Earlier text: Solusi MissionFor nine months of 1915 Elder B. G. Wilkinson reports 1,100 new members in the Columbia Union, and $132,552 raised for foreign missions. Last year the church in Battle Creek, Mich., with a membership of 500, paid $13,000 tithe. In the Lake Union $107,000 worth of literature was sold during 1915. The Eastern Canadian Union, the smallest in the North American Division, shows 116 converts for last year, five newly organized churches, and liberal donations to the foreign work. Our first church on the island of Cebu, Philippines, was recently organized. Six or seven colporteurs will go out to work for the new book in the Panayano language, as a result of a colporteur's institute recently held at Iloilo. Brother Finster reports 188 persons baptized during the year 1915. Our Chinese paper is able to report the largest regular circulation of any religious periodical in China. The latest figures reported give the regular subscription list as 24,000, with 50,000 additional copies used by agents in house-to-house work. God is richly blessing the ministry of this journal, and through its influence many believers are springing up throughout China. During the last two years 1,145 persons have received baptism in Northern Union Conference territory, nineteen churches have been organized, fifteen church buildings erected, and the contributions to missions totaled $112,998. Eight were baptized in Burma by the pastor of the Rangoon church some time ago, and other candidates were almost ready for the ordinance. A keen interest is also reported among some Burmans in Mandalay. One well-educated teacher in that district is awaiting baptism. From Honan, central China, Dr. A. C. Selmon writes: “At the Honan fall meeting there were more than two hundred in attendance. Forty-four were baptized. Three of this number had come all the way from Sian-fu, the capital of Shen-si. One of the three is an ordained Chinese minister, who is the leading minister of several companies of Christians of the Independent Chinese Church. The truth reached these men through the agency of a faithful colporteur from Honan. The largest building we have in Yen-cheng was far too small to accommodate the crowd, and so seats had to be placed outside the building, near the windows and doors. The need of a suitable building for a meeting hall and a school was keenly felt by every one, and when the proposition to build was presented to those in attendance, they responded most liberally. Four hundred and thirty dollars in cash and pledges was raised to help in the erection of a combined meeting hall and school building.” Brother H. W. Sparrow gives a very interesting report of a visit to the Shangani outschools in a recent number of the South African Missionary, from which we take the following items: Leaving the Somabula station, the mission party traveled four days before reaching the Shangani River. This is a very difficult stream to cross, and the little party knelt on the bank and asked God to help them over safely. When they reached the other side, they held a praise service, and then journeyed on. At the kraal where their first outschool was to be located, they were most cordially received, and before leaving they held a meeting in the chief's kraal, which was attended by fifteen adults, who listened attentively to the story of Jesus and his love. Three native teachers were left to start schools in as many different villages. The Lord helped them in overcoming difficulties, and the natives were very grateful for the privilege of attending school. While Brother Sparrow was at Shangani, several came to inquire about the Sabbath and baptism. Among these were two well-educated men who could read the Bible. They were astonished at the truths it contained, and left with a determination to study it and obey the light they had found. The mission party, on returning to Somabula, were marvelously delivered from an attack by lions. As they passed through one village, a poor woman in greeting them exclaimed, “O teacher, what are we without God?” Brother Sparrow closes his report by saying: “My heart burns within me as I look out upon this great sea of heathenism. Pray with us that many precious sheaves may be gathered in Darkest Africa for the garner of our Lord.” What Our Missionary Volunteer Work is Accomplishing
By Milton E. Kern
Purpose of Our Young People’s Organization
TWENTY-FOUR years ago the church began to receive messages concerning the organization of its youth. Here and there efforts were made to carry out this instruction. Fifteen years ago the first General Conference organization for young people was formed. Nine years ago this month the General Conference Council at Gland, Switzerland, organized the young people’s work as a separate department of the General Conference. The object of all this was well set forth in the following statement made by the general young people’s convention in 1907:— “The primary object of young people’s societies is the salvation and development of our youth by means of prayer, study, and personal missionary effort.” The object, then, of our efforts for the young people is twofold,—their salvation, and their development as Christian workers. The means suggested for the attainment of these ends is set forth as prayer, study, and personal missionary effort. This simple statement corresponds to the threefold division of our Missionary Volunteer work,—devotional, educational, and organized missionary effort. It is fitting that, on Missionary Volunteer Day, we consider the purpose of this department of our cause, the means for the accomplishment of the ends in view, and the results obtained. The Salvation of the Children and Youth
