THE SECOND 
 
 STUDENTS’ CONFERENCE 
 
 1894 
 
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t 
 
 ftbe Seconb Stubentg' Conference, 
 
 1894. 
 
 REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 INTER-UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN UNION 
 
 (l.-U.C.U.) 
 
 v 
 
 AND THE 
 
 STUDENT VOLUNTEER MISSIONARY UNION 
 
 (S.V.M.U.) 
 
 HELD AT KESWICK, JULY 3 oth-AUG, 3rd. 
 
 “ The zvords of the wise are as goads, a?id the zvords of the masters of assemblies as nails zvell- 
 fastened, which are given FROM ONE SHEPHERD.”— Ecclf.s. xii. 11. 
 
 “ A fid all their talk zvas about The Lord of the hill . . . zvhich made me love Him the 
 more .”— Pilgrim’s Progress. 
 
 PUBLISHED BV 
 
 THE INTER-UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN UNION 
 
 93, Aldersgate Street 
 1894 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Introduction.1 
 
 From a Woman Student’s Point of View . . . 8 
 
 THE INTEH-UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN UNION. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Ideal Christian Union, by J. R. Mott.10 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The British Christian Unions. : .13 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Christian Unions and Christian Work in Foreign Colleges . 17 
 
 Student Work in Germany . . . . . . . .17 
 
 The Niesky Basis . . . . . , . . . - . 21 
 
 Student Work in Paris . ........ 21 
 
 A French Students’ Missionary Union . . . . .22 
 
 Christian Associations in Indian Colleges . . . .24 
 
 CHAPTER IY. 
 
 The Forward Movement—The I.-U.C.U. —Its Plans for Extension 
 
 and Development.. . . .26 
 
 V • 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 The Forward Movement—Plans and Advice for the Forthcoming 
 Term’s Work in Colleges . ..gj 
 
 $art h. 
 
 THE STUDENT VOLUNTEER MISSIONARY UNION. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The Volunteer in College, by Donald Fraser ... , 34 
 
IV 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. page 
 
 The Volunteer out of College, by Donald Fraser . . . .41 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 “The Evangelization of the World in this Generation” (the 
 
 Motto of the American Volunteers), by R. E. Speer . . .45 
 
 part Mt. 
 
 CHRISTIAN WORK AND SPIRITUAL EQUIPMENT FOR 
 
 STUDENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Work for Students among Students and among Boys, by Rev. 
 
 H. C. G. Macgregor and Canon Taylor Smith . . .49 
 
 . ^ 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The Difficulties of a Christian on entering College Life, by 
 
 Prof. Lloyd Snape.53 
 
 * 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Bible Study as a Means for Personal Growth, by J. R. Mott . 57 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Prayer as a Means for Personal Growth, by Rev. A. Connell . (31 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The Possibilities, Duty, and Privilege of Personal Dealing, by 
 
 J. R. Mott.(34 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 “ Whose we are and Whom we serve,” by R. E. Speer . . .68 
 
 APPENDIX I. 
 
 THE CONFERENCE BIBLE READING. 
 
 The Character of Christ, by R. E. Speer .72 
 
 APPENDIX II, 
 
 Theological College Missionary Alliance.77 
 
 APPENDIX III. 
 
 Statistics.*.79 
 
I 
 
 THE 
 
 OF 
 
 JULY mu—AUGUST 2nd , 1894. 
 
 The Conference of 1894 is a thing of the future ; just as in a ship’s 
 career, the launching is a small detail compared with the after years of 
 ocean travel, so the Conference of last August is of the present and the- 
 future, more than of the past. This report, then, is intended not so 
 much to record what took place, as to act again and again as a reminder 
 and a fresh stimulus to those who were present, and still more to give- 
 something of the initial impetus, which we received, to those who were 
 absent then. 
 
 Indeed, we grasp the great importance of this report, if viewed in 
 this light. Yet we feel that even to us, who were present, the printed 
 page, which divests those thrilling words of their original emphasis and 
 action and the personalities of the speakers, makes a very great difference 
 indeed: how then will it read to those who were not there at all? 
 Great, therefore, and greater than usual, is the need for a vivify in em¬ 
 power to overcome this defect and illumine this report as He illumined 
 the spoken word, that the inspiration received at Keswick may go^ 
 beyond the small circle of students who gathered there, and penetrate 
 to every one who anywhere has the work at heart. This is the object 
 of the report, and may God claim it as His own and use it. 
 
 We feel that God will have many ways of transmitting to all the 
 conviction that He intends us to work as never before—Keswick, 
 after all, was but one of these ways. This report is another; therefore 
 upon those who were present devolves much responsibility in getting 
 this circulated right through their college and circle of friends” We- 
 Would suggest that this would be a return for what was received, and 
 that our gratitude will be best shown by seeking to let all share the 
 benefit. 
 
 What was it, then, that made this Conference remarkable ? Every 
 conference will, it is to be hoped, be remarkable—certainly that of 
 1893 was, the fruit of which was last August’s meeting. What was it 
 
 B 
 
9 
 
 in this case 1 First, the spirit of unanimity ;—men of different minds, 
 characters, and tastes were there ; there was difference of nationality 
 education, class. In one thing there was no difference—spirit. We 
 were there for one aim and one cause, and on that common ground all 
 met. Was not the spirit of the Convention motto in every one’s heart, 
 as its words were often on our lips'? “ We came down,” said one of 
 the American brothers, “ feeling a little nervous, lest we should find 
 our differences of expression and thought jarring a little, hut we soon 
 found that this was want of faith ; and the grand motto, which we 
 saw over the tent, before we entered it—‘All one in Christ Jesus’— 
 seemed to make all else unimportant.” And there was a quite visible 
 vibration of sympathy when the same note was struck by one delegate, 
 whose faltering voice and accent proclaimed him alien to us in speech, 
 hut deeply one with us in a mutual Lord and Master. It was just one 
 more fulfilment of Christ’s prophetic prayer that all believers in every 
 age should be “made one, as Thou, Father, art in Me and I in Thee, 
 that they may be one in Us . . . perfect in one.” 
 
 Second, not second in importance, was the deep and all-pervading 
 prayerfulness which seemed to prevail. . This was no doubt the reality of 
 the Conference, and let it be said here once for all. We knew, if we 
 never knew it before, that ours was a God that heareth prayer. 
 
 Hand in hand with this went the great feeling of expectation. There 
 was a sound of abundance of rain. We had only to stand by and 
 quietly see God working. How this expectation was realized the report 
 will tell. 
 
 Again, something which gave a wonderful impetus to the Conference 
 was the presence of our French, German and American brothers. 
 What we owe to the latter, under God, we cannot 'know. The clear 
 vision of Mr. Mott, in his few weeks’ scrutiny of our Christian Unions, 
 seemed to have divined the great possibilities in them and the nearness 
 at hand of a deep and earnest forward movement before the members of 
 those unions were aware of it themselves. He astonished us by the in¬ 
 stinctive and instantaneous grasp he had of the work of the various colleges 
 and universities, his power of marshalling and grouping facts, and point¬ 
 ing out issues. His acute criticism was only equalled by his generous 
 appreciation ; and his recognition of the deep importance of our con¬ 
 ference which, in comparison with the great American meetings, must 
 have seemed small, showed a mind which looked to the spirit and not the 
 size of things. His grave and weighty words upon the infinite import¬ 
 ance of personal dealing and of Bible study for spiritual growth, went 
 right home to those who heard them, and can never be forgotten. Of his 
 brother delegate, Mr. Speer, we can but say that the triumph of Christ 
 over and through his natural abilities is as remarkable as Christ’s triumph 
 over most men’s natural deficiencies. It was a small matter that we 
 listened to a “ master of pathetic eloquence,” to a speaker whose inborn 
 talent of passionate oratory was unlike anything most of us had ever 
 before heard, to a thinker whose originalitv in treating an oft-treated 
 subject was only equalled by his imaginative and daring discussion of 
 questions far-reaching in their scope. The triumph was that these 
 
3 
 
 \ 
 
 talents were subordinate—that they revealed and not obscured Him in 
 Whose service they were enlisted. As we listened to those four Bible- 
 readings on the Character of Christ, it was not the lightning rapidity of 
 thought, nor the imagination, nor the exquisite aptness of expression 
 that riveted our attention, but it was the figure of the Lord Himself, 
 shining ever clearer and clearer upon us. His glance, His touch. His 
 sympathy—all these were borne in upon us as perhaps never before. It 
 was the story of His humanity ; but we felt that never man spake, or 
 lived, or looked as this Man; and so it became a triumphant assertion 
 of His Godhead. We, too, in that tent, beheld His glory, the glory of 
 Him who, being made flesh and dwelling among us, was the only- 
 begotten of the Father, fuil of grace and truth. We were not con- 
 strained to compliment the speaker upon his words, but rather to go 
 apart and fall at the feet of Him who was and is the altogether lovely. 
 
 The “ Evangelization of the world in this generation ” is a theme 
 full-of deep solemnity. While urging all who heard him, and most of 
 all, those who did not hear him, to give it their profound consideration, 
 we feel that the absence of the ringing voice and the passionate earnest¬ 
 ness is a sad loss. No man could leave the tent that night without 
 having brought the question before his God. And here too, we rejoice 
 to reflect, it was not admiration for a wonderful address that was 
 felt, but rather a more complete knowledge that we were no longer our 
 own, but His, and His alone. 
 
 God used our American brothers. Many of us learned to know, all of 
 us to love them. There are warm hearts and prayers for them in this 
 land, and we take this opportunity of stretching across to them the 
 hand of gratitude and fellowship. God forbid that we should praise. 
 To the disciples, after their wonderful success, Christ said,‘ c Father 
 rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” 
 
 Realizing as we did that America has led the way to a great change 
 in student life, we saw that more than one European country was ready 
 to follow ; nor need we draw the line at Europe, when we consider t-he 
 noble student work done in India and in Japan. It would seem, 
 indeed, as if God were putting forth His strength to win to His service 
 this class which, as Mr. Mott remarked, is, humanly speaking, more 
 worth winning because owning greater power for good and evil than 
 any other. The earnest pleading and deep sincerity of the German 
 delegates, Herr Mochert and Herr Siemsen, touched us, and showed 
 us the land of Luther, amid difficulties undreamt of by the Re¬ 
 former, still looking unto Jesus and Him crucified. “Most of the' 
 professors,” said Herr Mochert, “put hindrances in our way; they 
 joined together for conferences against us, and afterwards said that 
 they would help us. They said that they would help us if we would 
 not hold so firmly the doctrine of the death of Christ , nor pray 
 so much. This was a great crisis, a critical point, but God helped us. 
 We resolved to hold the vital doctrines fast.” We refrain from spoil¬ 
 ing this remarkable testimony by commenting upon it, but merely 
 suggest that these student-workers need our most earnest co-operation 
 and prayers. Such was the testimony from Germany, and not less 
 
 b 2 
 
 * 
 
4 
 
 interesting and encouraging was that from France, where we see, in a 
 land remarkably little open to religious conviction, true and noble work 
 being done, which deserves our warmest support. It is plain that very 
 soon some sort of International Christian Union for mutual support and 
 help will have to be considered. 
 
 So much for these, and it is to be regretted that we cannot add to them 
 an account of the very real progress in Scandinavia of student work; 
 but unfortunately no delegate was' present. Lastly we turn homewards 
 and ask ourselves how student work stands here, and what promise 
 there is for the future; what impetus for new effort was given by this 
 conference. We should notice that it was certainly the most repre¬ 
 sentative gathering of Christian Unions ever got together—nay, more (it 
 is delightful to think), this gathering in Christ’s name was the most 
 representative gathering of university men ever convened. Members of 
 English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish colleges; members of universities 
 and theological schools; members of very many denominations were 
 there. In every way it was an advance upon that of a year ago. We 
 must, then, briefly notice the' events of the year to show how things 
 were gradually developed for us. Last year the I.-U.C.U. amid much 
 diffidence and indecision was started; but it practically consisted of an 
 executive only. The S.Y.M.U. held on its course, but handed over the 
 management of the Conference, to be held on broader lines, to the 
 I.-U.C.U. But during the year, marked as was the progress of the 
 S.Y.M.U., a discovery was made. Mr. Fraser, its travelling secretary, 
 found that the work of the Union was hampered and minimized by the 
 want of a union to do more radical work; that, in fact, he was often 
 too soon, and found the ground utterly unready, and very often unenter- 
 able. It then occurred that here was the opportunity for the I.-U.C.U. 
 to become a living reality. Let a travelling secretary be appointed for 
 it too; let him go before to prepare the way, to open up unopened 
 ground, to organize a nucleus in every college, which should enlarge 
 gradually and be able to welcome the volunteer secretary when he 
 visited them; he would be far more likely then to enrol missionary 
 volunteers, where he found Christian zeal already awakened, instead 
 of having to labour to awaken that zeal himself. 
 
 To show how real this need is, we have only to mention that, 
 representative as this Conference was, it was simply nothing compared 
 with what might be. There are scores of institutions and thousands 
 of students with whom we have no connection whatever; it is these 
 that it is desired to reach. There are the Military and Naval Colleges, 
 where Christian work goes on, but they would surely gain much by 
 alliance and touch with the central agency. There are the Agricultural, 
 Technical, Engineering, Normal, Yeterinary Colleges—a field absolutely 
 untouched. It comes to this, if we are to have a great student forward 
 movement worthy of the name, an effort must be made to touch all of 
 these, and God intends such a movement to be made ; His servants 
 were led to believe that the I.-U.C.U was the agency likely to effect it. 
 Stand by, then, and see whether God did or did not give the earnest of 
 His approval upon this scheme. And if we see His hand, what remains 
 
o 
 
 with us but to work with Him in it to the utmost extent of our 
 capacity ? 
 
 The question thus stated was realized by many at the time of meeting 
 in July, and there was much exercise of soul about it. A spirit of 
 deep, earnest, and expectant prayer prevailed. No one could tell what 
 was to happen or predict the turn events would take, yet it was felt 
 on all sides that there was to be a very special manifestation of God’s 
 will and intentions with regard to our work. We waited, knowing the 
 blessing was sure to come ; the needs, the increased possibilities of the 
 student world, its influence on the progress of Christ’s Kingdom in the 
 Mission-field, all these showed up with extraordinary clearness to our 
 eyes. On the Thursday before the opening of the Conference proper, 
 the first sign came; a meeting of Keswick friends was convened at 
 twenty-four hours’ notice; it was held in the tent; the claims of the 
 work and the longing of our hearts were laid before it. To our amaze¬ 
 ment, £130 was promised on the spot; Dr. Harford Battersby was 
 appointed treasurer, and the I.-U.C.U. was then launched into active life. 
 But this was but preliminary. On the Wednesday following, we met 
 in the smaller Convention tent; the attendance of men was not full—• 
 many had left after the close of the Convention—and it was fractional 
 compared with the members of all Christian unions. Flanking them on 
 each side was a good number of Keswick friends and people interested 
 and attracted by the Conference, A great spirit of expectation jwe- 
 wailed. Mr. Anderson shortly put the need of the I.-U.C.U. ; Mr. 
 Byrde spoke of the Student Volunteers. Then Mr. Mott stirred all by 
 detailing the astonishing results of the past years in American Colleges. 
 Lastly, Mr. Fraser pleaded for a new movement, new support, new con¬ 
 secration, and new sacrifice; he pleaded for a sacrifice before God then 
 and there. He appealed to students for their fellow-students, to out¬ 
 side friends for a class, which it was most important to win, most 
 culpable to lose. Then small strips of paper were distributed, but before 
 anything was written, all bowed in prayer and asked to be searched, 
 and to be made willing to make sacrifices for Christ’s cause. After a few 
 minutes the papers came pouring in, and amounts were read out one 
 after the other. It was a scene astonishing and memorable—it seemed 
 as though the treasury of God were opened. There were sums of all 
 sizes, and many of them for a considerable term of years ; and it was 
 found that over £370 was collected or promised, making with the 
 previous amount more than £500. Some thanksgiving prayers, the 
 sound of which was almost drowned in the deafening hammer of rain on 
 the tent—and we separated, praising God alone in our hearts. 
 
 It is to you, brothers, who were not at this meeting, and were not 
 blessed with the opportunity to search and make special sacrifices for 
 the cause, that we write this account. God forbid that a fragment only 
 of the whole body of students should participate in this—it would be 
 deplorable both for the cause and the men themselves. Join with us ! 
 Ere the university year opens this autumn, and your expenses have 
 begun, we beseech you search yourselves, and become rich by sacrific¬ 
 ing to this work. Is it not certainly of God 1 Are not the illimitable 
 
6 
 
 possibilities of it plain ? Assuredly God has set His seal to it—woe to 
 us if we draw back now. Only let the main body of men hasten up 
 and join the advance guard ; let them impregnate themselves with the 
 spirit vouchsafed to it, realize the situation, the new demands, the new 
 supply, and go forward in one body. Nothing could be more fatal than 
 that a section of men should get ahead of the rest in realization and 
 knowledge of events. It is fatal now to be behind the times. God 
 is moving forward fast, and we must follow fast. We had the wonder¬ 
 ful privilege to see these things done at Keswick, to know that the great 
 majority of that sum was promised by students, and that it was not 
 without self-denial and sacrifice. On us, then, descends the respon¬ 
 sibility of putting it before the rest, and communicating the news. 
 For you is the privilege and the duty of following up the first blow 
 and taking your share in the labour and the reward. 
 
 Let us not, however, be unbelieving. We know that God is taking 
 hold of the student world for His purposes, and that at Keswick He 
 gave notice of His desire. We believe, therefore, that He will have 
 other ways of communicating His desire to the many who were not at 
 Keswick. We believe that He will have worked among the freshmen; 
 that at the sea-side or other places of holiday work, men will have 
 learned a fuller experience of consecration, and come up prepared to put 
 it into practice ; that the letters of friend to friend will have spread the 
 news. Nevertheless, this report is one of God’s ways of communica¬ 
 tion, and we are bound to solemnly put forward this appeal, and, as 
 we received it, so to pass it on, making it in the name of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 It was not till after these things, that we listened to, and were 
 humbled by Mr. Mott’s two great addresses on personal work and 
 personal growth. Let us be clear about this one thing, that if we 
 are to expect a universal revival among students, we must bring it about 
 in our own circle first. Many were the resolutions suggested and made 
 as to the work next October ; but everything centred in this, it is the 
 first week that counts ; it is the freshmen who will repay work, and 
 three years of freshmen make up a whole College generation. Let us 
 go up prepared to begin at the beginning. 
 
 As we write, it is uncertain whether this report can be in circulation 
 by beginning of term. But we have faith that God will help our weak¬ 
 ness, and inspire us all to realize this specially important work. “ Look 
 upon one man as a big audience we would that this sentence could 
 be burnt into all of our hearts. Speaking to large numbers is import¬ 
 ant, but it does not call out the personal qualities of a man. And is 
 it not increasingly our conviction that God’s work is most of all done 
 —and w r e have heard this is so in the Mission-field—at those great 
 meetings of two together, when it is the kind heart and the gentle touch 
 that is needed ? Surely if we could realize what it is thus to multiply 
 our lives, we would hasten to create an immortality, a nameless and im¬ 
 personal immortality for ourselves at college before we pass away from 
 college life, and are no more seen. Some of us have half our time still 
 to run, some more some less ;• to all comes the command to redeem it y 
 
7 
 
 and to use it, and to be purged so as to bring forth more fruit. After 
 all, college life is life itself in miniature, sharply marked off by our 
 dates of entering and leaving it ; between those two dates our special 
 work has to be done or to be left undone, just as much as between birth 
 and death our life’s work has to be done. Let us work, then, brothers, 
 vv£ yap epx^rcu —both to our college days and our days on earth. 
 
 This, then, must be the closing word of these introductory remarks. 
 The fruit of the Conference we shall see next August, just as we see the 
 fruit of that of ’93 now. Assuredly there will be no going back, for 
 the future is very hopeful. There will be changes, and familiar figures 
 will perhaps be missed. We missed this year the brotherly and 
 genial presence of “ the Bishop,” of Mr. Stewart, and others with whom 
 we associate that Conference. This year we remember with delight the 
 presence of another child of God from West Africa, the inspiration 
 brought from Germany and from America, the terse and pointed remarks 
 of our chairman, the fearful rains which so signally failed to damp the 
 warmth within. What will it be next year? We do not know, but 
 “ Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.” 
 
 • Ebenezer and Jehovah Jireh are mottoes open to any Christian; none 
 can say the first with greater truth than we can, nor more confidently 
 believe the second. 
 
 LAUS DEO. 
 
 NOTICE. 
 
 We beg 1 to apologize for the late appearance of this Report; 
 we were disappointed by the long delay of some of the tran¬ 
 scripts in America. 
 
 Our very cordial thanks are due to the gentlemen who under¬ 
 took the labour of reporting the addresses. 
 
From a Woman Student’s Point of View, 
 
 How difficult it is to attempt any concentrated account of the results 
 of a Conference, can be fully experienced only by those who have been 
 called upon to do it. It is as impossible accurately to gauge the blessing 
 of outward fellowship, as it is to measure the depth of the spiritual 
 blessing ; yet it is on these two points I would write in contributing an 
 introduction to our report, from the women-students’ standpoint. 
 
 The Conference at Keswick, 1894, was the first time that there had 
 ever been any inter-collegiate conference of women-students. Last year, 
 in the earlier organization of the work, only six had been able to attend 
 the Keswick Students’ Conference, representing Glasgow and Edinburgh. 
 This year, a house was taken, and invitations were sent to all the 
 women’s colleges, putting before the students the possibility of gathering 
 under one roof, with all necessary arrangements made for them. The 
 response was so warm that we soon overflowed into extra rooms, and 
 the London School of Medicine students occupied another house. 
 Altogether over fifty women-students were staying in Keswick for the 
 Conference, representing the Colleges of Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, 
 Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, and Belfast. About forty of these were 
 Student Volunteers. Four joined our ranks during the Conference. 
 By far the majority were medical students. 
 
 The power of prayer, and how to pray the prayer of power might he 
 the summing-up of the intensest spiritual blessing received. It was 
 significant how the testimonies at our mighty prayer meeting ran on 
 this line. The deep-searching of Mr. Mott’s addresses to students in 
 college has already been referred to; they produced a deep, lasting 
 effect on the lives of our women-students. As one remembers the 
 humbling we all received, and how even then the searching of the Lord 
 probed yet deeper into our hearts, we can only recall the word spoken 
 to Elisha :— 
 
 “Make this valley full of ditches that it might be filled with water 
 flowing through the channels. It is yet to be proved whether or not 
 the River of Living Water has new channels to flow through in our 
 colleges this session, but our faith expects it. 
 
 With a new grasp of prayer and its potency, came a new revelation 
 of the power of God’s Spirit. It would be possible only for individuals 
 to tell of the shrinking of a Christian girl standing almost alone in her 
 opinions in a College, and faithfully to bear witness. We are familiar 
 with Emerson’s words : — 
 
 “ It is easy in this world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy 
 in solitude to live after our own • but the great man is he who in the 
 midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of 
 solitude.” 
 
9 
 
 This became not a precept but a possibility before the Revelation of 
 God’s power, and weak ones were made strong; it is impossible to 
 speak of the change such a transformation will make in the Christian 
 girl’s position in college. 
 
 But it is not possible to write adequately of the change of life where 
 God’s voice was heard during that week. Narrowness giving place to 
 breadth, and breadth to concentration ; impotence becoming power; 
 and increase of power giving birth to love and gentleness. It would be 
 a breach of love to lift the veil even partially from hearts who were 
 meeting God at Keswick,, but we who were there can praise, saying, 
 “ What great things God hath wrought.” 
 
 The advantage of outer fellowship cannot be overstated. It was 
 a new experience for nearly all present to be able, to interchange 
 ideas and freely to discuss the possibilities of individual colleges ; and 
 the prospect of inter-collegiate visiting was opened up and practically 
 organized. 
 
 A characteristic gathering was held in the garden of the students’ 
 house, when a meeting was held for young ladies staying in Keswick. 
 Eight colleges were represented by students, who spoke for live minutes 
 each on some aspect of the personal missionary question. We never 
 before realized more strikingly the splendid possibilities developing in 
 our colleges for aggressive Christian work. These possibilities are 
 already finding an outlet in the proposal, discussed shortly after the 
 Conference, of forming an organized effort for reaching the girls’ High 
 schools in our land, mainly carried on by women University students. 
 
