Our Scattered Young People by C. L. Benson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 2, 1914

Our Scattered Young People

By C. L. Benson

About twenty-five thousand of our boys and girls are in our denominational schools receiving a Christian education through association with Christian teachers and students, and through studying the principles of Christian education in the classroom. God is recognized as the real author of every subject in the curriculum. His word reveals the fundamental principles underlying each subject. We rejoice in the large number attending our schools and in the splendid results attained.

But have you ever stopped to consider that from fifty to sixty per cent of our young people do not have the privilege of attending our educational institutions? We have invested $2,231,737 in grounds, buildings, and equipment. We maintain yearly 1,164 teachers in church schools, academies, and colleges. Of this number 490 are teaching in our State and union schools. These men and women have received years of training in order to hold these positions. If they sever their connection with one school, they usually connect with another. It is gratifying to see such a large number of consecrated, educated workers giving their lives to the work of properly educating the youth—but not all our youth, only about one half, or less.

What about the other fifty or sixty per cent of the boys and girls of Seventh-day Adventists? Where are they receiving their education?—Some in the State schools, some on the farm, others in the shop. Thousands who desire to attend our schools, are prevented by circumstances.

For the twenty-five thousand who are not in our schools, our Missionary Volunteer Department is attempting to establish local training schools in every church where there are six or more young people. These are known as Missionary Volunteer societies. To organize and maintain these schools for twenty-five thousand of our boys and girls, only one hundred men and women are employed. But sadder still, less than five of this number devote their entire time to teaching and training one half or more of the precious lambs of the flock. And the picture grows still darker: During the past year ninety per cent of our conferences have changed their young people's secretaries from one to three times.

Do you wonder that when just any inexperienced youth, man, or woman is selected to have charge of the destinies of our boys and girls, we pay an awful price for such experiments? Think of the precious souls that might have been saved to this cause if, during the years of the past, we had invested more in our boys and girls.

Our teachers give instruction in the same subjects year after year. Their work is to teach. No board would employ instructors who could meet their classes only from one-fourth to one-half time. But in looking after the spiritual training of twenty-five thousand of our young people, who associate with worldly companions six days in the week, and can meet with those of like faith only two or three hours on Sabbath, more than ninety-five per cent of our conferences will place the Missionary Volunteer work on the president, president's wife, some union conference officer, or some minister that is holding a regular series of meetings.

We spend over four hundred thousand dollars a year to save the black boys and girls of Africa, and the brown and yellow youth of Asia, and the rest of the world. This is a splendid work, and we all wish we could give more. We give many of our brightest and best young men and young women to the regions beyond, and we are glad to do it. But very often we take the shepherd of a flock of from one hundred to five hundred boys and girls, leaving them without any one who knows them or understands them, and they scatter, many leaving the fold forever. On the other hand, if we had left their shepherd with them a few years longer, he might have gone to the heathen countries taking one hundred or more recruits with him.

The camp meeting season is just before us. Cannot more attention be given to the young people in your conference? Before me is a letter received from one of our elders. He states that twenty-three young people have left his church and gone into the world the past ten years.

Shall we not work and pray more earnestly, not only for the young people in our schools, but also for the twenty-five thousand who are not attending our schools?

C. L. BENSON.