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 For Young People's Societies 
 
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 By ELLA D. MacLAUl^lN 
 
 Young People’s Department 
 
 Bmerican JBaptiet /Iftiesionar^ IHnion 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 ' 70 In pJ ij) iJi G T rJ TO b-irulUipJiJiriJiripJiJiiTJCnnJiripj [rjlrl Ui piJ Lti pJ 1 ji p-l Gi 
 
l^ounQ lPeople’9 2)epartment. 
 
 ..JUST THE FUEL TO MAKE THE FIRE BURN.. 
 
 Pray Without Ceasing. Andrew Murray. 5 cents. 
 
 Prayer Cycle. 5 cents. Prayer Calendar. 25 cents. 
 
 Prayer and Missions. Robert E. Speer. 5 cents. 
 
 Money and the Kingdom. Dr. Josiah Strong. 3 cents. 
 Biblical Finance. A Business Man. 3 cents. 
 
 The Resources of the Kingdom. A Business Man. 3 cents. 
 A Brief for Foreign Missions. Rev. Henry Vandyke, D.D. 
 5 cents. 
 
 Have Your Own Missionary. 5 cents. 
 
 A Missionary Meeting: What it is, and How to Conduct 
 it. 5 cents. 
 
 The Missionary Committee : Its Responsibility and Work. 
 5 cents. 
 
 Where Does the Money Go ? Rev. Henry C. Mabie, D.D. 
 3 cents. 
 
 Leakage in Beneficence. Rev. Albert Waffle D.D. 3 cents. 
 The American Baptist Missionary Union. Dr. Duncan. 
 3 cents. 
 
 Motives Instead of Enticements in Giving. Rev. Lemuel 
 C. Barnes. 2 cents. 
 
 Are the Heathen in a Perishing Condition ? Rev. E. A. 
 Stevens, D.D. 2 cents. 
 
 A Plea for China. Rev. William Ashmore, D.D. 5 cents. 
 Special Dispatches to the Churches from the Mission¬ 
 aries at the Front. 2 cents. 
 
 Missionary Magazine. |i.oo per year. 
 
 Kingdom. Twenty copies each month for #1.00. 
 
 —^ FREE 
 
 Globe Circular. 
 
 Dr. A. J. Gordon’s Last Letter to His Church. 
 God’s Tenth, Rev. A. J. Gordon. 
 
 Missionary Committee Policy. 
 
 Pledge Cards and Envelopes. 
 
 Globe Boxes for Young People and Sunday-schools. 
 
 2 
 
The Missionary Meetin 
 
 What it is, and How to Conduct it. 
 
 MISSIONARY MEETING is the place 
 
 J~\ where you introduce Joseph to his breth¬ 
 ren, and the five hundred million downtrod¬ 
 den, helpless, hopeless, loveless, prayerless, 
 soulless women of heathen lands to their more 
 favored sisters. These Missionary meetings 
 are the reservoirs from which our boards must 
 draw, in order to water the heathen world. If 
 these meetings are dry, empty, unpalatable 
 cups instead of capacious reservoirs the sup¬ 
 ply will be meager, and the production corres¬ 
 pondingly scanty. Therefore the subject, 
 “ The Missionary Meeting: What it is, and How to 
 Conduct it,” is most appropriate for discussion. 
 
 At these meetings we become acquainted 
 with those of our brothers and sisters who 
 have not counted their lives dear, that they 
 -might extend the boundaries of the Savior’s 
 kingdom ; whose blood has consecrated the 
 soil of every land, and whose names are writ¬ 
 ten in letters of light in the blue heavens of 
 
 3 
 
every Christian denomination. Here we learn 
 to love those who first scaled the 
 
 Almost Inaccessible Fastness of Paganism, 
 
 and toiled on in the midst of discourage¬ 
 ments and untold suffering until today that 
 gigantic and hoary superstition is tottering to 
 its fall. And here we come into deeper sym¬ 
 pathy with those who, through self-denial and 
 heroic purpose and sacrifice, have sought to 
 do His will, and have carried His gospel to 
 the nations that sit in darkness. Familiarity 
 with these noble men and royal women will 
 make us inheritors of their .sublime faith and 
 devotion. The contemplation of what God 
 has wrought through them will kindle in our 
 hearts a glowing gratitude and a larger desire 
 for the redemption of a lost race. The thought 
 of what remains to be done will increase our 
 dependence upon the divine spirit. 
 
