THE third International Convention of the Students’ Volunteer Movement convened in Cleveland, Ohio, February 23–27. In point of numbers it was attended more largely than any previous meeting of the kind, there being 1,717 students present, 106 college presidents and members of faculties, 89 returned missionaries, 83 secretaries of foreign mission boards, 219 visiting pastors and editors of religious papers, making a total enrollment of 2,214.
Exterior of Armory, where Convention Was Held.
The meetings of the convention were held in Armory Hall, which had a seating capacity of about 2,500, and in order to accommodate the large crowds, overflow meetings were held in some of the largest churches, and were addressed by leading men of the convention.
The convention hall was beautifully decorated with flags of the various nations, twenty-three distinctive nations having representatives present. Over the stage was a large banner bearing the inscription, “Thy Kingdom Come;” draped on either side were immense flags, one American and one British, signifying that these two nations, foremost in learning and intelligence, would take the initiative steps in the great work to be accomplished by the movement.
Running the length of the west gallery was the inscription, “The evangelization of the world in this generation.” Along the east gallery was the inscription, “Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power.”
Complete arrangements were made for the seating of the delegates, and no one was admitted without ticket until ten minutes before the time of meeting, and then the hall was not allowed to become overcrowded.
Mr. J. R. Mott, chairman of the movement, was in charge, and complete arrangements were made for the accommodation of all.
Among some of the prominent members and workers present, I might cite the following: Rev. W. S. Ament, of China; Rev. Lyman Bartlett, of Turkey; Rev. W. S. Boomer, of Chile; Rev. J. G. Brown, of India; Rev. J. L. Bruce, of Brazil; Rev. A. Bunker, D.D., of Burma; Rev. H. D. Campbell, Lower Kongo, Africa; Rev. T. N. B. Demaree, of Japan; Rev. Jas. Gale, of Corea; Rev. F. B. Meyers, of London, Eng.; Rev. S. M. Zwemer, of Arabia; Rev. Francis Clark, Boston; Rev. David J. Burrell, New York; and Hon. Jas. A. Beaver, Pennsylvania. The address of Chairman Mott was of much interest, as he stated the object and work of the movement, making it understood that the volunteer movement was simply a recruiting agency and a servant of all missionary boards. At the present time they are co-operating with 839 institutions and boards and have enrolled over 4,000 volunteers.
The movement has spread not only to the colleges of all Christendom; but also of all mission fields, and the Christian young men and women, with the fire and enthusiasm of youth, are ready to carry the conquests everywhere, and prove true their watchword, “The evangelization of the world in this generation.”
The idea of the leaders does not seem to be that the world is to be converted, but is to receive a knowledge of Christ and His Gospel in this present generation.
The most wonderfully impressive service of the entire convention was the first meeting, conducted by Dr. F. B. Meyer, of London. His fine diction, earnestness, eloquence, and peculiar accent, served to hold his audience spellbound throughout. But what served to make the discourse more impressive than anything else, was the entire absence, on the part of the speaker, of any demonstration of self or ability. His text was, “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” He exhorted his hearers to shun uncleanliness, unclean and polluting habits, overindulgence in eating and drinking, unholy alliances, worldly ambitions, worldly pleasures, and mere emotional religion, if they would be the representatives of God.
Speaking of worldly pleasures, Dr. Meyer said:—
“We must stand clear of worldly pleasures, card tables, horse-races, balls, and the theater. We are not here to denounce them; but as teachers of Christ we must keep clean of them.” Pausing for a moment, and looking over the immense congregation, and thinking, no doubt, of the condition existing in many places, Dr. Meyer said: “If you must attend card parties,11go to them; if you must go to the theater, go; but for the Lord’s sake, and the sake of the Gospel, first lay down the sacred vessels. ‘Be ye clean.’”
