A Series of Missionary Volunteer Meetings
By M. E. K.
The Missionary Volunteer Department, as such, is nearly two years old. In every conference and in most of the union conferences in the United States, some one has been appointed to lead out in this work. That these workers in the various union conferences might have the privilege of counseling together, and for the general upbuilding of the work, a series of secretaries’ councils and Missionary Volunteer conventions has been held. Atlantic Union Conference
During the last days of the old year, the Missionary Volunteer secretaries of the Atlantic Union Conference met at South Lancaster, Mass. Besides the secretaries, Elder E. W. Farnsworth, president of the union conference, Elder C. H. Edwards, president of the Southern New England Conference, Elder O. Montgomery, president of the Vermont Conference, and Mrs. Montgomery, were present. The students and teachers of the Academy, manifested a deep interest in the meetings also. The Atlantic Union Conference has made decided advancement in the work for the young people, and the workers went out from this meeting with renewed courage. Returning by way of New York, I was privileged to meet with the workers of the Greater New York Conference in council and also with the young people on Sabbath afternoon, in a union meeting. I left Washington, January 11, for the Lake Union Conference council at Berrien Springs, stopping at Mount Vernon College, Ohio, a few hours on the way. All the conferences of the Lake Union Conference except Wisconsin were represented. Perhaps no union conference has so many young people as this one, and the workers are very earnestly seeking to know how to lead this host of young people to enlist in the war. The teachers in the college are deeply interested in the Missionary Volunteer work, and we expect to see many young people trained in this school for this branch of the work. Central and Northern Union Conferences
At College View, Neb., all the Missionary Volunteer secretaries of the Central Union Conference, and all but one from the Northern Union Conference, met in council. It being the time of the college board meeting, we had the benefit of the counsel of several of the conference presidents also. The program had been well prepared, and the meetings were all well attended. Here, too, there are young people looking to the Missionary Volunteer work as the field of their future endeavor. A Young People’s Band in the college is making a special study through the year of this branch of the Lord’s work. To help our young people where they are in the field, and to be a leader in their activities, is surely the highest kind of missionary work. North Pacific Union Conference
After leaving College View, I spent nearly a month in the North Pacific Union Conference. The officers of this union conference are wide-awake to the great possibilities in the lives of our young people, and are making every effort possible to encourage this work. It was a great pleasure to me to meet with the students and teachers of the Mount Ellis Academy, at Bozeman, Mont. A good interest was manifested in all that pertains to our success as young people, and two young men made definite decisions to yield all to Christ. En route to the Spokane convention, I stopped a few hours with Dr. and Mrs. H. B. Farnsworth, at Missoula, and spoke to the church in the evening. The Spokane young people had made good preparation for their convention, and the whole church took hold of the work in a way that showed an appreciation of the great work we are called to do. We confidently expect to see many of these young people in school next year, and in the Lord’s work. At College Place, Wash., there was both a secretaries’ council and a young people’s convention. Careful study was made by the secretaries and others in council, each day, of the various phases of our work and the best methods of carrying it forward. Among other things, definite plans were laid for the young people’s work at camp-meeting this coming season. The students of Walla Walla College, are doing active Christian work. Some meetings are being held in surrounding territory, and several of the young people assist Elder O. A. Johnson in a series of meetings in the city of Walla Walla. At one of our meetings about twenty responded to a call for definite decisions to walk in the Christian way. Elder O. K. Butler, Missionary Volunteer secretary for the North Pacific Union Conference, accompanied me to Seattle and Portland, where Missionary Volunteer conventions were held. The one at Seattle was very well attended. Nearly all the conference laborers were present, and a large number of delegates from all parts of the Western Washington Conference. Note-books were in evidence all through the convention, showing a determination to make use of the plans developed there. A good spirit of seeking God was present, and a large number made definite work of getting into right relations with God. The Portland convention was more local. On the Sabbath there was a large attendance. In the afternoon a large number responded to a call to put away sin. My first stop in the Pacific Union Conference was at St. Helena, Cal., at the home of Sister E. G. White. Her counsel and encouragement were much appreciated. Having been so wondrously blessed of God in missionary labor in her youth, she knows from experience that young people can do acceptable service in laboring for souls. Some think they must reach too high, she said, and do some great thing. Let them do what their hands find to do. On one of the two days at St. Helena, in company with Elder W. C. White and Brother W. H. Covell, I visited the school property recently purchased near Sonoma. The place seems eminently fitted for a union conference training-school. There are nearly three thou- sand acres in all, with about six hundred acres of tillable land. There is plenty of wood and water, and a mansion containing about thirty rooms. One evening was spent in Mountain View, where, it is said, at least one third of the ammunition used by our Missionary Volunteers is produced. Elder M. C. Wilcox and other workers there, are much interested in all that pertains to our youth. A California Conference Missionary Volunteer council was held at Lodi, where the new normal school is located. This meeting was well attended, and excellent work was done in the presentation of topics, discussions, and reports. Sabbath was a day not soon to be forgotten. About eighty decided to take advance steps in the Christian life. Besides Sister Carrie R. King and Brother I. C. Colcord, who had charge of the convention, Elders J. O. Corliss and A. O. Tait were among the California workers present. At the close of this meeting, Brother Colcord and I went to Fernando, where the council for the Pacific Union Conference was held. En route we spent two nights and a day with the Fresno church, where there is a large company of young people; and a day with the intermediate school at Armona. The regular work of the school was laid aside, and the time given to us. It is a great encouragement to believers in the advent message to see the children thus gathered into schools in the country, and receiving an all-round education. Such children, who know the Lord, can do much to make him known to others. The Academy and church at Fernando were taxed to accommodate the delegates who came to the Southern California convention, held at the time of the council. Most of the school work was laid aside, and nearly every one entered heartily into seeking the Lord and studying the Missionary Volunteer problems. The churches of the Southern California Conference are in a comparatively small territory, nearly all being in the vicinity of Los Angeles. In this conference more attention has been given to the work of the young people than in many places, and the results show the wisdom of such a policy. Elder Luther Warren, who has for so many years labored in a definite way for the young people, attended this meeting. Elders N. Z. Town and J. N. Anderson and Miss Ida Thompson were greatly blessed in presenting the needs of foreign missions. On Sabbath afternoon, after a sermon by Elder R. S. Owen, there was a precious season of seeking God, in which a very large number took part. A few hours at Loma Linda, “Hill Beautiful,” surrounded as it is for miles by orange groves, left an impression of the beauty of Southern California in winter to which it was pleasant to revert during the trip of three days and nights to Keene, Tex., much of which was through the desert. Southwestern Union Conference
At Keene, the Missionary Volunteer secretaries were present, also the president of the union conference and the presidents of each of the State conferences of this division. The school and church at Keene manifested a deep interest in all the meetings. Nearly one whole meeting was spent in answering questions which had been handed in.18A spirit to seek God for forgiveness of sin and for a deeper heart-work came in, and many found the Saviour who had not known him, or who had been following afar off. Southern Union Conference
No Missionary Volunteer council was held in the Southern Union Conference; but a very profitable young people’s convention was held at Graysville, Tenn., and some institutions were visited and councils held with workers which helped me to understand better the work in the South. One day was all too short to spend at our training-school for the colored people. In speaking of the work for the colored people, Sister White says: “Hundreds of mission schools must be established; for there is no method of giving the truth to these people so effectual and economical as small schools.” At Huntsville, Ala., the teachers are trained for these schools. It was a great pleasure to meet the earnest young people and workers in the school at Huntsville. Many work a year on the farm for the privilege of entering school the next year. Could not some of our Missionary Volunteer societies in the North raise a scholarship fund to help some of these earnest young people along, that workers may be quickly prepared for this great mission field at our doors? The little sanitarium at Huntsville is nearly completed. But it must be furnished. Some of our Missionary Volunteers are going to give something toward furnishing the rooms of this and the sanitarium for colored people at Nashville, Tenn. I visited our institutions in and around Nashville, and also the Meharry Medical College for colored students. In company with Elder C. F. McVagh, I visited the Hillcrest school, which Professors O. R. Staines, and Floyd Bralliar are starting for the training of Northern colored young people for the Southern work. These two brethren took us across the country a few miles in a carriage to the Madison school. There we had a council with several of the workers on what our Missionary Volunteers can do for the Southern work, and we arranged for some articles of information, and a series of Missionary Volunteer lessons to be given this summer. The students of the Madison school are an earnest class, having dedicated themselves to a definite line of work. Two nights and a day brought me home again, March 25, where I found an abundance of work to do after so long an absence. This tour has impressed me more deeply than ever with the possibilities there are in the lives of our youth when consecrated to God and placed under wise leadership. I have often been reminded of the words in “Education:” “Already many hearts are responding to the call of the Masterworker, and their numbers will increase.” I am especially impressed, too, with the need of a genuine revival in all our homes, and with the desire of many parents and children to be more faithful to God and to one another. M. E. K.