 And it is here, too, we learn the nature of 
 their work; that it has to do, not with the 
 relief of physical need and suffering alone, 
 not with the diffusion of knowledge, not vdth 
 the material progress of society, but rather 
 with the peace, the enlightenment, the re¬ 
 demption of immortal souls, and their restor¬ 
 ation to the fellowship and image of God. 
 That their work is more than sweet charity, 
 and more than philanthrophy, and more than 
 
 4 
 
education ; that it is salvation, the very impar- 
 tation of a new nature and a new and eternal 
 life, the very Christ life incarnate in human 
 souls ; and that the 
 
 Great Son, of God Came in Person to Earth 
 
 to execute heaven’s purpose of mercy, to con¬ 
 struct by those spotless and bleeding hands 
 the very ark of life for a perishing world, and 
 to place in the hands of his church the des¬ 
 tiny of a lost and ruined humanity. 
 
 And in these missionary meetings are we not 
 lifted up into a closer fellowship with the spirit 
 of the 
 
 First Great Missionary 
 
 who came “ to seek and to save the lost; ” 
 who came “ not to be ministered unto, but to 
 minister; ” who, ‘‘ though he was rich yet for 
 our sakes became poor that we through his 
 poverty might be made rich; ” “ who, being 
 in the very form of God, counted it not a 
 prize to be on equality with God, but emptied 
 himself, taking the form of a servant, being 
 made in the likeness of men, and being found 
 in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, be¬ 
 coming obedient unto death, even the death 
 of the cross ? ” 
 
 O patient Christ! 
 
 Did once thy tender, earnest eyes 
 Look down the solemn centuries 
 And see the smallness of our lives! 
 
 5 
 
And here at Christ’s feet we learn to read 
 our duty, and here duty becomes delight, and 
 obedience possible, and sacrifice changes to 
 privilege, and we come into a fuller appre¬ 
 ciation of his almighty and far-reaching grace, 
 and a more intense and unquenchable long¬ 
 ing for the complete coming of his kingdom 
 in the whole earth. Ah ! yes, it is here, too, 
 we hear the voice of him whom we love most 
 and best, whom rightly we would call “ Master 
 and Lord,” as he pleads with us so tenderly, 
 
 “ Go, Preach My Gospel to Every Creature,” 
 
 and “ Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me 
 more than these, then feed my lambs, feed 
 my sheep.”- “ For, if ye love me, ye will keep 
 my commandments,” and “Ye are my friends 
 if ye do whatsoever I command you,” And 
 right here battles are fought more terrible 
 than any that were ever waged on a battle¬ 
 field, and victories are won that will go down 
 through the channels of human life and will 
 do much to form the destiny of the whole 
 human family; for it is here at Jesus’ feet, 
 with the world shut out, that we listen with 
 him to the great heart’s cry that goes up 
 ceaselessly from this lost world that brought 
 him from his glorious heaven down to this 
 sin-cursed earth, that led him, step by step, 
 from Bethlehem’s emptying to Calvary’s cru- 
 
 G 
 
cifixion through many a Gethsemane; and 
 here by his own spirit possessed and inspired 
 we are ready to sing with deepest reality and 
 meaning — 
 
 When I survey the wondrous cross 
 On which the Prince of Glory died, 
 
 My richest gain I count but loss 
 
 And pour contempt on all my pride. 
 
 Were the whole realm of nature mine, 
 
 That were a present far too small; 
 
 Love so amazing, so divine, 
 
 Demands my heart, my life, my all. 
 