 The question of a women’s Inter-University Christian Union was also 
 brought up; and the wide general plans laid down by Mr. Mott were 
 taken up by several of the colleges at once. Inquiries are being made 
 as to the advisability of introducing it into others. There are several of 
 our Student Volunteers who are going up a week earlier in order to 
 make all arrangements for the prompt opening of the Christian Union 
 at the commencement of the Session, and who will also be on the out¬ 
 look for “ freshers ” to be interested in the local branch. 
 
 There are many of us who feel that a crisis has come in our women’s 
 colleges, many who are looking now for the incoming of the waters of 
 fresh life and power. Upon us, however, lies the responsibility, as 
 one has said :—“ Christ entrusted to us the Commission to reach the 
 world. We cannot reach it without Him, He will not reach it without 
 ■us” 
 
 To each volunteer forming one individual light amongst many fellow- 
 .students we send out this word of Commission, 1 Kings xx. 13, 14, 
 
 R.V.:— 
 
 ‘ ‘ Hast thou seen all this great multitude 1 ? behold, I will deliver it 
 into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. 
 Ahab said, ‘ Who shall begin the battle ? ’ and He answered, £ Thou.’ ” 
 
PART I. 
 
 THE INTER-UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN UNION. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Ideal Christian Union. 
 
 * 
 
 Mr. J. R. Mott (Secretary of the American College Christian Move¬ 
 ment) spoke on Tuesday morning on the Ideal Christian Association. 
 He said :— 
 
 Students are appealed to all over the world by the same objects. 
 Let us consider Students’ Christian Unions under seven divisions :— 
 
 1. Their place; 2, their purpose ; 3, their organization; 4, their 
 home ; 5, their cardinal principles ) 6, their perils; 7, their spirit. 
 
 1. Their Place. —The Christian Union should be the leading voluntary 
 Students’ Christian Organization, it should be leading in comprehen¬ 
 siveness, in membership, in its power and influence, and in its fruitful¬ 
 ness. 
 
 2. Their Purpose is first, to unite all Students of the University who 
 desire to promote the spiritual life, activity, and influence of their 
 College. Secondly, to win students to become followers of Jesus Christ. 
 Thirdly, and this is a most important purpose—to guard students. 
 Men who need guarding are of four main classes ( a ) those who feel the 
 fight of passion, but are under control. They are but a small class 
 
 ( b) those who are fighting hard, sometimes losing and sometimes gain¬ 
 ing ; (c) this is a big class—the men who are just drifting; they have 
 given up the fight, and are drifting. We all know such. Are there 
 any here who are like that ? The more they drift the greater the 
 momentum; (d) those who have struck the rocks. Fourthly, to 
 deepen the life of Christian men. Fifthly, to increase the efficiency of 
 Christian work. Sixthly, to get men to place their lives where they 
 will count most for Jesus Christ. Our work is not for the four or five 
 years of college life, but for the thirty or forty years which may follow 
 it. Seventhly, to be an aggressive spiritual force in the sphere of 
 university influence. 
 
 In a word, the purpose of such a union should be to cultivate 
 the entire range of Christian life and activity in the University or 
 College. 
 
 3. Their Organizations. —People are often afraid of organization. 
 We might well be afraid of machinery, but do not let us fear organiza- 
 
11 
 
 tioru WJiat is organization, and what does it secure ? It secures :— 
 Adaptation, definiteness, comprehensiveness, thoroughness, continuity, 
 speed, promptness of action. Unity, if it be permeated by the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 Let us study in this connection 1 Corinthians xii., and after that 
 turn to the xvth of St. John, and study it from that spiritual stand¬ 
 point. 
 
 The following outline of organization may he helpful:— 
 
 Officers—the same as usual, e.g., Secretary, Treasurer, &c. One 
 point, however, is worth mentioning in this connection. In America 
 we have a man who gives his whole time to the work, except taking a 
 lecture or two to keep in touch with men. Such a man is often chosen 
 from those who have brilliant college records or athletic fame, and are 
 willing to devote time to such work. There are such in eighteen 
 colleges of America. 
 
 Lines of work :— 
 
 The work among new students is comprised in “ The Fall Campaign.” 
 
 The work of the membership department is to get circles of men to 
 study particular individual cases, and confer as to the best way of 
 influencing them. 
 
 The work of the Finance Department needs no explanation. 
 
 The Work of the Missionary Department for both Home and Foreign 
 Missions. Home Missions includes, e.g., the arranging of Inter-Colle¬ 
 giate Conferences, at which one university may he able to give valuable 
 help to another. 
 
 This department would he conducted mainly on four lines—Cor¬ 
 respondence, Conferences, Delegations, Publications. In some colleges 
 special committees exist for special sections, as Purity, Social Work, 
 Libraries, &c. 
 
 4. Their Home. —It should have a building adapted to its need. 
 This ensures prominence, permanence, popularity, and dignity. It 
 gives a home to men. It should compare well with the homes of other 
 
 student organizations. 
 
 5. Their Cardinal Principles. —First, to cultivate primarily the 
 University field. Our first duty is towards students. Secondly, to 
 secure to its leaders special training for their special and difficult work: 
 e.g., sending presidents, secretaries and committee men to Summer 
 Schools, like Horthfield and Keswick. Thirdly, its methods and agencies 
 should be adapted to the particular local circumstances. Fourthly, 
 each administration should have a definite, aggressive, comprehensive 
 policy. A cabinet meeting each session should decide on work in 
 advance. This is most important for the life of the . Union. The Union 
 must not rest on past successes, or it will fall back in usefulness. 
 Fifthly, all the forces of the Christian Union should be massed on 
 getting and holding f reshmen in their first few days. Sixthly, its per¬ 
 vading purpose should be to lead students to Jesus Christ as their 
 Saviour and Lord. Seventhly, Bible study should be its ‘ pivotal ’ de¬ 
 partment. Weakness all the way round is due to neglect of this. 
 Eighthly, its range of sympathy and helpfulness should include the 
 
12 
 
 I 
 
 needs of the world. Ninthly, its motive power should be the Spirit of 
 God. With Him all things are possible. 
 
 6. Their Perils. —In speaking on the perils of Christian Unions I 
 shall only dwell on those which I have myself seen to be disastrous in 
 some of our American institutions. 
 
 Isolation. —Do not separate yourself from other College Christian 
 Unions. Remember no one body has all the Spirit of Christ. The 
 Spirit is speaking part of His plans to many groups of men all over the 
 kingdom. No one group has the entire.plan. 
 
 Pride. —The leading Christian Union in the Unitecl States became 
 proud of its achievements. Now that Union stands at least as low 
 as eighth in influence. Let the Association which thinketh it standeth 
 take heed lest it fall. 
 
 Machinery. —This is an obvious peril. Failure to recognize and 
 seize points of strategic importance, e.g., capturing freshmen, asking for 
 money for building, &c., when men come up, and have the money in 
 hand. 
 
 Divisions, factions, jealousies among spiritual men in the presence of 
 unbelievers. Sweep your colleges of all this for HIM. 
 
 Inconsistent lives of leaders. Like leader, like Association. The 
 stream never rises higher than its springs. 
 
 Prayerlessness. 
 
 Failure to see its true place, and take it, so often it takes an apologetic 
 position. 
 
 Compromising vital principles, as e.g., the Divinity of Christ, or the 
 Atonement by the Blood of Christ, or omitting the missionary principle. 
 
 7. Their Spirit. —Be pleasing to God, and loyal to Jesus Christ as 
 Lord. Be natural, not forced or professional. If He is not there the 
 spirit will not be natural. It must be a spirit of Unity and of Aggres¬ 
 siveness. Don’t live on the record of two years ago. Go from strength 
 to strength. 
 
 Be humble, u Except a com of wheat fall into the ground and die it 
 abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit.” 
 
 Lastly, it must be an intense spirit. Follow in' Henry Martyn’s 
 path, whose motto was—Now let me BURN OUT FOR GOD. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 The British Christian Unions. 
 
 On Monday morning the delegates from the various colleges gave reports 
 of their local work. The Conference was opened by Mr. E. Anderson, of 
 the I.-U.C.U. Executive Committee, who said : 
 
 The work of the year has not been very extensive, mainly owing to 
 the pressure of examination work upon all the members of the executive ; 
 moreover, lack of funds has also made a vigorous forward movement 
 difficult. The following has however been accomplished : — 
 
 (1) Notifications of the formation of I.-U.C.U., and invitations to 
 affiliate have been sent to nearly all Christian Associations which at 
 present exist ; the replies received were few, probably because the 
 Secretaries had not grasped the spirit and meaning of the work of the 
 Union. 
 
 (2) The present Conference has been organized by the I.-U.C.U. in 
 co-operation with the S.V.M.U. It was felt that the Conference this 
 year must not be simply on missionary lines, but that questions relating 
 to every branch of Christian work in colleges should be discussed, and 
 that therefore the I.-U.C.U., as being the wider institution, should take 
 the management of it. We have much cause to thank God for the 
 many tokens of His favour shown to us since we have been here. 
 
 (3) We have held one meeting for the purpose of enlisting sympathy 
 in our work. At the gathering in the dining marquee at the camp last 
 Friday afternoon, July 27th, over eighty were present, and donations or 
 subscriptions of about £130 were given. The outcome of this meeting, 
 which was arranged at only thirty hours’ notice, was a direct and 
 significant answer to prayer. 
 
 Though little has been done, yet we can see God’s hand with us, and 
 trust next year to furnish a far larger report of what God hath 
 wrought ” in the colleges. 
 
 Delegates from the various colleges then presented their reports. 
 Mr. Mather, Oxford University, said : On Sundays we have a prayer¬ 
 meeting, and we conduct open-air services and meetings for children. 
 Every Tuesday we have a missionary meeting. Last term the atten¬ 
 dance at this was about fifty. We have a daily prayer-meeting for ten 
 minutes. Each college has a Bible-reading held once a week. We hold 
 services also in Ragged Schools, and in the tramps’ lodging houses. 
 
 Mr. Woods, Cambridge University, said: Our meetings are greatly 
 
14 
 
 the same as in Oxford. We hold open-air services. We used to have 
 four of these simultaneously, and had splendid attendances. We also 
 arranged for systematic visitation in the villages round about. In 
 Cambridge we have proved that it is possible to do Christian work and 
 to shine in the college work too. The men who have been blessed most 
 in winning souls, have been men who work steadily for seven or eight 
 hours a day during the term. The village meetings we hold in about 
 fifteen villages, going on bicycles or by train. With one or two exceptions 
 there never was open-air meeting held last term without souls being 
 won for Christ. 
 
 Mr. Guinness, London Hospital, said : The Christian Associations 
 in London hospitals are united in the “ Medical Prayer Union.” Local 
 work is carried on at each hospital. Last year we had a general con¬ 
 ference of the men which lasted for five days, and was attended on an 
 average by about ninety. We have a daily prayer-meeting for ten 
 minutes, and a weekly meeting for Bible study for half-an-hour, at 
 which we work regularly through the book or subject. A fortnightly 
 social meeting is held, where there is tea and coffee, and addresses are 
 given. 
 
 I am sorry to say we have no work among the wards of the hospitals. 
 The meetings in a ward can only be carried on by the men working in 
 that ward medically. 
 
 Mr. Roberts, Aberystwyth University. College, said : The Students' 
 Mission, which was founded by Prof. Drummond, holds meetings on 
 Sunday evenings. The average attendance is forty. We carry on a 
 workhouse mission. Our services there are the only religious services 
 the inmates have. We have also a tramps lodging house mission. Mr. 
 Mott’s visit to Aberystwyth made a deep impression. I make an appeal. 
 Could not the I.-U. C.U. Executive send a very strong delegation through 
 the Welsh colleges, to stir up the dying embers there 1 There are some 
 of us who would carry on the work thus started. 
 
 Mr. Boy land, Trinity College, Dublin, said: There are 1200 
 students on the roll of the college. The Christian Association holds a 
 meeting on Sunday evenings, which is fairly well attended. Addresses 
 are given by clergymen and gentlemen from outside. We have a 
 prayer-meeting every Wednesday morning. In the medical school there 
 is a medical prayer-meeting, conducted by Prof. Macintosh. He is the 
 only professor who takes up such active work. We have two college 
 missionary societies, and our University has a Mission in China where 
 we support six men. The S.Y.M.U. has twenty members. 
 
 St. Andrew’s University reported meetings for fisher lads, and a Bible- 
 class. 
 
 Mr. Cowan, Glasgow University, said : Our Association publishes a 
 hand-book at the beginning of the session, giving information about the 
 different societies. This we send to “ freshmen,” and invite them to come 
 to a social meeting. We hold a weekly prayer-meeting, at which there 
 is an aveiage attendance of about twenty-five or thirty. Once a month 
 Ave have a missionary Bible-reading. Ihe medical students have not 
 been able to get into the ~Y\ estern Infirmary to conduct regular work. 
 
I 
 
 15 
 
 In the Royal Infirmary the lady students hold ward services every 
 Sabbath morning. In the students’ settlement we carry on religious as 
 ■well as social work. 
 
 Mr. Resting, Aberdeen University, said : Like Glasgow, we invite all 
 .the new men to a social meeting at the opening of the session. We 
 have a weekly meeting on Sunday evenings, at which papers are read 
 and discussed. There are usually about eighteen present. 
 
 Mr. Mudie reported for the Arts Christian Association, Edinburgh 
 University. They work in Charles Hospital. Next year they intend 
 to invite the lady undergraduates to join with them. 
 
 Mr. Williamson, Edinburgh University, representing the Medical 
 Christian Association, said: Out of 2300 students, 2000 are not 
 members of the Christian Association. Our work is mainly in the 
 wards of the Royal Infirmary. We are allowed to hold half-hour 
 services. This employs about seventy or eighty men. Then we have 
 twenty-five minutes’ prayer meeting. Last winter for the first time in 
 the history of the University a daily prayer-meeting was started. It 
 was held in one of the lecture rooms and lasted a quarter of an hour. 
 On Sunday night students’ meetings are held through the winter. The 
 attendance last winter was about seventy, but when Professor Drum¬ 
 mond uomes it rises to about 700. We are wonderfully helped by our 
 professors. Our president is chosen from one of our medical professors. 
 
 The students give out books to the patients from a library which we 
 have recently started. Thus we have an oversight on the patients’ 
 reading. 
 
 Children’s services are held in the hospital for sick children. They 
 are short, jolly, and bright. 
 
 We have a total abstinence society which was almost dead, but is 
 now flourishing with a membership of about 240. 
 
 Mr. Gillespie, Queen’s College, Lelfast, said: When. Mr. Eraser 
 visited Belfast we could not have a meeting in the college for him. 
 Owing to the jealousy between Roman Catholics and Protestants the 
 restrictions are very severe. All religious meetings must be held under 
 the presidency of a Dean of Residence. To hold the meeting thus 
 would have given it a denominational colour, so we could not have it. 
 
 Afterwards five of us decided to have a meeting and put up a notice. 
 Eight turned up. We agreed to consult the Deans and they agreed to 
 give us a room in the college for a prayer-meeting. There is no hour 
 from nine till five during which there is no class on, so we decided to 
 have two prayer-meetings during the week and thus afford an oppor¬ 
 tunity to all. Sometimes we have about thirty present. We have at 
 present fifty-two on the roll, but no system of work outside. No 
 religious teaching is allowed in the college. The Deans wanted to come 
 to our meeting, but we thought that we would be more unrestrained 
 without them. 
 
 Mr. Fraser, Travelling Secretary of the S.Y.M.U., then closed the 
 Conference. He said: We have heard modest statements. A much 
 brighter picture might have been drawn. The story of Belfast College 
 Association is the story of one of God’s miracles. They had to over- 
 
16 
 
 come parliamentary difficulties to get to hold a meeting, and now in 
 three months they have a membership of fifty-two. 
 
 As representing the X.-U.C.U. informally, I made several attempts 
 to start Christian Associations at Nottingham, Bristol, Leeds, and 
 Bangor, with indifferent success. 
 
 Mr. Roberts has made a touching appeal for Wales. What is 
 w r anted there, and in Ireland, and in England, is one man to identify 
 himself with students’ work as Professor Drummond has done in 
 Scotland. Why cannot the Welsh students persuade Principal Prys to- 
 undertake this for Wales? Professors have a large influence and 
 responsibility in this matter of the Christian life of students. Frequently 
 their name alone would be sufficient to start a union where none at 
 present exists. I wish that every Christian union would feel the 
 necessity of cultivating a broad sympathetic spirit. We must not 
 identify the union with any one branch of thought or feeling. There 
 must be breadth and unity. Let the influence of this meeting be, to 
 create in men a wider and more intelligent interest in these unions, 
 and to help us each one to be part of the brain of the I.-U.C.U., under¬ 
 standing, and planning its affairs. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 Christian Unions and Christian Work in Foreign Colleges. 
 
 Reports from France, Germany, and India (Tuesday Morning arid 
 
 Evening, July 31s£). 
 
 Candidate Fr. Moekert (Berlin) said:— 
 
 “ Thus said the Lord thy Redeemer who saith to Jerusalem, Thou 
 shalt be inhabited ; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and 
 I will raise up the decayed places thereof.”—Isaiah xliv. 24, 26 (the 
 Moravian text for the day). 
 
 There are decayed places in the higher schools and universities of 
 Germany wasted by unbelief and sin, but I believe in the “ I will ” 
 of the Lord—■“ I will raise up the decayed places thereof.” 
 
 Our lack is not a religious education of our students before they 
 enter university life : our lack is that there are so very few teachers 
 of religion in the gymnasiums and the other high schools who are 
 faithful, converted men, who lead the boys to Christ, and make use 
 of that beautiful opportunity given in the religious lessons. 
 
 Now the sad result of the gymnasium life is, for seventy-five per cent, 
 of the boys at least, that they enter the universities with a prejudice 
 against Christianity as a very dull thing, good for women and children, 
 and perhaps for old men. But now they are young, before them the 
 famous old traditional German student’s life is enticing, with its beau¬ 
 tiful inspiring songs, its friendships, its ideals and many pleasures. 
 
 What the young heart did not find formerly in the classical literature, 
 although it had been trying ten years to satisfy the soul, hungry for 
 eternal food, with aesthetic enjoyment, it seeks now in the pleasures of 
 university life. 
 
 Educated to be as critical as possible, disappointed in their very 
 idealistic hopes of the fine-looking university life, the hard reality of 
 sin and temptation, and the accusation of the conscience for wasted 
 time and a useless life make them pessimists, and it seemed to be 
 nearly impossible to reach them by the Gospel. 
 
 The students of divinity should set a good example, and should 
 lead them to Christ, but they are led into a thousand doubts, and 
 must fight to gain a Christian standpoint. Therefore the only way to 
 reach the students seemed to be by Starting first a movement among 
 the schools. 
 
 a 
 
18 
 
 Then, although I must say, and I am glad to be able to do it, 
 that the efforts made by the “ Wingolf,” a so-called Christian students 
 union in every university, with the purpose to join the old tradi¬ 
 tional student’s life with Christianity, did much good, and strengthened 
 many against temptation, and though the five Christian unions of the 
 Schwarzburgbund in Erlangen, Halle, Leipzig, Greifswald, and Got¬ 
 tingen and the unions for German students with their fine motuo, 
 “ With God for the King and the Fatherland,” are a great help in 
 some directions, yet there is a lack of students’ societies with the only 
 purpose to win the students for Christ, and to deepen the spiritual 
 life. 
 
 That was our hope when two friends, Willy Weigle, at that time 
 a young student in Bonn, now a minister in Essen, and a son of 
 Professor Christlieb in Bonn, united with me to pray for one another 
 and for our comrades, and a few weeks later founded the first Bibel- 
 kriinzchen in the gymnasium in Elberfeld, where I was a scholar at 
 that time, on October 22nd, 1883. 
 
 The same winter Mr. Weigle went to Berlin to study, and started 
 there two Bibelkranzchen for schoolboys, and one also lor students. 
 Now a good time of first love and inspiration for Christ and His 
 work sprang up ; this was nourished by correspondence between friends 
 who had never seen each other, and a splendid first Conference was 
 held in a small village on the Rhine with two delegates from Berlin 
 at Easter, 1884. 
 
 At that time we were told by friends that an alliance between 
 school unions at different gymnasiums is forbidden by a law directed 
 against Jesuits. It is a great hindrance to the work. Nevertheless 
 we met in drawing rooms for private meetings. Then a com¬ 
 mittee was formed by Mr. Weigle as backbone, for our work; Count 
 Piickler in Berlin was the first member and Vice-President. Eor lack 
 of a secretary, the work was going on very slowly, and so after having 
 passed my first theological examination, I was appointed Travelling 
 Secretary by the Committee. Since that time, God showed His love 
 to us in opening many doors, so that we have now thirty-two Bible 
 circles, with an average membership of fifteen to twenty boys between 
 the age of fourteen and twenty. The boys meet once every week 
 for Bible-reading and prayer under the leadership of a minister, 
 candidate, or student, who had been formerly a Bible circle member. 
 Besides that they have social gatherings, at which we give them the 
 opportunity of knowing one another, and by which we wish to prove 
 to them that schoolboys can be happy without beer or pipe. 
 
 In founding a new circle we have to overcome four difficulties :— 
 
 1. To obtain a faithful leader. 
 
 2. To obtain the permission of the director. 
 
 3. To obtain the permission of the teacher of religion. 
 
 4. To obtain the permission of the parents. 
 
 Then we seek to get the addresses of boys from the minister and 
 teacher, visit them, and invite them to a meeting. 
 
19 
 
 If God allows mo to touch the hearts hy my visits and my address, 
 1 form a Bible-circle with our motto, “The studying youth of Germany 
 for Jesus.” 
 
 My time is short, I must pass on to the universities. 
 
 The members of the Bible-eircles in schools on entering universities, 
 found the same institution for students after the example of Mr. Weigle. 
 
 I am sorry to say that our present German Christian Students’ Move¬ 
 ment is not so far advanced as yours. Ours is only beginning, but I 
 hope that a new revival such as we have had three times since the days 
 of Martin Luther will spring up in Germany. 
 
 While we were working in this way, Baron von Starch returned 
 from Moody’s Northfield Students’ Conference. He made the suggestion 
 to Count Piiekler and Baron von Rothkirch, who were considering how 
 to enlarge the movement among the students, to invite the students to 
 a conference. 
 
 The first conference “ for the deepening of Christian life and incite¬ 
 ment to Christian work among the students,” was held August, 1890, at 
 Niesky, the old Moravian Colony. 
 
 Count Liittichau, who has been the instrument of the Lord to lead 
 many young men to Christ, was the first president, and our very kind 
 “ Quartermaster.” 
 
 We have to praise the Lord for what He has done already at these 
 conferences; for He gave there, especially to the Bible-circle students, a 
 far better understanding of the greatness of His grace, and the assur¬ 
 ance of the forgiveness of sins. Many students found their Saviour 
 during these conferences. 
 
 One great difficulty of the work is that most of the professors, instead 
 of helping us, put hindrances in our way. Indeed, I regret to say, 
 orthodox and liberal professors joined for a conference against us last 
 May. 
 
 But after this anti-conference, we know what God has done for 
 us. For the same professors offered us their help at the second con¬ 
 ference at Niesky, if we would follow their doctrine in not preaching so 
 fervently conversion through the blood of Jesus Christ, and in not 
 urging the devotional purpose of our Bible-classes and common prayer- 
 meetings. 
 
 This was the most critical point in our movement in 1891. Every¬ 
 thing was against us, our president at that time resigned, and even the 
 leaders of the Moravian Brethren at Niesky took such a position against 
 us that the conference could not he held there again. 
 
 But God heard the prayer of Count Piiekler and some friends, and 
 therefore we believe in many other victories of our God. The good 
 effects of this hard fight were a new undivided committee and the 
 Niesky basis, which made the direction of our work clearer for us and 
 everyone.* 
 
 Our dear friends, Mr. Bernus Pastor Lohmann and Mr. Ch. de 
 
 # This basis was a great help especially again in Frankfort, 1893, when the 
 liberal students made great efforts to change the course. 
 
 o 2 
 
20 
 
 Neufville gave us a very hearty reception in Frankfort, where we have 
 been able to hold our last three conferences with the above mentioned 
 principles, and great experience of our Lord’s blessing. 
 
 Besides this yearly general conference in Frankfort we have had 
 since 1884 twice a year a sn;aller conference, especially for students 
 who have been members of the Bibelkranzchen in the gymnasiums, 
 and who belong to the Y. e. B. (Vereinigung ehemaliger Bibelkranzler 
 und ihrer Freunde). This conference is held usually at Barmen. 
 
 Last summer a White Cross movement was started, at the request 
 of the students in Halle and Berlin, with great success. There are at 
 present sixteen students’ Bible circles in ten universities. 
 
 We need now an organization of the unions and a secretary, for I 
 cannot work in gymnasiums and universities. 
 
 Now, my dear fellow students, I want to ask you to join together as 
 a union, for the European world is becoming anti-Christian. Let us 
 stand together as representatives of Christian education under the 
 standard of our dear Lord and Master.—Please remember the Frankfort 
 convention, and the Bible-class work in Germany. 
 
 I am sent to ask you for a deputation for Frankfort, and I assure 
 you your reception will be as hearty as mine has been. You will 
 understand there what it is to be “All one in Christ Jesus.” 
 
 Herr Johann Siemsen said :— 
 
 The Christian movement in Berlin is connected with the Y.M.C.A., 
 which was founded in 1883. About twenty or forty students have 
 come together since last winter; their meetings have been successful, 
 and have been opened and closed with prayer. The purpose of the 
 union is education and the advancement of Christianity, and of the 
 Christian life of all. The Bible was read in portions, but not much 
 part was taken by students. We have three Bible circles. In this 
 meeting our aim is not so much the intellectual as the moral and 
 spiritual study of the Bible. We have had weekly excursions, and we 
 had a Conference. Our object was to deepen Christian life, and we 
 received great blessings. The methods we adopted in reaching the 
 students were :—we announced the meetings by bills posted, as well as 
 by handbills distributed. To the students whom we knew we sent 
 invitations. Last winter we had evangelistic meetings for the students, 
 but few came. But we had more success this summer. Over 300 
 were present, and many joined the society. Meetings of this sort will 
 be held again. In the colleges there are Christian unions, but they are 
 confined to Christian students, and these are limited to special circles. 
 The thirty or forty students connected with our movement in Berlin 
 are very few, compared with the 10,000 students there. The leaders 
 and superiors are not among us, for they say the treatment of subjects 
 is not sufficiently scientific. The building of the Y.M.C.A. is removed 
 from the students’ quarters. Some students, through our efforts, have 
 been greatly blessed, and have devoted themselves to the Church of 
 God. We look forward with hope to the future. 
 
 (We append the “ Niesky Basis ” mentioned by Herr Mochert.) 
 
21 
 
 The Niesky Basis. 
 
 Aims of the Students' Conference. 
 
 1. Our Students’ Conference aims at collecting, God willing, once 
 every year those students of all the German universities who feel the 
 need of strengthening their Christian faith through mutual help in 
 Bible studies and Christian addresses. 
 
 2. It shall include as much as possible students of all faculties, and 
 is therefore not to be looked on as a theological conference. 
 
 3. The Conference will have, as much as possible, exhaustive discus¬ 
 sions upon the subjects brought forward, but will not form binding 
 decisions about the same. 
 
 4. It is, therefore, a Students’ Conference only in the sense that the 
 choice of the subjects coming up for discussion suit especially the need 
 of youths and students, and through the discussions will help in the 
 conquest of just those difficulties which meet especially the youthful 
 students. 
 
 5. It is, nevertheless, not a Students’ Conference in the sense that 
 those present must submit to the decision of the majority vote of the 
 audience of students. 
 
 6. The leadership and direction of the Conference shall always be in 
 the hands of the Committee, which through co-operation shall be 
 made up as much as possible of university teachers and students. 
 
 7. The Conference has its own aims, and concerns itself with actual 
 questions of Christian work only so far as the aims set down in the 
 original programme require, namely :—“ The deepening of Christian 
 life, and the incitement to Christian work among the students.” 
 
 8. It has, as a Conference, no special work ; all the more, therefore, 
 will all the different questions of Christian activity, such as Sunday- 
 schools, the distribution of printed sermons, Bibelkranzchen, work of the 
 White Cross League, or whatever the subject may be, be subjects, 
 the discussion of which the Conference will have to consider as its 
 work. 
 
 Student Work in Paris. 
 
 Pastor Monnier, of the Evangelical Mission House, Paris, said :—■ 
 We have now had for three years in Paris a Students’ Christian 
 Association, and I hope that when any of you are in Paris you will 
 come to it. Eorty years ago a Young Men’s Christian Association 
 was started in the Latin Quarter, but was subsequently transferred to 
 the Business Quarter, where it now has a splendid building for its own 
 
work. After the year 1871 a Scotch lady, Miss Howard, began a very 
 interesting work, by asking students, professors, and pastors to drawing- 
 room meetings, but after a few years she removed to another part of 
 the town. 
 
 In Paris there are 12,000 students, at least. I think there are 
 more altogether, but there are 12,000 in the University and the highest 
 schools, among whom are 500 French Protestants. We have now 100 
 active members of our Christian Association, and 100 associates. We 
 have hired a room in the Latin Quarter, and hope next year to have a 
 larger one. Our work among the students is divided into two parts, 
 social and religious. The difficulty in the social part of the work is 
 that the students are divided into too many clubs, e.g. the Fine Art, 
 the Literary, the Scientific, &e. The religious part of the work is 
 interesting. "We have a Christian Endeavour Society with thirty 
 members ; we have another Society, small, but increasing, which was 
 founded last year, and is to be extended next year ; this Society is to 
 stimulate men to go to the poor parts, especially where the Me All 
 Mission is working, hold meetings, and distribute coffee, soup, &c. 
 
 I will now make a suggestion: I have seen in the programme of 
 these meetings that it would be useful to have a connection between 
 the Universities ; now, why between the English Universities, and not 
 an International Union 1 A young man comes to Paris to stay, but we 
 do not know him, or he us; if a Frenchman goes to Berlin, or Oxford, 
 or Cambridge, it would be very useful if he could immediately find 
 friends. The work among students is increasing; it is impossible 
 to tell its future, the work among students has the world in its 
 hands. We shall see splendid things if we have the power of God 
 in our hearts and lives. I think it would be useful to have a connec¬ 
 tion between the Universities; it would be necessary first to have a 
 little paper, which might be published three or four times a year ; it 
 would have to be a practical paper, and give the names of the citizens 
 who are ready to be in correspondence and friendship with foreign 
 students; secondly, we should need an International Committee ; 
 thirdly, there would have to be in each University one man who would 
 represent the University in all correspondence with foreign Universi¬ 
 ties ; fourthly, a congress of students would be very necessary. 
 
 I hope I shall be all my life a student. There is the same difference 
 between a man who has the power of the Holy Ghost, and one who 
 has not, as between water and steam ; let us not be water, or even hot 
 water, but steam in the power of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 A French Students’ Missionary Union. 
 
 M. Vernier said :—• 
 
 It is a great pleasure for a Frenchman to be here in the midst 
 of you, amid the splendid scenery of this well-known and famous 
 
23 
 
 country ; first, because of the pleasure of seeing your beautiful camp ; 
 secondly, because that camp is like Gideon’s, the warriors of which 
 went out to be victorious in the name of the Lord ; thirdly, because I 
 come as a witness to the fact that in France, too, there are not only 
 enemies to be fought and conquered, but also soldiers engaged in the 
 same warfare, for which you are preparing here. 
 
 Your advantage is in your numbers. How many Frenchmen are 
 there here % One or two among that host of Anglo-Saxons and Celts ; 
 but, said the Lord, “Hot by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit; 
 therefore, we fear not, though we are but a few in our dear and 
 beautiful France. 
 
 Hor are young men wanting in France who look at life with a 
 serious, or even a godly look; there are many prosperous and active 
 so-called cercles Catlioliques , Catholic clubs, as you might say, but 
 what they possess of Gospel truth and Gospel power is unhappily very 
 little, enveloped and enthralled, as they are, by superstition. 
 
 The Parisian Young Men’s Christian Association is probably not 
 unknown to some of you; then there is a kind of 1 rotestant students 
 Association, about which Pastor Monnier has given you some veiy 
 interesting details ; but there is only one Young Men’s Christian 
 Association specially interested in foreign mission work ; it is as a 
 delegate of that Association that I have the honour of being here 
 to-day. 
 
 This Association was founded on May 7tli, 1886, under the title 
 of “ Societe des Amis des Missions,” or “ Association of Young Friends 
 of Missions.” Our aim is to study foreign missionary work ourselves, 
 and to make it known around us; we meet once a month, and at each 
 meeting one of us reads a paper on some missionary subject, an oppor¬ 
 tunity of deeper investigation being given by the discussion and conver¬ 
 sation which follows. How and then these papers are repeated before 
 larger audiences in churches or chapels, sometimes accompanied by 
 the magic lantern. 
 
 Most of the members of our Association are students in arts, law, 
 or medicine ; we also have missionary students and clerks. 
 
 Since the inception of our Association eight years ago twelve^ of us 
 have gone out as missionaries, one to Senegal, four to the French 
 Congo (one of whom has just died), four to Basutoland, and three into 
 the "very heart of Dark Africa, where they live, sutler and work for 
 
 Christ in the region of the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 Their work is under the direction of the Paris Evangelical 
 Missionary Society. This Society, founded in 1823, woiks mainly in 
 Africa ; but it has also inherited a field of operations in the Islands of 
 the Pacific, where the London Missionary Society began to work a 
 hundred years ago, by taking over from them thirty years ago the 
 Society Islands, in which my father'is working, and in which I hope 
 to labour before long. • Besides the beginnings which our missionaries 
 are making in Senegal, and on the Ogowe Kiver on the West coast 
 of Africa, the Lord has allotted to us a most fruitful field in South 
 Africa among the tribe of the Basuto, where more than twenty French 
 
24 
 
 * 
 
 missionaries have charge of a Church of more than 10,000 communi¬ 
 cants, and 20,000 adherents. It is from Basutoland that our heroic 
 friend and missionary, that noble Frenchman, Francis Coillard, or 
 Francis Coillard, as many English and Scotch friends call him, has 
 proceeded to the Upper Zambesi, where he is still holding the fort 
 and the banner for Christ. 
 
 Other Associations of the same title meet at Lyons and Montauban, 
 as well as among the French Waldenses of North Italy. Mr. Wishard, 
 Secretary of the Students’ Christian Movement in America, favoured 
 us with a visit when he passed through Paris two years ago; since 
 that time he has not forgotten us, and we have had the pleasure of 
 receiving letters from him now and then, for which we are deeply 
 grateful. 
 
 I have done; and yet I would add one word to the information 
 I have been able to give you about our work. We want to be more 
 fully given up to our Lord and Saviour ; you are met here to seek 
 the face of the Lord ; I thank you for not having forgotten France ; I 
 thank you for having allowed a young Frenchman to attend your 
 Students’ Conference, in order that he may go back to his own 
 countrymen and young fellow-workers, refreshed and revived, to lift up 
 their hearts to the Lord who has said, “ Not by might, nor by power, but 
 by My Spirit.” (Zech. iv. 6.) 
 
 Christian Associations in Indian Colleges. 
 
 Mr. McConaughy read 1 Kings xx. 13, 14, and traced the analogy 
 between the 232 princes and the Indian students. He then said :— 
 
 These Indian students might be the future conquerors of India for 
 Christ. Work among them is urgently needed ; there are 240 millions 
 of people who can neither read nor write; one-seventh of these have 
 been influenced by Western teaching : of these I wish to speak ; on 
 these to-day turns the crisis of India. There is a cry of alarm at 
 education without godliness, at the setting men adrift on a dreary sea 
 of atheism, and at robbing young men of the characteristic Hindu filial 
 affection. The Y.M.C.A. works among this class; the Evangelistic 
 missionary, after a century, confesses that he cannot bridge the gulf 
 between him and these men; the educational missionary steps in and 
 undertakes the task of teaching those 50 millions; but there is a point 
 beyond which he dares not go in bidding them confess their faith by 
 baptism. 
 
 Mr. McConaughy then gave details of the Y.M.C.A. work in Madras, 
 which had a .membership of 430, including 38 Europeans. Some 
 principles were laid down :— 
 
 1. It was a work for young men, by young men. 
 
 .2; It was a fourfold work—physical, intellectual, social and 
 spiritual. 
 
25 
 
 3. The privileges of the Association were open to all (an absolutely 
 new thing). 
 
 4. It was controlled exclusively by Native Christians. 
 
 5. It was self-supporting. 
 
 Some account of the carrying out of this was given ; there were nine 
 weekly meetings, of which eight were Bible readings; on Sundays a 
 Gospel meeting was held; preaching was carried on in the highways ; 
 this was voluntary, and done by young men. Among the privileges 
 were library, reading-rooms, lecture courses, debates, and an athletic 
 field. The latter in two years overcame the inertia caused by climate ; 
 athletics were definitely used for Christ; fellows used to bring their 
 friends, and men asked for prayer that their hearts might be won. One 
 prayed somewhat as follows:—“O God, I have heard of Thee, and I 
 believe in Thee; but I do not know that Jesus Christ is Thy Son. 
 Yet these good and pious men have told me that He is. If so, I want 
 to take Him as my Saviour.” 
 
 Mr. MeConaughy concluded by showing the possibility of self-support 
 in the fact that they had raised 1500 rupees themselves ; and by 
 instancing one or two young men who had broken down all barriers 
 and come out for Christ—one, the son of the President of the Hindu 
 Society, who cut him off. 
 
 i( University men, fully qualified, wanted ! ” 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The Forward Movement—The I.-U.C.U. —Its Plans for 
 
 Extension and Development. 
 
 (A Report of the Meetings on Friday Evening, July 27th, and 
 Wednesday Morning , August ls£.) 
 
 On Friday, July 27th, at 3.30 p.m., a meeting was held in the Dining 
 Tent of the Students’ Camp, to which a large number of the visitors at 
 Keswick were invited, for the purpose of setting before them the object 
 and needs of the Inter-Universitv Christian Union, and for enlisting 
 their sympathies with Students’ work. About eighty were present. 
 
 The Chair was taken by Mr. T. A. Denny. 
 
 After a hymn and prayer, and a few words from the Chairman, 
 
 Mr. Frank Anderson explained the nature of the work that they 
 wished to do ; he pointed out the great value, humanly speaking, of a 
 student’s soul, and showed how great a debt a Christian student owed 
 to his College Christian Association. Looking at the manifold advantages 
 which they had received from such organizations, the students assembled 
 at Keswick last year had determined both to extend the system of 
 Christian Associations to colleges where they do not as yet exist, and 
 to strengthen those already existing by creating a bond of Union. Such 
 was the work which the Inter-University Christian Union was intended 
 to do. 
 
 Canon Taylor Smith also dwelt on the importance of the work among 
 students, and testitied to the great results which were being achieved 
 by means of Christian Associations in the Universities and Colleges 
 which he had visited since his return from Africa. 
 
 Dr. Maxwell expressed his belief in the great possibilities of the 
 work which the I.-U.C.U. proposed to do; he specially emphasized 
 the results which had been obtained among medical students. 
 
 Mr. J. R. Mott described with great conciseness what had been done 
 in America on similar lines. In 1877 the position of the American Uni¬ 
 versities and Colleges with regard to Christian organization had been 
 very like that in England at the present time ; but a decisive step had 
 been taken, with the result that the number of Christian Associations 
 had in seventeen years risen from thirty to 500 ; he believed that 
 similar results would follow from the establishment of the Inter- 
 University Christian Union in Great Britain. 
 
 Mr. Donald Fraser then reviewed the methods by which the Union 
 
27 
 
 would work, and stated the sum required for the maintenance of the 
 various agencies as 500/. a year. 
 
 Slips of paper were then handed round, and after prayer had been 
 offered, promises were received amounting to 130/. for the first year’s 
 work, while 100/. was promised for the work of the two succeeding 
 years. Dr. C. F. Harford-Battersby consented to act as Treasurer. 
 After singing the Doxology the meeting closed. 
 
 ( Wednesday , at 11.15.) 
 
 The business of the day was introduced by Mr. Frank Anderson. 
 He said :— 
 
 I should hardly dare, nor shall I attempt to set before you the 
 value of a fellow-student’s soul; but I would just say that a student’s 
 soul is humanly speaking of immensely greater value to the world 
 than the soul of another. God looks on all alike; but it is part of 
 His wonderful scheme of providence that Fie has put some men in 
 certain positions which enables them each to be more of a man than 
 he would otherwise be. If we look at it from that point of view, 
 we see that the souls of our fellow-students must be reached at all 
 cost. Some of them are in colleges where there is little or no religious 
 life. Are we to look to the tutors or professors of these colleges to 
 do the work ? Are we going to ask the ministers of those University 
 towns to do it, to accomplish the difficult task of winning the souls of 
 students to Christ 1 ? To whom are we to bring the call but to your¬ 
 selves, to this body of men in this tent who have known the value 
 and privilege of the Christian Union? 1 was looking through the 
 list last night, and it appears that there are fourteen Christian Associa¬ 
 tions represented in our camp, besides representatives from theological 
 colleges. We shall not consider theological colleges in this movement. 
 There are still several other university colleges which we have not 
 yet touched, and in which it appears that there is no Christian Asso¬ 
 ciation. Besides, there is a great class of colleges in our country 
 where teachers of the young are being trained, and it is to these to 
 whom we are to bring the Gospel of Christ. Out of these there are 
 no less than forty-seven in the British Isles. Now I think that there 
 are few classes of men who will have more influence on the future 
 life of the country than those men. They will have opportunities of 
 winning the souls of the children for Christ. 
 
 There are seven technical schools, and ten schools of medicine 
 where no organization is at work ; and there are six military academies, 
 whence shall issue the men who are going to garrison the distant 
 parts of our Empire, and, we pray, to carry the Gospel with them ; 
 (thank God for Sir William Stirling at Woolwich, and Colonel Fawkes 
 at Sandhurst). And then added to these there are four agricultural 
 colleges. These are important because in them are men who are 
 going out to rough it a bit in the colonies or else in heathen lands. 
 Obviously we shall need to have an increased organization. We shall 
 want correspondence carried on in places not yet opened, and we shall 
 
28 
 
 want a travelling secretary who shall go to these places, to find open¬ 
 ings and to lead the men to see that Christ has immediate claims upon 
 them, and to organize work which shall he affiliated to ours, until we 
 shall have in every educational institution a Christian Association. 
 We shall need a central office and a publishing department. The 
 travelling secretary will have to be a man of prayer and faith. The 
 work will be slow, for the Kingdom of God cometh not with observa¬ 
 tion. But as surely as we have belief in God we shall see His hand 
 going with us ^tep by step. And we pray that He will enable us to 
 see everything made plain. The work may be slow, but God is sure. 
 We read in the New Testament of two kinds of doors which were to 
 be opened. The disciples returned from their labours to speak of the 
 door of faith , ana again in Col. iv. 3, we read of doors of the word. 
 If every one of us were to unite in believing prayer, these would be 
 opened. The heathen world will then know that England has a God 
 that is worth serving; It is a heavy responsibility, but when we feel 
 it upon us we can put it upon God. We who stand up but tell you of 
 what we feel it necessary to do, knowing that God has taken up the 
 matter into His own hands. 
 
 Mr. Louis Byrde then spoke of the work of the S.Y.M.U.; (1) as to 
 its Age, and (2) as to its Area ;— 
 
 (1) It is just two years and a few months old, and since its birth it 
 has been growing steadily. Seventy-five of its members are in the 
 foreign field, and one at least is in glory ; seventy-five per cent, are still 
 preparing in various seminaries. This volunteer work has been an 
 object lesson to students, and has shown that it is possible for them to 
 unite. It has made that union possible, and now, instead of being in 
 the leading place, it takes second rank. There are 690 members and 
 85 in missionary institutes. Eifty-seven colleges are represented. The 
 travelling secretary, Mr. Donald Eraser, has held 143 meetings, has 
 touched 17,800 students and others, and has travelled 14,700 miles. 
 Miss Hodges, the lady secretary, has touched 31 colleges, and has spoken 
 at 20 schools, has held 70 meetings, and has come in contact with 2000 
 girls. Then we have Mr. Y. G. Levett as our general business secretary. 
 Another agency is the Student Volunteer. Then our general literature 
 has been a power for good in this land. The result of this has been 
 that there are missionary bands where the study of missions is the 
 object. About 1000 students are members of these. 
 
 (2) The area of the S.Y.M.U. is as wide as it can possibly be. It 
 touches theological colleges, and the medical schools, and the women’s 
 department of these. It has a wider area than the I.-U.C.U. or the 
 Theological College Alliance. There are still 150 colleges without one 
 member, while 130 have never been touched, and most of these are 
 quite approachable. Our aim more especially is to take Christ to the 
 world. Yolunteer for the foreign field, determining by God’s grace 
 that we shall carry Christ to the heathen and those who know^Him 
 not. 
 
 Eor our funds 500?, are wanted now. 
 
 i 
 
29 
 
 J. R. Mott said :— 
 
 Two texts are before my mind, “ Hitherto God has led us,” and 
 “ Our expectation is from Him.” I speak of what He has wrought. We 
 cannot explain the great change in American student life by human 
 factors. God has wrought this Himself. Prior to 1877 there were less 
 than 30 Christian associations in colleges which had sprung up between 
 1857 and 1877. In 1877 it was resolved to form an inter-collegiate 
 union; they placed a secretary in the field, until now they have three 
 men giving their whole time to developing the Christian movement, 
 apart from the S.V.M.U. Since 1877 the number of associations has 
 grown from 30 to 500. 
 
 It is a marvellous calling together of college men under a common 
 name. It has been put very prominently in the mouths of college 
 men. The first result would be in the way of winning men for Jesus 
 Christ. Through the seventeen years we know that 24,000 students 
 have been led to Christ. Last year they numbered 3000, showing a 
 steady increase. I have never known a year like the last, the results 
 including some of the city associations. Another line of result has 
 been the guarding of college men against all the evils that beset young 
 men—against those temptations in the body, and those more subtle 
 temptations in the realm of the intellect. We have now 8000 Bible 
 students, an increase of 3000 in the year. Another result has been 
 the training # of men for Christian service. These associations have been 
 used in influencing at least 3000 university men to enter the ministry, 
 who are to-day proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Christ. Already 
 over 700 have reached the foreign field. Might I not answer one 
 charge, that scepticism is on the increase in American colleges. You 
 might meet that charge by showing that seventeen years ago less than 
 one in three students were Church members, and now more than one in 
 two are such: Harvard had the reputation of being very anti-Christian, 
 and it certainly does contain a fast set. A society of Christian brethren 
 existed there many years ago, but of late it has grown from over 40 men 
 to about 300. They are now securing a building, and have raised 
 8100,000. The hall is to be called the Phillips Brooks Memorial. 
 Then there was a time at Yale when there was only one professing 
 Christian student, while six Tom Pain infidel clubs existed. They have 
 now 840 men in the Christian Association, and nearly 200 who entered 
 the Bible Class. Stagg is noted as the foremost athlete at Yale, yet he 
 refused 85000 a year as a professional base-ball pitcher to accept a 
 salary of 81700 as a Y.M.C.A. secretary. 
 
 Cornell was at one time characterized as the most godless of 
 universities. It was touched by the spiritual life of other colleges. 
 When I returned lately to my old university I found that the associa¬ 
 tion had grown from 40 to 500, and now in that State university they 
 have a building costing 860,000. Miller was the first foreign missionary 
 from that university ; now there is a band of twenty-five volunteers. 
 
 Dr. Maxwell followed, stating shortly the history of this present and 
 previous student movements. 
 
30 
 
 He was followed by Mr. Donald Fraser, who said :— 
 
 Although the Cambridge Seven stirred the whole land, they seem to 
 have permanently affected only seven or eight colleges. The S.Y.M.U. 
 has worked quietly, yet through organized union has touched over sixty 
 colleges, and has now over 700 members. We have heard of the great 
 movement in some of the colleges, and of the remarkable change in the 
 attitude towards foreign missions. We have heard about the work of 
 the I.-U.C.U., e.g., the remarkable, experience of Belfast. Then there 
 was this stirring appeal from Aberystwyth ; we have felt the silent 
 appeal from Nottingham and Durham, and from other places, where one 
 or two Christian men living alone can do nothing. 1100Z. must be got 
 if we are to do this work for God. I make no apology for this appeal. 
 At Detroit this year $3290 were given at a students’ meeting. We are 
 asking promises, and not only gifts of money, but promises to raise 
 money. It may not be a pleasant task to solicit subscriptions. But 
 I ask you to make some small sacrifice for God. Now I want to turn 
 to those of us who are not students. There are Christian friends here. 
 This morning we were celebrating the Lord’s death until He come. 
 Men of all denominations were there gathered round one table. We 
 prayed to God and said: “We offer unto Thee, 0 Lord, ourselves as 
 a reasonable, holy and lively sacrifice.” We must offer not only our 
 souls and bodies, but our money, because God has given it to us that 
 we may be faithful stewards. We ask you to give to God’s work, not 
 to ours. We have not taken a single step in front of God.* Let us 
 listen to His call. 
 