The great object of all our work is that our children and young people be saved. We recognize that a change of heart and the reception of the Holy Spirit are fundamental, and that earnest evangelistic work must be carried forward in their behalf. And the young people who are converted are organized that they, in turn, may seek to save other young people. The exact results of this work for and by the young people cannot be known. We have endeavored to learn how many young people are converted and added to the church each quarter. The reports from the North American Division indicate that in 1914 1,814 young people had been converted, and in 1915 more than 2,200 were brought within the fold. A large ingathering of young people is taking place in all parts of the world. Thus the New South Wales Conference, in Australia, writes that in six months 94 young people had been baptized. In the Philippine Islands many young people are accepting the truth and are developing into good workers. Young people of China, Japan, Korea, India, Africa, South America, and other countries have shown their willingness to suffer persecution rather than disobey the Lord, and are consecrating their services for the salvation of others. We recognize that when young people are converted, they have simply made a start to live the Christian life. Like all new Christians, they need instruction and experience. We have endeavored to place before them such plans as would help them to maintain a victorious Christian experience. Prayer and consecration services are a part of the society programs. Prayer bands are encouraged. An effort is made to get every one to observe the Morning Watch. The Morning Watch Calendar, which is published each year as an aid in keeping a daily appointment with God, has met with a ready sale. Over 50,000 of the English edition have been sold in a single year, besides other thousands in German, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Danish-Norwegian, Swedish, and Finnish. Our young people have responded splendidly to the efforts put forth to provide for them good reading. The Missionary Volunteer Reading Courses, including books of devotion, missions, travel, religious history, and nature, have attracted many of our youth from the cheap literature of the day, and have cultivated a taste for that which is wholesome and uplifting. A young woman just leaving for the mission field says that her first interest in missions was awakened by the Missionary Volunteer Reading Course. Aside from the English Junior and Senior Courses, Reading Courses have been conducted in German, Japanese, Chinese, Danish-Norwegian, Swedish, and Spanish. Many of our young people have been willing to study as well as to read. Privately, and in groups, hundreds have studied Bible doctrines and denominational history, and have passed examinations in these two fundamental subjects, thus becoming Members of Attainment. One busy young person worked till one o’clock in the morning, and another until three, on the self-chosen task of writing out their Standard of Attainment examination papers. Organized Missionary Work
“It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” It is the purpose of our Missionary Volunteer Department to train the inexperienced to bear the yoke. Mrs. E. G. White has said, “When the youth give their hearts to God, your care for them should not cease. Lay some responsibility upon them. Make them feel that they are expected to do something. The Lord chooses them because they are strong. Teach them to labor in a quiet, unpretending way, for their young companions. Let different branches of the missionary work be laid out systematically, and let instruction and help be given, so that the young may learn to act a part. Thus they will grow up to be workers for God.” This instruction is very clear. It is evident that our Missionary Volunteer Societies are doing much to accomplish these results. One worker writes, “The young people of this conference are learning that they can help in giving the third angel’s message.” What a blessed thing to learn! A conference president in a foreign field writes, “The young people are truly becoming a tower of strength in the giving of this message.” The Missionary Volunteer secretary in one of our small conferences writes, “Two societies are taking such an interest in the present campaign with the Present Truth Series that they are working17 other small towns besides their own. Even the Junior members are going out with the older ones with these special papers. We expect to have calls for Bible readings in the near future as a result of this work.” Another says, “One of our girls who thought she could not do anything but give music lessons has taken up the work of giving Bible readings in her own town, and is so enthusiastic that she is trying to get some one to take her music class so that she can give more time to the Bible work.” A young man in Brazil left a good place in the customhouse and worked with pick and shovel in order to keep the Sabbath. He is now a successful colporteur, and is begging for a minister to go to the interior, where he has been selling books, and where there are more than thirty persons who have quit their drink and tobacco and are keeping the Sabbath. There are now more than a thousand