 Therefore we esteem it a privilege to follow 
 him anywhere he leads,— in darkest Africa 
 or to the Ethiopia of our own land ; in the 
 jungles of India or among the peoples of our 
 own forests ; among the wild savage tribes 
 of Burma or to the cesspools of Chicago; 
 to the fellowship of our persecuted brothers 
 and sisters in Russia in the face of impending 
 doom to Siberian exile, or with him we can 
 kneel at the bedside of the dying, hopeless, 
 soulless women of China, or cross some 
 threshold of vice and suffering in the slums 
 of our cities; yes, anywhere with Jesus we 
 can safely go, cheered and encouraged by his 
 gracious assurance, 
 
 “ Lo, I am with You all the Days.” 
 
 Missionary workers, especially will He be 
 with you, and under the touch of his almighty 
 
spirit plans and methods will spring forth, 
 whose lapping waves of spiritual revival and 
 missionary consecration shall not fail to reach 
 every nook and corner of the heathen world. 
 
 And it is in these missionary meetings that 
 we are brought face to face with the fact that 
 at this instant two-thirds of the human family- 
 are yet in absolute ignorance of both Bible 
 and Christ, and that two millions of souls for 
 whom Christ died have each month gone into 
 a dark and dread eternity without ever having 
 heard of the Lamb of God who taketh away 
 the sin of the world. In the face of these 
 facts, are we not called upon to prove either 
 that God has called us to stay at home or to 
 give ourselves, our all, in glad surrender to 
 God for the extension of the Redeemer’s 
 kingdom among these lost people ? Then 
 where can we find a service so important, so 
 helpful, so uplifting, so divine, as in this mis¬ 
 sionary meeting? 
 
 A WORD ABOUT THE PROGRAM. 
 
 The preparation of the program should be 
 most thorough and complete. Let the leader 
 of the meeting, with another member of the 
 committee, arrange and be responsible for the 
 program,— a new committee for each meeting. 
 These two may call in every member of the 
 
 society to aid in its execution. I do believe 
 
 8 
 

 in giving every person something to do. Sup¬ 
 pose you have twelve or fifteen three-minute 
 guns. This will insure increased activity, and 
 this is the secret of all success in any under¬ 
 taking, for responsibility awakens interest. 
 
 Bishop Hall once said : “1 have known a 
 man to come from a funeral in high spirits 
 because he had the management of it.” Be¬ 
 sides, the diversity of gifts and variety of 
 exercises at the monthly missionary meeting, 
 the new treatment of familiar subjects,— the 
 old facts in new dresses,— cannot fail to give 
 a vigor and life to the meeting. " 
 
 SCRIPTURE LESSON. 
 
 The Scripture lesson, or Bible reading, 
 should be short and right to the point. The 
 prayers should not be long; sentence prayers 
 are more desirable and profitable. For though 
 I believe with all my heart in the efficacy of 
 prayer, yet I think that, to be of the greatest 
 value here, it should be found with Christ in 
 the closet or with Jacob under the stars. v 
 
 THE nusic. 
 
 We do not make enough of this God-given 
 gift of song; we need the inspiration that 
 comes from the notes of God’s battle-songs. 
 The soldiers of Gustavus Adolphus were 
 accustomed to kneel in the midst of an en- 
 
 
 9 
 
gagement and sing Luther’s hymn, “ A Mighty 
 Fortress is our God,” then up, charge the 
 enemy, and win the victory. We workers are 
 in the midst of a conflict; we need brave 
 hearts ; therefore let us sing those hymns that 
 will so strengthen our faith as to lift visibly 
 before us the sign through which we are to 
 conquer. For example: 
 
 Crowns and thrones may perish, 
 
 Kingdoms rise and wane, 
 
 But the church of Jesus 
 Constant shall remain. 
 
 Gates of Hell can never 
 ’Gainst that church prevail, 
 
 We have Christ’s own promise, 
 
 And that cannot fail. 
 
 Onward, Christian soldier. 
 
 Marching as to war. 
 
 With the cross of Jesus 
 Going on before. 
 
 MAPS AND CHARTS. 
 
 To give definiteness and reality to our study 
 a map must be used. Every time the lesson is 
 about China there should be a map of that 
 country upon the wall, where every person 
 can see it, with the names of the mission 
 stations printed so large that they can be 
 easily read by everyone. 
 
