The Young People’s Work in the South American Union
By MAXIMO TRUMMER
THE beginning of special work for the young people was made in connection with the school work in Diamante, Argentina, and in Pua, Chile. As the youth came together in these places year after year, the importance of wisely directing them in their plans and aims to become workers in the message presented itself very forcibly, and the result was the organization of missionary societies for them. In their meetings, special studies on missionary endeavor were presented, and practical missionary work was done. However, the question of the Missionary Volunteer organization was not given consideration until two years ago. During the annual council of the union committee it was decided to organize the young people’s society at our educational center in harmony with the Young People’s Missionary Volunteer Department of the General Conference; it was very gratifying to see the deeper consecration and the greater determination which were soon manifest among the young people. The work of the societies is both theoretical and practical. The young people meet every two weeks for studies, except the societies in the schools, which meet every Sabbath. The Missionary Volunteers of Buenos Aires give also Friday evening to prayer and social meeting. The programs are made up of Bible topics, biographies of Reformers and missionaries, the study of our work, the history of the world-wide field, and music. Missionary work is done in canvassing, in mailing periodicals, and in correspondence work. In this, the society in Diamante gives a worthy example by maintaining among its forty members a club of 180 yearly subscriptions to our Spanish Signs. Donations are taken up regularly for the support of the local work and the building up of libraries. It may be of interest to note that a valuable collection of books can be secured in Spanish, aside from our denominational works, such as, the Lives of Luther, John Wesley, and Abraham Lincoln; the histories of the Reformation and of the Christian church; also one of literature. For general reading, we have books by S. Smiles on Character, Self-help, Duty, Economy, Life and Work, etc. To these we can also add some volumes in the English and German languages. At our last union conference in Santiago, Chile, the Missionary Volunteer work received special consideration in the further organization of this department. Plans were made for the publishing of the Morning Watch Calendar, and for continued studies in the union paper. Immediate steps will be taken to effect the formation of conference and mission societies, which will enable us to be in contact with each young person in our churches. Secretaries have already been elected to lead out in the work in each field. Beginning with the new year, a reading course will be maintained throughout the union. We have in view as our missionary enterprise the paying of the salary of the teacher at our Indian mission at Lake Titicaca, Peru. We have now four Missionary Volunteer Societies in Argentina and one in the republic of Chile. However, two others will be reorganized in the latter conference when I visit them next September, which will give us, virtually, seven societies in all at the time of the reading of this report. These will have an approximate membership of one hundred twenty-five. This number will, no doubt, be increased very materially by adding the members of the conference and mission societies at the beginning of the new year. Aside from those already mentioned, we have also a young people’s society in our Indian mission in Peru. The meetings are held mostly in the Aymara language. I had the privilege of being with them last July. The Lord has certainly blessed this work in a marked manner, and the outlook is very encouraging. Our experience with the young people at campmeeting was also much enjoyed, and it is our desire to improve these opportunities still more in the future. This year we shall follow the plan suggested for the annual gatherings in the States. With the motto, “The love of Christ constrains us,” and the inspiring aim, “The advent message to all the world in this generation,” we hope to perfect the Christian experience of our young people, and to train many to be workers for the cause of the third angel’s message in Latin America. We wish to be remembered in the prayers of the young people in other lands.