■i I»@!I isfffl HP vkMffi twmfc . 4 ,s; •../'. ;.V< VS; ( .-.V: 6 {Ml - V..V * ■ : h^:-'^r <: -■ './v* Vf-r^r’v; x .,/• • •*•■' , •• .' ■, b*2$3@ , f Sw. • . .' ppppBfA vl - : ■■ . . '$U M v': V '; "•'. V >'"• . -"' 4 -V. ■ 7-T.v; ! iw . - : . ■.* W&f-M The District Missionary Campaign Among Young People WORKERS’ MANUAL YOUNG PEOPLE’S MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS BOARD OF HOME MISSIONS AND CHURCH EXTENSION 150 Fifth Avenue, New York City > Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019 with funding from Columbia University Libraries / https://archive.org/details/districtmissionaOOunse The District Missionary Campaign The last General Conference provided for the organization of a District Board of Foreign Missions in each annual Con¬ ference district, to be composed of the District Superintendent, the District Missionary Secretary, the District Epworth League President, one Sunday School Superintendent, and one lay member. Under the new plan the Discipline makes the following provisions for missionary work among young people: That each District Superintendent shall give special atten¬ tion to the missionary collection of the Sunday school. (Par. 386, sect. 1.) That the District Missionary Secretary shall cooperate with the missionary office in the distinctive work of the Young People’s Department. (Par. 385.) That the Sunday School Superintendent and the Epworth League President shall be made members of the Missionary Committee of the local church. (Par. 386, sect. 2.) That it shall be the duty of the Pastor to organize Mission Study Classes on his Charge where practicable. (Par. 387, sect. 6.) This generous recognition of the value of missionary edu¬ cation among young people, and this ample provision for a district organization to push the work, demands renewed energy and a more aggressive campaign. There need be no embarrassment over the fact that the District Second Vice-President of the Epworth League is not a member of the District Board. Every District Board will be glad to have the cooperation of an efficient District Second Vice-President. He will be included in the councils of the Board when mission study is to be discussed and will always be represented by the District President. Neither need there be any difficulty over the fact that this Board is a Board of Foreign Missions. There is a complete understanding be¬ tween the Board of Foreign Missions and the Board of Home Missions and Church Extension whereby not only the Secre- 3 taries of the Young People’s Missionary Department, but also the Secretaries of both Boards, shall present the work to the young people of the Sunday school and Epworth League without distinction between Home and Foreign Mis¬ sions, allowing the young people to choose whatever courses they desire. The District Board of Foreign Missions is there¬ fore expected to push the work of the Young People’s Department. The district organization is strategic because the district is the unit in Methodism. It is comparatively small in size, making possible an aggressive, intensive campaign. When¬ ever marked success has been attained in mission study it has, as a rule, been the result of a well-organized campaign by district workers. The First Essential The first essential in such a campaign is one or more per¬ sons who have come closely in touch with the latest methods in missionary education and who are on fire to accomplish large results. The institutes of the Epworth League and the summer Conferences of the Young People’s Missionary Movement are places where such workers are trained. Here assemble the leaders in young people’s work, and for a week or ten days they consider practical plans for the promotion of missionary education and receive actual training in mission study classes. The advantages of attendance upon such a Conference are obvious, not only in the acquirement of knowledge, but in a deepened spiritual life and an enlarged vision. One of the most important things, therefore, that the District Board can do the first year is to make provision for a delegation to attend one of the summer Conferences. Indeed, every member of the Board ought to attend such a Conference. This may not be possible the first year, but it ought to be an aim which should be realized as soon as pos¬ sible. One or two delegates should be sent the first year, taking care to choose those with capacity for leadership. The delegates’ expenses may be provided by one of the dis¬ trict organizations, or by the local church to which the del¬ egates belong, or by the delegates themselves. In some cases it may be desirable to divide the expense between the dis¬ trict organization, the local church, and the delegates. This 4 would lighten the burden of expense and enable all to have a share in the more effective work of the delegates after their return. Manual of Methods Whether attendance upon one of these Conferences is possible or not, a district worker should have in his possession the best books on missionary methods. The following will be found valuable: Effective Missionary Methods. Cooper.$ .25 Holding the Ropes. Brain. 1.00 Missions in the Sunday School. Hixson. Cloth,... .50 Paper.. .. .35 The Missionary Meeting in a Young People’s Society. . .10 The Mission Study Class Manual. Free Enlisting the Young People for Mission Study. Free Mission Study: Its Value and Power. Free The district worker should also be thoroughly familiar with the mission study text books and helps, especially those prepared for the current year, and if possible he should have access to the mission study reference libraries, which are prepared to accompany each of the text books. The District Board The District Board is required to have at least one meeting during the year. At the annual meeting a comprehensive campaign should be planned for the year, which should in¬ clude ample provision for the promotion of mission study and missionary education in the Sunday school. The Board should decide to adopt as many of the plans suggested in this leaflet as seem advisable and should lay out a plan for a number of years. Some of the best methods, such as summer institutes and large conventions, should be considered a year or more in advance. It will be found advisable to set a standard and work toward it. A letter from a District Second Vice-President says: “I am assigned a new task—and a hard one—for we have set as the District Motto for our twenty-nine Leagues, ‘A Mission Study Class in every League—fifty classes on the District.’ It seems a small thing, but will mean an increase of 100 per cent if we can accomplish it. The second half of 5 the Motto, however, will be easier to bring to pass than the first.” During 1906-07 only six classes were reported from this district. In 1907-08, as a result of a normal class campaign, twenty-two classes were reported. It takes faith to attempt an increase of 100 per cent after such a record, but it is a good thing to hitch your mission study wagon to a star. Rotation in Office One great difficulty in developing district missionary work is due to the frequent changes in district officers. In some cases the constitution of the organization requires that changes be frequently made. While this may be wise as a general plan, it is certainly very detrimental in an effec¬ tive missionary campaign to have the officers change just as they become effective in the promotion of their work. When efficient, the District Second Vice-President and the District Missionary Secretary should be retained until efficient suc¬ cessors can be trained to take up the work without seriously affecting the important interests that are involved. Letter Writing Correspondence is one of the most important and at the same time the most disappointing methods of work which a district officer can undertake. Most district officers com¬ plain, and rightly so, that they cannot get replies from local officers, but correspondence is more effective than is usually realized. Even if letters are not answered, a series of un¬ complaining but inspirational appeals for the prosecution of the work, with hints and suggestions of what has been done by other chapters, a clear statement of the policy for the year and the aim of the district organization, together with suggestions regarding available literature and possibly samples of the same, will bring encouragement and hope to local workers and in many cases great results. A letter of this kind is far more valuable than one from a general office, such as that of the Young People’s Department, although the latter is helpful. The ideal is to have correspondence conducted from both sources, as the one will greatly supple¬ ment the other. The Young People’s Department will gladly furnish litera¬ ture and enrolment cards, for inclosure in such letters. 6 Personal Visitation There is no suggestion made in this leaflet which will bring larger results in the promotion of effective plans for missionary education than the actual visitation of each church on the district. It is realized that this is a large task, but if the District Board will plan carefully for such personal visitation it will be found possible in a great many cases. At least a whole day ought to be devoted to a visit of this kind, especially if the work in the Epworth League and Sunday school is to be covered. The purpose and plan of the visit should be fully explained in advance and as many of the details arranged by correspondence as possible. Give special attention to plans for the afternoon conference so that as many officers as possible will be present. Conference on Mission Study If mission study is to be presented, the following plan for the day may be used: First: Call upon the pastor and secure his cooperation. Explain your plans to him as fully as may be necessary to enlist his fullest sympathy. Second: Hold a conference with the local cabinet, or if this is not possible, with the President and Second Vice- President. The following general outline is suggested for this discussion: I. Why study missions? 1. An essential part of the business of the church. 2. Too large an enterprise to be understood without study. 3. Arouses a permanent interest in missions. 4. A factor in current history. 5. A factor in the development of Christian char¬ acter. 6. Develops leadership. 7. Is intensely interesting. 8. Will help secure adequate financial resources. II. What is a mission study class? 1. An informal group. 2. Not a new organization. 3. Not a weekly lecture. 7 III. How organize a class. 1. Talk it up among your friends. 2. Present the subject to the entire chapter. a. At regular devotional meeting. b. At regular business meeting. c. At special meeting or social. 3. Follow public presentations by personal work. IV. The class sessions. 1. How frequent. a. Weekly. b. Bi-weekly. c. Monthly. 2. Where held. a. In home of a member. b. In different homes. c. In church parlor. V. The group plan. 1. Advantages. 2. Urge its adoption if one class has been organized in previous years. VI. The selection of leaders. (See “Mission Study Class Manual.”) VII. Best Text Book to adopt. (See “Mission Study An¬ nouncement.”) VIII. Available helps. (See “Mission Study Announcement.”) IX. Check up all plans for evening rally and see that all necessary arrangements are made. Third: Have an evening rally for the entire church mem¬ bership. Present mission study in a popular address, dwelling on its value and interest, the special object being to enroll as many people as possible in mission study classes. Present the results of the afternoon conference, explaining the number of classes to be formed, the courses to be studied, and the time required. Pass cards and secure the names and addresses of all who will join a class, providing a suitable night can be agreed upon. Fourth: Meet all those who have enrolled, after the con¬ gregation has been dismissed, in order to accomplish the following: a. The division into groups if more than one class is to be organized. 8 b. The selection of leaders, if that has not already been done. c. Determine the time and place of meeting and fre¬ quency of the sessions. d. Choose the text book for each group. e. Secure an order for a text book from each individual who is a member of the class. /. Determine what libraries, maps, charts, etc., are to be secured. It is extremely important to settle upon these points at the close of the general address, while the district workers are present. There is a great peril in delay at this time. The mission study class should begin its work at the earliest possible moment, for every day’s delay means a decrease in the interest. This may seem like a long program for an after meeting, but it is essential to the best results. The length of the more public meeting should be governed by the fact that there is to be such a second meeting, and no efforts should be spared to tie up the results of the first meeting in this practical and conclusive way. Fifth: Fill out an enrolment card for each class or group and mail the same to the Young People’s Missionary Depart¬ ment, 150 Fifth Avenue, New York city. Send to this ad¬ dress also all orders for libraries, maps, charts, and Sunday school supplies, and send all orders for text books to the nearest depository of the Book Concern. (See Announcement for prices.) If the district worker fills out and sends in the enrolment card himself, explaining, however, the card and its significance to the local worker, he will be sure that the leader is in touch with the Department and that the helps will be forwarded at once. Conference on Missions in the Sunday School If educational work in the Sunday school is to be presented the following plan may be used: First: Secure the cooperation of the pastor. Second: Hold a conference with the Board of Managers of the Sunday School Missionary Society or the officers and teachers of the Sunday school, discussing some of the follow¬ ing points: 9 I. The purpose of the Sunday school. 1. The conversion of the child. 2. The development of his Christian character. 3. His training for Christian service. II. Methods used to accomplish this purpose. 1. Bible study. 2. Temperance lessons. 3. Mission study. III. How will mission study contribute to this purpose? 1. Make clear the purpose of the Church. 2. Bring the influence of the great lives of the Church to bear upon the life of the child. 3. Develop the heroic element in the religious life, a valuable point in holding boys. 4. Present the great Church problems of today. IV. How present missions in the Sunday school ? 1. Graded instruction by classes. 2. Instruction from the desk. 3. Prayer and missions. 4. The missionary offering. 5. Training of teachers. (See “ Sunday School An¬ nouncement ” and leaflet entitled, “The Sun¬ day School and Missions ” and the Sunday School Manual, secured from the Young Peo¬ ple’s Department.) Third: Have a.11 evening rally, with an address by the district officer. The value of missionary education in the Sunday school would be an appropriate address for such a rally, the special object being to get the church, as a whole, behind the proposition. Fourth: Meet the officers and teachers of the Sunday school to decide on some definite plans for missionary education in the school. If classes are organized for mission study send in an enrolment card, and secure books, libraries, helps, etc., as suggested above. If the purpose of the visit is to introduce educational work in both the Sunday school and Epworth League it would be necessary to plan a meeting with each organization, and possibly more than one day’s time will be necessary to ac¬ complish this object. When both features of the work are to be considered it would be well for two district officers to visit the church at the same time. For illustration, a District 10 Epworth League officer, who will give special attention to mission study in the Epworth League, and the District Mis¬ sionary Secretary, who will look after the missionary interests of the Sunday school. In event of such a visit, the Epworth League and Sunday school could unite with the pastor in holding a great Missionary Rally Day for the church. Group Rallies Many districts are or may be divided into groups in such a way that members may gather in large numbers once a quarter or once in two months for mass meetings. A healthy rivalry between the chapters to see which will have the largest attendance often results in a big gathering. These rallies may very properly be utilized at least once a year for the presenta¬ tion of some phase of the work of the Second Department. Utilizing such rallies is especially desirable when the plan for personal visits to the chapters is impracticable. If the afternoon preceding this evening rally could be used for a conference with the local cabinets of the various leagues in the group the rally might be especially fruitful. This con¬ ference would be similar in character to the conference held in the local churches when personal visits are made except that more than one cabinet would be present. If all the cabinets could not be present it might be possible to have the Presidents and Second Vice-Presidents, or even the Second Vice-Presidents alone. The address in the evening should have the same aim as suggested above for the local church visit, and the same plan for securing members for mission study classes should be followed. The names of the persons who are willing to join a class should be handed to the Second Vice-President of the chapter to which they belong, and these will form the mem¬ bership of the class in that church, or at least the nucleus for such a class. These members should assemble in groups for a few moments to decide when their organization meeting at home will be held and also make plans for enlisting other members of their chapter in the class. They should carry home the enthusiasm of the rally and impart it to others. The district officer should send the names and addresses of all Second Vice-Presidents or other persons who are respon¬ sible for organizing the local classes to the Young People’s Department, 150 Fifth Avenue, New York city. 11 When such group rallies are not held regularly by the dis¬ trict organization, or when it is desirable to discuss the work in the Sunday school, it will be necessary to organize special rallies and conferences for this purpose. This should certainly be done in connection with the Sunday school work, making a special effort to get all the Sunday school officers and teachers present. District Missionary Institutes A very effective method for the promotion of missionary education is the organization of a special district missionary institute lasting two days if possible, during which time there will be a very thorough discussion of plans and methods for missionary work in young people’s societies and Sunday schools. The plan of such an institute can be most easily explained by the presentation here of a suggested program: FIRST DAY IO. 30 A. M. IO. 45 A. M. 11. 30 A. M. 12. 15 P. M. 2 . OO P. M. Opening Exercises. Explanation of the purpose of the institute, to¬ gether with an outline of the plan. A state¬ ment of the number of mission study classes that are to be conducted, with an explanation of the senior and junior books that are to be taught. The passing of slips to learn which classes the delegates wish to attend, and a meeting, for a few minutes, of each class for the purpose of getting acquainted and assigning the lessons for the first session. Inspirational Address. Adjournment. Mission study classes. There may be as many mission study classes as the program com¬ mittee deems wise. The subjects covered ought to be the current home and foreign mission study text books, unless there is some special reason for using one of the books previously prepared. If a large at¬ tendance is expected at the institute it would be well to have more than one class in each subject. There should also be a class for 12 3. oo p. M. 4. OQ P. M. 4. 45 P. M. 8. OO P. M. teachers in the Sunday school who wish to use mission study in connection with the regular class work, these classes taking up such books as Uganda’s White Man of Work and Servants of the King. All the classes should be normal in character, the aim of the teachers being to fit the members for leader¬ ship at home. The teachers of these classes will be as far as possible those who have been successful leaders of classes in their local churches. It will not be wise for the leader to attempt to cover more than three chapters of the text book at this institute. This will be sufficient to explain the plans and methods of mission study. The greatest difficulty to be encountered will be lack of time for thorough preparation, but if possible the members of the classes ought at least to read the chapter before attending the sessions of the class. Conference, “Why and How Introduce Mission¬ ary Education in the Sunday School.” Address. Adjournment. Address. SECOND DAY 9. OO A. M. IO. OO A. M. 10. 11. 12 . 2 . 45 A. M. 30 A. M. 15 P. M. OO P. M. