p. 21 | The Missionary Volunteer Goal for 1915 by M. E. KERN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 22, 1915

The Missionary Volunteer Goal for 1915

By M. E. KERN

WILLIAM CAREY, the father of modern missions, said, “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.” The biggest and most important enterprise in this world is that of giving “the advent message to all the world in this generation.” And if any in this world ought to work with earnestness for definite results, it is the people who have this enterprise in hand. The business man looks over his work and his prospects, and sets his goal for the new year. The literary man outlines his work and plans to do a certain amount in a given time. The school takes for its slogan so many students or so much more equipment for next year. Why should not we, as individuals, as churches, and as Missionary Volunteer Societies, carefully study the Lord’s messages to us as his workmen, consider our ability to work, and the equipment we have or can procure, and set a task to be accomplished in a given time—“attempt great things for God”? The Missionary Volunteer Department of the North American Division set a goal last year. Here is the goal, and the results of the efforts to reach it:—

	GOAL	RESULTS
Young people added to the church and M. V. Soc.	1,500	1,804
New Members of Attainment	500	677
Reading Course certificates issued	1,000	1,913
Offerings for missions through our M. V. Soc.	$25,000	$19,633.45

These results are very encouraging. It was our first effort on a general goal. Besides, it is very evident that the reports on the first and last items are away below the actual results accomplished. The effort has been a great blessing to the young people of North America. A secretary writes, “It has greatly increased the effort to have a special aim and goal.” The North American Division Missionary Volunteer goal for 1915 is as follows:—

Young people added to the church     and M. V. Soc. ........................ 2,000 Young people to read the Bible     through ................................ 2,000 New Members of Attainment ................. 1,000 Reading Course certificates issued .......... 3,000 Offerings for missions through     our M. V. Soc. ........................ $25,000

Only a few years ago that would have been a tremendous task for the whole denomination; but now our loyal young men and women, boys and girls, who are bound together in one great society, with their faces set like a flint to help “finish the work of the gospel in all the world,” are taking hold of these tasks with perfect confidence of victory.

And what tasks! Can any one tell what 2,000 more young people enlisted under the banner of Prince Immanuel will mean to this cause? And a still greater result, perhaps, will be the reflex influence on those who bring in these 2,000 young people. Though we as young people cannot speak like angels,—as the song goes,—though we cannot preach like Paul, we can tell the love of Jesus; we can say, “He died for all.” It is by personal work very largely that these young people must be won, and personal work is the foundation of all Christian effort. Let all our church and society members endeavor to bring at least one soul to Jesus this year. Only one soul! That seems too low an aim for a time like this, does it not? May it not be many?

Constantly we realize that our lack of power is due to a neglect of the Bible and prayer. Let any who have not done so begin now with the thousands of our young people who have enrolled to read the Bible through this year. Read it prayerfully, study it carefully.

Along the same line is the preparation for Standard of Attainment examinations in Bible doctrines and denominational history. Mrs. E. G. White has said, “Our only safeguard against the wiles of Satan is to study the Scriptures diligently, to have an intelligent understanding of the reasons of our faith, and faithfully to perform every known duty.”—Review and Herald, Nov. 19, 1908. And again: “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history.”—General Conference Bulletin, Vol. V. No. 2, page 24.

Then the reading of good books. What profit and delight! And yet how easy to become fascinated with that which is not profitable! The aged servant of the

Lord, Sister White, who has borne so many messages to God’s people in the past, recently dictated a message to our young people from her sick bed. Among other things she said:—

“We should advise the young to take hold of such reading matter as recommends itself for the upbuilding of Christian character. . . . In the night season I was selecting and laying aside books that are of no advantage to the young. We should select for them books that will encourage them to sincerity of life, and lead them to the opening of the Word. This has been presented to me in the past, and I thought I would get it before you and make it secure. We cannot afford to give to young people valueless reading. Books that are a blessing to mind and soul are needed. These things are too lightly regarded; therefore our

people should become acquainted with what I am saying.”

Then there is that splendid sum of money to be raised for missions—$25,000. That is one fourth as much as was given to foreign missions by the whole denomination in the year 1900. Notice what this money will do:—

Support the medical work in India. Equip a school in Burma. Provide a mission station and industrial school among the Santals in Bengal. Provide a boarding school, dispensary, and church in West India. Provide a training school in South India. Support six native canvassers in India. Support four native teachers in India. Support seventy-five native workers in India. Provide the Hill allowance for India. Provide workers’ houses in North India. Open a new station in South India. Support eighty-five native teachers in Africa. Support thirty-two native workers in Africa. Provide a schoolhouse for the Tsungwesi Mission, Africa. Support the educational work in Tsungwesi Mission, Africa. Support the educational and medical work in Nyasaland, Africa. Support the educational work in Emmanuel Mission, Basutoland, Africa. Support the medical work in Kolo Mission, Africa. Provide a house and farm for outstation, Barotseland, Africa. Pay for the printing of native literature for South Africa. Support native work in Johannesburg, South Africa. Support sixty students in the school at Solusi Mission, Africa. Support twenty-five students at the school at Glendale Mission, Victoria, Africa. Purchase cart and oxen for the Lusakas Mission, Africa.

The young people of North America are taking hold of this item so vigorously that most of our conference Missionary Volunteer secretaries feel sure that the goal will be reached. It will if every individual does his part, which is $2.50 to foreign missions, aside from Sabbath school offerings. Every penny of this applies on the Twenty-cent-a-week Fund.

Over two thirds of the amount assigned to one conference has already been pledged by the young people. Another Missionary Volunteer secretary writes that, with the exception of one, each society in her conference is keeping ahead with its donations, week by week, and has expressed the determination to “keep it up,” and that the one society which was behind had arranged a special effort to catch up. A Junior boy of eleven in another conference has asked the privilege of supporting a dispensary assistant in India, for one year, $15.36. Another loyal Adventist boy has given $100, money received from the sale of a colt which his father gave him.

Let the parents, church officers, and all the other members of the church encourage the young people in their missionary endeavors. What they do means much to the cause, and it means everything to their own development as loyal Seventh-day Adventists.

M. E. KERN: