HOW STUDENTS OF UNION COLLEGE GAVE THEMSELVES TO FOREIGN MISSIONS.
By B. G. Wilkinson
It was my privilege, some time ago, to place before the readers of the Review an account of what the young people of Union College had accomplished through a tract and missionary society. But home missionary work faithfully performed must always lead to foreign missionary work. So now it will be my privilege to relate how a noble spirit was recently manifested by a public consecration of many students to foreign mission fields. The tract and missionary society of the students had produced many satisfactory results. Letters had been received from persons who had accepted the truth by means of the reading sent out; we had heard from many persons, from the most eminent to the lowest, who had become interested through this means; and there was every reason to believe that there was being exerted a great, silent influence, whose results could not be definitely measured. And when the college year closed, though the reading-matter sent out had incurred a heavy expense, the expense had been paid, every cent being paid by the students. But the noble spirit of missionary work and sacrifice thus enkindled was not to stop there. It was to lead the young people to consecrate their lives to wider fields. At the recent General Conference, one of the divisions into which the European field was separated was the Latin field. This division embraces those countries over which Catholicism so long held sway,—France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and French Switzerland. The leading languages of this field are three: French, Spanish, and Italian. When I decided to respond to the invitation of the General Conference to labor in that field, immediately there arose an earnest desire to see some of these faithful young people co-laborers in that work. And why should it not be so? What fields having the truth established in them can exercise an influence more powerful than the European nations? How well can these home countries exercise an influence upon their great colonies now grown to nations! Here is France, containing forty-five million inhabitants, and leading behind her about one hundred and fifty millions of French-speaking people throughout the world. Spain has given her language to the great colonial nations of South America and to other lands. Here are excellent territories for which the young people while students can begin their preparations. So on Thursday morning I requested all the students of the college and the school tract and missionary society, and all who were interested in these fields, to meet during a period of one hour in one of the lesser college chapels. They came, and the chapel was filled. The time was occupied by a talk upon foreign mission work, with special reference to the French and Spanish fields, and what the Spirit of Prophecy had to say concerning those fields. Then this call was made: “How many of those present, if God should open the way, would be willing to go to French and Spanish fields, and would show their willingness by studying French and Spanish in the college the coming year?” No response to the question was then called for; but a meeting was appointed for the following Sabbath, at six o’clock in the morning. In the meantime the young people were requested to think seriously over the matter, and to make it a subject of deliberate prayer. Then at the Sabbath morning meeting a response to the question would be called for. An early morning meeting was unknown to the memory of the college or the villagers. But when the six o’clock hour of that beautiful Sabbath morning came, nearly the whole former assembly was again present. From the first, the Spirit of God was manifestly there. A short talk was given upon what the Lord had spoken concerning the French field, after which it was left with the students to speak out what was in their hearts. Then followed dedication to foreign missionary work. We have seen tender meetings among the students, but this was the deepest of all. Amid the tender feelings produced by the willingness to forego the ties of home and country, some spoke out their purpose to give themselves to foreign fields; many expressed their deep convictions over definite fields, and not a few said that since the last meeting their minds had been definitely led to the French and Spanish fields. Now the call was made. How many would show, by studying French and Spanish the coming year, their willingness and purpose to give themselves to those fields? How many do you think responded? Five?—No. Ten?—No. Twenty?—No. But fifty or sixty. And when we recognized among that number some of the brightest, the most prudent, and deeply consecrated students of the college, we praised God for the result. We believe that this meeting was not one of transient enthusiasm. We know too well the soil and its previous preparation. Moreover, the president of the college and the school are determined that, so far as they are concerned, these vows and this spirit shall be kept. A definite result must surely be expected. We shall see young people definitely preparing for these fields. Now will the brethren everywhere do what they can to have those fields entered? The needs of these fields were presented at the Minnesota camp-meeting, and in response a contribution of forty-two dollars was given. Also the Iowa camp-meeting responded by giving two hundred dollars to the French field. If the work is aggressively carried on in the Catholic-taught countries, money will be needed to sustain it. All others who may feel called to contribute to these fields are requested to send their gifts to the Foreign Mission treasurer at Battle Creek, Mich., to be placed at the credit of these fields.