Missionary Volunteer Societies in the world, with a membership of about 20,000 young people. The reports show that in the last two years these young people have made over 260,000 missionary visits, conducted 81,000 Bible readings and cottage meetings, distributed more than 2,500,000 papers, spent 300,000 hours in Christian help work, given over $43,600 to foreign missions, and nearly $22,600 to home missions, and to other kinds of work in the same proportion. While our reports do not represent all that has been done, and while we fall far short of what we can, and, I believe, will do, still this report ought to encourage us all to realize the truth of the statement made years ago, that “we have an army of youth today who can do much if they are properly directed and encouraged.” All round the world young people are joining the ranks of our Missionary Volunteer army. May the day speedily come when this ever-increasing army shall be well equipped with the Christian’s armor, and doing its part in the finishing work of the gospel. M. E. KERN. (To be given by the entire church, not the Missionary Volunteer Society.) Song: “Christ in Song,” No. 480. Reading: Conference Greeting. Reading: “What the Missionary Volunteer Work is Accomplishing,” M. E. Kern. Special Music: “As a Volunteer” (quartet). Reading: “The Missionary Volunteer Work and the Mission Fields,” A. G. Daniels. Song: By the children or the young people. Reading: “The Missionary Volunteer Work a Preparation for Service,” I. H. Evans. Report: Annual report of Missionary Volunteer work in your church, the Society Secretary. Presentation: Presentation of Reading Course and Standard of Attainment certificates by church elder. Song: “Christ in Song,” No. 678. NOTE TO ELDER.—Sabbath, May 6, appointed by the General and North American Division Conference Committees as Young People’s Day, should bring a great blessing to your church. The work to receive special attention upon this day is an important one, and grows more and more interesting as it spreads over the world, gripping the hearts of thousands and thousands of young people and children, and leading them forth in Christian service. The parts on this program should be assigned at once to insure careful preparation. Time is short! Only a few years remain in which to save our children and young people, whom Satan is working so hard to destroy. Will not you, and the fathers and mothers in your church, join us in making Sabbath, May 6, a day of prayer for the salvation of the youth? We have asked your conference Missionary Volunteer secretary to send to you all Reading Course and Standard of Attainment certificates due the young people in your church, that you may pass them out at the close of this Missionary Volunteer program. The song “As a Volunteer,” which is suggested for a quartet, appeared in the Instructor of February 29. The “Inspiring Hymns Booklet” contains this beautiful song, and it can be obtained from E. O. Excell, publisher, The Fine Arts Building, Chicago, for 5 cents each or 25 cents a dozen. Decision days often have brought good results. Then why should not Missionary Volunteer Day be a time when our young people should be invited publicly to give their hearts to the Lord? And would it not be well to invite all the members of your church to pledge themselves upon that day to work as never before for the salvation of the boys and girls, the young men and the young women, among you? We are praying that God may give your church a special blessing upon Missionary Volunteer Day. MISSIONARY VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT. Missionary Volunteer Department
M. E. KERN — Secretary
MATILDA ERICKSON — Assistant Secretary
MRS. I. H. EVANS — Office Secretary
MEADE MACGUIRE
C. L. BENSON — Field Secretaries
J. F. SIMON The Missionary Volunteer Work and the Mission Fields
By Arthur G. Daniells
What the Missionary Volunteer Department is doing to furnish consecrated, educated, trained young men and women for soul-winning work in mission fields is the point selected for special emphasis in this article. It is difficult for any one to form a just estimate of the value of the early impressions made on the minds of young people regarding the great need for Christian workers in heathen lands. Not until one sees these young people doing splendid service in the mission fields can this be fully realized. It has been my privilege to follow some of our young people from the day they received their first impression or conviction of the claims of the mission fields upon their lives until they were rendering most valiant service for lost men and women in heathen lands. It is when one sees what may be called the finished product in the mission field that one is able to place a proper value on the efforts made by the workers in the homeland to lead the young people to dedicate their lives to the work of the Master. The Missionary Volunteer Department of our world-wide movement was created and is being maintained primarily for the welfare of our young people. Present, personal salvation from the power of sin is the chief object the department has in view for every young person in our ranks. Another important attainment for which the department constantly labors is to encourage every young person to secure a well-balanced education. A third object which is never lost sight of is a thoroughly practical training for the particular service each may be called to render in soul-winning work. These we believe, and earnestly declare to our