 After prayer had been offered an opportunity was given to promise 
 donations and subscriptions. In a few minutes promises of 370/. were 
 sent in, much of that being subscriptions for several years. 
 
 After thanksgiving, and singing of the doxology, the meeting was 
 closed. 
 
 / 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Forward Movement—Plans and Advice for the Forthcoming 
 
 Term’s Work in Colleges. 
 
 i * 
 
 (:Thursday Morning, August And.) 
 
 Mr. 0. 0. Williams presided : he urged those present not to go back 
 to College and reflect on this Conference, but to look forward. “ We 
 depend,” he said, “ on local effort, by each one of you. Lay your plans 
 for the new students, so often left in ignorance of the work. Bring 
 them in. The work must be done out of love to the Son of God, and 
 carried out by the Holy Spirit. 
 
 “ What have you made up your minds to do next term ? ” 
 
 Delegates from various colleges then got up and mentioned certain 
 practical plans they had in view, the result of this Conference. The 
 following are some of these :— 
 
 Edinburgh (ladies).—There the various Associations were going to 
 unite and accept the responsibility of the new members. Praying 
 bands of three girls each are to be started for definite objects. Finance 
 is going to be committed to God; Bible study is going to be encouraged ; 
 missionary volunteers are to be recruited. The religious libraries 
 are to be well looked after, and the meeting rooms kept tidy and 
 dusted. 
 
 Oxford .—The five men in the Oxford tent at the camp felt the 
 enormous responsibility upon them. They are going to send letters to 
 every individual they can interest in the work, and they are going to 
 pray for great things. It is their intention to return earlier than usual 
 to pick up the freshmen, and on the Saturday evening to invite them 
 to hear Mr. Webster’s University sermon next day. The football and 
 boating secretaries “collar” their men within the first twenty-four 
 hours. Shall the Christian Union secretaries do less? 
 
 The Oxford delegate closed with the plea that keen Christian people 
 should not taboo Oxford and always send their sons to Cambridge, and 
 urged the necessity of the proposed Hannington Hall to be a nucleus of 
 Christian work. 
 
 Edinburgh .—We are going to circulate Mr. Mott’s address, and to 
 call a meeting on reassembling, to put before those who have not been 
 to Keswick what has been seen and heard here. We want thirty to 
 forty volunteers to visit and gather in the freshmen, helping them to 
 choose their classes and their churches, for we mean to have a good 
 
32 
 
 week’s campaign for freshmen, and we mean to ask for freshmen s 
 sermons in the churches on the opening Sunday of the term. Wh 
 hope to catch them coming out of the examination 100 ms. Edin¬ 
 burgh students, come up early, and pray for the work all the time till 
 
 then. 
 
 Cambridge .—The delegate announced that quite unexpectedly several 
 of the officers elect of the Christian Unions represented belonged to the 
 same College, and had been brought to Keswick under one tent ;_they 
 were going to make a grand united start next term. Tlie Christian 
 Union is to be more centralized; and the daily prayer-meeting is to be 
 better worked up ; lastly, the Missionary Union is to he specially 
 attended to. 
 
 Aberystwyth .—We have everything to do when we get back. Prayer, 
 early return, circulation of information, institution of a New College 
 Missionary ' Society, the establishment of the morning watch of a 
 good hour, securing a building, developing the Volunteer Union, 
 and arranging for a long visit from the travelling secretary. But 
 don’t forget to pray for Bangor, and Cardiff also, and the theological 
 
 colleges. 
 
 Cardiff. _A very special attention to missions was announced. 
 
 Glasgow —The small Bible-reading circles have proved a training 
 oround for further work. Let the students confine their efforts to the 
 colleges, till, like the Christian students of some American colleges,' 
 they°have captured the debating societies and athletic clubs, and the 
 whole tone of University life is purified, not being content with 
 working in the town and Sunday-schools, but taking up this work 
 around them for Christ’s sake. 
 
 After Mr. Williams had summed up the suggestions made, counting 
 over a dozen, and had called to mind the humble spirit needed to 
 undertake them, adding that carelessness and prayerlessness mean failure, 
 Mr. Mott gave a closing address :— 
 
 The Students’ Conference of last year has been shown by its results 
 to have been a success. What about this year? Everything depends 
 on how we set to work when we return to college. The first week of 
 term is worth far more than the next two or three months. Put in a 
 field week for God. Athletic and glee clubs do so. 
 
 One of your editors has written a hook on “ If Christ came to 
 Chicago,” a book in which, with shame, we say that there is more truth 
 than anything else. Now, what if Christ came to our Universities? 
 How would He regard the need, and what would we do to meet it ? 
 That is.the question for us. 
 
 Now I want you to read three books. Eirst, the Acts of the 
 Apostles, with your college in view; secondly, “With Christ in the 
 School of Prayer,” by the Rev. Andrew Murray; and thirdly, Finney’s 
 first eight revival lectures, for you will find there more things with 
 which you will agree than otherwise. 
 
 When we return we want revivals, but they must begin with our¬ 
 selves. Two men began to pray for a revival in an American college, 
 and in a month or so they were joined by twenty; soon their prayer- 
 
33 
 
 meetings rose to 90 or 100. The revival had begun. If you pray for 
 three months without being answered, that’s all the more reason for 
 going on praying. I have noticed more prayer in this Conference than 
 in any other summer camp I have known, and that is extremely pro¬ 
 mising. At Holyoake Seminary there was wont to be a revival every 
 year, but the cause was not discovered till Mary Lyon died, and it was 
 found from her papers that every year at a certain time she had begun 
 to pray for this revival. There are some college walls represented here 
 that are going to be wonderfully shaken this year. 
 
 Let your work be personal, tactful, intelligent (this by making it a 
 special study), and sincere (by being filled with the Spirit of Christ). 
 Let definite men work for definite men in the football team, in the 
 literary society, in the debating club. One year at Yale there were 
 twenty-two such secret personal definite workers in communication with 
 a central head, but all working unknown to one another, and soon 
 forty men accepted Christ. That was how one revival started. 
 
 tl 
 
PART II. 
 
 THE STUDENT VOLUNTEER MISSIONARY 
 
 UNION. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 The Volunteer in College. 
 
 f 
 
 By Donald Eraser, Trav. Sec., S.V.M.U. 
 
 (.Monday morning, July oOth.) 
 
 My subject this morning is “The Volunteer in College.’’ I shall 
 speak of him in four relationships. 1. In relation to himself; 2, to 
 his fellow-student; 3, to the missionary band ; and 4, to the Volunteer 
 Union. 
 
 I. In relation to himself. 
 
 One of the first purposes of the declaration which we have all signed 
 is to give definiteness of purpose to our life, that we may make some 
 preparation before going to the foreign field. In other words, volunteers 
 are to be intelligent on missionary questions. My first point then is, 
 “ Read all you can on foreign missions.” Missionary facts are the fuel 
 for missionary fire. We have frequently seen men, after being greatly 
 moved at a meeting, consecrate themselves to foreign mission work. 
 But as the days go on they cool down, and are sorry that they have 
 compromised themselves, and said that they would go. How is this ? 
 Largely because they have not fed the fire of their enthusiasm with 
 information. 
 
 We are living amid great and crying needs, and he whose heart has 
 been touched with the love of Christ will desire to meet these needs. 
 But there is a greater lying beyond ; and the good is often the enemy 
 of the best. We need to lift up our eyes if we are to realize that fields 
 are ready for the harvest. I have never known a man who went 
 through an education in missionary literature who did not in the end 
 come out an enthusiast for missions, even though he never went to the 
 foreign fields. Opposition to missions is born of ignorance, and bred on 
 second-hand misrepresentation. 
 
 Let volunteers then read all the missionary books they can lay hands 
 on. Get to know the condition of the fields, and for what field they 
 
35 
 
 are best suited. The man who succeeds in India might fail in Africa, 
 and vice versa. When you have fixed your field read up about its 
 history, customs, religions, what efforts have already been made there, 
 and what lessons have been learned from the experience of the past. 
 Every volunteer should read at least half-a-dozen missionary books a 
 year. 
 
 The following are, in my opinion, the best dozen. 1. The Bible; 
 2. Personal Life of David Livingstone; 3. A. M. Mackay, of Uganda; 
 4. Wm. Carey, by Dr. Geo. Smith; 5. Henry Martyn, by Dr. Geo. 
 Smith; G. James Gilmour, of Mongolia; 7. J. G. Paton; 8. Crisis of 
 Missions, by Dr. Pierson; 9. The Holy Spirit in Missions, by Dr. A. 
 J. Gordon; 10. In the Far East, by Miss G. Guinness; 11. Short 
 History of Missions, by Dr. Smith; 12. Medical Missions, by Dr. John 
 Lowe. 
 
 Every volunteer, and certainly every band, should seek to have 
 these in his library. And perhaps I might add that a foreign mission 
 library is one of the cheapest that can be found. I know no class of 
 books which you can get so cheaply in a second-hand book shop, and 
 which are at the same time so valuable. 
 
 And now about magazines. One may not approve of the general 
 habit of magazine reading. Yet, that we may have an intelligent idea 
 of the present state of the world, we must read missionary magazines. 
 The whole world seems to be moving on at express speed towards a new 
 era, and we must be acquainted with its movements. What was true 
 of Africa three years ago is not true of it to-day. What was true of 
 Japan two years ago is not true of it to-day. What was true of Corea 
 three months ago is not true of it to-day. 
 
 The following are the best seven magazines. All bands should try to 
 get in as many of them as possible. 1. The Missionary Review of the 
 World ; 2. Carlyle’s new magazine, Missions of the World ; 3. The 
 C.M.S. Intelligencer; 4. The L.M.S. Chronicle; 5. Regions Beyond; 
 6. Perhaps the F.C. of Scotland Monthly Record; 7, and last, but most 
 important, the Student Volunteer. Might I suggest that bands should 
 order a copy of the American Student Volunteer. It can be had through 
 our central office. 
 
 My second and third points I shall reserve till later on. 
 
 II. The Volunteer in relation to his fellow-student. 
 
 I can well remember the missionary meeting of the Convention three 
 years ago, when Wilder spoke for the first time in Britain. He told the 
 story of the American movement, and pointed out how its progress was 
 due to men using their peculiar advantages as students to infect their 
 fellows and their colleges with their enthusiasm. Three of us from 
 Glasgow who were going out to the foreign field felt rebuked and 
 humbled as we remembered the opportunities we had lost. Fellow- 
 students, this is what we want to realize, that perhaps at no time in our 
 whole life shall we have so large an opportunity of working for foreign 
 Missions as during our college days. We are living among men almost 
 every one of whom can be a foreign missionary if the Lord will only lead 
 him to see his privilege. If we gain one other missionary, we have 
 
 d 2 
 
36 
 
 doubled our own life. If we get ten or twenty, we have made our life 
 ten or twenty-fold more productive. Every volunteer should be a 
 recruiting sergeant for Foreign Missions ; he should leave behind him 
 one or more who will reproduce his influence and work. To do this 
 (1) we must have enthusiasm ; indifferentism among Christians breeds 
 the sceptics of our day, and indifferentism among volunteers will never 
 lead men to the foreign field. We should have an enthusiasm so 
 consecrated that unconsciously there shall proceed from our life that 
 which will create a missionary atmosphere in our college, and compel 
 men to ask themselves, i( Why am not I also a volunteer h ” (2) We 
 
 can speak much about Missions. We must not bore men, and make our 
 subject a general nuisance to them, but when opportunity offers, and we 
 have something of interest to say, let us seek to familiarize them with 
 the facts of the foreign field. (3) We can lend our books to men, with 
 chapters marked. Give at first only what is intensely interesting. In 
 Olivet College the volunteers stick up in the library every Friday a list 
 of missionary books for Sunday reading, and of missionary magazines 
 with striking articles, so that men may take them home and read them. 
 They have a special committee to read and select the books and maga¬ 
 zines. Princeton has a number of reading circles. Volunteers get half- 
 a-dozen other men up to their rooms on Sundaj 7- night. Together they 
 read striking chapters out of interesting missionary books, and then 
 discuss what they have read in a thoroughly informal way. And they 
 find that most of their new volunteers are got out of these reading 
 circles. (4) Let the volunteers hold at the beginning of the term a 
 reception, to which all freshmen and others are invited. There let them 
 explain the purpose of the Union, and invite men to attend the meetings 
 and co-operate in the diffusion of a larger missionary enthusiasm. 
 (5) And lastly, volunteers should arrange to hold once a year a mis¬ 
 sionary conference. This is specially useful where there are medical stu¬ 
 dents. Get these all invited by card or letter. Get your speakers to point 
 out the large sphere of influence of the medical missionary, and make the 
 men feel that the question for them is, “ Where can I best help the world 1 ” 
 
 Let all this be done not simply to gain more volunteers, but also to 
 leave behind us intelligent Christian leaders who, as ministers or doctors, 
 will be our loyal supporters while we are in the foreign field. 
 
 III. The Volunteer in relation to the Band Meeting. 
 
 Iam sorry to say that there are very few colleges in which a vigorous 
 band meeting is held. Its necessity and possibilities are not yet fully 
 recognized by volunteers. For successful meetings we must have 
 (1) good officers. Do not put a man into the office of president or 
 secretary who has no time to work his department, and no enthusiasm 
 for Foreign Missions. He largely creates the atmosphere of the band. 
 If you have a slipshod secretary, there is every chance that you will 
 have a slipshod band. (2) Have frequent meetings ; half-an-hour once a 
 week is better than an hour once a fortnight. Students have an unfortu¬ 
 nate habit of forgetting which is the fortnight. Let your meetings be 
 held at an hour when you are not too pressed for time, and when men 
 can give their best powers to the subjects under discussion. Begin 
 
37 
 
 ♦ 
 
 promptly, and close sharply. Do not wait for men to arrive; that 
 always gives a careless look to your meeting. Do not be too informal; 
 let a little ritual be observed to give orderliness to your meeting. 
 Insist on thorough preparation, not only by the teacher, but by every 
 volunteer. (3) Let the band be organized and carried on in the way 
 that is best suited to your peculiar college life. For this purpose let 
 volunteers read and re-read Mr. Byrde’s pamphlet on Missionary Bands. 
 
 I am not inclined to think that attendance should be limited to volun¬ 
 teers. This, especially in theological colleges, is apt to create caste 
 feeling. Get those interested in Missions to attend, but keep a roll of 
 members and associates ; a drifting and fluctuating attendance is deadly 
 to the life of the band. (4) Let the subjects of your discussion be 
 systematically arranged. For one term you might study one field, say 
 Africa, in all its bearings ; for another term study phases of mission 
 work, &c. I should strongly advise all bands to adopt the “fact 
 meeting ” idea, vide Mr. Byrde’s pamphlet. (5) Develop the,missionary 
 section of your college libraries. In many colleges the senate have 
 shown that they are very glad to have the volunteers keeping them up 
 to date in missionary books. Where it is not possible to influence the 
 senate so, let volunteers get up a library of their own. Each volunteer 
 can present one book, and so form a nucleus, and we shall find that the 
 friends of Missions will be glad to help us by giving more. (6). Make 
 prayer a very prominent feature in your meetings; it is not sufficient to 
 open and close with prayer; let at least fifteen minutes be given out of 
 the hour to pure prayer. Pray for the S.V.M.U., for the executive, 
 general secretary, and travelling secretaries. Pray for every missionary 
 who has gone out of your college by name. The leader should have 
 before him at every meeting a list of those who have sailed. He should 
 divide them out one by one among the members. Then to your knees, 
 and pray fervently to the Lord of the world, Who recognizes not the 
 limits of distance, but answers the believing prayer of His people. You 
 will find that quarter of an hour spent so in definite prayer will make 
 each band meeting a place of spiritual stimulus, and a gate to the secret 
 places of the Most High. 
 
 IY. The Volunteer in relation to the Union; 
 
 Hitherto the colleges of Britain have been living isolated lives, having 
 little influence upon one another. How we have formed a line of 
 communication between them, and the life and stimulus of one is passed 
 on to another. And so this foreign Mission movement has spread into 
 sixty colleges, and has enrolled in its ranks over seven hundred students, 
 and we are in the midst of the largest, most influential, and most 
 permanent missionary revival that Great Britain has ever seen. There 
 has been no noise about it; many people do not know of its existence. 
 Yet, without sound, the full springtide of Missions seems to be rising, 
 touching and reaching places which hitherto have been standing high 
 and dry beyond the reach of previous movements. From the first there 
 has been little criticism of the Union ; the Church of Christ has accepted 
 it as the work of God. We are not aware of a single missionary board 
 which has stood aloof, sceptical, and refusing to believe in us. Now 
 
38 
 
 they are even becoming enthusiastic about us. We have the approval 
 of the heathen, too ; in their darkness and helplessness they are glad to 
 see us waking up to help. We have the approval of Christ Himself, 
 for we believe this movement has been begun and continued by Him. 
 What more do we want ? We want the approval—nay, more, the 
 enthusiastic loyalty of every volunteer. The Union is our own. It is 
 not the concern of one man, or of an executive, but of every missionary 
 student in Great Britain. We have created it, planned it, and fostered 
 it, and we can only maintain it by the permanent loyalty of each one of 
 us. How can we show our loyalty? (1) Keep in touch with the office. 
 When circulars and communications are sent out, attend to them at 
 once ; answer them fully and promptly. Send in reports of your work 
 to the General Secretary or your member of Executive. Ask their 
 advice about matters concerning your local work. (2) Buy and read the 
 Student Volunteer . If you think it is not interesting or useful enough, 
 tell the editor, and send him suggestions. If there are interesting 
 features in your local work, send an article to the Student Volunteer 
 about it. Advertise, boom the magazine, so that many who are not 
 volunteers, and are not students, may become subscribers. (3) Discuss 
 the problems of the Volunteer Union, and tell the Executive of your 
 opinion. I erhaps we might make volunteers better acquainted with 
 these, if we put a note of the more important questions in the magazine, 
 e.g How best to reach medical students; How to avoid caste feeling. 
 
 (4) Come to the conference, and organize delegations six months 
 before. See that the best and most influential men are sent as delegates. 
 YVhen the conference is over, report it to the college. After the Detroit 
 conference was over the delegates went back to their colleges and held 
 mass meetings. at which they retold the proceedings. At these not a 
 little of the stimulus and inspiration that the delegates had received 
 was passed on to the other students. 
 
 r (5) Help the . Union financially. It is now a serious question how 
 we are to maintain ourselves with our present income. And when we 
 oo v over our accounts it is depressing to see how little is contributed 
 by students. One of our first duties is to support ourselves. We have 
 seven hundred volunteers, of whom about six hundred are still at home. 
 
 e need an income of <£600. Supposing we get £300 of that from 
 outside agencies, we students ought to raise another £300, that is, 
 ten shdhngs each. There are one hundred and fifty students who can 
 codect ±1 each, and three hundred who can collect ten shillings each 
 itiat would secure for us an income of £300 with very little effort. At 
 
 present three or four men are raising the whole sum, and that is over¬ 
 taxing their time and energy. 
 
 Now in closing let me say two things which I should have said when 
 speaking of the volunteer in relation to himself. 
 
 Let volunteers cultivate a spirit of Prayer. This is essential for our 
 success as volunteers at home, and as missionaries in the foreign fields, 
 it is not a suddenly acquired art. The more we pray, the more we love 
 
 w-f 7 ' 7. ,, less „ we P ra y. the less we care to pray. It was at the 
 
 lams o ege Haystack Prayer-meeting that half-a-dozen men con- 
 
39 
 
 secrated themselves to foreign missions, and ^ent forth to rouse 
 America to care for the heathen. It was from that prayer-meeting that 
 the first great American missionary movement began early in this 
 century. It was Wilder’s weeks of prayer before the Mount Hermon 
 gathering that began the great Volunteer Movement which is now 
 spreading over the world. It was Smith and Studd’s believing prayer 
 that awakened Cambridge and Edinburgh, and shook all Britain. And 
 it will be the persistent believing prayer of every British volunteer that 
 will solidify, extend, and quicken this new missionary revival. We 
 may issue our Prayer Cycles, appoint our seasons of special prayer, and 
 organize all the machinery which accompanies God’s outpouring, and 
 yet little may be seen. But give me fifty consecrated men of God, who 
 can go into their rooms for one hour or two hours daily, and there 
 speak with God face to face, and we shall have the colleges of Britain 
 fired with a great flame of love to Christ and the world, which has been 
 kindled by these prayers. 
 
 Pastor Gossner got one hundred and forty-four missionaries to sail, and 
 at his funeral this was said, “ He prayed mission stations into being, 
 and missionaries into faith; he prayed open the hearts of the rich, and 
 gold from the most distant lands.” Fellow-students learn to pray now, 
 for the time is not far off when prayer will be your right hand, your 
 strong stick on which to lean when no other is at hand. “ Let no 
 man venture out to the mission field,” said an old missionary, ‘ until 
 he has learned to stand alone with God.” Give us praying volunteers 
 and we shall have praying missionaries. Give us praying missionaries, 
 and we shall send out to Africa and India dynamite which will explode 
 the most hoary systems, and the most degraded superstitions. I his is 
 the testimony of a missionary of the American Board ,—“ I do desire to 
 say, gravely and earnestly, that my missionary life has been successful, 
 so far as I have been prayerful, and non-successful so far as in prayerful¬ 
 ness I have been lax.” 
 
 Last of all, and this is inseparably connected with what I have just 
 said, cultivate a deeper spirituality . Enthusiasm for missions is simply 
 enthusiasm for Christ. It is the spirit of devotion taking action on 
 definite lines. As well try to kindle a fire by blowing into dead coals, 
 as to rouse a quickened interest in missions when there is no spark of 
 devotion to Jesus there. We have found that where the spiritual life 
 of a college is deepest, there the S.V.M.U. has made most progress. 
 This has been the basis of its operations. AVe would not have a man 
 go out from a feeling of the romance, interest, or heroism of missions, 
 but solely out of a spirit of loyalty to Jesus, and “ in uttermost obedience 
 to our King.” 
 
 Alvarez, who is now in Sierra Leone, told the Belfast students or a 
 lady who, when asked why she had not gone out to China before, 
 replied, “ Because I had not a salvation worth passing on. Ho any of 
 us shrink because we cannot tell that Christ has done more for us than 
 Buddha, Confucius or Mahommed do for their followers 1 
 
 AVe are getting together an elaborate intellectual and practical equip¬ 
 ment ; see to it that we are not neglecting the spiritual equipment, for 
 
40 
 
 that is the most important. Now let our characters be firmly rooted in 
 God, and when we are far away from conventions, and the stimulus of 
 friendship, we shall not find Him to fail. 
 
 What we want is, that every volunteer should now he like Zinzendorf, 
 “with one passion, and that is, He, and He only.” Then our life will 
 begin to tell for missions at home. Hermann Franke, Professor of 
 Theology at Halle, awakened in those who came in contact with him a 
 spirit of absolute devotedness to the Kingdom of God such as he 
 himself possessed. They felt the thrill of his consecration, and were 
 ready to go wherever they were needed. This was the means of sending 
 out those giants among early missionaries, Ziegenbalg, Schwartz, and 
 Zinzendorf. And they said, “ Henceforth that place is my home, 
 where I can have the greatest opportunity of labouring for my dear 
 Saviour.” Then when we go abroad we shall find the power of holiness 
 following us. And long before we can speak the language our lives 
 will be a living picture of the power and joy of the Gospel of God. 
 “ Holiness,” says Dr. Stalker, “is a flower which the world knows it is 
 incapable of producing out of its own soil,” and when it sees that, it 
 will begin to listen with unprejudiced ears to what we have to say 
 about the power of God which has produced it. 
 
 David Livingstone says in his diary that a quick temper was his 
 besetting sin. If that was so, what an example of God’s grace we have 
 in his patient forbearance with his carriers and with petty chiefs under 
 the most annoying circumstances. Hear .what Stanley says after his 
 six months’ stay with him in Central Africa. “ God grant that if ever 
 you take to travelling in Africa you will get as noble and true a man 
 for your companion as David Livingstone. ... I am a man of quick 
 temper, and often without sufficient cause, I daresay, have broken the 
 ties of friendship ; but with Livingstone I never had cause for re¬ 
 sentment, but each day’s life with him added to my admiration for 
 him.” 
 
