Our Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department
By Arthur G. Daniells
The prophet Malachi says: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” From the beginning of our work, Seventh-day Adventists have believed that this prophecy is fulfilled in the third angel's message. Hence, we have believed that the hearts of our parents and gospel workers should be turned toward our children, and that the hearts of our children should be united with us in the work of our Master. At an early date in our history, when there were but few young people among us, the pioneers began the publication of The Youth's Instructor. They published that series of little books called “Sabbath Readings.” They organized and developed our efficient Sabbath-school system. They established and operated schools of various kinds for giving the young a Christian education. But notwithstanding all that has been attempted in this direction, a deep conviction has been laying hold of the ministers, teachers, Sabbath-school workers, and many parents that a greater work must be done for the young people among us. As our cause has grown, the numbers of our children and youth and young men and women have greatly increased; until at the present time they constitute a large and important factor to be reckoned with. There are between ten and fifteen thousand of our youth in our schools. It is believed that there are as many more not attending them. There are thousands who have finished their school work, and are ready to enter upon life's duties. All these require aid, service, and training peculiar and appropriate to their age and talents. In order to render our young people the best and highest service possible, we have added to our General Conference organization a Young People's Department. This was done at the General Conference Council held in Gland, Switzerland, last April. A large executive committee has been appointed with Prof. M. E. Kern chairman and Miss Matilda Erickson secretary. These officers will devote their entire time to the important and varied interests of this great work. At the Sabbath-school and Young People's Convention recently held at Mount Vernon, Ohio, careful consideration was given to the name by which our young people's department should be known. We desired a name that would be appropriate and expressive, one that would tell as clearly as possible who the department represents, and what their mission is in the world. After very careful study and deliberation, the convention adopted the following:— Resolved, That the young people's organization in the General Conference and in the union and local conferences be known as the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department, and that the organization in the local churches be known as the Seventh-day Adventist Young People's Society of Missionary Volunteers. Please note three features of this name: first, “Seventh-day Adventist”—our denominational name; second, “Young People's Society”—the class or part of the denomination to which the department especially relates; third, “Missionary Volunteers”—the purpose, or mission, of all connected with the department. This name clearly conveys the idea that the young people of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination are volunteers for missionary service that will glorify their Master and save their fellow men. These missionary volunteers are not to be confined to any particular countries or people. Their missionary endeavors are not limited to any particular class of7people, or kinds of service, except that it is to be Christian in character. They are to give their lives in unselfish ministry to all who need help. The Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department covers a wonderful range of Christian endeavor. It includes the preaching of the gospel, giving Bible readings, distributing religious literature, teaching, nursing, visiting the lonely, discouraged, and helpless, relieving the distressed, and in short, doing any and everything that lies within one's power to uplift and save this lost world. A nobler purpose can not be conceived; a better service can not be rendered; a truer life can not be lived. May the signal blessing of God be with all connected with this Missionary Volunteer Department.