young people, to be the three most important objectives in the life we now live. They are the great essentials, the fundamentals for which every person should strive more earnestly than for anything else. The gospel is a world-wide problem. “God so loved the world.” “Look unto me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” This is the phraseology of the Bible regarding the scope of the gospel. This language seems to have greater meaning, more constraining, impelling force, today than ever before. The vision of Seventh-day Adventists reaches the uttermost parts of the earth. In its endeavors to help furnish recruits for mission fields the Missionary Volunteer Society begins at the beginning—the conversion of the children. It is the earnest desire of all the workers in this department to see every child in our ranks converted to God. In the homes and the churches, at the camp meetings and all general gatherings, constant effort is made to lead the children and young people to give their hearts to the Lord. Through reading matter, by personal interviews, and in public appeals, we seek to give the reasons why every person should be a genuine, whole-hearted Christian. This is, and must be, the starting point. And how many thousands of hearts are made to rejoice by the turning of so many of our children to the Lord! The next step is to encourage these converts to fill their minds with good thoughts and useful information. To this end good reading matter is selected or prepared, and placed before them. The Morning Watch is a great help to thousands. The excellent books in the Reading Courses furnish them the inspiration and strong uplift they need. The Standard of Attainment plan stimulates them to put forth earnest efforts for the accomplishment of definite results. And in addition to all this every encouragement is given these children and young people to lay hold of the full benefits to be derived from our schools. In private conversations, in public addresses, in circular letters, and in articles in our papers, a steady, positive influence is brought to bear upon our young people to put forth every effort to secure a good education. The climax of all this effort is to lead these young people to dedicate their lives to the work of the Lord. The Lord’s work is explained in his Word as follows: “God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” Ps. 74:12. It is the settled purpose of the Missionary Volunteer Department to help, as far as possible, every young person in our cause to dedicate his talents, life, time, and means to the saving of the lost. It is recognized that not all can go to foreign lands, not all can leave their homes and engage in public work in the homeland. But all—every one—can live and labor and pray for the lost. The farmer can till the soil and garner his crops with the purpose in view of contributing every dollar possible to the support of gospel work. Every believer engaged in business can live with this object uppermost in mind. This object is inculcated in the lives of young people by the Missionary Volunteer financial goal set each year, and also by the many direct, specific calls for gifts that are placed before them. A partial result of all this effort is the large number of young men and women of good education, practical training, and whole-hearted consecration, that we are now sending to our numerous mission fields. Today we are drawing our recruits for the mission fields almost wholly from the ranks of our young people. They are the ones who can learn difficult languages, endure privations, and adapt themselves most readily to new and strange conditions. And our hearts are filled with rejoicing as we see hundreds of them not only willing, but very anxious, to leave home and friends and creature comforts, to give their lives in sacrifice and toil for lost men and women in heathen lands. There is nothing in this world so noble, so grand, so good, as such a spirit and such a life. All this is from the Saviour himself. And he is imparting it to our young people through the channels of his church. The Missionary Volunteer Society is one of these channels. Eternity alone will give a full revelation of what the department is doing for our own dear people, and through them for millions of others. Surely every believer in our cause should make a studied effort to help carry forward the work of this department to the fullest degree of success. The Missionary Volunteer Work a Preparation for Service
By I. H. Evans
There ought to be none in the rank and file of our denomination who are not familiar with the splendid work being done by our Missionary Volunteer Department. While this department has been in operation but a few years, the work that it has accomplished, the influence that it has exerted, and the souls that it has been instrumental in saving are far beyond what we expected when the department was organized. It has taken hard work and much planning on the part of those who are responsible for this department, to bring it to its present state of efficiency. There is scarcely a conference in the North American territory—we might almost say scarcely a mission field in the world—that is not reaping the fruitage of the work of this Young People's Department; and in the day of reckoning, when awards will be distributed, it seems certain that many of our young people who have been induced to enter the service of God will give credit to the Missionary Volunteer Department as the active agency which