 Whence came this character 1 ? Let us look again into Livingstone’s 
 diary. Five days after Stanley’s departure, on his birthday, he wrote, 
 “ My Jesus, my King, my Life, my all, I again dedicate my whole self 
 to Thee. Accept me, and grant, 0 gracious Father, that ere this year 
 is gone I may finish my task. In Jesus’ Name I ask it. Amen, so let 
 it be.” % 
 
 And so David Livingstone completed that solemn consecration in the 
 loneliness of Africa which we have been completing among the crowds 
 of Keswick. And God took him and “ conformed him to tire image of 
 His Son.” 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The Volunteer out of College. 
 
 By Donald Eraser. 
 
 (:Thursday morning , August 2nd.) 
 
 This new Foreign Mission Movement which is embodied in the S.V.M.U. 
 must not he limited to the colleges, or its purpose will fail. We may 
 excite a keen interest among the students, and get hundreds, perhaps 
 thousands to volunteer, but who is to send them 1 Their enthusiasm 
 will not do it. This movement must have its counterpart in a move¬ 
 ment among the churches. If we give our lives and go, they must give 
 their lives °and send. Christ’s command is not a manifesto to the 
 colleges, it is for the whole Church ; and as loyal disciples we must all, 
 in some way, be obedient. We can fulfil it though we never leave 
 British shores, for the work of the foreign missionary is not confined by 
 space. It is a spiritual office, and recognizes no such limitations. 
 Hence many a poor woman in her little attic is to-day, by her devotion to 
 Christ, and her enthusiasm for missions, fulfilling this office in no ordi¬ 
 nary way. She is flashing her power and inspiration, uhiough Cod & 
 invisible communications, into the dark places of the world. And a new 
 hope and a fresh vigour have come to the lonely missionaries out in the 
 distant parts, which have come from her. This is what we want to im¬ 
 press on Christ’s Church, that every consecrated disciple must be a 
 
 foreign missionary. . 
 
 As student volunteers we have peculiar powers to interest and influence 
 the Church at home. We ought, each one, to leave behind us a mis¬ 
 sionary atmosphere which we have helped to create. What shall we do 
 
 (1) We can interest individuals. This was Christ s method. He 
 singled out Peter and John, and the others, taught them duiing the 
 three years of His work, and then left them to fill up what was lack¬ 
 ing in His sufferings.” And so was Paul called, and so did he choose 
 out Timothy and Silas, and left them in charge of the churches which 
 he had planted. I have already spoken of what we can do in this way 
 among our fellow-students. But we must not stop there. Let us pick 
 out from among the young men and women of our church a few of the 
 most intelligent and devoted. Talk to them frequently about missions, 
 give them books to read, and bring them to missionary meetings. Out 
 of these we shall make new missionaries and home leaders of missions, 
 
42 
 
 who will intelligently and prayerfully back us up when we are in the 
 distant fields. One of our volunteers has been spending two years in a 
 curacy before sailing. During that time he has created a missionary 
 enthusiasm where none existed before. And he has led half-a-dozen 
 promising fellows to offer themselves for missionary work. 
 
 We are to be the dynamos of missionary impulse, and wherever we 
 go, and into whatever society we are cast, we are to make men feel the 
 thrill of our enthusiasm. 
 
 (2) We can start missionary bands in our churches. I have before 
 me the syllabus of a band which Mr. Byrde has started in St. Peter’s. 
 From what I saw of its members, I should say that it is going to be a 
 hotbed for missionaries. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It is 
 gratifying to find the Church of Scotland starting a Volunteer Missionary 
 Union for its ordinary church members. This is largely the outcome of 
 a suggestion made by the Glasgow volunteers. Then I have with me a 
 prayer-card for missions, issued by the Free Church, which is also the 
 result of volunteer suggestions. In England you have the Gleaners’ 
 Union, the Matchers’ Band, and the B.B.H.U. Could not each volun¬ 
 teer see that in connection witli his church one of these bands exist ? 
 And if his society has as yet no such organization, let him try to influence 
 it to start some such for the whole church. 
 
 (3) Address the S.S. and Y.P.S.C.E. as often as you can on foreign 
 missions. Ihere are few people so open to missionary interest as are 
 young people; but when you speak before them, you must be interest¬ 
 ing. It will not do to discuss the general principles of missions, or to 
 give a missionary sermon. Let your address be rather a connected string 
 of thrilling facts and incidents. Use what will interest them. I believe 
 very strongly in speaking of the romance of missions to children. The 
 stories of John M 7 illiams and James Gilmour and James Chalmers, appeal 
 to them more than the stories of Carey and Martyn. When they grow 
 older and understand the price of the Gospel, then devotion to Christ 
 will be their leading motive. But in their fairy days, when they live 
 largely in a world of adventure, excite their interest by stories of mis¬ 
 sionary heroism and danger. Use charts, pictures, and foreign curiosities 
 to illustrate your talk. Do not do all the talking yourself. It is better 
 to have one or two others with you to speak. Ask questions so as to 
 make the children speak. Have short pointed prayers and plenty of 
 singing. 
 
 (4) Hold missionary meetings for school-boys. This is very impor¬ 
 tant, and can be made very effective. I shall ask Mr. Fletcher, of Edin¬ 
 burgh University, to tell you about the great school-boy missionary 
 meetings which were held in Edinburgh, and Mr. Thornton to speak 
 about the sea-side missionary meetings. 
 
 (5) Bouse the churches. Ignorance is the cause of the indifference of 
 Christians. Let us go to them with burning facts which shall set their 
 hearts on fire with zeal for missions. Many of us have frequent oppor¬ 
 tunities of speaking in the pulpit. Let us use every possible chance of 
 giving a missionary sermon, not simply an argumentation, but a burning 
 appeal, based on facts, and with a definite purpose. 
 
43 
 
 f 
 
 Some bands have organized deputations to the churches. They send 
 a circular-letter to all the ministers of a certain town, ashing them to 
 co-operate in holding a mass missionary meeting. If it is to be held on 
 a week-night, they choose Wednesday, the prayer-meeting night. The 
 churches all close their doors for that night, and all denominations 
 gather together in one church. Three or four volunteers are sent down. 
 
 A leading minister takes the chair, and many others sit round the plat¬ 
 form. Then the volunteers speak. The first one speaks on the history 
 of the movement, the next on the success of mission work, the next on 
 the needs of the world, and the last closes with a pointed, earnest 
 appeal for money and for men. If the campaign is held on a Sabbath, 
 the volunteers speak in the pulpits at the forenoon or afternoon service; 
 and in the evening all the churches combine in one great missionary 
 meeting. In Scotland these campaigns have been a great success. 
 
 There are many ways of speaking on missions. “ Some men speak so 
 that the audience pities them, and some that they pity Africa. Some 
 speak to create a laugh, and are able to draw so ludicrous a picture of 
 India and Polynesia, that these places seem to be the funniest places in 
 the world.” We want to tell men that the world is dying and we are 
 responsible. Let volunteers adopt a manly strain. Some are always 
 talking of the sacrifice. There is no new sacrifice. That was all made 
 when we gave ourselves to Christ and became His bond-slaves. Men of 
 the world are making greater sacrifices every day for the sake of a little 
 gold or reputation. And if the world is dying, and we love Christ, the 
 only sacrifice is in staying, while we hear the cry and are not able to 
 answer. Let volunteers observe the flight of time. Don’t spoil a good 
 impression by being wearisomely long. 
 
 One often hears it urged as an objection to volunteering, “ All the 
 societies are showing a deficit, and the cry all around is ‘ Retrench, 
 Retrench ! ’ If we apply, the boards have no money to send us. Will 
 that keep us back 1 Difficulties were made to be overcome. They are 
 not necessarily hindrances. While Gfod is not bankrupt there is an 
 abundance of riches for His work. If Carey, the shoemaker, with 
 scarcely enough money to keep soul and body together, with a first 
 collection of 13Z. 2 t s\ 6d., became a missionary, surely we too can over¬ 
 come financial difficulty and go. One of the American volunteers came 
 to his board and said, “ I want to go to India.” They said, “ We 
 have no money.” “ Well, I’m going.” “ But we cannot send you. 
 
 “ Give me permission to go to the churches and Sabbath schools, and tell 
 them.” They told him to go. In a short time he came back with 
 money enough to support himself, and half-a-dozen others. We hear of 
 another who in six weeks raised five thousand dollars. And we are 
 not going to be wanting in determination. The best means of going is 
 meaning to go. 
 
 Pastor Louis Harms could get no sympathy with lus idea for the 
 evangelization of South Africa. “What was to be done? Straight¬ 
 forward makes the best runner. I prayed fervently to the Lord 
 and laid the matter in His hands, and as I rose up at midnight 
 from my knees, I said in a voice that almost startled me in the quiet 
 
44 
 
 room, ‘ Forward now, in God’s name! ’ From that moment there 
 never came a thought of doubt into my mind.” After 31 years, he, a 
 humble preacher, had sent out 350 missionaries, and after 40 years had 
 gathered a church of 13,000 members. He writes in his diary, “ Last 
 year, 1857, I needed for the mission 1500 crowns, and the Lord gave 
 me that and 60 over. This year I needed double, and the Lord has given 
 me double and 140 over.” 
 
 The same God is our God. He who sent Philip, Peter, and Paul 
 over the old world to preach the Gospel, when the church was poor and 
 feeble, He who was the God of Carey, Harms, and Franke, of Taylor, 
 Wilkinson, and Muller, He, the same God, will provide for our need 
 out of His riches. We have heard God crying in His Holy Temple, 
 “ Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And we have said, 
 “ Here am I, Lord, send me.” And the Lord, we are assured, has 
 accepted our service, and said “ Go.” Then nothing will keep us back, 
 for in the name of the Lord of Hosts we will go forward. If our own 
 boards will not send us, others may be waiting for us. If they have no¬ 
 means, there are churches waiting to burn with the fire from our 
 enthusiasm. 
 
 We believe that we are in the midst of a serious crisis. The guilt of 
 the past generations’ and centuries’ neglect is crying out against us. 
 The open doors of the nations invite us. Ten hundred and thirty 
 million who know not Christ cry for us. The commands of our Lord 
 and Master compel us. We must go forward. 
 
 There are not enough of missionaries already. Thousands more must 
 be sent, and the Church of Christ is wealthy enough to send them. 
 People think we are doubting God’s power, and are unnecessarily 
 multiplying the machinery. But God has chosen not to work without 
 means. When Joan of Arc was appealing for soldiers, a Dominican 
 monk remonstrated with her for want of confidence in God. She 
 replied, “We want men of arms to fight the battle, and God will give 
 the victory.” And we say of Africa and China, “How shall they 
 believe in Him of W 7 hom they have not heard, and how shall they hear 
 without a preacher ? ” 
 
 Shall we wait, then, till the opinion of the Church is formed, and they 
 are ready to send us ? God’s opinion is formed. Eighteen hundred 
 years ago He has given the command, “Forward.” We shall go forth, 
 then, that the Church may follow. Luther did not w T ait till the 
 Church was ready, nor did Carey. They stepped out at the Lord’s 
 beckoning. And w T e too are going to the front because Christ is ahead, 
 and is calling us to follow. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 “The Evangelization of the World in this Generation.” 
 
 (The Motto of the American Volunteers.) 
 
 By R. E. Speer, of Princeton University. 
 
 {Tuesday night, July 31 st.) 
 
 There are duties ■which belong to the members of a family by virtue of 
 their position. Uo one would think that the little child owed to the 
 family the same obligations that rest on the shoulders of the eldest son. 
 Yet on that little child and eldest son are the obligations to he loving, 
 and kind, and true. This distinction between general and special duties 
 we can see anywhere. You can trace it in the great family of nations 
 iust as in the home. Ho one would think that the same obligations 
 rest upon the republic of Switzerland as upon a great nation like this 
 or that across the seas. We have special faculties, we rest in special 
 obligations, and yet that little government would be no more justified 
 in thrusting liquor upon an unwilling people than Great Britain is in 
 thrusting opium upon China. You can trace this as well in the long 
 family of generations of the Church.' d he early Church bore its own 
 responsibility, fulfilled its own duties. Our problems to-day are distinct 
 from those of the Reformation times. There is a larger call for us to be 
 true to the Son of God, to represent Him fairly to the world, and thus 
 seek to preach the Gospel to every nation. There is a distinction ic- 
 served for us in having this thought and obligation laid upon us to 
 evangelize the world. There is an advantage in this word, that, it 
 serves as a rallying-cry for those who have this faith in Jesus to give 
 their lives to this end. There has been more than one instance in the 
 course of history when some clever politician got up a catching watch¬ 
 word which settled men, and gave the victory to the idea. Our obliga- f 
 tion, the obligation of the Church, is to evangelize the world.. My 
 brothers, it is the obligation of the Church to evangelize the world in one 
 generation. There is no other way ever to do it. There is no such thing 
 as a world of generations. The population of this world to which Jesus i 
 Christ sent you and me lasts but a generation, and if His last command 
 is to be carried out, it must be done in a single generation. I would 
 not pretend to speak of such a great theme as that in a few minutes, 
 but I want to ask your attention to this one part of it : the possibility 
 of evangelizing the world in this generation. Let us understand what 
 
46 
 
 is meant. The evangelization of the world does not mean the conversion 
 of the world. I believe the world will be converted ; that just as surely 
 as God is God there will come a time when every knee shall bow, and 
 this earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters 
 cover the sea. But we find ourselves helpless before a single soul. 
 Neither you nor I ever converted one. How much less the world ! The 
 Lord did not tell us to do that. He kept that power in His own hands, 
 and told us to do what He bade us do in clear terms. Secondly, it does 
 / ; not mean the civilization of the world. It is too often confounded with 
 that, dhere is only one way to civilize the world, and that is by the 
 Gospel. But Jesus Christ did not say, “ Go and civilize.” Neither 
 does it mean any hasty or ill-considered effort by mere running before 
 God s leading, not waiting for the heavenly vision. The evangelization 
 f means what the Acts make it mean, the preaching of the Gospel intelli¬ 
 gently and intelligibly to every creature in the world, so that the 
 responsibility for that creature’s attitude rests no longer with the Creator, 
 but on himsell. May I speak about one or two things that may appeal 
 to us more strongly in the light of the thought that is coming to us just 
 now? Will yon notice what a power that gives ns to comfort those 
 who say that there is need enough for the Gospel here ? There is need 
 enough ; but, my brothers, is there as much claim here as there 1 Duty 
 is measured not always by the need. Many a starving man is too proud, 
 and declines the bread you offer. Another starving man has never had 
 it offered to him. Is it your duty always to press the food upon the 
 proud ? 
 
 It is very true that if a man does not want to do any one thing, he 
 will have no difficulty in demonstrating its impossibility. If our hearts 
 have not gone out to the crucified Christ; if our hearts are not quick to 
 catch the wail of those for whom our Saviour died, we shall not have 
 difficulty in brushing aside those and their claims. We can brush aside 
 in a moment a great many obstacles that otherwise may confront us. 
 It may be impossible for a man to do his duty. There are klepto¬ 
 maniacs in the world, and men who have trained themselves to lie 
 until they cannot tell the truth. But they do not thereby relieve them¬ 
 selves of responsibility. It may be that the Church of Christ has shorn 
 herself of that belief that she can evangelize the world, but if she has, 
 the responsibility rests upon her still. And perhaps to show that the 
 thing is possible, may be an incentive to many of us. 
 
 May 1 say first, that to evangelize the world in this generation is 
 perfectly possible • so far as the world itself is concerned, the need of 
 the world was never so much known as it is to-day: Our grandfathers 
 did not know as much about China or Africa as the smallest child at 
 school does now. And there are sterner facts. There are at this 
 moment 700 dying hourly in Africa, 1000 hourly in India, and 1700 
 hourly in China, without God or hope in the world. Our grandfathers 
 did not know these things. Many countries were closed to them. 
 Every child of God is familiar with these facts now. How the sensi¬ 
 bility of the world has changed since the days when an educated lady 
 could send a gladiator to the death with the bare twitching of a nerve. 
 
47 
 
 For to-day tlie whole world is a bundle of nerves. The heart throbs 
 with pain for the extremest part. 
 
 Secondly, the doors of great nations are open to the light of the Gospel 
 as they have never been before. When William Carey tried to go to 
 India, he was precluded from sailing in an English ship. He had to 
 sail in a foreign vessel. And those who should have been the first to 
 bid him God-speed w T ere those who raised barrier after barrier. The 
 doors are open everywhere now. Only those who have not caught the 
 Spirit of Christ stand before those who have caught that Spirit. 
 
 Thirdly, in the heathen lands themselves the doors are open too, to let 
 the Gospel in. The walls are broken down. If there be one land left 
 where the Gospel cannot get in, there is only one ; for the Spirit 
 of our Master has gone before His children, opening up the field. 
 
 Fourthly, never before, as now, have heathen faiths confessed, as they 
 have confessed, their inability to cope with the claims of Christianity to 
 elevate the life, and fill the soul with God. The battle is practically 
 given up by the leaders of heathen religions. There is a voluntary 
 demand of "the heathen for the Gospel. God has not left Himself 
 without witnesses in their lands. And continually the voices are 
 crying, “ Come over and help us.” As far as the world is concerned, 
 there is nothing to prevent the evangelization of it if we fling ourselves 
 on the promises of God. 
 
 And again, there is no effective obstacle in the Church itself. We 
 have at present 200 missionary societies, which proves how widely God 
 has been equipping the Church. God has been buying, in the death of 
 His servants, a wealth of experience for His Church. And with all 
 this experience we send now 1 from every 4000 Christian men, and 1 
 from every 3000 Christian women. The Church has the men and 
 women, and it has also the means. It has been said that there is in 
 the possession of Christian people in gold and silver plate, ornaments, 
 jewellery of a useless character, as much as would send a fleet of 50,000 
 ships, ballasted with Bibles, and manned w T itli missionaries, so that the 
 world would be belted with a mighty weapon of Gospel truth. 
 
 And then we have the irresistible weapon of prayer in our hands 
 practically unused. If this need were a human one, a national plan, 
 the question of its possibility would not be doubted for a moment. 
 The armies of Europe use yearly 300 times as many men, and 900 
 times as much money as would do it. If this thing were put before 
 men to do in an enterprise in which they could get selfish gain, no. man 
 would be so foolhardy as to say that it could not be done. Mighty 
 sacrifices have been made for worldly ends and gains. Ilow shall we 
 stand face to face with Jesus Christ, and justify these sacrifices, while 
 .we have -left His last dying injunction unfulfilled ? If this, thing were a 
 human issue, the question of its possibility would not be raised. But it 
 is not a human issue. "We need to have addressed to us a question which 
 Luther’s wife addressed to him, “Is God dead?” when we reason here 
 over what He told us to do. Was He playing with us when He said these 
 words. “ Is God dead ? ” Where is the place for fears ? Who is it who 
 has spoken but He who sits on the throne, He who said, “All power is 
 
48 
 
 given unto Me.” God has arranged this matter; and it is speaking to us 
 with God’s voice, calling us with all the passion God can put into the 
 call. GocVs voice, not man’s voice, not the world’s voice, but His who 
 said, “ Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not 
 to Me.” You say it is all visionary and childlike. I answer, that where 
 there is no vision the people perish ; and, except ye become as little chil¬ 
 dren ye cannot be converted. And my appeal is to you, you students. 
 Will you lead the way 1 If you lead we’ll follow. Or will you give your 
 strength to us, and go hand in hand with us across the sea, to this 
 great work of breaking in the churches to the will of the Lord’s 
 command ? 
 
 # 
 
 
PART III. 
 
 CHRISTIAN WORK AND SPIRITUAL EQUIPMENT 
 
 FOR STUDENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Work by Students among Students and among Boys. 
 
 By Rev. G. H. C. MacGregor and Rev. Canon Taylor Smith (C.M.S.). 
 
 (Monday evening , July 30 th.) 
 
 The following is an outline of Mr. MacGregor’s address:— 
 
 I have been asked this evening to speak about “ work among 
 young men.” I rejoice in having this subject, for it is one that com¬ 
 mands all the sympathy I have got. 
 
 Let me speak for a little on what we are called to be in the eyes of 
 Christ and of our fellows, and as we think of that, we may learn what 
 the Gospel is we ought to preach to young men. 
 
 We find from the Bible that those who are Christ’s are called to 
 be “ saints.” But the term saint is not a favourite among young men. 
 They have the idea that a saint is a weakling, an unathletic, round- 
 shouldered being, utterly devoid of strength and manliness, gloomy and 
 unsociable. I would like if possible to redeem the word from the 
 contempt into which it has fallen. Now what is a saint h 
 
 I. One who is separated ; that is, one who is decided ; one who 
 has made up his mind, and taken his side. The call to be saints is 
 primarily a call to decision. And this call is one that should be 
 addressed to young men. Many men want to be Christ’s, but are 
 afraid to take a decided stand, and there are many who will go to the 
 devil rather than stand the sneers of their set. We must convince 
 men of the meanness of this, and call on them for decision. “ If God be 
 God, follow Him, but if Baal, follow him.” 
 
 But a saint is— 
 
 II. One w r ho is Holy. 
 
 e 
 
 ■■ 
 
50 
 
 This is another word that many young men do not like; But their 
 dislike arises from their misunderstanding the meaning of the word. 
 Holy has really two meanings. 
 
 (1) It means healthy : holiness is the health of the soul, as health 
 is the holiness of the body. To be holy then is to be freed from all 
 that defiles, enervates, weakens our character. It is to be delivered 
 from sin, that awful soul-disease. And this deliverance can only come 
 through Christ. 
 
 (2) It means whole : holiness is completeness of character, as well as 
 goodness of character. The idea that the Christian is a narrow man, 
 whose life is chiefly determined by the words “ thou shalt not,” is quite 
 false. Christ no doubt calls us to give up sin, but that is that we may 
 receive grace, which will make us like Him. The Christian life is the 
 widest, largest life the human soul is capable of. There is a place in 
 it foy athletics; for when the body is regarded as the temple of the Holy 
 Ghost, it will be kept pure and clear, and will be carefully trained ; 
 there is a place for literature, art, music, in it, for the earth is the 
 Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; and there is a place for politics, state 
 affairs, in it, for the Christian desires to see God’s will done on earth 
 as it is in Heaven. I would this last had been more remembered. Had 
 it been, our Parliaments had been differently composed, and our laws 
 differently framed. 
 
 But the saint is— 
 
 III. One who is health-giving. The call to be saints is a call to 
 decision, deliverance, duty, or otherwise to separation, sanctity, and 
 service. Sanctitas and sanitas come from the same root. Every bad 
 man is a death-centre in the world, and from him evil influences 
 radiate. And the mischief he does can only be undone by the multi¬ 
 plication of life-centres. How each saint is a life-centre. Wherever 
 lie is, he is a source of spiritual health, carrying blessings all round him. 
 
 This then is our call. Let us obey it ourselves, and sound it in the 
 ears of all the young men among whom we work. 
 
 W t ork for University Men among Boys. 
 
 Canon Taylor Smith said:— 
 
 There is no more promising field in the whole world than the boy’s 
 heart. The reason is this. In Africa, before any farm can be made by 
 the natives, they have to bring fire and hatchet to bear on the tropical 
 trees, &c., and for the first few years the crop is very poor. That is an 
 illustration of what we find in the grown-up folks’ hearts. As a minister, 
 I see more results when I speak to young hearts ; with the older people 
 you have to uproot the old prejudices, and to keep at them day after 
 day. So if you want to have a true bountiful return for your labour, 
 then enter into work among the boys. But you must enter into the 
 ploughing, for if you don’t plough up, the crop will not be great. It is 
 still a hard work. If you don’t do the sowing, the devil will; he never 
 
51 
 
 loses an opportunity. And I need not remind you of his work among 
 the boys of our public schools ; you know the havoc he makes. 
 