 Make your own map. Let them be outline 
 maps and leave most of the details to the 
 
 imagination. Purchase several yards of good 
 
 10 
 
 
cotton cloth, fasten on a smooth wall, and 
 with a long rule, mark the lines of latitude 
 and longitude so as to form large squares, 
 making no attempt at curved lines, and then 
 holding a small map before you, outline 
 in lead pencil, following the corresponding 
 squares, and your outline will be easily 
 sketched. Then take any common house 
 paint, a few cents’ worth of each color used 
 will be sufficient, and mixing this with a little 
 powdered glue wet with gasoline, with a 
 narrow brush follow the outline, and before 
 you know it your map will be made. Then 
 place the names of the stations and write the 
 names in good large letters that can be seen 
 the distance of a good-sized room. 
 
 Aside from your home-made map, which 
 will be of the very greatest possible value in 
 fixing in memory the position of mission sta¬ 
 tions, send to the Missionary Union for their 
 splendid map of the Asiatic Missions; price, 
 $3.50. For the latter, address Rev. E. F. 
 Merriam, Tremont Temple, Boston, and he 
 will forward you the map, giving you three 
 months, if need be, in which to make pay¬ 
 ments for the same. 
 
 ItNVlTATION COnniTTEE. 
 
 Let two members of the society issue invi¬ 
 tations with a copy of the program to every 
 
 11 
 
member of the congregation the week previous 
 to the meeting. 
 
 nusic conniTTEE. 
 
 Two others to have charge of the music 
 after the leader has carefully selected what is 
 to be sung. Never sing more than two verses 
 at one time, and please do away with all pre¬ 
 ludes, interludes, and postludes in a mission¬ 
 ary meeting and worship God in song, “ singing 
 and making melody in your hearts unto the 
 Lord.” 
 
 USHERS. 
 
 Appoint two others as ushers, who shall see 
 that the room is well ventilated and everything 
 tastefully arranged and that side and back seats 
 are sacredly reserved until all the seats nearest the 
 altar are filled. 
 
 I do believe that the physical discomfort 
 and mental depression that follow an hour’s 
 sitting in an uncomfortable, distasteful room 
 to be one reason why our meetings are 
 shunned. Therefore arrange your room as 
 you would your home when you are expecting 
 to entertain most honorable guests. For have 
 you not from your closet sent an invitation to 
 the King of Glory, and do you not hold in 
 your hand his gracious answer, “ Surely I will 
 be with you ? ” 
 
 12 
 
THE OFFERING. 
 
 Expect and endeavor to have each one take 
 a heart and pocketbook interest in the treas¬ 
 ury. Let your giving be Systematic, Proportion¬ 
 ate, Worshipful, Heroic and Hilarious, “ as the Lord 
 has prospered you.” Let this be an act of 
 worship. Let your giving be heroic in sacri¬ 
 fice and saturated in importunate prevailing 
 prayer for the object for which you give. 
 Plach one place his gift each week in the 
 ‘•Globe Box” or “Stewardship Envelope” at 
 his own home. 
 
 “ We are not sending dollars and cents, but 
 we are sending human hearts thrilled through 
 and through with love for Jesus, and human 
 hands and brains consecrated to his service. 
 We are sending Jesus, and that means eternal 
 life.” 
 
 THE QUESTION BOX. 
 
 An occasional very interesting feature of 
 the Missionary meeting is the question box, 
 which will arouse deep thought and earnest 
 search on the part of those who prepare and 
 those who answer the questions. 
 
 PHOTOGRAPHS. 
 
 Obtain photographs of your missionaries 
 and their surroundings, and also let one of 
 your number write to some missionary each 
 
 13 
 
month asking about his field, its needs, and 
 how you can help him. Strive to have each 
 member take special interest in your workers 
 abroad. Be sure and have on the blackboard 
 the topic for that day, found in “ The Prayer 
 Cycle,” and spend at least five minutes in 
 each meeting in special prayer for the work 
 and workers indicated. Make a chain of 
 prayer that will go over the cable of God’s 
 throne and lift fallen humanity back to the 
 fellowship and image of God. See that every 
 person who takes part is heard; speak so all 
 shall hear. 
 
