p. 19 | The General Conference Department Work by M. E. K.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 16, 1908

The General Conference Department Work

By M. E. K.

IMMEDIATELY after the Mount Vernon, Ohio, Sabbath-school and Young People's Convention last July, the General Conference Missionary Volunteer Department was set in operation, with headquarters temporarily at College View, Neb. The convention outlined a large work to be done by the department, and we have had our hands more than full from the beginning. And yet it seems that we have scarcely touched with the ends of our fingers the work to be done.

After setting into operation plans for the Missionary Volunteer Reading Course and the Standard of Attainment, we began to study the work being done in the various conferences and the facilities provided for it. We have an earnest and devoted corps of secretaries engaged in this work; but in the majority of cases their time has been so much occupied with other things that the Young People's work has received the ragged edge of their attention. This condition is changing, and will still be improved as we appreciate more fully the great need of a special effort for our young people where they are, and as efficient workers are developed.

In order to further study the conditions in the field, get better acquainted with the workers, and render such help as possible, it was recommended by the General Conference Committee that I visit as many of the union conferences as possible. In response to this recommendation I have visited the Atlantic, Southern, Central, Northern, and Lake Union Conferences. At each of these gatherings the Missionary Volunteer work has received careful consideration by the delegates, and the Missionary Volunteer secretaries have held daily councils, in which many questions pertaining to the work have been studied. In each of these union conferences the secretaries are of good courage, and are going forward to do, by the help of the Good Shepherd, a better work for the lambs of the flock.

In each of the unions visited the Missionary Volunteer work is now recognized as a department of its work, in harmony with the recommendation of the General Conference. In the Southern and Southeastern Union Conferences the union secretaries have no other line of conference work to do. In the Atlantic Union one person has charge of the Missionary Volunteer and Field Missionary work. The Columbia Union has arranged to give the Educational and Missionary Volunteer work to one secretary. In the Central Union the Young People's work has never been combined with another department. Elder MacGuire, the present secretary, is giving his whole time to the development of this work, laboring from conference to conference in connection with the Missionary Volunteer secretaries in an earnest evangelistic effort for the young, and most excellent results are seen. The Northern Union Conference, recognizing the importance of this work, took steps to provide an assistant for Elder Benson, who is Educational and Missionary Volunteer secretary in that union. The Lake Union voted to have a secretary to spend his entire time in this work, leaving the appointment to the executive committee.

The conditions of our young people, and what we know of the results that can be obtained from labor in their behalf, forces upon us the conclusion that the greatest need now is that of strong laborers well adapted to this work, to lead out in an aggressive evangelistic effort for our young people. With strong men in the field to labor for the salvation of the youth, and for their organization for service, with vigorous efforts put forth by our department and workers in the preparation of suitable literature; and with a general effort on the part of the whole church to regain what has been lost by neglect, we fully expect to see a great awakening among the young. Signs of such an awakening are even now apparent. M. E. K.