 I would hear special testimony to the Children’s Special Service 
 Mission. The world does not see the great work that this Mission is 
 doing in speaking to the boys at the seaside. In Africa, east and west, 
 there are children’s special service men, and also in India and Asia. I 
 would say if you have not had any share in this work, the sooner the 
 better. There is no better preparation for home or foreign service. 
 There is one movement I should refer to, the University camps for 
 school-boys. It had a small beginning two years ago ; it will become a 
 great work. The object of it is to teach them what true Christianity is. 
 The devil tries to make them think that Christianity means the giving- 
 up of what is happy and bright in life ; we try to show them a joyful 
 Christianity—to show how Jesus spoke words of good cheer, and that 
 where there is the return of the prodigal son, there is the beginning of 
 merriment. Our object also is to cover the trinity of a man or boy’s 
 nature; so we appeal to the spiritual, intellectual, and physical. We 
 ought always to keep the spiritual to the front. The Christianity that 
 leaves any one out, or develops any one at the expense of the others, is 
 not the true Christianity of Christ. We want to exhibit Christ in all 
 His beautiful manliness—Christ for the living, not only for the dying. 
 I say sometimes I don’t care how you die, if you live rightly. We show 
 that they are missing heaven upon earth by not coming to Christ. We 
 go straight for conversion and consecration. Any work which does not 
 have such a straight aim will he a failure. When they have accepted 
 Christ, tell them how He will keep them by His Holy Spirit. I 
 believe in boys’ conversion because I was converted as a hoy myself, 
 and eminent piety in history has always been early piety. We point 
 out by our life what Christ has done, is doing, and will do: we live 
 them into life. We then try to put before them the grand purpose 
 which God has put before them individually, to show them that God 
 has brought them into the world for a purpose ; that God’s purpose is 
 to make a man on this earth who will be missed when he dies. When 
 you show him that God is to be glorified, and man blest by him, he 
 responds. We sanctify ourselves for the boys. The happiest memories 
 that I had in Africa were in connection with the boys’ camps. Two 
 years ago two members and myself w r ent up the hill and trusted God. 
 We were led to this, and that we should trust to God for the boys of 
 our camp. That was the first camp. We put God to the test. We 
 said, £ * Tor the glory of Thy name, teach them that Christ is their 
 Saviour.” The result was that when we went down to the camp, the 
 work began at once. It was not our work. I don’t think I spoke 
 first to a boy, but seventy spoke to me. The boys waylaid the men to 
 talk with them and ask them questions. So if we are filled with 
 the Spirit, the Lord will bring them to us. Parents sometimes write 
 to thank me for my care over them. We let them seek for us. If 
 you want to reach a boy, never go to him in a roundabout way ; 
 never try to get at a boy’s heart by the back door. Often paients, 
 anxious about their boys, have asked me to call as if by accident, 
 
 e 2 
 
and they would contrive to leave us alone so that I might tackle 
 them. I always refused, saying, that if they wished me to speak to 
 them, I could only do it openly, and not in such a way that when 
 they found it out they would despise me, and rightly too. Don’t 
 preach at boys : always say we rather than you, and come rather than 
 go. Ask wisdom when to speak, but chiefly when not to speak. 
 Don’t be afraid of taking a text out of the other book that God has 
 given us—the Book of Nature ; in this we are only following the 
 example of Christ. What young fellows want is sympathy. Many a 
 young man has been driven away by just the want of a little brotherly 
 sympathy. I remember, when I was a young man, I was honestly 
 troubled by some sceptical doubts like “ How did evil come ?” “ Who 
 made God ? ” and the like, and I took them to a clergyman : he only 
 said, “Never mind about these things till you’re older.” I went off 
 without a word, but when I did come out of that stage, I silently 
 resolved then and there that I would give myself to the Lord to help 
 young men in their doubts and difficulties. 
 
 And we want love. Some are so awfully apt to go peering about for 
 the weak point, the doubtful doctrine in a brother’s belief, instead of 
 lovingly accepting what is there, and pointing out the still more 
 excellent way. We should not discourage our brothers ; take them at 
 their word. Love them. A boy, to whom I was wonderfully led to 
 speak once in a train, said, “Yes,” in reply to my question, “ Are you a 
 Christian?” Well, I didn’t discourage him by contradicting him right 
 off, I only said, “ When did you become one?” He said, “ Oh, I was 
 born one.” I simply said, “ What a long time you have had for happy 
 service to the Master.” Soon after, the train arrived ; I gave him my 
 card, and some days after he wrote, that he thought he had been a 
 Christian all along, but God had shown him he had not, and now he 
 had given himself to the Lord. God give us love and sympathy and 
 power to lead our younger brothers to Himself. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 The Difficulties of a Christian on entering College Life. 
 
 By Prof. Lloyd Snape. 
 
 (Thursday night, August 2nd.) 
 
 Dear friends, you will be surprised, perhaps, that at this late season 
 of the Conference such a subject should be chosen for an address, for 
 that we realize the difficulties which beset the student on coming to 
 college is evident, or we should not be here. And, thanks to Cod, we 
 feel that these difficulties are not insurmountable, so we come together 
 here. When asked to address you—an honour which I know I owe to 
 the fact that I am the only lay professor here,—I felt that to be the 
 only subject on which I dared to speak. In the presence of Mr. Mott 
 and Mr. Speer, who have been so blest and are able to give to us such 
 an eloquent account of their work, it would have been impertinent to 
 offer suggestions on organization. My own student days are not so at* 
 away that I cannot remember the difficulties I bad to encounter, 
 have learned to know something about the difficulties of the student, 
 
 and can speak feelingly about them. » 
 
 (1) The first I would suggest is, the first lengthened separation fiom 
 
 a Christian home often commences with life at college. It is true the 
 blessed influences of pious homes never desert us. There are many ere 
 whom the consciousness of a mother’s prayers, the thought that there 
 was one loving heart at home which would be lacerated with grief to 
 know that her son had fallen, has helped. This has saved many a son 
 on the brink of the precipice. I feel that experience often teaches more 
 than anything else, so I hope you will pardon my sa)ing an} a 
 
 myself. The most trying time in my life was when I commenced y 
 studies in Germany. I now gratefully remember -t a w ai 
 almost gone, when prayer and Bible-study were almos neg , 
 thought^ the mother praying at home saved the son from many o 
 temptations in such a place. Thank God for the memory^of godly 
 parents. If there be parents here, let them never cease praying for the 
 sons and daughters at college. Hut though tnese mime 
 
 with us, they are naturally very considerably lessened by distance. A 
 how true it is that it there is one place more than another where a 
 is in danger of losing his spirituality, it is the average college. 
 
 (2) Another difficulty is that of making a bold stand for _Chiist, 
 knowing our weakness and sinfulness. We would w ish to contin . 
 
54 
 
 be Christians after we go to college, but our lives are not so Christlike 
 as they should be, and we dare not take on us publicly the name of 
 Christ. Those among whom we have engaged in work have not had an 
 opportunity of trying our lives as students will have. I have had 
 opportunities as a lay preacher of speaking to students, and have 
 most difficulty in speaking at my college, knowing that they have 
 such opportunity of comparing the teaching of the teacher with his 
 actual life. I remember the occasion of preaching my first sermon in 
 the college chapel, when I saw some of my fellow scientists who had 
 come to hear “ what Snape would say.” This is weakness, however, and 
 we ought to rejoice that we had opportunity of speaking to those who 
 would not go to hear any one else. This weakness leads to another 
 danger. 
 
 (3) There is a danger of lying low, and avoiding making profession 
 of Christ. We are tempted to enter on things which come upon us for 
 the first time. The‘youth is anxious to be considered a man, and has a 
 very strong desire to be popular; thus he is readily led to adopt the 
 habits of those who first show themselves friendly to him, and, to our 
 shame be it said, it is often the worst, and not the best fellows that 
 seem disposed to show friendship for us. The special temptations of 
 youth are too well known to need mention here. ISTo youth coming 
 from a Christian home does wholly, and at once, sell himself to the 
 devil. One remark would I make—one word of advice: be a total 
 abstainer. Many a man who would have shrunk from confessing 
 himself a Christian has been saved by being a total abstainer, from 
 becoming a companion of those who tempted him to do wrong; and for 
 your own sake, as well as to help your brother who has fallen by drink, 
 I beseech you to have nothing to do with it. 
 
 Even supposing the student to have successfully withstood the 
 temptations of the more glaring evils, there will come the temptation 
 to selfishness—that which seems most antagonistic to Christianity. 
 It is often pointed out that athletics lead to many virtues. The 
 man who plays a selfish game at football will soon be told of it. 
 But is not the general life of the average student so arranged that 
 he will get the best position in after life, and the best appointments 1 
 If the aim of study were that we should be better fitted to work for our 
 Lord, then student life would be wonderfully sanctified and blessed. 
 But speaking for myself, I have often found it very difficult in forming 
 plans for the future to desire that those plans should be so ordered by 
 God, that I would be best able to serve Him. As some one here has 
 said, we make our plans, and ask Him to bless them, instead of going 
 to Him and asking His help in making them. During the time of life 
 in which we are meeting great men, in which we are giving up our life 
 and time to study, and have the excuse that all the time we can spare 
 from our studies is required for recreation, the habit of thinking always 
 for ourselves only is apt to beset us. Recreation is absolutely necessary 
 for body, mind, and soul, especially that of exercises in the open air. 
 H I had my time to spend over again in college, I would give more 
 time to athletics. But one word of warning : don’t let any desire for 
 
55 
 
 honour for yourselves or your college let you give an undue amount of 
 time to them ; and do all you can to abolish gambling and swearing 
 from the college, field, and the river. It is not necessary to show further 
 that self-loving and self-seeking are apt to become our aim at college; 
 you know it well. 'I was surprised, in speaking to F. B. Meyer, that 
 he seemed to think that selfishness was not a special temptation at 
 college, hut that it would be so in business. But it is not so. 
 
 Among the baneful, influences of college, in the front lies the 
 danger of the retrogression of spiritual life ; and the industrious, devoted 
 student gets into the habit of sitting up late at night, and then he is 
 not able to make up the time of rest. The sad result is that the time 
 for private devotions and Bible study is altogether lost. The first time 
 a man gives up that time of reading the Bible and praying to God he 
 feels uncomfortable. He says, “ God will understand, He knows how 
 tired I am. I’ll not do it again.” But once the regular time is neglected, 
 it becomes easier and easier every day until it is given up altogether, even 
 by one who if at the beginning of the term had been told that he would 
 give them up, would have said, “ Is thy servant a dog, that he should 
 do this 1 ?” This is due to undue reliance on sentiment and emotion. 
 He will look on these subjects more as theoretical and not so much 
 practical. Coming to college with the thought that the great God 
 voluntarily gave up all in heaven for him, he finds himself in an 
 atmosphere where sentiment and emotion is discountenanced, where 
 everyone discusses everything, and questions such as Was Christ 
 Divine ^ Is there anything but natural law 1 Is prayer ever heard ? &c., 
 are put before him. The early training of the student and the com¬ 
 munion with God, and the care of God for him, enable him at first to 
 reply in an orthodox manner. But his faith receives a shock that such 
 questions should be asked. The Bible is not the unassailable book: 
 and this leads to indifference regarding it and not reading it. 
 
 We have had occasion to thank God for the Higher Criticism, and 
 will have again. The essential truths of Christianity can never con¬ 
 tradict those got by science. God has ever new truth to reveal to man. 
 We dread no scientific analysis; but we do ask that it be complete. 
 But our studies make it impossible to study them on all sides, and we 
 are apt to be influenced by an article in a paper or magazine, and are 
 hasty to pose as one of the advanced school, and begin to look with 
 contempt on those who believe as we used to do. With doubt as the 
 result of serious thought, where one feels himself in the darkness, the 
 very basis of life seeming to be destroyed, we cannot but feel the 
 keenest and most prayerful sympathy. Everyone who has passed 
 through such a trial will be most ready to help them. But oh, that 
 students would not be so hasty in giving up all belief. Though beautiful 
 systems of ethics have been discovered, no influence has been discovered 
 so great that it will enable men to live lives so noble and beautiful as 
 Christianity. We should examine and re-examine what seems to destroy 
 our belief in Christ, and not let go what makes for righteousness in 
 ourselves. The student finds in new circumstances lessened opportunity 
 for Christian work, and work for Christ’s name and glory has ever 
 
 * 
 
5G 
 
 been one of the greatest helps for the young Christian, and religious 
 work should not crowd out secular work. Robust Christians should 
 also be those who take honours in classes. It does harm to the religious 
 ]ife of the college when those who have been the leaders in religious 
 matters find themselves at the bottom of the list in the classes. 
 
 There are several different kinds of work that may be undertaken, 
 such as that in infirmaries, among children, tramps, &c. But it is the 
 individual work, as Mr. Mott has said, that is just that kind of 
 work which we are tempted to shirk. We must button-hole our 
 fellow men, and try to lead them to Christ. May God help us 
 to do this, which no one but ourselves can do. There is great encourage¬ 
 ment in the work which we have heard is going on in America. They 
 have got ahead of us in organization, and in the religious character of 
 the professors and students. But God reigns over English, French, and 
 German, as well as American students. It is to Him that they all 
 belong, and to Him must we go for help. The motto which I shall take 
 back with me is, “ My grace is sufficient for thee.” 
 
 * 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Bible Study as a Means for Personal Growth. 
 
 By Mr. J. R. Mott. 
 
 (Thursday night, August 2nd.) 
 
 My subject to-night is Bible Study as a means for Personal Growth. 
 I use the word “ study ” in the sense of all that it means to the student 
 here : and by “ growth ” I mean not only increase of knowledge, though 
 the sixty-six books of the Bible are of supreme importance on account 
 merely of the facts they contain ; nor only intellectual culture, though 
 the Book is worthy of study with that end in view. What is needful 
 is that spirit of study which will find us strpnger to-morrow night than 
 to-night, which will enable us to meet God and hear Him speak. 
 
 I. Its importance. First to us as Christian men : it is the test of 
 true discipleship. “If ye abide in My Word, then are ye My disciples 
 indeed ” (John viii. 31). We are warned too to take heed that that light 
 which is in us be not darkness, and we can only be safe by a knowledge 
 of the Word of God. Again, the Word alone shows us both the needs 
 and the possibilities of our spiritual life, The source of all our evils is 
 not knowing the Scriptures. Again, if we would be Christians of more 
 than average power, we must be great feeders on that which is the 
 “literature of power.” Then, through the Word we have power with 
 God in prayer. “If ye abide in my Word ” (stay there, and live there), 
 “ ye may ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.’’ We shall find, 
 too, that prayer becomes a dialogue, not a monologue. And again, it is 
 essential to make meditation, self-examination and secret prayer most 
 helpful. These may be even dangerous without this true spirit of Bible 
 study. 
 
 Second : Its importance to us as Christian teachers. We should 
 all be teachers, however few the scholars we can secure. I he teachers 
 who will be sought and who will be blessed in their work, will be those 
 whose own spiritual life is progressive. Right feeding on the W ord is 
 the secret of power in teaching. 
 
 Third : Its importance to us as Christian workers. It is the secret 
 of restful work. We should work, like Christ, without friction, strain, 
 or worry. Without it, our work will shape us, instead of our shaping 
 our work. Our fruitfulness depends on it. And lastly, the climax of 
 our equipment—the baptism of the Holy Ghost—comes through the 
 channel of the Word. True Bible study is Spiritual irrigation. 
 
 / 
 
58 
 
 Fourth : Its importance to us as Christian leaders. To have 
 spiritual unions and bands we must plainly have spiritual leaders. To 
 have such leaders, Bible study is indispensable. For we can learn true 
 leadership only by studying closely the Life and Words of our great 
 Leader. Without it we are blind leaders of the blind. 
 
 II. A few words upon the hindrances to this study. First, the sup¬ 
 posed hindrance — u no time.” Well, take this line of thinking : there 
 is time to do the will of God and be spiritual; this is impossible with¬ 
 out the study of the Word, therefore there is time for the study. To 
 be still more practical, ask the busy man to try half an hour’s study in 
 the morning. I have known men gain in ability through adopting this 
 plan. Another hindrance: “I am studying the Bible for other pur¬ 
 poses than personal growth.” Preparation for ministerial work will not 
 take the place of the study indicated. Experiences and needs differ so 
 widely. VVe should all strive to hear the voice of the Master speaking 
 to our own soul. Again, other literature is studied instead of the Bible, 
 and so a second-hand knowledge only is acquired. This acceptation of 
 other people’s ideas about the Bible is a chief cause of spiritual barren¬ 
 ness in the Church. Let us go ourselves to the spring. Then again, if 
 our life is not right with God, there can be no fruitful study of the Word. 
 And lastly, two forms of hindrance often are the lack of a definite 
 course to study and of satisfactory methods to employ. 
 
 III. This leads me on to dwell a little upon methods of Bible study. 
 We should study the Bible as a whole, and we should study each book 
 in particular. (1) Devotional study : for this purpose all the books are 
 not equally valuable. Horton recommends the Gospels, Acts, Colossians, 
 Hebrews, Psalms, Isaiah, Deuteronomy ; in that order. Or take up an 
 Epistle and make an outline of its teaching as relating to your own life. 
 Observe what is taught in the Epistles of the human and divine life of 
 Christ, and -of His relations to His followers. Observe the teaching 
 affecting the Christian life, inward and outward ; notice instructions of 
 duty to our fellow-men. Another line of study is biographical study. 
 Spend upward of a month in thoroughly contemplating the life of any 
 such character as Paul, Timothy, Daniel, Moses, Jeremiah, and dwell 
 upon points in which you would fain be an imitator. A fourth method 
 is topics, e.g. the work of the Holy Spirit. I once had a year at this, 
 and at the end I found that I had barely opened the door into the 
 storehouse of truth. Or take the subject of prayer, at which I have 
 the unspeakable pleasure to be at present engaged. Enter the school of 
 prayer with Christ. In this connection Andrew Murray’s little book 
 might be read with profit. Three other topics might be the subject 
 of the Kingdom of God, or of Missions, or of the character of Jesus 
 Christ. But whatever course we take, let us clearly understand our 
 work. Sub-divide the ground to be traversed, then let us hold right 
 on, bearing in mind that the object is daily supply for a daily need. 
 
 IV. The manner of study. Be alone. When alone, let there be 
 resolute detachment of mind from all other concerns. Do not stay at 
 difficulties by the way, except just to briefly record them for another 
 time, but hold to the central purpose of feeding the soul. It is a good 
 
59 
 
 thing, too, not to let oneself be drawn on to side tracks, which one is 
 often tempted to do. 
 
 Be thorough ; let us go to the depths: without meditation we shall 
 reach no depths. Jeremiah says : “ Thy words were found and Thy 
 servant did eat them.” “ What think ye of the Christ ? ” “ Count that 
 day lost in which you do not record at least one new thought of Jesus.” 
 We must meditate; think of self and we shall become selfish; think 
 of Christ and we shall become Christlike. And another hint is, record 
 results, note each point where the Spirit enlightens you. It is a 
 good plan to place these notes on little strips of paper and slip them into 
 the Bible; they are a source of continual delight and remembrance. 
 Then classify these notes and continually consider them. 
 
 Y. The spirit in which we ought to do this. Let it be intense : if 
 we are to reach the deep things we must be intense. Also, a spirit of 
 dependence on the Holy Ghost. He must interpret what He has in¬ 
 spired ; pray, “ open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things 
 out of Thy law.” Let it be a child-like spirit. Bacon said that he who 
 would enter the’Kingdom of Nature must do so as a child ; how much 
 more is humility needed in matters divine ? Then let it be a prayerful 
 spirit; look up continually from the pages. Muller said that by spending 
 three years upon his knees with the Word of God, looking up, he learned 
 more of God than in the many previous years of his life of Faith. Let 
 it be an obedient spirit. The organ of spiritual knowledge is obedience. 
 It may shatter our plans, but we shall be kept where God would have us 
 and where He will be with us. Lastly, let it be a practical spirit. “ All 
 that the Lord hath spoken we will do.” Immediate action on every 
 principle is the secret of practical Christianity. 
 
 VI. Time when. 
 
 Here we come to the battle-ground. And there are five battles. 
 (1) Let it be a regular time; (2) let it be a daily time. The Israelites 
 gathered fresh manna daily. All doionivard influences act on us daily; 
 (3) Let it be an unhurried time. Give yourselves believing time ; it 
 takes time to be spiritual. (4) Let it be an uninterrupted time. 
 (5) Let it be the choicest time of the whole day. Late at night the 
 mind is usually tired; mid-day has many disadvantages for most. 
 Early morning should be chosen. Then the mind is less pre-occupied 
 and clearer, and the memory more retentive. Again, one thus prepares 
 for the day’s fight with self, sin, and Satan. Sir Henry Havelock and 
 Lord Cairns were men of daily Bible study and prayer at all costs. 
 Every soldier at Khartoum knew what the white handkerchief meant 
 which was tied on to the walking-stick and stuck up for half an hour in 
 front of General Gordon’s residence; and none dared to intrude then. 
 Hudson Taylor found that in the pressure of absorbing missionary life 
 in China Bible study was becoming neglected, and he used to make a 
 practice of getting an hour’s study very early in the morning, and then 
 lie down for another hour’s sleep. To such lengths will God s men go 
 rather than lose their spiritual sustenance. Remember Brainerd, who, 
 in his passion for the Word, would memorize a portion, and then tramp 
 alone sometimes waist-deep through the snows, that he might reflect on it 
 
GO 
 
 and receive tlie voice of Jesus into his heart. Ruskin advises to make it 
 one’s first morning business to understand some part of God’s Word, and 
 then spend the day in practising what one has understood. Wesley always 
 rose at four to study the word and pray ; Rutherford at three. Jesus often 
 spent the whole night in prayer. Yes, spirituality costs ! but is it not 
 worth the cost? Shall we then refuse to let anything happen, rather 
 than allow our time for the sustaining of the spiritual life within us 
 slip away from us, and thus give up our chance of increasing in stature, 
 power, and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ ? 
 
 / 
 
 t 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Prayer as a Means for Personal Growth, 
 
 By the Rev. Alex. Connell. 
 
 (Thursday night, August 2nd.) 
 
 The subject that has been given to me is, “The Personal Life of 
 the Christian Student.” It is a very wide and comprehensive subject* 
 and I should certainly be going very far astray if I attempted to cover 
 the whole ground. The higher life of the student, and, in fact, of all 
 men, must be fed from the same sources, must use the same means for 
 its development, must certainly be controlled by the same Lord, 
 Although I claim to be a student myself, and have had a valuable 
 experience of college life, still I think it will be more helpful to you 
 if I put these matters aside, and speak to you directly of the power of 
 character in life. It is character that tells, and it is Christ who makes 
 character. Let us make up our minds on this, that it is an insult to 
 God, that it is a wrong done to our own souls, that it will be of no 
 value whatsoever in the eyes of the great Worker, if.you and I seek to 
 do anything for Jesus while we ourselves are not even alive to the diffi¬ 
 culties and temptations of our own lives, and have failed to strike a 
 good honest blow at the iniquity within. Although I have not been 
 long a minister of the Gospel, I have found-again and again that the 
 secret of ill-success or absolute failure, even in large efforts supported 
 by much prayer and advanced with earnest words, lies in some hidden 
 obliquity, impurity, or iniquity in the character or the heart. 
 
 How can a good, true, loyal Christian character be maintained 1 
 We must know, in the first place, and know in the heart, the Master 
 Whom we serve, and the Gospel He has given us to believe. There are 
 many ways of looking at Christ. Someiimes in London, as you pass 
 by our great national churches, like Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's 
 Cathedral, you will find little groups of people about, gazing on these 
 stately piles. You will find one little group standing away in the 
 distance, looking at the building from every point of view, and trying 
 to set it before themselves in its wondrous symmetry ; some have ad¬ 
 vanced to the threshold; they cast their eyes up the aisles, and see the 
 massive columns that arrest their gaze; others have gone further in, 
 and are listening to the music that comes swelling and pealing from the 
 
62 
 
 organ ; lastly, there is a little group at the inner place, a white-haired 
 man, a widow, a young man whose face betokens loss and disappoint¬ 
 ment, a maiden in tears. They are troubled; they kneel, and are 
 praying. Will you tell me which of all these groups truly realizes the 
 idea of a temple of God 1 Surely those who pray. Precisely so is it 
 with men’s views of Christ and Christianity. Look at it from without 
 and see the splendid conceptions it involves; look further in and see 
 the nicety and symmetry of its intellectual adj ustment; go in still 
 further and touch the influence of its atmosphere, the music of its 
 traditions; penetrate yet deeper, past its ritual and its creed, to its 
 beating heart, and then you will know Christ, and not till then will 
 you know Christianity. Let us remember that. Let us enter, seeking 
 after the true high-souled Christian life. Let us come to Him, to whom 
 every true servant of God has come ; let us come to Jesus Christ, that 
 He may give us of His life. 
 
