The Foreign Mission Seminary Endowment Fund by Arthur Grosvenor Daniells

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 18, 1908

The Foreign Mission Seminary Endowment Fund

By Arthur Grosvenor Daniells

It has been only one short year since the General Conference Committee, in council at Gland, Switzerland, decided to turn the Washington College into a Foreign Mission Seminary for the purpose of giving special instruction and training to volunteers for mission fields. This decision met with the most hearty approval of our people everywhere. Such a school seemed to be just what every one wanted; and from the time the plans for the Seminary were made known, we received the warmest sympathy and co-operation of all in our efforts. This helped us to make the change without delay, and to secure a fairly good attendance of prospective missionaries for the first year.

The experiences and results of our efforts thus far in carrying out the plans for such a school have been very encouraging, and have, we believe, given ample evidence of the wisdom of the enterprise.

Nearly one third of all who attended the Seminary have been selected by the Mission Board for service in foreign lands. Others will continue in the school for better preparation. The acquaintance the members of the Mission Board have formed with the young people in the Seminary has been a great help in making intelligent selections for various openings in distant lands. This one great advantage alone, to say nothing of many others, will fully justify us in maintaining a school of this kind at our headquarters.

But our experience thus far has led us to see that we shall find it somewhat difficult to secure the attendance of the very class of students for whom the school is intended; namely, those who have secured a general preparation in our regular colleges and academies for service somewhere in the cause. We find that the majority of our young people who have spent a number of years in our other schools have about exhausted their resources, and are unable to provide immediately the means to take a special course in the Seminary before going to foreign fields. The calls are so pressing, the work to be done is so great, and the time in which to do it is so short, that we can not afford to have these young people spend a year or two earning money to pay their way through the Seminary. Much, every way, would thus be lost.

In view of this it is felt by many of our conference officers and ministers that steps should be taken to aid these volunteers for mission fields in taking the special course they need at the Seminary. Among other things it has been suggested that our young people might give substantial aid in this direction. This suggestion has been heartily seconded by our young people's workers, and a plan has been devised whereby the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department of the denomination shall provide a permanent scholarship fund, to be lent to students who have not the means to pay their way at the Seminary.

The details of the plan agreed upon are as follows: that a scholarship be placed at $150, and that this scholarship be divided into shares of $2.50 each. To every person or Missionary Volunteer society contributing one or more shares, or a full scholarship, will be given a certificate showing the amount given, and the purpose for which the gift is to be used.

The money raised by this plan will constitute a permanent scholarship fund, and will be under the control of the board of trustees of the Washington Foreign Mission Seminary, in council with the officers of the General Conference Committee and of the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department.

As we considered how to raise this fund, we could think of no way which seemed so appropriate as to place this work in the hands of the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Societies. The Foreign Mission Seminary and the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department were both brought into existence at the same council, and that council was the first ever held by the General Conference Committee in a foreign country. It has accordingly been decided to give the young people of the Missionary Volunteer Societies the privilege of soliciting the scholarship endowment fund. The officers of the general, union, and local Missionary Volunteer departments have been requested to take the entire management of this enterprise.

And now we earnestly request all our young people to join in this good work. Every one should be able to secure from friends at least $2.50—the value of one share. Six thousand shares would provide the one hundred scholarships that should be raised. This will help a large number of young men and women of ability, culture, and consecration to secure the special training they need before going to the mission fields. How can money be put to better use in this world than in preparing young people for valiant service in the Master's vineyard? Here is a most excellent opportunity for our people to render great service to the cause they love so dearly.

To all our young people who shall take part in the work of raising this endowment fund we extend a hearty Godspeed.

A. G. DANIELLS.