Union College and the Missionary Movement
By C. C. Lewis
THERE can be no question that the missionary movement which was started at the late educational convention has already begun to affect favorably the attendance upon our schools and the character and purpose of the students who present themselves for matriculation. Union College, doubtless with our other colleges, is feeling the effects of this influence in a larger attendance than usual of earnest men and women who desire to fit themselves for service in the closing missionary effort of the world's history. Last year the enrolment the first day was one hundred and sixty-five. The present year it was two hundred and four. At the close of the ninth school day, the time of writing, it was three hundred and three. In the boarding department we have about as many students as we had last year in midwinter, when the attendance was greatest. There are also over one hundred students in the church-school. We see quite a change in the age, the attainments, and the character of the students. There is a larger number of more mature students who have completed or have gone beyond the academic course. We notice, furthermore, a larger number who express their determination to remain several years in school, or until they can complete a good, strong course of study. Perhaps the missionary spirit is seen more clearly in the plans laid by the faculty for carrying forward the missionary and other religious work, and in the response given by the students to these efforts. In order that the religious work may not be crowded out by the recitations, the faculty has reserved forty-five minutes in the midst of the program each day for exercises bearing specifically upon the progress of this missionary movement. After brief devotional exercises and announcements, this time is devoted on Mondays to general exercises, on Tuesdays to prayer-meetings, on Wednesdays to English, Scandinavian, and German missionary meetings, on Thursdays to various Christian bands, and on Fridays to Sabbath-school teachers' meetings for the English, German, and Scandinavian Departments. These different lines of work have as yet only been organized, and therefore we can not report definitely the results. One interesting omen for good is seen in the result of the call for the organization of Christian bands. Some time was taken in presenting this subject before the school, and it was announced that bands would be organized for Bible workers, ministers, young people's workers, medical missionary workers, evangelistic canvassers, and for a missionary reading circle. Rooms were designated in which those who desired to join these different bands might meet, and the students were then dismissed to go to the bands of their choice. When the results were ascertained, there were found to have been eighteen who entered the Bible workers' band, fourteen the ministers', thirty-two the young people's, thirty the medical missionaries', thirty-two the canvassers', and ten the missionary reading circle. It is probable that other bands will be formed as the work develops. The young people's band mentioned above is not to be confounded with the Young People's Society. This band is composed of young people who are making a special study of the young people's work, and are preparing themselves to carry forward this work as they go out into the field. Other important plans have been put in operation which promise to give good results. The Young People's Society has been reorganized. Two sections are formed, one for ladies and one for gentlemen. The members are all Christians, who declare themselves willing and anxious to do personal work. These sections hold separate meetings for prayer and counsel, and lay plans for the general young people's meeting, which is held on Sabbath afternoon. Heretofore two such meetings have been held, one in the college and one in the church; but this year these two meetings have been united in a general meeting to be held in the church. In the past the church young people's meetings have been well attended during the summer; but when the college opened in the fall, they have been largely broken up because their members have gone to the college young people's meeting. Hereafter it will be the church young people's Society running strongly throughout the entire year, and grandly re-enforced at the opening of the college. We were fortunate in having Elder and Mrs. Shaw with us on the second Sabbath of the school year. Brother and Sister Shaw had charge of the young men's dormitory for several years in the early history of the school. Some ten years ago they were called into the missionary field, and had not returned to Union College since their departure for their first missionary field in Africa. Professor Shaw spoke Friday evening to a hastily gathered congregation, consisting almost entirely of students. On the Sabbath some twelve or fifteen hundred people must have been present in the Tabernacle, who listened with deepest interest to a thrilling appeal from him in behalf of the people of India. At the26same hour Mrs. Shaw addressed the church at Lincoln. In the afternoon the Tabernacle at College View was again well filled while she spoke on the theme, The Women of India. Following her remarks, Brother Shaw pointed out on the map the places where missionary efforts are in progress, and spoke personally of our workers and their work in that distant field. We believe that these indications at the opening of our school year point to a greater missionary interest among teachers and students, and we hope and pray that the Lord will make this the best year that Union College has ever enjoyed. C. C. LEWIS.