The Young People's Work
By L. Flora Plummer
The readers of the REVIEW will certainly be interested in the progress of the young people's work. Since the last General Conference, provision has been made for the carrying on of this work in connection with the Sabbath School Department. A simple plan of organization has been suggested by the committee in charge of the work, and this plan has been almost uniformly adopted by the societies which have been organized. The plan does not make of these societies organizations independent of the church and the Sabbath school, but preserves their relationship to the church as a department of church work. From recent reports we learn that in eighteen of the conferences a beginning has been made. The usual membership ranges from six to twenty-five. Nearly all that have been heard from are using, in their young people's meetings, the specially prepared lessons in the Instructor. The members are doing many kinds of missionary work. A number of conversions are reported as the direct result of the young people's work. In those places where the work of the society has been most successfully carried on, the churches are beginning to feel the impetus of the movement, and seem to have awakened to new life. At the recent meeting of the Lake Union Conference, the following report was read, and this is a fair sample of many that have been received:— The Chicago Young People's Society
“In December, 1901, some of the young people of the Chicago South Side church felt that it was time for them to obey the call which had been given for the young people to organize to work for God. The young people were accordingly called together, and a few plans laid before them. The object for which we were asked to organize—namely, the giving of the advent message to all the world in this generation—was at that meeting kept uppermost in the minds of the members, and has been ever since. This movement has seemed to supply a long-felt need in arousing our youth to a realization of the fact that they have a part to act in carrying the gospel to the world. “Each department of our work is carried on under the supervision of a committee, and every member of the society is a member of at least one committee. This is not done for the sake of giving each one an office, but that each may feel that he is personally responsible for the accomplishment of some part of the work. The plan has been very successful. Some of the number, especially the younger ones who never before seemed to take any interest in the work of either the church or the Sabbath school, have become deeply in earnest, not only in the department which was allotted to them, but in other lines as well. “The mission committee arranged with those in charge of the Life Boat Mission, for the society to furnish the special features for the mission meeting every Saturday evening. The blessings which have thus been passed on to others we may never fully realize, but the men who have been helped by the songs sung by the young people and children, have expressed their gratitude. The joy which has been brought to our own hearts by working for others, has been great. The converted members of the society have had a burden for the unconverted ones, and the work in the mission has brought an experience to some of these that is invaluable. “The Christian Help work committee has done faithful work in visiting and praying with the sick, both at their homes and in hospitals. When speaking of the work of any special committee, we mean the whole society working under the direction of, and reporting through, the committee appointed to have the special charge of the department. A strong effort has been made to educate each member to regard himself a member of each committee, and that spirit prevails. Cottage meetings have been held in the homes of both the rich and the poor, and two persons have been converted as a result, one of whom was a Catholic. Medical aid and nourishing food have been secured for some of the sick poor. One sister has been doing all the dressmaking for a family of six children, whose mother is dying with consumption. Others, by means of their musical ability, have gained entrance to homes and hearts where the light of the gospel had never before reached. Some of our members have assisted in the gospel meetings in the jail, with good results. The inmates of the isolation ward at the county hospital were one day made glad by being supplied with a hygienic dinner and a package of reading matter which we hope drew some soul nearer to the Saviour. Good literature and pictures have been carried to the Life Boat Rest, the jails, and depots, and to homes where they were much appreciated. “A number of our young people are teachers in the Sabbath school, and an effort has been made to get new members into the school, and secure punctuality on the part of those who were already members, and also to develop a spirit of cordiality toward strangers who may visit the services. We feel much encouraged over the progress which has been made in this direction. “Our first financial undertaking was to raise seventy-five dollars to have our church cleaned and newly decorated. The older members of the church willingly gave liberal donations, but the members of the society have worked hard to complete their work. The money has been raised by solicitation, plain sewing, fancy work, selling pictures, tracts, and books. “We have not had all smooth sailing. The enemy of souls has been on our track, but we have clung to the hand of One who has said, ‘I will guide thee.’ Although mistakes have been made, we are not discouraged, but are determined to ‘press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ GRACE ADAMS, Sec.” We especially invite the readers of the REVIEW to keep informed in regard to the progress of this work by reading20each week the department in the Instructor, devoted to the young people's work. Some most interesting experiences are reported through that medium from week to week. If you desire any additional information concerning this work, or the plan of organization, write to your State Sabbath-school secretary, or to the undersigned at 705 Northwestern Building, Minneapolis, Minn.