There was no visible demonstration of religious enthusiasm exhibited during the meeting, but every heart was stirred, and his auditors were made to feel that they stood in the presence of the Searcher of hearts. At intervals the audience was asked to join in silent prayer, while the speaker spoke of existing sins, and implored each to confess before God. It was a deep, thoughtful service, long to be remembered by those present.
A noticeable feature of the convention was the prevalent idea that the need to-day in the needy fields of the world was intelligent men and women; not necessarily graduates of great institutions of learning, but those who could adapt themselves to the situation. The best field for learning, for those who contemplate going to foreign fields, is the home field. It is not alone that those are wanted to go who are willing; but those are wanted who are willing to stay. The pen pictures that were drawn by those who had returned from China, with its narrow streets, its pride and idolatry, from Africa’s burning plains, from India’s misery and enslavement of women, from Turkey, Arabia, and South America, with their dark superstitions, served to give a new phase to missionary work, and showed that those who went would not go for a holiday excursion, but would go because of a longing desire to help those in sin, and to co-operate with Him whose work was not to condemn but to save the lost ones of earth.
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH OF A DEVOTIONAL SERVICE IN THE GREAT CONVENTION.
Rev. S. M. Zwemer, of Arabia, presented the Moslem world in a new light from which it is generally regarded. Said the speaker: “Let not Christian people speak of the fact that Turkish control makes Mohammedanism hard of access. The people of that world numbers 201,000,000; of these, only 18,000,000 are in Turkish dominion, and the rest reside in countries presided over by Christian rulers or independent governments. We are not to be dismayed by any obstacles, but realize that their need is what our need is, and that need is Christ.”
“That Christ is the only way to save them is proved by their own religion. Their creed is half truth, half lie. The Moslem world is a challenge to your faith. It is the Goliath to your David, and can be overcome if we have great faith in a great God.”
Gen. James A. Beaver, one of the superior judges of Pennsylvania, in speaking of the possibility of carrying the Gospel to those who know it not in this generation, said: “Has the time come for it? Is the world ripe? Open your eyes. The harvest is not coming. It is here. It is upon us. It is white. It is over-ripe. If you are not ready to put in the sickle, furnish the sickle.”
One of the most telling discourses of the convention was delivered by Robt. E. Speer. He is a young man of fine address, and his earnestness and devotion to the cause of Christ were very manifest.
Among other things he said:—
If the church of Christ were what it should be, twenty would not pass away before the story of the cross would be given to the ears of every living person in the world; and when this is done, the end will come. Shall we rise to this great mission? Our watchword sounds the call of a new crusade, demanding new standards of heroism and sacrifice. Above self-gratification, ease, personal ambition, it lifts the cross of the Crucified; from it He calls. And His call is the testing for eternity.
“He hath sounded forth the trumpet, that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men, before His judgment-seat;
O, be swift, my soul, to answer Him, be jubilant, my feet!”
The scene at the last meeting was one long to be remembered. There were gathered men and women who have braved dangers, and trials of severity, sicknesses in lands where their only friends were the natives whom they were laboring to enlighten. These were the veterans. In contrast with them were the army of enthusiastic young men and women who were to show in the coming years what they were made of. A score or more arose upon invitation and signified their intention of leaving for some foreign field within a year.
The majority of them seemed to realize what their vow meant. One young lady with tears said she had consecrated her life to Christ, and she felt a desire to work for the lepers of China; and, altho it meant a living death, she could do it cheerfully for His sake who had laid down His life for her. Many others spoke in the same strain, and as the words of the beautiful hymn, “Peal out the watchword,” were sung, mingled with the sobs of those who had given themselves to Christ, impressions were made upon the immense congregation that will prove an incentive for more diligent work in the Master’s vineyard.
In closing, the chairman used as the gavel the hammer of Peter Carey, the “cobbler missionary,” and the congregation broke up—many to return to their colleges and universities, to prepare for their life work; others, to foreign fields; and only the judgment will reveal the motives and work of this movement.