 There is another truth I w r ould bring before you. You and I can 
 only receive according to our capacity to receive. I think we often 
 overlook this. It seems to be absolutely impossible for us to grow in 
 holiness, in knowledge of Cod, in usefulness, unless the soul within us 
 is growing and expanding and pining towards God and the grace He 
 has to give us.. Salvation is there before us; God is near ; Christ has 
 died; the Spirit has come to dwell; and the only password is that my 
 soul responds and opens. And how does the soul open towards them ? 
 By its longings, by its aspirations, by prayer. And what is prayer ] 
 Prayer is holiness of soul; not merely the rounding off of our wishes in' 
 well-phrased petitions, not merely the desire set before the throne of God 
 for this blessing and that, but the condition of contact with the spiritual 
 world ; the expansion of the soul within. It seems to me that this is 
 the ground of vantage in the Christian life. I cannot say that in my 
 experience I have proved sufficiently the meaning and power of prayer • 
 yet I have made a discovery, which I think will help me in the days to 
 come; it is this. I have never, until recently, looked closely at those 
 words of St. Paul and the connection in which they appear, when he 
 speaks about the Spirit-“ helping our infirmities.” I always used to 
 take that phrase in the most general sense, and often got help from it. 
 But I think you will discover that not only do they mean that the 
 Spirit gives us the victory over our infirmities and limitations, but that 
 when it is said that “ the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us with 
 groanings that cannot be uttered,” the truth conveyed is that God knows 
 man, and that the Spirit, if He be in us, commands through prayer, 
 and through prayer alone, every avenue of the soul whereby you can 
 have communication with the Divine. There must be an open soul 
 and an indwelling Spirit if you and I are to know the truth of God as 
 it is in Jesus, and grow towards its realization. 
 
 How I do not mean to speak at great length, but I will close by 
 appealing to you once again—you who have such opportunities in life 
 before you; you who, surrounded as you are by College and University 
 influences, ha\e such difficulties to contend with. Iveep near in prayer 
 to Him Who is the Lord of your life, and let no part of the day’s duty 
 
63 
 
 ever crowd it out; let no thought of other work to do, other studies to 
 get through, ever cut off your soul from this definite source of strength. 
 1 tell you, and I speak it with shame, it is possible for a minister who 
 studies his Bible every day, who reads continually books written about 
 the Bible, and studies systems of theology, and who is always dealing 
 with what you would call spiritual matters, so absolutely to secularize 
 his work that he will go out to his daily duties, and even to his Sabbath 
 labours, with his spirit and heart untouched and unenthralled by the 
 Divine. If he neglects prayer, if he goes through his Bible reading in 
 a desultory sort of way, giving minor and subsidiary matters the thought 
 and energy which should go to his spiritual growth, he may miss all; 
 if, however, he really feeds on Christ, then the Master and His work 
 will ever become more glorious, and he will go out and in and find rest 
 unto his soul. 
 
 I do not know wdiether this temptation bears hard upon anyone 
 before me, but I suppose most students as they pore over their books 
 have formed in their minds a dream of honours only, and the thought 
 may have come to them that they were giving to their books time 
 which belonged to Christian work; if such has been the case, you had 
 best strike a fair balance between the Christian w'ork you do, and the 
 intellectual work which is particularly yours, preparing you for future 
 and larger spheres of usefulness. I have tried everything from almost 
 entire indolence in college work to the other extreme, and I have 
 suffered all along the line. Remember that you are not best preparing 
 for your future life simply by poring over your books : knowledge is 
 bereft of its life” when the student does this: you have not really 
 caught the meaning of study till you quit your books for a while, and 
 go out to the street, and mingle in the busy throngs of men, with all 
 their misery and sorrow, and feel the throbbing heart of the world 
 around you, and know that there, under the blue sky, Christ is calling 
 you with all that study can give, with all that life and knowledge and 
 experience can give, to go forth and be His servant to the last. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The Possibilities, Duty, and Privilege of Personal Dealing. 
 
 By Mr. J. R. Mott. 
 
 (Tuesday night , July 31s£.) 
 
 The leading purpose of a Christian union should he to lead students 
 to become followers of Jesus Christ, not only as Saviour, but also as 
 Lord and Friend. I would go further, and say that the crowning work 
 of organizations that bear the name of Christ is that of leading them one 
 by one to become loyal, sympathetic followers of Him. Our highest 
 privilege and deepest joy is that of bringing individuals to Him by the 
 aid of His eternal Spirit. There is a special responsibility on us as 
 students for the reaching of our class-mates for Christ which does not 
 rest on others. 
 
 (1) We might say that college men are especially susceptible to 
 religious impressions. This could be shown in statistical forms, in 
 America especially. They show that not more than one in twelve are 
 Christians, but of students more than one in two are professed followers 
 of Christ. It shows that Christianity appeals to learned men. Most 
 of the professors are Christian men. But we can appeal to experience. 
 The nature of a student’s life predisposes him for receiving the Gospel. 
 He is a student at college to weigh evidence, to decide habits, and from 
 observation all will agree that he is especially susceptible to religious 
 impressions. 
 
 (2) Another reason is the significance of college men in themselves. 
 The soul of a college man is worth no more than another, in God’s 
 sight; but a trained man will do more for God than the untrained 
 man, so we should do more for them. “ If you take the Oxford and 
 Cambridge calendars for the last two years you will find that the 
 leaders in Church and Parliament were those who were most prominent 
 in religious work.” * That is much more true now. It would be more true 
 of this country than America and Canada. The colleges teach the teachers, 
 preach to the preachers and govern the governors. They are at the centre 
 of life. We should go with Elijah to the spring and put the salt there. 
 
 (3) If students are not reached during their college days, the 
 probability is they will not accept Jesus Christ in after days. Our 
 class had 180 men, and forty were not Christians. I don’t think there 
 is one of the forty who has since accepted Christ, and three have gone 
 
 * I think Macaulay says that. 
 
65 
 
 to their rest. I have asked others and they could not remember a man 
 who accepted Christ after his student days. 
 
 (4) Another reason is the conditions of our students’ life. The con¬ 
 ditions of college life break up the students into groups, classes, &c., , 
 formed by various lines of cleavage, social, religious, monetary, &c. It lies 
 with the Christian man to reach his class-mates. We don’t minimize the 
 professor or teacher. They have access to students, and can do more than 
 - a mere student. But in some institutions men will not be won for Christ 
 except by their class-mates. Because they know these men and have 
 fought through the same battles, these men have confidence in them. 
 
 Is it necessary to dwell on the importance of personal dealing 1 If so, 
 might we not summon Christ into our methods, and some of His 
 teachings come to our memory about our being salt of the earth, the 
 light of the world ? But more forcible is the command, “ Go ye into all 
 the world.” We associate it with Africa, India, Asia, &c. Might we 
 not limit it, and say that at least it applies .to our colleges. It does not 
 mean to spend three years with men with whom we are in close contact 
 on every other subject, and never speak about Christ to them. Ho, 
 “Ye shall be My witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and 
 Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.” We are to be 
 witnesses, and testify what we have experienced and observed. More 
 forcible still is the life He lived. I relnember one time I was detained 
 in a Western State by an accident to the train. I went through the 
 Gospels and marked the instances of Jesus dealing personally with 
 men. The impression on me was that they grouped themselves into 
 two classes—(1) Those who were not believers in Him ; (2) Those who 
 might be called believers in a certain sense. The man who did not 
 count the cost; the careworn, proud, self-seeking. There are sixteen 
 evidences of His speaking with believers. He dealt with men of all 
 conditions; the highest and the lowest, with those with whom He was 
 very intimate, and those to whom He was an absolute stranger. Hot 
 merely in the synagogue did He do this work, but on the lake, in the 
 country lane, in the field; on week days ; when He was weary ; by 
 night; in the multitude, and alone; when healing, and even when on 
 trial. The first act was doing this work in the temple, at twelve years 
 of age. The last was the w'ords to the thief on the cross. “ He that 
 abideth in Him ought so to walk even as He walked.” Let us tread 
 more firmly and more truly in His footsteps. Some will say that that 
 * is not for them. How did His disciples do? They brought their 
 brothers. Peter dealt with the lame man, Philip went to the .Eunuch, 
 Paul and Silas dealt with the jailor; and Paul says, “I ceased not to 
 admonish every one night and day with tears.” The Apostles went 
 everywhere preaching the Gospel. If we had one generation of 
 students doing this reverently and with tact, we should evangelize every 
 college in the land. There are a number of students who will not come 
 to hear us if we don’t bring them with tact, and it is sometimes necessary 
 to go out and compel them to come in. 
 
 We must follow up our work, and the work of good speakers, or they 
 will not be anchored. Many are lost who were just about over the line, 
 
 F 
 
66 
 
 who might have been reached by the sympathetic manly word of their 
 fellow-student. There are also some men who will not he compelled to 
 come in. There is need of a crusade for reaching the mass of students. 
 There are times when we must look on one 'man as a big audience. A 
 great statesman lifted his hat to a little hoy, because he thought of the 
 greatness that might come from that little brain. Let us think of some 
 man in our college who is not a Christian. Think of his soul for whom 
 Jesus died, and that the Holy Spirit is in the world to convince that 
 soul of sin and judgment, and to reveal the things of Jesus Christ to 
 him, and will gradually transform him to His likeness, and that there is 
 great joy in heaven over his return, also that Satan is trying to keep 
 him from coming to Christ. If we realized the value of a soul as God 
 views it—as worth more than the whole world, would we not be doing 
 more ? If it is so important, and if it rests with such crushing responsi¬ 
 bility, what are the hindrances that keep men from it? I shall mention 
 things which have kept me and friends of my own from doing this kind 
 of work :— 
 
 (1) Consciousness of an inconsistent life is keeping many from 
 doing it. “ I speak to that man ? Why he has seen me do things a 
 follower of Christ would not do, and seen me go to places where 
 
 1 Jesus Christ would not have gone.” If any man says he cannot 
 do anything because of some sins, let him get them removed. If there 
 is one inconsistency, could we not call down His power to help us to 
 remove it % But some don’t know what special thing is keeping them 
 back Is there any secret thing with thee 1 We need to say, “ Search 
 me, 0 God, and know my heart; try me and know my thoughts, and see 
 if there be any wicked way in me.” 
 
 (2) There is another hindrance on the other side. The belief that a 
 good example will do. But that sermon is not sufficient. Men are not 
 led to become Christians merely by good lives. In the painting of St. 
 Francis of Assisi, the saint has a calm pasbive look, because he looks 
 upward. While the monks have troubled, careworn, sensual faces, 
 because they look only at him, and not to the unseen sources to which 
 he looks. 
 
 (3) Another hindrance is false courtesy. Men are too polite to 
 speak to a man about his eternal welfare. They will talk to him about 
 politics, business, etc., but it would be a breach of courtesy to speak 
 about his soul. 
 
 (4) Another hindrance is unbelief in the face of an opportunity that 
 the Holy Spirit has led one to that opportunity, and that He will give 
 one skill to take and improve it. At college I was praying for great 
 opportunities, while I had not talked to my room-mate about Christ. 
 1 was blessed to lead him to Christ. The first words he said were, 
 “ Why didn’t you speak to me sooner % ” As the man at the pool had no 
 one to place him in the pool, so many a student has no man to bring 
 him at the critical moment to Christ. 
 
 (5) Another is ignorance. If I knew how to use this Bible I could 
 speak to men. This is a real difficulty. The skill to do personal work 
 conies ironi Bible study, and also the desire ; that desire that will carry 
 
67 
 
 a man over difficulties and defeat. Might we not form more Bible- 
 reading circles, as we have classes for the study of missions, etc. ? But 
 should we wait until we know the Bihle? We don’t learn botany or 
 swimming from books only. That man will never learn to do personal 
 work except he does it. Nothing will drive us to the Bible more than 
 trying to bring another to Christ. 
 
 (6) Another hindrance is natural diffidence. This keeps some of our 
 best men back. Does not the constraining love of Christ make us take 
 up this work ? If not, are we moved by the Spirit of God ? If that 
 does not, think of the men touched with impurity, and those whose 
 hearts are troubled with doubts, and who are not saved, and think of the 
 verse : “Let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error 
 of his ways, shalt save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of 
 sins.” The soul of a student, who has enjoyed all the benefits of an 
 advanced education, is, humanly speaking, of more value than that of 
 another man. 
 
 In conclusion, think of the possibility of multiplying your life. You 
 never know what you are doing in speaking to a soul. Who was the 
 man, nameless and unknown, that gave a tract to a chance passer in the 
 street; he took it, and read it, and came to God ?—Moody ! Who was 
 the man, who when pressing a congregation to accept Christ, noticed 
 a boy sitting alone in the gallery, and with a sudden impulse, but full of 
 the Spirit of God, said, “ You should all accept Christ: that hoy should 
 accept Christ ” ? And the boy went home ; but he could not get those 
 words out of his head, and he never rested until he had accepted 
 Christ— Spurgeon! We may be winning lives infinitely more 
 valuable than our own, and multiplying our own infinitely. Let us, 
 therefore, go in the strength of Christ and lay ourselves out to lead men 
 to become His disciples. May God help us to do this. Amen. 
 
 p 2 
 
CHAPTER XIY. 
 
 “ Whose we are and Whom we serve.” 
 
 Closing Address by Mr. R. E. Sfeer. 
 
 {Friday morning , August 3rd.) 
 
 “ Ye are not your own” There are three different views which it is 
 possible for us to take regarding our lives. We may say, “ My life is 
 nobody’s: it is not my own : I had nothing to say about its coming 
 here, and a time will come when I shall have nothing to say about its 
 going out. My life is not my own, and it is not the world’s. The 
 world has done nothing for me. It has no claim upon me that I 
 acknowledge. It has been a battle for me all along. And as for God, 
 I am not sure about Him at all, and, if I were sure, I cannot acknow¬ 
 ledge His claim.” We can all recall some in our acquaintance who 
 practically professed to take this view of their lives. Yet gradually it 
 had to be given up. Every factor in life contradicted it. Eor by 
 degrees they recognized that the world had claims upon them which 
 they were under obligation to pay. And they had to acknowledge that 
 the world was not theirs. 
 
 But we may look at it in another way: a time comes when we say, 
 “I am my own master; there was a time when I was commanded by 
 others in my home, and certain old principles dominated my life, and 
 to that extent I was not mine, but now I am free and my life is mine.” 
 And yet the same facts that contradict the view that a man’s life is 
 not his own, contradict the view that a man’s life is his own. The 
 view which Paul brings forward here contradicts both these, and leads 
 us to a higher, namely, that we are Christ’s. And, as we come to the 
 close of our Conference, no truth can help us more than this which 
 brings us down to the rock on which we stand, Jesus Christ’s ownership 
 over us. The New Testament expresses this truth in the words 
 “ Servant ” and “ Eriend” : a servant is one in the bondage of force, a 
 friend is one in the bondage of love. Christ uses the words repeatedly. 
 The disciples were fond of calling themselves the bond-servants of 
 Christ. This is a truth that carries us to the heart of life. We realize 
 that all that is good in life comes from the acknowledgment that we 
 belong to some one. All dut}'- and responsibility, all obligations are 
 simply statements in other terms of the truth that we belong and are 
 not our own. That life is poor which has not found one friend to whom 
 it can say, “ I am thine and thou art mine.” The most enduring and 
 practical lesson will lie in the ability to come up to Christ’s feet, and 
 
69 
 
 looking up to Him, say, “ Master, I am Thine,” and to hear His tender 
 voice whispering back, ££ Yes, disciple, and I am thine.” 
 
 There are two simple truths that we should think about if we are in 
 Christ. If we are Christ’s, our life is given to us as a trust. That 
 truth is drawn in the words, ££ Let a man so count himself as a servant 
 of Christ.” If a man is not his own, but belongs to Christ, then all he 
 holds is a trust from God, and you will find this conception frequent in 
 Paul’s writings. He tells Timothy of the Gospel of the glory of the 
 Blessed God which was committed to his trust. Read his letters through, 
 and you will find them full of this idea, that everything which his life 
 possesses belongs to Christ. 
 
 Another truth arising out of this text is the lordship of Jesus. The 
 word used is Dominus, i.e. Lord, and so He has domination, i.e, lord- 
 ship. The Lord is the possessor of me. 
 
 But these are the initial truths, the A B C of the Christain faith. The 
 text also means :— 
 
 (1) That Jesus is responsible for us (a) as to our 'place. It is of con¬ 
 sequence to Him that we should be in our right place. Would it be 
 overstating it to say that it is of greater consequence to Jesus than it is 
 to us, that we should be in a good place ? We speak often and agonize 
 for the will of God in us. The will of God is seeking us all the time. 
 It is not so much our seeking and finding it in the darkness, as it is it 
 coming in the darkness to find us. Christ is responsible for where I am. 
 If I have asked His guidance and obeyed Him, I cannot be in the wrong 
 place. He Who knows me will guarantee that I am put in the right 
 place where I can serve Him best, (b) As to our conduct; He is respon¬ 
 sible for our conduct. The world reads into Christ what it reads out of us. 
 It holds Hint under obligation for everything that it sees in us. There 
 is a great wealth in that thought. You hear a father say when his son 
 is accused of doing a certain mean act, “ My son could not have done 
 that; as my son, he could not have done it.” And surely it is right for 
 us to know that our Rather expected us to live in such a way just 
 because we are His sons, that our conduct should run on certain lines, 
 because He is responsible for any breach ; and so it is with Jesus. He 
 is held responsible for what we do. It is not on our shoulders, but on 
 His. What a wealth of assurance this brings to us! Again, what 
 tremendous force the influence of this truth brings on our relationship 
 with Jesus ! There is perfect communion with Him. Kingsley, in his 
 book on the Hermits, tells of two monks who spent their lives together 
 in a convent: at last one suggested that they should quarrel. “ Brother, 
 let us quarrel!” “What have we to quarrel about?” “ Oh, say we 
 take this stone, and I will say £ this stone is mine,’ and you will say 
 ‘ this stone is mine,’ and so we will quarrel.” They then began. The 
 first said, “This stone is mine,” and the other timidly suggested that 
 the stone belonged to him; whereupon the first stamped his foot and 
 said, “ Ko, the stone is mine;” and the other replied, “Very well, if 
 the stone is yours, take it.” The community had grown so close, that if 
 the friend wanted it then it was his, for whatever my friend has is mine. 
 The true disciple was he who said that he had never made a sacrifice for 
 
70 
 
 Christ, for he had never given np anything for Him that he had not got 
 back a hundredfold. 
 
 Again, what an influence that truth that we are Christ’s, and Christ 
 is ours, has upon our personal character ! It is one of the laws of the 
 Kingdom of God, that where the Master is, there shall the servant be. 
 The Son of God expressed it Himself ! As though that might be con¬ 
 strued as referring to the time when we shall see the brightness of His 
 face, the holy apostle said that we were not called unto salvation , but 
 unto receiving salvation , to the end that we might live with Him. 
 We can live with Jesus Christ in a sense, and not be changed. We do 
 not need to be perpetually asking His presence ; wherever there is a 
 servant of His, it is the law that the Master must be there. The 
 servant cannot get away from the Master, he cannot get away from the 
 brightness of His presence, the fulness of His light. He may tem¬ 
 porarily shut his eyes, but all the time the Master is there. 
 
 What a new strength it brings into the striving after a better char¬ 
 acter, to know that Jesus expects us to attain it! If we know Avhat our 
 Saviour wants us to do, and if we fail, surely it is rank insurrection 
 against Him to Whom we belong. Notice how it brings strength in the 
 matters of practical life and duty. We once used to ask the question, 
 ‘'What is my duty?” We have ceased asking this. We now go to 
 Him and say, “ Master, what would please Thee ? ” 
 
 Again, what a new strength it brings into Bible study to belong to 
 Christ! We are seeking His will in our study, and there we come fresh 
 to the fountain whence comes the strength of our life. We are hearing 
 Him speak Who is the strength of all we do. 
 
 Again, this thought helps to break down all the artificial boundaries 
 that separate us; it makes us “ all one in Christ Jesus.” One of the 
 noblest men I. knew allied himself with a free-thinking society which 
 existed among his fellow-students, cutting them into segments. He 
 came to Christ, and his first act was to sever his connection. His reason 
 was, “I have joined the Christian brotherhood.” If we are in Christ 
 and belong to Him, and Christ belongs to us, there are no such things as 
 social distinctions, as ranks of wealth, and different classes in society. 
 
 This ownership of Christ applies to all our outward life, otherwise we 
 should give the impression that we belong to ourselves and not to Jesus. 
 It applies to every detail of our life. We have no right to any feeling 
 which cannot be subjected to Christ. Every taste for music, and art, 
 and study must be under Him; and out of this truth grows the declara¬ 
 tion that our bodies belong to Him. If our bodies belong to Christ we 
 shall neither be dudes nor dirty. I know that we are spirits and have 
 bodies, and not bodies possessing spirits, but at the same time God says 
 that the bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost, and are His just as 
 much as the souls which Jesus bought. And so this thought follows us 
 to the homes, to the breakfast table, to the tents, to the institutions to 
 which we go ; it looks us in the face when we lift a book to read, 
 or choose a song to sing, and it is the final test. I am my Master’s, 
 what my Master decides for me 1 must do. It was one of the great 
 truths that Maurice reiterated again and again, that we belong to Jesus 
 
71 
 
 Christ, whether we acknowledge it or not. My brother, you dare not 
 deny Jesus Christ’s ownership. We do not need to be reminded of that 
 in this gathering. But we may need to gather our thoughts and think 
 how we are to realize consciously the truth of it. How many of us 
 could testify that there have been hours in our lives when we have lost 
 hold of it, and have begun to live as if we belonged to ourselves. But 
 we have definitely surrendered to Him. We have proposed to capitu¬ 
 late. We have said, “ Jesus, I am going to hand myself over to You, to 
 Whom I belong.” Thus we have definitely acknowledged that we are 
 not our own, but that consciously we, and all we are, are Christ’s, and 
 Christ is God’s. And the life in Christ is a gradual growth in likeness and 
 surrender to Him, an absorption of our life into His. Paul says, “ For 
 me to live is Christ; and when Christ, Who is my life, shall appear, then 
 shall I also appear with Him.” This is the climax of the growth of 
 Paul’s character. He belonged to Christ before. He has turned into 
 Christ now. In a deep and mystical sense he can say, “ Christ is I: for 
 me to live is Christ.” 
 
 We will work out in our lives the same result. We started long ago 
 saying, “ We belong to Jesus Christ.” Perhaps some of us have come 
 to the truth that Paul uttered when he said, “ For me to live is 
 Christ.” And for any of us who have not come to that truth—and it 
 may be not one of us has yet come wholly to it—there is great comfort 
 in knowing that He Who loved us will love us unto the end, when our 
 lives will be loved into perfect identity with His own. We can say, “1 
 no longer live, but Christ liveth in me. It is not my life, but Christ’s.” 
 And we separate now, looking forward to that day when we shall have 
 become absolutely and completely 
 
 One in Him. 
 
APPENDIX I. 
 
 THE BIBLE BEADING OF THE CONFERENCE. 
 
 The Character of Christ. 
 
 Outline Studies. 
 
 By Mr. R. E. Speer. 
 
 [The study of which an outline is here given, was one of the features of 
 the Students’ Conference at Keswick, and the appreciation which it met 
 with there leads us to afford other Bible students an opportunity of 
 covering the ground for themselves. Only those points dealt with at the 
 Conference are given here, and for these we are indebted to the author. 
 The works referred to are BushnelTs “ Character of Jesus,” Ullmann’s 
 “ Sinlessness of Jesus,” Young’s “ Christ of History,” Blaikie’s “Public 
 Ministry of the Lord,” Liddon’s “Divinity of Our Lord,” Gore’s “In¬ 
 carnation of the Son of God,” Brace’s “ Gesta Christi,” Wendt’s “ Teach¬ 
 ing of Jesus,” and Channing’s Works.] 
 
 Christ’s Plans and Methods op Work. 
 
 I. He undertakes to organize on earth the Kingdom of God, or to 
 make men conscious of its existence and character. His message (Mark 
 i. 14, Luke ix. 11); His purpose indicated (Luke xvii. 20, Buslinell , 
 Character of Jesus, pp. 34-36). 
 
