RISC. 
 
 American 2&oart> of ConiniiOOtoner^ for foreign Si^iOsiouO. 
 
 YOUNG MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD 
 
 IN MISSIONS. 
 
 BY 
 
 REV. CHARLES H. DANIELS, D.D., HOME SECRETARY. 
 
 | A Paper- from the Prudential Committee, presented at the Annual Meeting of the Board at 
 
 Grand Rapids, Mich., October 5 , i8g8.] 
 
 Boston 
 
 Congregational House, 14 Beacon Street 
 
 1898 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2019 with funding from 
 Columbia University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/youngmanhoodwomaOOdani 
 
YOUNG MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD IN MISSIONS. 
 
 BY REV. CHARLES H. DANIELS, D.D. 
 
 [A paper from the Prudential Committee , presented at the Annual Meeting of the American 
 
 Board at Grand Rapids , Mich ., October g, i8q8. ] 
 
 The place occupied by young manhood and womanhood in the missionary world 
 reveals not only their peculiar power for service, but also the responsibilities and 
 opportunities which rest upon them, and, through them, upon the people of God. It 
 was no new discovery that led the beloved John to exhort, “ I write unto you, young 
 men, because ye are strong.” Youth is the period of intense activity and achieve¬ 
 ment. Lord Beaconsfield discovered this and said, “The history of heroes is the 
 history of youth.” The matchless life of our Lord on earth was a record of youth, 
 and the loving heart, throbbing for this world down through the centuries, knows no 
 such thing as advancing years or waning powers. Around this young man were 
 gathered twelve other young men, each of whose lives represented a type of char¬ 
 acter that was to be influential in establishing the kingdom of God among men. 
 That brilliant, pleasure-loving city of Antioch needed the ministry of Paul and 
 Barnabas, but the Holy Ghost sent them forth to the Gentiles. Disciplined to 
 obedience and bearing the strength and vigor of youth, they filled a great place in the* 
 story of missionary activity. There has not been a time in the history of the world 
 when the words of Jesus have had such import as now — “The field is the world.” 
 The world is inviting our civilization, receiving our trade, and needing our religion 
 of life and power. Here is a field for the achievement of youth. 
 
 It has always been a fascinating story, that of the young man who, when making 
 a plea for the heathen, was invited to sit down and leave the heathen to God. That 
 he did not sit down, when age and experience and high position commanded him to 
 do so, is evidence of the faith and courage of youth. We have, therefore, the life of 
 Carey, and the great reach of his influence, to inspire the youth of today. 
 
 Young men in the quiet of Williamstown laid foundations upon which the mag¬ 
 nificent superstructure of missions has been built in America. Our Lord had inspired 
 a number of persons with the same thoughts and desires, and this being discovered, 
 it led to prayer and communion one with another in order to consummate this mis¬ 
 sionary movement. They consulted the wise leaders in the churches, distributed 
 literature, talked about their plans in homes and conferences, scattered themselves in 
 other colleges in order to make student converts to the missionary spirit. 
 
 A little later the famous five, Hall, Judson, Mills, Newell, and Nott, were in 
 Andover Seminary, still united in their efforts to establish a mission among the 
 heathen. It is interesting to recall the story of their presence before the General 
 Association of Massachusetts, at which a paper was presented “soliciting advice, 
 direction, and prayers.” Then was instituted by that Association a Board of Com¬ 
 missioners for Foreign Missions, to which the young men were commended while 
 humbly waiting “the openings and guidance of Providence in respect to their great 
 and excellent design.” 
 
 The first call to the Christian public on the part of the American Board is a 
 testimony to the influence of consecrated youth. It ran thus : “ A new scene with 
 us is now opening. It is ascertained that several young men of good reputation for 
 piety and talents, under sacred and deep impressions, hold themselves devoted for life 
 to the service of God in the gospel of his Son among the destitute, and are ready to 
 
4 
 
 Yowig Manhood and Womanhood in Missions. 
 
 go into any part of the unevangelized world where Providence shall open the door for 
 their missionary labors.” Associated with the “ready to go” was also the question, 
 “Are we ready to send?” 
 
