conference Missionary Volunteer secretaries. Many of them have succeeded in organizing a Junior society in every church-school in their respective conferences, and a few societies have been organized where there are no church-schools. The Juniors are doing good work, and by various methods are raising money for missions. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.4
Extent of the Work
“This young people’s work is going around the world, carrying blessings in its train.” These prophetic words, uttered some years ago by a worker of wide experience, are rapidly becoming history. Everywhere the Missionary Volunteer movement is reaching out for the children and youth, seeking the isolated as well as those found in churches and companies. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.5
Not only in the United States and Canada, but in other countries as well, young men and women are pressing into the Missionary Volunteer movement; and now that we have reviewed briefly the progress of the different phases of young people’s work, let us get a panoramic view of the movement in the regions beyond. Leaving the United States, we find many thriving societies in the West Indies, and some in Central America. In South America, where the work during the last year has received a remarkable impetus, the workers are preparing instructive literature and blanks, for the newly organized societies. Crossing the Atlantic, we are pleased to learn that the societies in England are doing well, and that the work is being organized in some of the countries on the continent. Down in Africa we find some earnest Missionary Volunteers. Coming to the Australasian Union, we are greeted by the strongest Missionary Volunteer organization outside the United States. That union claims about two thousand enthusiastic Missionary Volunteers, who are doing an abundance of home-missionary work, and studying to become better prepared for service. As we turn our eyes to the Orient, we draw new courage from the evidences of progress in those dark heathen countries. There is an interesting young people’s society in India; another, in the Philippine Islands; Japan has a few local organizations; Korea has extended her number to eight; and today China also answers to the roll-call. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.6
God has blessed this movement marvelously in the past, and we are persuaded that he has far greater blessings in store for it in the future. As we see how this movement is, under God, leading young men and women everywhere into Christian service, and as we realize that the salvation of our youth depends largely upon their own efforts to save others, shall we not say, “Blessed be the tie that binds our youth together into one grand army of soul-winners?” GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.7
Needs of the Work
The greatest need of this work, as I conceive it, is that of a wise, devoted, forceful, continuous leadership. First of all, we need to feel that this work is worthy of the very best talent we have. It is the nicest and most delicate work ever committed to human beings to deal with the tender minds of the youth, and lead them in paths of righteousness and Christian service. We need wise, tactful, energetic secretaries, who are not leaders because they are appointed, but who are appointed because they are leaders,—persons whose hearts are burdened for the young, and who have had success in leading them to Christ and into Christian service. We need secretaries with evangelistic and organizing ability, persons with judgment mature enough to meet delicate questions, who can command the respect of young people in dealing with questions vital to their welfare, and hold the confidence of parents and other workers. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.8
We sometimes hear slighting remarks about specialization. We have no desire for that kind of professional specialization which demands one kind of work and no other. But the Lord has not given the same gifts to all. We have men who are especially adapted to business, others who are fitted for medical work, still others for preaching or teaching. There are others, thank God, who have a special adaptability to work among the youth. The greatest blessing that could come to our Missionary Volunteer work would be that conferences should give most earnest attention to choosing and setting apart those who have these gifts, that they should give their entire time to this important work. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.9
And having chosen them, let us retain them in the work long enough to build up something. Frequent changes greatly retard the work. A physician may sell his practise, but the other man does not always get it. The attendance of a school will decrease because of the departure of strong teachers. The same principle operates here. Give your secretaries who have a burden for the work and a degree of success in it, a chance to grow and become proficient in it, and by and by you will see a strong body of young people developing under a strong leadership. New life will be infused into your churches. A constant stream of recruits will flow into your schools, and on into the Lord’s work. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.10
Of course, we have been in the developing stage of this work; but if proper success is to crown our efforts, we must, it seems to me, make better provision for developing and holding a strong Missionary Volunteer leadership. This is the one recommendation I now make to this Conference, that, perchance, this may make the more indelible impression upon your minds. And may the Lord lead the delegates at this Conference to select some strong man as general leader of this department. For the past three years, the time of your secretary has been nearly all taken up with another line of work, and until the appointment of a field secretary a few months ago, the assistant secretary carried the work almost alone. What has been done has been done well, but this young people’s work is an evangelistic movement, and cannot be properly carried forward without vigorous and continuous efforts in the field. GCB May 23, 1913, page 107.11
M. E. KERN, Secretary.