 (a) It is the establishment of a new and spiritual relationship, centred 
 in Himself; a brotherhood of lovers, each loving as He had loved (John 
 xiii. 34, 35). 
 
 (b) This new relationship takes precedence over all human ties, even 
 the closest (Luke xi. 27, 28 ; Luke ix. 57-62). His statements are un- 
 humanly uncompromising in this. A human Christ would have left 
 loopholes for human weakness (Luke xiv. 26, 27) ; He Himself met 
 this test (Mark iii. 31-35). In declaring such a doctrine a human 
 teacher would have destroyed the family and all other divinely 
 sanctioned human ties. Plato has done so (“ Republic,” Book v.). Not 
 so Jesus. First miracle at a wedding. Last words to John from the 
 cross created a new home for his mother. 
 
 (c) Included all ages and both sexes. His Apostles were men ; 
 women loved and ministered to Him (Luke viii. 1-3). Simeon and the 
 widow of fourscore years, Anna, first took Him and recognized Him 
 (Luke ii.). His followers were chiefly young and middle-aged men, un¬ 
 less perhaps Peter. He was drawn towards the young (Mark x. 13. 
 Wendt, “Teaching of Jesus,” I., 151). 
 
 (d) His fondness for children suggests the peculiar test He chose. 
 His standard of character (Matt, xviii. 1-6). 
 
 (e) Included all ages, classes, and conditions. If He called a rich 
 man like Zaccheus, He also told His disciples when they made a feast to 
 call the poor (Luke xiv. 13). The old system regarded the deformed 
 as under a curse (John ix. 2). His invitation includes the maimed, the 
 lame, the blind (Luke xiv. 13). Of the self-righteous only He spoke 
 with bitterness (Matt. xxi. 31). So wide were His sympathies, that the 
 
73 
 
 Pharisees, in the pride of intellectual caste, were offended (John vii. 47, 
 48 ; Mark ii. 16, 17). To this universal adaptiveness He appealed as an 
 evidence of the prophecy fulfilling the character of His coming (Luke 
 vii. 22). 
 
 He held out no meretricious reward for entering His services (Matt. v. 
 11, 12; Luke vi. 22 ; xxi. 17). 
 
 II. His plans were immense and revolutionary. 
 
 Freedom through the truth; his offer (John viii. 31, 32); no im¬ 
 personal truth however (John viii. 36). He proposed to give men 
 eternal life, and that more abundantly (John x. 10-18). There was no 
 limit to His purpose (John xii. 47 ; vi. 51). He Himself was the mag¬ 
 netic force in this work, and in accomplishing it earthly governments 
 were as playthings (Matt. xvii. 24; Luke xiii. 32). He Himself declared 
 that His plans were not natural or human (John viii. 38). 
 
 III. His project covered ages of time. He counted on a temporary 
 eclipse as the condition of an eternal shining (John xii. 24). He im¬ 
 plied and declared that His story would be told in strange lands and 
 tongues (Mark xiv. 9; Matt. xxiv. 14). In bold assertion He faces the 
 centuries (Matt. xvi. 18). In Matt. xxiv. and xxv. He looked forward 
 over the ages to the days of triumph at the end. He is a divine 
 optimist (Matt, xxviii. 18-20). 
 
 IV. The audacity of His plan. An uneducated villager proposes to 
 readjust the relations between man and God (Bushnell) . He launched 
 His whole plan at the outset with no fear of bolding back ( Liddon , pp. 
 116,117). Shown in His choice of assistants. Shown in its universal 
 scope (John x. 16 ; Matt, xviii. 19, 20). 
 
 Y. He began from and worked with the poor. He was always 
 respected by them, but never became a popular demagogue. Born among 
 them (Luke ii. 7). Grew up among them as a tradesman, and trades¬ 
 man’s son (Matt. xiii. 55 ; Mark vi. 3). He took delight in the com¬ 
 pany of the poor (Mark ii. 15). His intimacy was cited as a reproach 
 (Lu ke v. 30-32; vii. 34). The people drew to Him (Luke xv. 1, 2). 
 In His public work He drew them irresistibly (Matt. iv. 25 ; Matt. xix. 
 2 ; Luke v. 29 ; cf. also Luke iv. 42 ; v. 1-15 ; vi. 17, 18; viii. 40 ; ix. 
 37; xiv. 25). He had a message they wished to hear (Luke xix. 47, 
 48^; xxi. 38); unto which they answered (Luke xi. 29) with fitful bub 
 vigorous outbursts of loyalty to Him and His assertions (Matt. xxi. 45, 
 46), which He might hdve used to annihilate the usurpers who sat in 
 Moses’ seat (John xii. 12-19 ; vi. 14, 15), but which, unlike other re¬ 
 formers, He never did so utilize. He cared lovingly for the people 
 (Mark viii. 3). The people did not understand Him, but felt He was 
 something to them, and although one day they joined the shout “ Crucify 
 Him,” the next they smite their breasts (Luke xxiii. 48). He laid His 
 foundations below all influence, so that now, as in His own day, the 
 common people hear Him gladly (Mark xii. 37). 
 
 YI. He set-for Himself, reached, and placed before others a perfect stan¬ 
 dard. He knew and touched men’s personalities. He was never anxious 
 for His success (Matt. xv. 12-14; John vi. 41-5 ; Matt. xvi. 18 ; John 
 xvii. 20, 21; John xii. 32; Luke ix. 13-17 ; Mark ix. 19; John xix. 
 
74 
 
 10-12 ; John xviii. 36, 37; John iv. 34; v. 30; vi. 38 ; Heb. x. 7). 
 Has no fear of the effect of His words (John vi. 60-66). His confidence 
 enables Him to face His end (Luke ix. 22). 
 
 VII. He was superior to human intercession or judgments. He was 
 never thrown or caught off His guard. The way He handled men. His 
 little, personal ways. The generous freeness and selfishness of His deeds. 
 
 Some Traits of His Character. 
 
 (1) Sincerity. (2) Simplicity. (3) Humility. (4) Unselfishness of 
 personal dignity. (5) Generosity and love towards His foes. (6) 
 Tenderness. (7) Perfect calmness of His life. (8) Knowledge of and 
 love for little things. (9) Universality of His character :— 
 
 I. He was a Man of great simplicity and profound depth of thought, 
 hut He was not a recluse. He astounded His hearers with His wisdom 
 (Mark vi. 2), but He frequented weddings and feasts (John ii. 1, 2), so 
 much so that He was reproached for it (Luke vii. 34). He made no 
 severance between doctrine and life (John xiv. 6). 
 
 II. He was a Man of. action. People agreed that He surpassed the 
 fearful vigour of John the Baptist (Matt. xiv. 2), and declared that if 
 He was not the Christ, the real Christ could not surpass His might 
 (John vii. 31). 
 
 III. He was a Man of feeling, emotion, sentiment, which He was never 
 afraid to express (John xi. 36 ; Matt. xiv. 12-14), never degenerating 
 into sentimentality (John xii. 5-8). 
 
 IV. He combined the rare gifts of original thought and virile expres¬ 
 sion of thought (John vii. 14, 15; Luke iv. 15 ; v. 17 ; John vii. 46). 
 Used kindergarten method (Luke ix. 47, 48). 
 
 V. If He was the most effective speaker of His time (Luke iv. 22-32), 
 He had also the power of immovable taciturnity (Luke xx. 8 ; Mark xiv. 
 61 ; xv. 3-5). 
 
 VI. He had an infallible discernment of times (John viii. 20; John 
 
 vii. 33 ; Luke ix. 51 ; John xiii. 1). 
 
 VII. This universality manifested also in the traits of character diffi¬ 
 cult of combination which He combined :— 
 
 (1) He was dependent yet independent (John viii. 16 ; Matt. xxiv. 
 38; John xv. 16; Matt. xxv. 31 ; John v. 26). His first text 
 was Luke iv. 18. He soon translated this into action (Matt, 
 xi. 4, 5). His maxim was Matt. xii. 20, and His spiritual cry Matt. xi. 
 28-30. 
 
 (2) He combined action and endurance, doing and suffering (Acts x. 
 38 ; John ix. 4; John xvii. 4; John xi. 35-38). The accomplishment 
 of His work involved a constant conflict with sin (Mark i. 13 ; Mark 
 
 viii. 33 ; Luke xii. 49, 50 ; John xii. 23-28). 
 
 (3) He combined majesty and humility (Matt. xi. 28-30 ; John xiii. 
 4, 5 ; Luke xxii. 27; 2 Cor. x. 1 ; Phil. ii. 5-8; Luke xxii. 61 ; John 
 vii. 46). His words are not less majestic than His bearing (Luke iv. 
 16-22 ; John xviii. 37). 
 
 (4) He combined joyousness with a seriousness that seemed to most 
 
75 
 
 men sad (John xv. 11; John xvii. 13 ; John xvi. 32, 33, 20-22 • Luke 
 xix. 38-41 ; Matt. xi. 20-25). 
 
 (5) He combined lowly meekness with terrible power (Matt vii 28 * 
 xxiii. 13-39). * , 
 
 He is lovingly merciful and inflexibly just (Matt. v. 48 ; Luke vi. 36). 
 He is incarnate truth and incarnate love ( John xiv. 6; Rom. v. 7 8i 
 He is firm, but not obstinate (John xiii. 6-11). Calm, but never indii- 
 feient (Mark iv. 3/-41). He was unselfish, but never wasteful or 
 patronizing (Mark vi. 31). Helpful, but not officious (Mark ix. 23, 24). 
 Strong, but not rough; vigorous, but always gentle (Mark ix. 33-37). 
 Feminine, but not effeminate. Innocent, and yet forceful (Johnii. 13- 
 17 , Matt. xxi. 12, 14). Courageous, but never rash or foolhardy. His 
 balance of character shown not less in His teaching than in His conduct. 
 
 The testimony borne to Him by the different relations into 
 which He came. 
 
 I. Of man to His power to supply. 
 
 II. Of Nature to His right to command. 
 
 ill. Fy His attitude towards women. 
 
 TV. By His freedom from current superstitions. 
 
 V. By the instinctive obedience He evoked. 
 
 (a) As. a teacher of right and duty, He, of course, emphasized 
 obedience. Luke xvii. 7-10; Matt. viii. 9, 10. 
 
 (b) Call of His disciples. Luke v. 27, 28 ; Mark i. 17, 18. 
 
 (c) Disciples always obeyed absolutely. Luke v. .4, 5; ix. 14-16; 
 John xxi. 6 ; Mark xiv. 13-16. 
 
 (d) Always issued orders as one born to command. Luke xxii. 
 49; Matt, xxviii. 18-20; Mark xvi. 15; Matt. xi. 15-17 • 
 Mark xi. 18. 
 
 (e) Commands discipleship on all, conceiving of it as personal 
 loyalty to Himself. John i. 43 ; Matt. iv. 19 ; xix. 21. 
 
 (/) Exacts this obedience, whatever the cost. Matt. xix. 21; 
 Luke xii. 51-53 ; Matt. x. 37 ; Luke ix. 59-62. 
 
 (y) He sends out His disciples with the divine sanctions at their 
 command. Matt. x. 12-15 ; Luke x. 1-16. 
 
 VIT. The impression He produced on others. 
 
 VIII. The better He was known, the greater His acknowledged 
 
 superiority (Bushneirs Character of Jesus, p. 61). 
 
 (a) Observe it in His friends :— 
 
 (1) His mother. Luke ii. 48 ; John ii. 3, 5. 
 
 (2) John the Baptist. 
 
 (3) Simon Peter. John vi. 67-69 ; Mark viii. 29; Matt. xvi. 
 22 ; Matt. xix. 27 ; John xiii. 24, 37; Luke xxii. 61, 62. 
 
 (4) Woman at Jacob’s well. John iv. 9, 11, 12, 15, 19, 20, 26, 
 29, 42. 
 
 (b) In popular opinion. John i. 38, 41, 42, 49 ; vii. 26, 31 ; x. 
 42 ; xii. 13 (see Westcott’s Commentary on 8t. John). 
 
 (c) In His own family. Mark iii. 21 ; Luke viii. 19, 20; John 
 vii. 3-5 ; Acts i. 14 ; 1 Cor. xv. 7; Jude 1; James i. 1 ; ii. 1. 
 
76 
 
 (d) Among the disciples. Matt. xiv. 33 ; John xvi. 30 ; xv. 27 ; 
 Acts i. 21, 22. 
 
 (e) Among His enemies. John v. 16; Matt. xii. 1, 2 ; John vi. 
 41, 42 ; John vii. 46 ; viii. 59 ; x. 31 ; xii. 42 ; Luke xxii. 
 2-6 ; John xviii. 6 ; Luke xxiii. 48. 
 
 Other extraordinary characteristics of Christ most easily 
 
 EXPLICABLE ON THE HYPOTHESIS OF HlS UlVINlTY. 
 
 I. He presents the perfect ideal of friendship. 
 
 IT. His piety is fervent and yet sustained. 
 
 III. The strength and strangeness of His emotions. 
 
 (1) Jesus’ responsiveness to need. 
 
 (a) Physical need. Matt. ix. 36 ; xv. 32. 
 
 (b) Spiritual need. Mark vi. 3. 
 
 (2) Exquisite appreciation of the possessed truths and graces 
 of others. Luke vii. 9. 
 
 (3) Grief and astonishment at the spiritual blunders of 
 others. Mark iii. 5; vi. 6; viii. 12 ; Luke x. 13-16; 
 Matt. xi. 21-24; John xiii. 21. 
 
 (4) Patience, endurance or heart-reaching grief at any lack 
 of sympathy, or misunderstanding with the world, which was 
 the real wound to Him. John xi. 33-38. 
 
 (5) The sources of these emotions :— 
 
 (a) Acquired knowledge. 
 
 (b) Spiritual sympathy. John i. 47 ; v. 42 ; x. 14, 15. 
 
 (c) Absolute knowledge. John vi. 61 ; xiii. 11. 
 
 (6) As seen in His own spiritual life. 
 
 (a) The Temptation. Mark i, 12, 13 ; Matt. iv. 
 
 (b) Grief at John’s death. Matt. xiv. 12, 13. 
 
 (c) Consciousness of the ravages of sin in the world. Mark 
 vii. 34. 
 
 (d) Agony of His sympathy over Jerusalem. Luke xiii. 34; 
 Matt, xxiii. 37-39 ; Luke xix. 41-44 (Hanley’s Sinai and 
 Palestine, ch. 3). 
 
 (e) Overwhelming consciousness of God. John viii. 29; 
 Matt. xi. 25, 26; John xvii. 
 
 (/) Vivid consciousness of His approaching death. John 
 xii. 20, 28 ; John xiii. 1 ; Mark x. 32. 
 
 (g) The solemn and lonely suffering of Gethsemane. 
 Matt. xxvi. 36-46; Luke xxii. 44 (Bushnell’s 
 Character of Jesus, p. 33). 
 
 (h) The march to Calvary. 
 
 (a) His triumphant fortitude in death. Mark xv. 34 
 (marg. reading of R.V.); Luke xxiii. 46 (read Browning’s 
 “ Epistle of Karshish ”). 
 
 IV. His superhuman knowledge. 
 
 V. He recognized and asserted His own. 
 
 VI. He dared to prophesy the course of human history. 
 
 VII. His bearing at His trial and death. 
 
 VIII. Testimonies borne to Him among men. 
 
77 
 
 IX. The influences of His life and character on the world. 
 
 The significance of it all :— 
 
 1. This line of thought is one of the strongest grounds of the 
 inspiration of the Gospels. It is more irrational to suppose 
 that such men as the Evangelists could have invented this 
 character, than to accede to the truthfulness of their doctrine, 
 and to believe in the Jesus they depict. 
 
 2. Unbelief in Jesus is likely to be an indication of hidden sin 
 (Liddon, “ Divinity of our Lord,” p. 170). 
 
 3. A perfect being has come into the world as seamless as His 
 robe (John xix. 23. See Bushnell’s closing pages). He came 
 for us to imitate Him. He lived and died for our everlasting 
 salvation, but He lived also to show us how to live here and 
 now. Did He give Himself wholly to the Kingdom of God ? 
 Did He commit Himself to most stupendous plans in the fear 
 of God 1 ? Did He fearlessly set Himself to saving the world 
 by identification with its sorrows and its poor ? Did He hold 
 truth so dear as to sacrifice life for it ? Did He in so doing 
 raise Himself superior to all discouragement and hostility? 
 Was He sweet and humble, simple and tender and good, evenly 
 balanced, and of unlimited sympathy and joy and contact 
 with life? Was He holy, loving, faithful and obedient even 
 unto death, though it was a death of shame? Was He the 
 ideal servant and God’s Son ? Well, so must we be. He 
 came for this. Only in this is His purpose realized: “He 
 that saith he abideth in Him, ought himself also so to walk 
 even as He walked.” 
 
 APPENDIX II. 
 
 THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE MISSIONARY ALLIANCE. 
 
 On Wednesday morning a meeting was held to discuss the proposal to 
 form an alliance of British theological colleges. A few months before 
 a circular letter had been sent to all the theological colleges of Britain, 
 sketching the proposal, and inviting delegates to the Student’s Confer¬ 
 ence to discuss the scheme. It was found that delegates were present 
 lrom thirteen colleges, and that a number of others had written express¬ 
 ing their hearty approval. 
 
 Mr. Donald Eraser explained the purposes of the Alliance. He re¬ 
 marked that the I.-U.C.U. does not touch divinity schools, as in work 
 among them one must go on the assumption that the students are all 
 Christians. To avoid forming a new society, it is proposed that the 
 Alliance be formed by uniting the existing Missionary Societies. 
 These Societies always include in their membership all the students in 
 college. 
 
 Objects. —(1) The first object of the proposed Alliance is to create a 
 spirit of Christian union among the Churches. There is no time when 
 men are so open to kindly sympathies as in college days. If men of 
 
78 
 
 different denominations are brought into closer touch when they are 
 students, they will appreciate one another’s work better in. their minis¬ 
 terial days. (2) To increase and deepen the spiritual life of the colleges. 
 The tendency of a training in a theological college is too often towards 
 professionalism and cold scholasticism. (3) The development of mis¬ 
 sionary effort at home and abroad by the students. Some colleges have 
 no Missionary Society, others have very fully organized Societies ; some 
 of the Scottish theological halls raise over 5001. yearly for missions. 
 
 Constituency .—All theological colleges in Great Britain and Ireland 
 should be eligible to join the Alliance. 
 
 Methods .— (1) All the colleges in each kingdom could hold a National 
 Conference once a year. It could be held during term for two days, for 
 the discussion of questions that are of practical interest to theological 
 students. (2) Seasons of united prayer for the students could be ap¬ 
 pointed. Let short meetings be held in each college ; let the professors 
 pray in the class for the special objects, and the ministers in the pulpits. 
 Once a year let a week of meetings for the deepening of spiritual life be 
 held. (3) Colleges could invite delegates from other colleges to their 
 annual social meetings, when reports could be given of the work and 
 life of the colleges represented. (4) In colleges in which there are no 
 Missionary Societies, the Alliance might be able to help to form one, by 
 correspondence, or visits from delegates, or by a travelling secretary. 
 
 Officers .—The affairs of the Alliance could be managed by an executive 
 of five, representative of each country. These five could be elected by a 
 general council in each nation, the council consisting of the secretaries 
 of the Societies. 
 
 Discussion afterwards took place on the proposals. Professor Laidlaw, 
 of Edinburgh New College, expressed his sympathy with the scheme, 
 and proposed to form a provisional executive, which would undertake to 
 bring the proposed Alliance before the colleges. He suggested that the 
 travelling secretaries of the S.V.M.U. and of the I.-U.C.U. should push 
 the Alliance during their visits to colleges. After remarks from several 
 delegates, it was agreed to submit to proposals to the colleges, and 
 organize the Alliance next year at the Students’ Conference, when, it 
 was hoped, a larger number of colleges would be represented. 
 
 The following motion was then carried:—“ That this meeting of 
 students from the following Theological Colleges: Established Church 
 Halls of Edinburgh and Aberdeen ; Free Church Colleges of Glasgow, 
 Edinburgh, and Aberdeen; Congregational College, Edinburgh; Trinity 
 College, Dublin ; Assembly’s College, Belfast; Ridley Hall, Cambridge ; 
 Plymouth Congregational College, Cheshunt College, Calvinistic 
 Methodist Colleges of Bala and Trevecca, approves in general of the 
 objects and constitution of the proposed Theological College Alliance, 
 and appoints a temporary executive. (1) To see that the scheme is 
 brought before Missionary Societies as soon as convenient. (2) To 
 take steps to unite the Societies which approve of the scheme, on the 
 lines of the constitution. (3) To secure delegates from as many 
 Theological Colleges as possible for the Students’ Conference next 
 summer, at which the constitution may be revised in view of sugges¬ 
 tions to be made by any of the Colleges.” 
 
APPENDIX III. 
 
 STATISTICS. 
 
 I. Men. 
 
 (a) At general Convention. July 23 rd to 28th. 
 From. English Colleges ... 
 
 ,, Scottish ,, 
 
 „ Irish „ . 
 
 ,, Welsh „ 
 
 Foreign „ . 
 
 84 
 
 56 
 
 38 
 
 6 
 
 8 
 
 192 
 
 Colleges represented :— 
 
 Oxford University. 
 
 Cambridge ,, 
 
 Edinburgh ,, 
 
 Glasgow „ 
 
 St. Andrew’s ,, 
 
 Aberdeen ,, 
 
 Dublin ,, 
 
 Aberystwyth University College 
 of Wales. 
 
 Manchester Owen’s College. 
 Newcastle University College of 
 Science. 
 
 Galway Queen’s College. 
 
 Belfast Queen’s College. 
 
 London Hospital. 
 
 St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. 
 Livingstone College. 
 
 Edinburgh New College. 
 
 Edinburgh Congregational Hall. 
 Glasgow St. Mungo’s College. 
 
 „ Free Church College. 
 Harley House. 
 
 Hulme Cliff College. 
 
 Trevecca Calvinistic Methodist 
 College, Talgarth. 
 
 Old Friends’ Foreign Missionary 
 Training Home. 
 
 Plymouth Western College. 
 Handsworth Wesleyan College. 
 Cliesliunt College. 
 
 Pastors’ College. 
 
 Bala Calvinistic Methodist College. 
 Belfast Assembly’s College. 
 Pennsylvania University. 
 
 Chicago Moody’s Bible Institute. 
 Berlin University. 
 
 Denominations :— 
 
 Episcopalian 
 
 . 94 
 
 Presbyterian 
 
 46 
 
 Baptist ... 
 
 8 
 
 Wesleyan 
 
 . 4 
 
 Congregationalist 
 
 . 12 
 
 Society of Friends 
 
 . 4 
 
 Evangelical Lutheran 
 
 . •>. .. • 2 
 
 Evangelical Greek 
 
 . 1 
 
 Dutch Reformed 
 
 . 2 
 
 Not stated 
 
 1 9 
 
 « i • ••• i-ty 
 
 192 
 
80 
 
 ( b ) At Students’ Conference. July 2bth to August 3rd. 
 Nationalities :— 
 
 English ... 
 
 Scottish ... 
 
 Irish 
 W elsh 
 Foreign ... 
 
 143 
 
 46 
 
 30 
 
 6 
 
 1 
 
 Denominations :— 
 
 Episcopalian ... ... ... ... 54 
 
 Presbyterian ... ... ... ... 51 
 
 Baptist ... ... ... ... ... 7 
 
 Methodist ... ... ... ... 1 
 
 Evangelical Lutheran ... ... ... 1 
 
 Evangelical Greek ... ... ... 1 
 
 Congregational ... ... ... ... 11 
 
 Friends ... ... ... ... ... 3 
 
 Dutch Reformed ... ... ... 1 
 
 Open Brethren ... ... ... ... 1 
 
 Not stated ... ... ... ... 12 
 
 143 
 
 II. Women. 
 
 Present at Conference ... 
 
 Conference and Convention 
 
 >> 
 
 }> 
 
 Present from English Colleges 
 Scottish 
 Irish t 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 
 it 
 
 it 
 
 it 
 
 a 
 
 39 1 
 
 41j 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 9 
 
 41 
 
 The following Denominations were represented:— 
 Episcopalian 
 Presbyterian 
 Wesleyan 
 Baptist ... 
 
 Friends ... 
 
 Not stated 
 
 22 
 
 11 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 
 41 
 
 N.B.—The above statistics of lady-students are not quite complete, 
 as no full list of those who attended was taken. 
 
 Finis. 
 
 Laus Deo.