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Relation of the Missionary Volunteer Society to the Church Missionary Society

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 1, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 1.

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Relation of the Missionary Volunteer Society to the Church Missionary Society

By Home Missionary Department; Missionary Volunteer Department

ThE relationship between the Missionary Volunteer Society and the church missionary society needs to be clearly understood, that all may work harmoniously together.

Underlying Principles

1. There is a distinct benefit in separate young people's meetings and organization for missionary work that cannot ordinarily be derived from an organization of the whole church:—
a. Timid and backward young people, who have had little experience, take hold of the work better, and develop into workers under the burden of responsibility thus laid upon them.
b. Young people should have the privilege of planning as well as of executing, and of doing things on their own initiative; that is, of learning by doing.
c. The work of our young people is much more effective when there are plans and methods especially adapted to their use.
d. The young people's organization is a training school for the development into workers of those who are young and inexperienced.
2. There is a benefit to be derived from having a distinct membership in the local society:—
a. It serves to bind young people together in closer fellowship, and to help them in remembering and performing their vows.
b. Young people are made to feel a more definite responsibility.
3. There is an advantage to be derived from a general world-wide organization of all our young people who have for their aim, "The advent message to all the world in this generation:"—
a. Broader conceptions of the work come to the young people from the knowledge of this world-wide organization, and through the reports made by young people from every quarter of the earth.
b. Inspiration comes from union with such a young people's organization.
4. The fact that the church is doing organized missionary work should not prevent the organization of a Missionary Volunteer Society, where there is a sufficient number of young people to warrant it:—
a. Reasons under No. 1 apply to this.
b. The young people's society is a division of the church missionary work, just as the junior department of the Sabbath school is a division of that work, and is not a separation of the young people from the church.
c. It is often necessary to form subordinate organizations in the local church for the best development of its work. The organization for the management of the church school is an example.
5. Great care must be exercised in providing wise leadership for this work, and in giving the young people the true idea of the relation between the Missionary Volunteer Society and the church:—
a. The Missionary Volunteer officers should be chosen by the church. (The young people should be represented on the nominating committee.)
b. The church should often, especially in the beginning of the work, choose a tactful person as leader who is no longer considered young, but who has broad sympathies and is resourceful in planning and directing in such work.
c. Young persons should be developed as leaders.
d. The older people should visit the young people's society from time to time; and the young people should take an active part in the missionary meetings of the church.
6. Every earnest Christian young person in the church should have the privilege of uniting with the Missionary Volunteer movement, but it is not best to endeavor to form an organization with separate meetings where there are only a few young people, whose influence is necessary to make any organized missionary work of the whole church a success; yet they may form a band for prayer and personal effort.
7. In churches where there are not enough young people to make a separate meeting for them a success, they should be given a definite and regular part in the church missionary meetings. One of their number should be appointed as their leader, and should act as assistant church missionary leader, another as secretary, who should act as assistant missionary secretary on the same plan as in the larger missionary society. This secretary should keep the records of work done by the young people, give to the church missionary secretary a summary of the work each week, and report it to the conference Missionary Volunteer Society at the close of each quarter. In this way the young people in small churches may be represented in the great body of Missionary Volunteers. A part of the program each week should be prepared and presented by the young people, or they should be responsible for the entire program every other week, in order that they may receive the training they would have in their own meetings were the church large enough to warrant them.
When there are as many as five or six young persons who are church members, they should be organized into a Missionary Volunteer society, and hold their own meetings, and plan their own work, in order that they may have the training adapted to their needs which this organization gives them.
8. In the conduct of this work, it is essential that the members have some time when they can meet, either all together or in groups, for prayer and the study of methods of work.
9. In general, the scope of our young people's work is in "helping other youth," and engaging "in any branch of the work where they are qualified to labor." The primary object of this work is the salvation and development of our young people as workers. Should the Missionary Volunteer work fail to develop active church workers, it fails to meet the purpose of its organization.
10. If the foregoing principles are recognized and entered upon heartily, with the idea of making the work succeed, the results will be,—
a. The salvation of our young people, and their development as useful members of the church.
b. More missionary work accomplished by the church as a whole.
c. The turning of "the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers."
In the large churches where Missionary Volunteer Societies are fully organized, the Missionary Volunteer leader should act as assistant missionary leader, for two reasons:—
1. Because the Missionary Volunteer Societies are for the purpose of training and developing active church workers, and because it is to be the Missionary Volunteer Societies that we look for future leaders. Therefore it is an advantage for them to supplement their work in their own meetings by assisting in the general meetings of the church.
2. Because the holding of the office of assistant leader gives them a place on the missionary committee, and a voice in its plans, enabling them to see that in these plans careful attention is given to protecting the Missionary Volunteer Society, that due scope may be given it to accomplish its purpose in the developing and training of active church workers.
When general plans for work of any kind are submitted by the conference to the churches, the work should be so planned that a proper share in it is allotted to the Missionary Volunteer Society, the organizing and planning for their share to be attended to by their own leaders.
A summary of their work should be given to the church missionary secretary each week to enable him to make up a complete record of all missionary work done by the church, because the Missionary Volunteer Society is a junior division of the church missionary society. Their work is also reported separately to the conference, that we may know what part the young people are having in giving this last warning message.