The Student Volunteer Convention
By Estella Houser
The fifth international convention of the Student Volunteer Movement, which convened in Nashville, Tenn., the closing days of February and opening days of March, was the largest gathering of its kind ever held. The motto of this movement is the “evangelization of the world in this generation,” and they are working to that end with a most commendable zeal, and singleness of purpose. They believe the evangelization of the world is possible, and are bending all their energies to accomplish it. Over five thousand delegates were in attendance, and more than fifty missionary boards represented. Since the organization of the movement twenty years ago, more than three thousand volunteers have gone to foreign fields. And their work has not been limited to making missionaries. The reflex influence on the home churches has been incalculable. The growth of mission study, thus developing an intelligent constituency at home, has been phenomenal, more than one hundred and fifty thousand students having been enlisted in a year. The gathering together of so many intelligent young people to consider the missionary problem is a significant occurrence to those who know the gospel will be preached in all the world in this generation. We quote briefly from the executive committee’s report, which will be of interest to every Seventh-day Adventist:— “The year 1906 is a year of two anniversaries of unusual interest and significance to the student world. It is the twentieth anniversary of the inauguration of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions at Mt. Hermon, and also the centennial anniversary of the American foreign missionary enterprise which began with the memorable Haystack Prayer-meeting at Williams College in 1806. “The field for the cultivation of which the Movement holds itself responsible is among the students of the United States and Canada. Thousands of students have become volunteers by signing the volunteer declaration, thus indicating their desire and purpose, God permitting, to become foreign missionaries. A larger number of new volunteers have been enlisted during the past four years than during any one of the three preceding quadrenniums. The Movement has on its records the names of 2,953 volunteers, who, prior to Jan. 1, 1906, had sailed to the mission field. At the Toronto convention the hope was expressed that during the next quadrennium one thousand volunteers might go forth. It is a striking coincidence that the number who have sailed during the past four years, so far as we have information, is an even one thousand, about one third of whom are women. Not less than fifty denominations are represented in the sailed list. “By far the greatest service, however, in promoting missionary education has been through its educational department, which was inaugurated twelve years ago. Since then the Movement has organized mission study classes in 668 different institutions. During the past year there were 1,049 mission classes with an enrolment of 12,529, an increase of over seven thousand students in four15years. The object of this department is to stimulate systematic, thorough, and progressive lines of study by volunteer bands, mission study classes, and individual students. This is developing an intelligent and strong missionary interest, and doing much to make such interest permanent. It is developing right habits of praying and giving for missions. It is promoting reality in Christian experience. It is equipping those who are to become leaders at home to be real citizens of a world-wide kingdom. “The time has come to undertake things on a vastly larger scale. The conditions on the mission field favor as never before a great onward movement. The world is open and accessible as to no preceding generation. “Momentous changes are in progress. On all the great battle-fields the conflict has reached the climax, and if the present attack be adequately sustained, triumph is assured. The watchword of the Movement, ‘The Evangelization of the World in This Generation,’ must be taken up in dead earnest by different bodies of Christians as the cardinal point in their policy. “This work of making Christ known to all men is urgent beyond all power of expression. If these great things are to be achieved, we must pay what it costs. What will be the price? Undoubtedly it involves giving ourselves to the study of missionary problems. It will cost genuine self-denial. In all the hard, persevering labor to which we must give ourselves, not least must be the work of intercession. It is only when we come to look upon prayer as the most important method of work, as an absolutely triumphant method of work, that we shall discover the real secret of largest achievement.”