Work for the Young People
By B. E. HUFFMAN
As the autumn evenings lengthen into long winter nights, many a youth begins to wonder how he can spend his time so as to realize the most lasting satisfaction and the greatest enjoyment. Some may be tempted to associate with the young people of the world in their sports and merrymaking. But the consciousness of an evening thus wasted, or perhaps worse than wasted, brings a feeling of remorse to the soul. Such a course is fittingly described in the following paragraph:— “The continual craving for pleasurable amusements reveals the deep longings of the soul. But those who drink at this fountain of worldly pleasure, will find their soul thirst still unsatisfied. They are deceived; they mistake mirth for happiness; and when the excitement ceases, many sink down into the depths of despondency and despair. O what madness, what folly, to forsake the ‘Fountain of living waters’ for the ‘broken cisterns’ of worldly pleasure!” There are other youth who, not choosing to attend the world’s places of amusement, fill their minds with the same exciting, sensational themes in the form of cheap, trashy reading; but the effects are as unsatisfying. “The young are in great danger. Great evil results from their light reading. Much time is lost which should be spent in useful employment. Some would even deprive themselves of sleep to finish some ridiculous love story. The world is flooded with novels of every description. Some are not of so dangerous a character as others, . . . but all are pernicious in their influence.” Something must be done to save our young people from these influences which are leading so many astray. Where they are prepared for it, great good has resulted from the organization of missionary societies. This, perhaps, is the ideal for young people’s meetings, but there are places where these meetings do not satisfy the restless activity of the young. They want something more informal and entertaining. For such we would suggest the organization of a reading society, as follows:— First, secure the co-operation of the young people and their parents. They should understand the plan and be anxious to co-operate in making it a success. This co-operation may be secured by personal private talks united with prayer and study at a time when they are in a frame of mind least liable to object to the plan or to taking part in it. Recognizing the continual craving for pleasurable amusements and the influence of these upon the minds and characters of our youth, instruction has been given touching this point, a part of which we quote:— “I do not recommend pleasure parties where young people assemble together for mere amusement, to engage in cheap, nonsensical talk, and where loud, boisterous laughter is to be heard. I do not recommend this kind of gathering, where there is a letting down of dignity, and the scene is one of weakness and folly. Many times young men for whom heavenly intelligences have been waiting in order to number them as missionaries for God, are drawn into the gatherings for amusement, and are carried away with Satan’s fascinations.”—Special Testimonies on Education, pages 82, 83. The following quotation from “Testimonies,” Vol. VII, page 64, is speaking of how every one may obtain a knowledge of health principles and medical missionary work, but it reveals a principle which may be employed with profit as an introduction to, or in preparing the way for, a study of such missionary work by a study of something more interesting to unconverted youth:— “Form a home reading circle, in which every member of the family shall lay aside the busy cares of the day, and unite in study. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, take up this work heartily, and see if the home church will not be greatly improved. Especially will the youth who have been accustomed to reading novels and cheap story-books receive benefit by joining in the evening family study. Young men and young women, read the literature that will give you true knowledge, and that will be a help to the entire family. Say firmly: ‘I will not spend precious moments in reading that which will be of no profit to me, and which only unfits me to be of service to others.’” Second, select some good book which will be found instructive and inspiring as well as entertaining. Assign a certain number of pages or chapters to be read at home each week. We believe the books used in the Home Improvement Courses, conducted for young people by the Central Union Conference, are excellent books for this purpose. Outline lessons and helpful suggestions are being printed in the Educational Messenger to guide in this study. Third, the society should meet once each week or once in two weeks to discuss the reading lesson. The exercise in these meetings may differ according to the wishes of those conducting the work. There should be questions upon the lesson, quotations from other authors and the Bible upon the thoughts suggested by the lesson, with occasional recitations, songs, description of countries and places mentioned, and accounts of other missionary efforts in these countries, which may be found in the REVIEW, Youth’s Instructor, or elsewhere. In this way the exercises may be made very interesting, and all have a part to act. By encouraging them to help one another in every way possible, they may become home missionaries, without much thought of missionary work as such. The leader of the society should appoint different ones each week to conduct the study. By using discretion in this work the young may soon be trained to bear responsibility in the home and in the church, and to do it in a creditable manner. If attention is given to every one, thus causing all to feel that they are a “part of the concern,” you will have but little trouble in holding attention. This recommendation is not made to those churches having their young people well organized into active missionary societies. It is intended to reach a class who are not converted nor interested in missionary meetings. Any one desiring further information or suggestions should address Prof. M. E. Kern, or the writer, at College View, Neb.