p. 15 | Council of Missionary Volunteer Secretaries

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 11, 1909

Council of Missionary Volunteer Secretaries

By M. E. Ellis

An enthusiastic council for the discussion of Missionary Volunteer work met in College View, Neb., January 19-25. The time was spent very profitably in talking over the work that had been done, the further development of plans already laid, and the needs of the work. Those who planned the council were fortunate in their choice of a time in which to hold it. The presidents of the local conferences in the Central and Northern unions were meeting in the annual session of the Union College Board, and we enjoyed their presence in many of the meetings of the Missionary Volunteer Council. Each conference in these unions has a Missionary Volunteer secretary, and with one exception all were present.

The council held five sessions a day, and every session was crowded full with plans, experiences, and discussions by the officers, who come in close touch with our young people throughout the field, and many excellent ideas were passed on for broader use. The needs of the foreign mission fields, and the plans that can be developed among our young people to help fill these needs, were a prominent feature of the council. The sermon Sabbath morning, by Prof. M. E. Kern, on the home training of children for usefulness in the Lord’s work, was a masterful presentation of the importance of the first institution established on earth for the training of our youth.

Four committees were appointed to place before the convention, in the form of resolutions, the most vital features to be considered and developed in the work the coming year. These committees were almost entirely made up of conference Missionary Volunteer secretaries, and brought in the following resolutions. which were passed after interesting discussions:—

“1. We recommend, That we urge upon all our Missionary Volunteer Societies the importance of using the weekly lessons given in the Youth’s Instructor.

“2. We recommend, That a series of pointed, pithy leaflets be prepared and published, by the General Conference Missionary Volunteer Department, on Temptation, Faith, Prayer, Bible Study, Consecration, Doubt, Testifying in Meetings, and Personal Work.

“3. We recommend, That two leaflets be prepared on Adolescence, one to circulate among parents and workers, and the other for the young people.

“4. We recommend, That a pledge be gotten out against pernicious literature.

“5. We recommend, That the Missionary Volunteer secretaries be encouraged to make a special study of the junior conditions in their respective States, and, with the local leaders, to plan methods of engaging the juniors in Christian work, and, where the number of juniors is not large enough for regular junior meetings, of interesting them in the regular meetings of the Missionary Volunteer Society, and, where there are but two or three, to organize them into a band for prayer and service under the direction of an older member of the society.

“6. We recommend, That the local secretary of our Missionary Volunteer work report only that work which is done as missionary work by the young people, not including reports of paid workers or regular canvassers.

“7. We recommend, That each conference secretary urge the churches (a) to educate capable leaders in the Missionary Volunteer work; and (b) to discourage the too frequent changing of officers.

“Whereas, There is a great need of thoroughly qualified Missionary Volunteer leaders and workers in our churches, therefore,—

“8. We recommend, That institutes be held in each conference for the instruction of leaders and Missionary Volunteer workers at such times and places as may seem best, and, if necessary, assist them in defraying their expenses.”

M. E. ELLIS.