brought them salvation through Jesus Christ. The object of the Missionary Volunteer Department is to save our young people. The work of this department is evangelistic. Its purpose is to win souls to18 Christ, and to persuade young men and women to seek a training that will prepare them for their Master's service in this life, and for eternal life in the world to come. There is something in this soul-saving work which should command the respect and attention of every lover of truth, and of every church and every parent believing the third angel's message. Nothing ought to appeal more earnestly to our own people who have children unsaved than the work that is being done by the Missionary Volunteer Department. The aim of this department is to win the unconverted to Christ and to persuade those who are church members to seek a training that will fit them to become workers in the cause of God. Next to the joy of being crowned with eternal life will be the unspeakable pleasure of seeing souls saved in glory, for whom we have labored. Compared with this, all our other life work will seem less than vanity. Everything else must perish. Nothing of this earth can last eternally, but the souls saved in the kingdom of God. It is true we are not able to appreciate in this present life what eternal life will mean to the redeemed, but the Word of God has revealed to us little glimmerings of the joys of the saved. Yet our sin-dulled senses can comprehend but the merest shadows of this revelation. When the prophet Daniel tells us that “they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever,” we can only say, “What does this mean? How can it ever be?” It means that God is to give great glory and honor to the winner of souls. We see about us on every hand those who are lost, stricken with the leprosy of sin, stung by the deadly, fiery serpent of transgression, which means eternal loss, eternal ruin to all who do not find a Saviour. These victims are without hope, they know no Saviour, but are death-smitten, and must perish before our eyes unless we can persuade them to accept salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Some of these poor souls may be within the touch of our hands. These very words to which you are listening today may be falling on deaf ears, deadened by sin, while you can both hear and understand. There may be a sin-smitten, lost soul in your home today. He may be flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood, and yet a victim that is smitten to death by sin. Sin has fastened its poison fangs into his very heart, and this friend, this son or daughter, is dying in your home. Will you bring to him a physician? Will you find a balm for your child? If he were physically ill, you would. No skilled surgeon would be beyond your endeavors to secure. If you had no money to pay for help, your tears and importunities would move a heart of stone to come to your aid. You would say, “O Doctor, my son is sick unto death, but he doesn't know it! Look at his eyes, and see the delirium there. Test his blood, and see the deadly poison that he cannot eliminate. Test his heart, and you will hear every throb foreshadowing death. You are a great physician. I implore you to come, and save my boy. I can never pay you for your help, but save him, O save him!” Yes, you would do this and even more for your sons and daughters if they were physically ill. How, then, can you shut your eyes and heart to the eternal salvation of your own flesh and blood? Shall we feed and clothe and nurse our own through all the ills and vicissitudes of childhood and youth, and then turn them into a world of sin, unsaved, after they leave our parental roof? Will this church be satisfied and content with itself while it has boys and girls out of Christ belonging to the families of our church membership, perishing in sin?—No! no! Shall we not rather this very day undertake to persuade them to accept Jesus? Let us go to them in tears, with the love of Christ burning in our hearts, and invite them to accept him who died to redeem them from sin. Much can be done through personal service. Many a young man and many a child has been led to Christ by the importunities and pleadings of a godly, consecrated parent; and it is our duty to bring these young people to Christ, that they may be trained for service. Once I had led a Friday night meeting during the week of prayer. We had had the reading, with comments, prayer, and testimonies, and had reached the close of the meeting. All was in due form. The benediction had been pronounced, and we were about to separate to return to our homes. A father was present, who belonged to the church. He was uneducated, could hardly read, and spoke in a very stammering way. When the meeting had been dismissed, he arose and said, “I am much concerned about our young people, and somehow I feel impelled to say a word. Will you forgive me, dear friends, and wait a moment while I speak what is pressing so heavily upon my heart?” Then he went on to tell that he expected to go to heaven, that his wife was expecting eternal life through Jesus Christ, and that they were waiting for and expecting the Saviour soon to come and take them to their eternal home. “But here are our children,” said he, “for whom we have gladly toiled, and these children could not go with us if Christ should come tonight. What should we do? We could not bear to leave them to perish, and Jesus could not take them with him. Somehow this seems awful.” He then went over to his eldest son, a young man about eighteen years of age, put his arms around his neck, and said, “My son, I love you; I entreat you to give your heart to God.” The boy broke down, and said, “I will; I will.” He then went to his daughter, a girl about sixteen years of age, put his hand on her head, looked down into her face, and with tears in his eyes, said, “Daughter, I want you to give your heart to Christ. Tell me you will do it now.” She went aloud and said, “Yes, father, I will. Pray for me.” He then went to the other child, and said almost the same words to him, and this young boy gave his heart to God. It was one of those after-meetings that fastens itself in the memory forever. His three children were brought to Christ by his own pleadings, his own heart was filled with the Holy Spirit, and these young people have been faithful and true in their service to God these many years. Why should not this day be a day when souls are born into the kingdom of God? The prophet said that when Zion (meaning the church) travailed, she brought forth children. We cannot expect our young people to come to Christ until the church travails for souls. Our Missionary Volunteer leaders are very anxious to persuade young men and women to accept Jesus Christ, that they may receive a training that will qualify them to enter the Master's service as soul-winners. Every church in the land should set itself in order, and never give up its labors nor cease praying until every young person belonging to the families of believers finds salvation. In your private devotions lay these unsaved ones before the throne of God in earnest, continual prayer. Never let your faith give way, but keep your petitions constantly before the Lord, that he may save these young people and bring them to his fold. The Missionary Volunteer Department is resolved to spare no means nor effort to reach these unsaved ones. Will you not give them sympathy? Will you not strengthen their hands by your prayers? Will you not invite these secretaries selected from among the most God-fearing and consecrated young people that we have in the denomination, to come to your church, come to your home, and labor in behalf of the lost? We believe that you will, and we believe that the Missionary Volunteer Department will be a great blessing to your church and to your families. But remember, in order for it to accomplish its work, you must give it your support and sympathy. Assignment for April 23 to 29
April 23: Psalms 139, 133, 101.
April 24: Psalms 68, 24, 132, 105.
April 25: Psalms 106, 95, 96.
April 26: Psalms 2, 45, 22.
April 27: Psalms 16, 118, 110.
April 28: Psalms 60, 108, 20, 21.
April 29: Psalms 6, 51, 32, 33. In the Revised Version the Psalms are properly printed in poetic form. Though there is no verbal rhyme in the lines, in them there is a rhyme of thought, and in them was a song cadence and rhythm in the words. It will be noticed that many of the psalms have inscriptions of various kinds; as, “Set to the Gittith,” “Set to Muth-labben,” etc. One Bible commentator explains these as follows: “Some are called Michtam, ‘golden poem;’ or Maschil, ‘choice ode.’ Psalms 6 and 12 are on Sheminith, ‘the octave or bass,’ for male voices. The forty-sixth is on Alamoth, ‘after the manner of maidens,’ or a soprano song. The fourth is set to Neginoth, ‘stringed instruments.’ Psalm 9 is set to the tune, ‘Death of a Son;’ Psalm 22 to the tune, ‘Hind of the Morning;’ Psalm 45 to the tune, ‘The Lilies;’ Psalm 56 to the tune, ‘The Far-off Dove in Silent Lands.’” The word “selah,” which occurs so many times in the Psalms, is believed to relate in some way to the music to which the Psalms were set, or to have been used as a direction for the singers to be silent or pause, while the musicians played an interlude. Others give the word the meaning of “amen.” “Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.” There is a peculiar beauty in this last phrase. It19 suggests the picture of a company of singing angels joining hands about the son that was lost and is found, and making him the center of a circle of joy. He is encompassed with songs; they are his guard, his defense. Music is like a wall round about him. Holy gladness is a secure protection to the soul. If any one is merry, let him sing psalms; and the devils who are always waiting to spoil every pure enjoyment, and to make every pleasure an occasion to sin, will fly away like bats from a cavern when a torch is kindled. Even the dangers which haunt the hour of disaster and loneliness, the temptations to doubt and murmuring and despair, are dispelled when the heart begins to strike up a song of deliverance. Paul and Silas, sitting in the darkness of the Philippian prison, were surrounded by their songs at midnight as by a circle of light, and the evil spirits had no power on them, dared not come near them. “It is said that a friend once asked the great composer Haydn why his church music was always so full of gladness. He answered, ‘I cannot make it otherwise. I write according to the thoughts I feel; when I think upon God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap from my pen; and since God has given me a cheerful heart, it will be pardoned me that I serve him with a cheerful spirit.’” — Van Dyke. Young People Not in Our Schools
By Frederick Griggs
One of our union conferences has had compiled statistics which reveal in a startling way the fact that our schools have possibilities which they have not yet realized. In this union conference it was found that of 1,318 young men and women who are taking or should be taking work above the eighth grade, only 471 are in the academies and colleges of the union. These figures are at once sad and yet inspiring,—sad, in that so many of our young men and women are not in our schools when they should be; inspiring, from the fact that they present to us a task that is at once both a pleasant and a responsible one. Undoubtedly every union conference would reveal a similar task if similar statistics were compiled. Our schools mean the salvation of our young people. It is rare that a young man or woman who has been in them for a number of years ever departs from our faith, and in the majority of instances such students become workers in the cause of truth. It is sad indeed that nearly two thirds of our youth are not under the influences of our schools. The spirit of the world is strong. It is much more difficult for young men and women to be loyal to truth and right today than it was a quarter of a century ago, and the dangers confronting those who are not in some way associated with gospel work are fearful. This is the sad feature called to our attention by these statistics. On the other hand, every boy or girl that we bring into our schools is placed on the high road to service in the kingdom of Christ, and his chances of a useful life and a home in God’s eternal kingdom are greatly multiplied. “The duty that lies next to the church members is to care for the children and youth.” It thus becomes the duty of every church member to concern himself in an intense way about the education of the younger members of the church, and of those who are not members at all. This is a God-given responsibility, and evidently from the facts already cited, one that is not being discharged. Now, if ever, should Israel know what to do, and when this duty for our young people is pointed out as clearly as it is, we should do it. The church members should surround our young people with every inducement to attend school this coming year. Thousands of them are in the high schools, who, under proper encouragement, will put forth an effort that will place them in our own schools another year, and this may mean their salvation. Let us work as never before to save our youth. FREDERICK GRIGGS. The Removal of the Southern Training School
By Frederick Griggs
EVER since the girls’ dormitory of the Southern Training School, at Graysville, Tenn., burned, about a year ago, the matter of the future location of the school has been under consideration. Many have felt that the school could carry on its work to better advantage if it were in a place more remote from a village than at present. The Southern and Southeastern Union Conferences form the constituency of this school, and in the personnel of its board of management the presidents of the conferences of these unions are included. The Southern Union Conference, at its meeting recently held in Nashville, Tenn., gave consideration to the question of rebuilding the dormitory at Graysville, or seeking a location elsewhere. Members of the Graysville church and citizens of the place presented very liberal inducements for the school to remain in Graysville. However, final action was deferred until the Southeastern Union Conference meeting at Atlanta. At this meeting the members of the board from the Southern Union were present. After a careful consideration of all features, it was decided to seek a new location in the country. It was felt that in so doing, better opportunities for industrial work could be offered. In the removal of the school it is explicitly understood that the debts now resting upon it shall be met, and all land and buildings paid for before occupancy, so that no debt shall in any way be incurred. Very naturally the Graysville church and the citizens of the place were anxious that the school should remain, and made liberal inducements for it to do so, but when it was thought best to remove, their representatives assured the constituency that the church would unite with their brethren in making the school a success in a new location. These two unions have assumed a heavy burden in this new move. It is one in which all the members of the conferences must unite if it succeeds. But when we consider what has been accomplished by some of the other school constituencies, it appears in no way an impossible task. The Pacific Union has recently raised a fund of $150,000 for its school interests, Union College about $75,000, and Emmanuel Missionary College $70,000. It is not yet known how much in a financial way is involved for the Southern Training School constituency in this contemplated move; but if all unite, it can undoubtedly be accomplished. The education of our young people is of prime importance in the development of our cause in any portion of the country, and a strong central training school is indispensable to the rapid advance of the third angel’s message in the Southland. The Southern Training School has not discontinued; it is only being transferred to another place where the instruction given by the Spirit of prophecy concerning our schools can be more fully carried out. This school during its twenty-two years in Graysville has accomplished great good for the Southern field. Besides the hundred or more who have been graduated from its different departments, many who have not completed courses have gone forth to gospel service. The constituency believes that this change will increase its efficiency. FREDERICK GRIGGS.