How the Workers View the Work

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 8, 1910

How the Workers View the Work

This is a continuation of the good words received from Missionary Volunteer conference secretaries concerning the young people's work. The first of this series appeared in the Review of November 24.

Southern Illinois

A working band will be a growing one; hence, we are always climbing to some goal. This quarter our donations will send a Fijian student to school. Each society takes a club of magazines every month. The quota is three magazines a member, but most of the societies take more. Our Reading Course band has passed the fifty mark. Work was started at camp-meeting, where many signed the pledge. At camp-meeting a sample lesson was given from the Morning Watch, and in less than an hour our supply was exhausted, and we were left to regret that we did not order more. I thank God for the Missionary Volunteer work. It not only aids in keeping our young people in the truth, but it provides a training for workers in this message. In our conference, we are few in numbers, but the Lord's blessings are many. Pray for our advancement. EDITH SHEPARD.

Southern Union Conference

I believe the Missionary Volunteer work is helping to hold and train our young people. Some societies are taking a real interest in the themes making up the Reading Courses, and are deriving great benefit from their study. I am doing all I know how to do to increase the interest of our conference and local societies in the object and value of these courses of study, and trust that a more universal and deeper appreciation of the need of being thoroughly grounded in the knowledge of the Word will soon take hold of us, and lead us to utilize the various means provided for that purpose. We had a good sale of the Morning Watch Calendar last year. Our correspondence indicates that many have derived real and lasting benefit from it. One young sister told me she would not part with her booklet for five dollars, if she was unable to secure another. We are of good courage, and mean to push this branch of the work as far as our strength will permit; and the Lord will, I know, bless our efforts. MRS. M. H. CROTHERS.

Atlantic Union Conference

The Missionary Volunteer work helps to train our young people by its educational and practical work. The Reading Courses assist in directing the young people's study in lines that are helpful to their Christian experience and in their fields of labor. The Morning Watch encourages Bible study and prayer, and thus aids in building up spirituality, fortifying against temptation, and strengthening the mental and moral powers. Some of the young people are converted in the special services at camp-meeting as a result of the seed thus sown during the year. F. M. DANA.

Northern Illinois

Three years ago I visited, for the first time, a Missionary Volunteer society. In it were three lads just entering young manhood. Full of energy and mischief, they were trying to get out of the meeting all the sport that the time and place would afford. Some one saw possibilities in their young strength, and had faith in it, and so set them to work. I have watched these three boys since then. Their responsibilities were small at first; but they grew little by little, until, instead of being a terror to the society, they came to be a help in it. After they fell into the habit of being useful, they liked it so well that they wanted to keep on being a help. Within a year, two of them had been successful leaders of the society. Next they decided to get some training for work; and, after a record-breaking summer in the canvassing field, they entered college, where they are still working. And this year the third has resigned his leadership of the society to enter school. This is the story of three boys who might have gone wrong, but who fell into the habit of going right in a Missionary Volunteer society. Let us put more misdirected youthful buoyancy to work in our societies. NELLIE D. PLUGH.

Ohio

Some time ago the writer held membership in what was then called a young people's society. Special efforts were made to draw forth the latent talent of apparently unpromising youth, by giving them some definite work to perform. Many of these first attempts were undertaken with fear and trembling. The years have flown swiftly by; and to-day those who were faithful in doing the work are taking up the burdens of older laborers. To my personal knowledge two are in the ministry, one is a member of a conference committee, one is director of the normal department of a college, while another is doing efficient work as a conference tract society secretary. The full extent of the influence of that society only the day of judgment will fully reveal. W. C. MOFFETT.

Southeastern Union Conference

Eternity alone will reveal the great good the Missionary Volunteer Department is doing for the young people of our denomination. I hope the time will soon come when its influence will be more greatly felt for the good of the young people not of our faith. The Reading Courses are creating a thirst for higher knowledge and the best and noblest purposes in life. Our special endeavors in behalf of the young people at our camp-meetings yielded much fruit. In one instance all who were baptized were young people. We are pushing the work of the Standard of Attainment. I feel that no Seventh-day Adventist, either young or old, should rest satisfied until this knowledge is obtained. Before closing I wish to speak a good word for the Morning Watch for 1911. Do you desire to begin every day of

next year right?—Of course you do. Then get a copy of the Morning Watch Calendar, which has been prepared to help you to do this. Let us remember that the “silent time” in the early morning will make a blessed time all day. MRS. HELEN DOWSETT.