 The history of the American Board has once and again been beautified through 
 its youth “ready to go.” The world-renowned and now venerable Cyrus Hamlin 
 was compelled to tarry for a season, until the churches’ gifts could be gathered for 
 his going. It was a good year for the churches when such men as Schauffler, Wil¬ 
 liams, and Tompson were added to the lists of missionaries. The spiritual awaken¬ 
 ings of that time called these men and a score of others to take up this work, which 
 requires the exercise of the most exalted virtues of self-sacrifice and heroism. We 
 are told that the spirit of the churches then would have supported many more men 
 than were ready to go. There is a strange vacillation between the going and the 
 sending. A few years later and thirty-five appointed missionaries were compelled to 
 wait the will of the churches. It was an occasion of deep solicitude. A keen sense 
 of personal responsibility for the kingdom of Christ pervaded all hearts and churches. 
 This was followed with a wide-spread revival of religion and thousands were added 
 to the churches. This reveals to us as a fact that the interweaving factors in foreign 
 missions, the fields, the work and workers, the friends and supporters, combine to 
 deepen piety, induce revivals, and increase benevolence in such ways as to make us 
 debtors to their gracious influences. 
 
 We have to mention another movement among the youth. It is not like and 
 yet it reminds us of the gathering at Williamstown which was a beginning of mission 
 effort. In the summer of 1886 some two hundred and fifty students, from about 
 ninety colleges of the land, were in conference at Northfield, Mass. The time was 
 passed in Bible study, but with no thought of missions. One young man qf mis¬ 
 sionary instincts had been burdened for this conference that it might be a place of 
 world-wide consecration. Like Mills, he sought others, and, unburdening his heart, 
 discovered other hearts like his. Twenty-one gathered to pray for missions and to 
 seek the mind of God in his Word, and before the conference was through the 
 Student Volunteer Movement was inaugurated, with one hundred volunteers. Bap¬ 
 tized with prayer and inspired with the Word of God, the Movement has compelled 
 the glad attention of all our Missionary Boards, and it stands as a challenge to the 
 faith, devotion, and generosity of the churches. It is a factor which must be con¬ 
 sidered. Educated youth are its leaders, and our students its members. The higher 
 institutions of learning in the United States and Canada are embraced in its field, 
 and from these its membership is taken. Its object is to present the claims of 
 foreign missions to all students, with a view to increasing the force for the world’s 
 conquest and fostering an aggressive missionary spirit among the educated classes at 
 home. It is not a missionary board, but acts in truest loyalty to every board. It 
 does not send out missionaries nor decide upon their fitness. Its leaders are brave 
 and picked young men, trained to their tasks. Its educational system, under a com¬ 
 petent leader, is fundamental. Its care to secure only those for missionary service 
 who are well equipped and of spiritual power is a ground for gratitude. These are 
 some of the factors in the Movement, which is no longer experimental. 
 
 Into 850 institutions of learning this movement has won its way. The devotion 
 and convictions of college men have been reached by the missionary appeal. In 
 these institutions are found nearly 300 study classes, enrolling perhaps 2,500 students, 
 who are investigating sympathetically the history and achievements of Christian mis¬ 
 sions. This prepares them to understand the significance of the work. It does 
 more, and that which is more needed, — it raises up an educated pastorate at home. 
 In a recent inquiry from about 100 theological seminaries the almost uniform testi¬ 
 mony was that courses of study had been introduced into the curriculum under the 
 
Young Manhood and Womanhood in Missions. 
 
 5 
 
 inspiration of this movement. It is recalled that some twelve years ago one of the 
 secretaries of this Board, speaking in a Maine conference, insisted that the question 
 was not one of money but of men. The enrollment of this movement is now over 
 4,000, about one-third women and two-thirds men. They represent 48 denominations. 
 Already 1,200 volunteers have gone to the field, and are found in 53 countries of the 
 world, each one a letter of light. Because of this movement over 100 institutions 
 support in whole or in part a missionary, and the contributions from our student body 
 have grown from $5,000 to $40,000 a year. More than this, the interest and intelli¬ 
 gence awakened in missions are sure to lead not only to more missionaries, but better 
 ones. It will be quality, not merely quantity. 
 
 Recalling some experience in connection with applications for missionary appoint¬ 
 ment, we are led to speak of certain elements in regard to missionary qualifications 
 which should be understood in the churches and by our youth. To appoint a mis¬ 
 sionary is not a light thing, but is a matter of deliberation and conscience on the part 
 of our Boards. There should be equal deliberation and frankness on the part of 
 applicants. There must be a well-rounded manhood, physical, mental, and spiritual. 
 There must not only be good health, but resources of strength, nerve, and sinew. 
 These are needed in order to stand up under the vicissitudes of climate, exposure 
 and hardships, and the nervous strain of heathenism’s “dead lift.” Tendencies con¬ 
 trolled at home are sure to be aggravated abroad. Besides this the laws of health 
 should be well understood. Every one should know himself and his physical abili¬ 
 ties, for an hour of careless exposure may work disaster for a lifetime. 
 