 HOW TO CONDUCT IT. 
 
 The conduct of the meeting must be care¬ 
 fully attended to. The plan of the architect 
 may be spoiled by the builder, and the love¬ 
 liest product of the loom may be ruined by 
 the dressmaker; and so a presiding officer 
 can make shipwreck of the best arranged pro¬ 
 gram. Let the leader of the meeting begin 
 on the minute; begin if there is not another 
 person present,— begin with God for an audi¬ 
 ence. 
 
 Let the program be carried out, giving to 
 each one the allotted time and no more. If 
 you have twelve or fifteen three-minute papers 
 or talks, keep them within their time. Inter¬ 
 sperse with prayer and song. Always close 
 
 14 
 
your program with some practical application. 
 
 For example, if your field is Swatow, let your 
 last paper or talk be, “ What are the needs 
 of Swatow? Can we supply them ? Will we 
 supply them ? ” Then sing very softly, some 
 appropriate verses, such as — 
 
 Can we whose souls are lighted 
 By wisdom from on high, 
 
 Can we to men benighted, 
 
 The lamp of life deny? 
 
 Salvation ! oh, salvation ! 
 
 The joyful song proclaim, 
 
 ’Till earth’s remotest nation 
 Has learned Messiah’s name ! 
 
 followed by silent prayer, the offering and 
 benediction. 
 
 But I hear some one say, “ This means work.” 
 It docs; and it ought to. This is the King’s 
 business. When the heavenly vision shone 
 upon you, and the heavenly voice thrilled your 
 soul, did it say, “ Go rest in my vineyard ? ” 
 Ah, no ! but He did say, “ Go work in my vine¬ 
 yard.” 
 
 When Garibaldi appealed for troops to set 
 Italy free, the young men asked, “What shall 
 be our reward ? ” “ Reward ?” replied Gari¬ 
 
 baldi, “ privations, wounds, scars, and victory 
 for Italy.” Christian workers, in this warfare 
 for the evangelization of a lost world, wounds 
 and privations, work and sacrifice must come 
 
to US too; but in the end, under the leader¬ 
 ship of the great Captain, ours also shall be 
 the glorious victory. “ For the knowledge of 
 the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters 
 cover the channels of the deep.” 
 
 Oh, then, with yonder sacred throng. 
 
 We at His feet may fall, 
 
 We’ll join the everlasting song, 
 
 And crown Him Lord of all. 
 
 See the accompanying leaflet, “ The Com¬ 
 mittee on Missions; Its Responsibility and Work.” 
 
 16 
 
Read Carefully. 
 
 lyllSSIONARY INTEREST, if it shall abide, must 
 be intelligent interest. 
 
 The library to be of real value must contain books, 
 interesting, instructive, devotional, and books giving a 
 careful survey of people, countries, religions and a his¬ 
 tory of successful Missionary enterprise. 
 
 The Student Missionary Campaign Library does all 
 this and more. It contains lectures, biography, conven¬ 
 tion reports, history, and in fact everything to instruct 
 and interest young people in the cause of the world’s 
 evangelization. 
 
 The library has been carefully selected by a com¬ 
 mittee of prominent educators, who are especially well 
 informed as to Missions. 
 
 It contains sixteen of the very best Modern Mis¬ 
 sionary books. 
 
 It will be uniform in size and binding. 
 
 It lists at twenty dollars, but a benevolent business 
 man bought the sheets from the publishers and by 
 having the books bound himself has made it possibie 
 for us to furnish them for the remarkably low price of 
 ten dollars. Orders should be sent to Miss Ella D. 
 MacLaurin, Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass., and in 
 order to secure the library at the above price it should 
 be ordered now. 
 
 The library must be sold entire, and in no case will 
 the set be broken. 
 
 Money must accompany every order, and must 
 be sent by Money Order, Registered Letter or Draft on 
 New York or Boston, and must be made payable to 
 
 ELLA D, MACLAURIN 
 
 TREMONT TEMPLE, BOSTON 
 
 17