p. 18 | A TOKEN OF CHEER

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CAL., KANSAS CITY, NEW YORK · Nov 28, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 48.

A TOKEN OF CHEER

IN THE days of the Reformation, when the great universities of Europe were teeming with infidelity and dogmatic adherence to traditionalism, many earnest souls, yet few in comparison with the many, were searching the Word of God and becoming infused with the missionary spirit. It is even so now.

That there is much "respectable" infidelity in our great institutions of learning, is clearly manifest. The Bible is in many cases studied as literature, not as the Word of God. It is regarded by rationalistic professors as an object of criticism instead of the norm of faith. Its history is considered mythical; its miracles are only parables; its creative power is but evolution. And thousands of receptive minds are becoming poisoned, warped, and dwarfed under these soul-destroying teachings.

Yet it is encouraging to know that opposed to this is an earnest faith movement, especially manifest in volunteer missionary organizations. The Spirit of God through His Word is reaching hearts open toward the light, and so is fitting them either to prepare the way for the last message, or to engage in the preaching of that message.

Concerning the increase of these organizations, the New York Independent, in giving us a comparison for the past five years, tells us "that the 900 student Christian associations in universities, colleges, and higher schools have increased to 1,400; the 45,000 members to 65,000; the 11,000 members of the Bible classes to 23,000; the 2,000 members of mission student classes to 5,000. Whereas there were then 10 national students' movements, now there are 15, and the World's Student Christian Federation unites all these different movements" in a world-wide sympathy. "Instead of 38 secretaries there are now 101, and the 21 buildings, valued at $400,000, devoted to the work of these associations, have increased to 39, valued at over $1,000,000. Five years ago there were 10 National Student Conferences, attended by 2,600 delegates. During the past year there were 20 such, with an attendance of over 5,000. The 50 pamphlets and books published in the interests of the movement have grown to nearly 200, and the 6 periodicals, with a combined circulation of about 6,000, have increased to 13, with a circulation of fully 20,000. At that time the Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions had been organized in but two countries; now it includes students not only of all Protestant Christian lands, but of Asia, and more students have gone to the mission field during the past five years than during the preceding ten years."