A Situation to Remedy by M. E. Kern

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 18, 1915

A Situation to Remedy

By M. E. Kern

The leader of a Missionary Volunteer Society writes: “I am sure you haven’t any adequate idea of the combined responsibility and pleasure, puzzle and embarrassment, with which I am struggling.”

Among other perplexities it is said: “I find by reading the object and aim that there is not a member of our company who is eligible for full membership. The older ones are married people, all above thirty years of age; the younger ones are mostly children, and only one of them belongs to the church, and he is not willing to join or take any part, at least no responsible part, in the meetings. I have thought of continuing our organization as a Junior Society, for the sake of having an organization.”

The last sentence indicates a desire not to drop the young people’s work because it seems to be organized irregularly. That is right. What is wanted is reformation not revolution, better organization rather than disorganization, increased activity rather than cessation of effort.

At first thought it would seem best to continue with these older ones as the regular church missionary society, and to continue the children as a Junior Society. That may be just the thing to do. Much depends on local conditions. The following from the Missionary Volunteer Leaflet on “Organization,” was approved by the General Conference Committee in 1908:—

“Where no organized church work exists, seek to enlist in the Missionary Volunteer Society all who will take part, till the church may enter upon organized work.”

Since then the church missionary work has greatly grown, and there is not the need for the Missionary Volunteer Society’s fostering the missionary work of the whole church that there was then.

It nearly always pays to “make haste slowly” when it comes to reorganization.

Organization is the means to an end. Never exalt the means above the end. Rather than cause any hard feelings by changes, go along as at present, and gradually bring out the ideals of our work which lead to the recommended form of organization. This will lead to a change of form. It is not a matter of the greatest consequence what this society of married people over thirty years of age is called, or whether it follows the programs recommended for the church missionary society or those for the Missionary Volunteer Society.

Adults can usually follow young people’s lessons better than young people can follow lessons prepared for adults. If these persons are “young married people” and want to be counted as young people, let them be counted so for a time yet—till they get older. Surely by the time the children of this society get to be young people, these older ones will step along and make room.

In regard to the age limit, the Educational and Missionary Volunteer Council in June of this year voted:—

“We recommend the following plans for the local Missionary Volunteer Society:—

“a. No definite age limit can be drawn between old and young. Those who are considered and count themselves as belonging to the young people may unite with the Missionary Volunteer Society, also persons who may be no longer young, but who are chosen to lead. In general, we think of twenty-five to thirty as the approximate dividing line, but local conditions and individual feelings should determine this matter.”

As to the plan where the numbers of old and young are small, it was voted:—

“c. There is a great advantage in having young people meet together if they have good leadership, even though the number may be small. Where it is impossible to have a separate meeting, let old and young meet together, in which case the young people should still have a leader, or both leader and secretary, who shall report the work of the young people to the conference Missionary Volunteer secretary. In arranging for the meetings, the following plans may be used: (1) The program of the combined meeting to be arranged so as to include some features of the Missionary Volunteer programs; (2) if the majority in the combined society are young people, the society may be a regular Missionary Volunteer Society, and the adult members report to the church missionary secretary; (3) it may be arranged for each society to have charge of the meetings each alternate week.”

As to the work for the children in this church, it would surely seem best, as they are so much younger, that they should meet separately. It is true that the Juniors are not required to be church members, but they are expected to sign the Junior pledge, which says:—

“Loving the Lord Jesus, I promise to take an active part in the work of the Junior Missionary Volunteer Society, doing what I can to help others and to finish the work of the gospel in all the world.”

It may be that these children are not yet ready to take this step. It would do no harm, though, to keep up some form of organization, and work just as fast as possible to the point where there will be a band of earnest Christian children

who will become members of a Junior Missionary Volunteer Society. Until such time, the society need not be reported to the conference Missionary Volunteer secretary as a Junior Society, but that fact need not be emphasized with the children. The beginning of the real Junior Missionary Volunteer work may well be the organization of one or more prayer bands. M. E. KERN.