 The best training of our best educational institutions, academic, collegiate, and 
 professional, is precisely what is required. Special courses are not often advisable. 
 With the heart consecrated to the missionary work all the regular courses will take 
 on the nature of heart experiences, and thus while regular in course will become 
 special in influence. “Mental powers and attributes of the highest order, executive 
 ability and capacity for organizing and superintending, find ample scope on the mis¬ 
 sion field.” This is truer today than ever. As the missions grow older, their institu¬ 
 tions more advanced and the native helpers better educated, the leadership must be 
 stronger and abler. We may at times differentiate in regard to the fitness of men for 
 different fields, but we protest against the idea that an inferior man can be sent to any 
 field, however lowly or remote. A weak man could never have taken the place of 
 Paton, Williams, Coan, Doane, Pease, Livingstone, Moffatt, Lindley or Tyler, not to 
 speak of men now living, the equals of those now dead. The same strength of 
 intellect is required to formulate a language, give a literature, and establish churches 
 and schools, and do it for the ages, in darkest Africa or the remotest island, as is 
 required to cope with the acute philosophy of India or Japan. Missionary qualifica¬ 
 tions have been the subject of just criticism at the point of practical experience. A 
 course should be devised for competent training in our schools, developing, to quote 
 from our Manual for Missionary Candidates, “good sense, sound judgment of men 
 and things, versatility, tact, adaptation to men of all classes and conditions, a cheerful 
 and hopeful spirit, ability to work peaceably with others, persistent energy in carry¬ 
 ing out plans once begun.” 
 
 Most of all there must-be given to this work a calm, intelligent consecration of 
 life. From our Manual we take these added words : “ Controlled by a single-hearted, 
 self-sacrificing devotion to Christ and his cause.” The Christian reputation of the 
 missionary must be above reproach. The taint of suspicion must not be against his 
 name. A yearning of soul over the miseries of this world, like that which a mother 
 feels for her child; a degree of love which shall not tire any more than Jesus tired 
 in his mission of mercy; a command of all feelings so as to bring them into sub¬ 
 jection to Christ — these are the qualities we need in our beloved servants. The 
 missionaries’ power is a living, self-denying, toiling piety. 
 
 ( 
 
6 
 
 Young Manhood and Womanhood in Missiofis. 
 
 Never have there been so many worthy applicants declined by the Boards 
 as at this moment, when so many are ready to go to the field. This is the most 
 trying problem confronting the volunteer, and also the most serious hurt to the spirit 
 of missions in the churches. The call for men has given way to the plea for 
 money. These are the times of divine opportunity. God’s callings are his enablings. 
 East and West Africa and Zululand are asking for men. India and Japan need 
 more men. China is presenting a plea that appalls us with its urgency and force. 
 In parts of Turkey the need is imperative. What can our love for these missions 
 do without money? I once saw a mother with several children to feed standing 
 before the bakery. She had a basket on her arm, and in her hand were the pennies 
 she was counting with such solicitude. It was impossible to fill the basket with 
 that which could be purchased by those pennies. The American Board is in a like 
 position; on the one hand are the youth ready for the battle of faith, on the other 
 are the hungry, waiting multitudes, and the treasury is so empty. 
 
 These conditions constitute an earnest appeal to the churches. The young 
 people wish to know whether their services will be required, or, to put it in a different 
 form, whether the churches will send them to the nations in the darkness and 
 shadow of death. The inquiries on this subject are frequent, and it is disheartening 
 in the extreme when a doubtful answer is given. The history of the Amerioan Board 
 will show that in many instances the revenue has been increased by the knowledge 
 that missionary candidates were waiting to be sent forth. The youth set apart to 
 the missionary service and the wealth given to this same purpose act and react upon 
 each other. When the resources are adequate there is a call for more missionaries, 
 and the subject of personal duty is laid upon every thoughtful student for the 
 ministry. When the means have been wanting, students have felt that they could 
 not be sent forth even if they offered themselves, and so they have turned to other 
 fields. This is true today in no small measure. On the other hand, when the 
 churches know that the youth are ready to go they cannot venture to so withhold 
 the means as to prevent their going. The very origin of the Board is an illustration 
 of these principles. The question before us takes this form: “ If we are to have 
 these alternations — now a full treasury and no missionaries to be sent, and then a 
 burdensome debt and missionaries detained — how can the Board go steadily for¬ 
 ward?” Waiting missionaries should be the effective appeal for filling the treasury. 
 
 This movement among the students is coming to the attention of the churches. 
 The Presbyterian body in 1896 gave its sanction to this movement, “which challenges 
 Christendom.” The celebrated Lambeth Conference of the Bishops of the English 
 Church records its gratitude to God “that a very large number of students in the 
 universities and colleges throughout the world have realized keenly the call to 
 missionary work.” The Congregationalists in England have expressed the hope that 
 that denomination “may have full share in this great and significant pnrpose of 
 young men and women to win the world to Christ.” For two successive years the 
 conferences of Foreign Missionary Boards of the United States and Canada have 
 carefully reviewed the details and purposes of this movement, and have added their 
 hearty approval to this far-reaching and inspiring venture. This movement, begun 
 in America, has reached beyond the seas to many lands, among them Great Britain, 
 Germany, France, Scandinavia, Africa, China, India, and Japan. The students of 
 Christian lands have joined with those of mission lands in working out the Re¬ 
 deemer’s will. The name of this wider movement is The World’s Student Christian 
 Federation. 
 
 Young men and women are before God asking'him to send forth laborers into 
 the harvests. The churches of the world must hear these petitions also. The effect 
 must be startling when once the idea reaches the hearts of God’s people. It will be 
 
Young Manhood and Womanhood in Missions. 
 
 7 
 
 a revelation of opportunity and advantage from which the church cannot turn away. 
 It will be discovered that this work is, by the spirit of Christ, destined to inspire, 
 inflame, and arouse all the consecrated powers of the church. 
 
 The churches need to realize more fully that we can never stop sending forth 
 missionaries without most hurtful influence upon the missions. To stop sending them 
 is to check the growth of missionary feeling in our institutions of learning at a time 
 when the “sense of mission” is reaching powerfully the educated mind. It will 
 operate banefully upon the ministry and churches. 
 
 The students need to realize their responsibility and privilege. In the order of 
 time the call to go precedes the order to send. It has been so in the past and will be 
 so in the future. There is reason to feel that patience and devotion to this call of 
 God will be rewarded by open doors to the unevangelized nations. In this spirit 
 many young men have thrown the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the nations 
 upon the churches, and they are now awaiting the churches’ answer. 
 
 The pastors should be conscious of their privilege in introducing these young 
 men and women to their churches. To whom have these young people a right to look 
 with such confidence for affectionate sympathy and cordial support as to the pastors 
 with whom they have been commissioned “to make disciples of all nations?” Who 
 can cherish the fellow-feeling of a brother like the man who is appointed to train his 
 people for the warfare of faith and lead them on to the spiritual conquest of the 
 world ? 
 
 The men of business should feel this call of the youth. They must learn to live 
 for Christ in their business of making money as wholly as the missionary lives for the 
 same master in reaching souls. They must pursue business for Christ, gain wealth 
 for Christ, and give it to Christ, just as the missionary lays his life upon the altar of 
 love. And these young missionaries cannot go to their work, nor can the work go on 
 until the burden thereof is assumed by the men of business. When we think of the 
 incomparable spiritual worth of money at this time in the kingdom of God, how much 
 good can be done with it, how many agencies set in motion and sustained by it, then 
 the profession of the business man, who would give his means and strength to the 
 cause of Christ, rises in dignity and'power until it is a real and living ministry. 
 
 At least twelve young men, not to speak of women, made their approaches to the 
 Board last year to be sent to the great field. Three are now waiting to be sent, two 
 of them with their wives. They appeal to the churches to take their support, to the 
 pastors to plead for their cause, which is more than their persons, and to the business 
 men with their clear-sighted vision of patent facts. 
 
 At least fifteen men are urgently called for by our missions, either ordained or 
 medical, and in nearly every case the men have been promised when the, means are 
 at hand. The missionaries are thus speaking to the churches loudly, through the 
 pastors with whom they should be allied by the special bonds of brotherhood, and 
 through the men of business, whom we beg to approach the work of the Redeemer’s 
 kingdom with an energy as yet untried. 
 
 The missionary force of the American Board has ranged as follows during the 
 past five years: 557, 571, 572, 555, 543, and we now report but 531. Today the en¬ 
 thusiasm of youth is coming to the front and asking for a rally of the missionary spirit 
 in our churches, so that the dwindling ranks of our missionary forces may be replen¬ 
 ished and the strength and the consecration of our churches magnified mightily. 
 
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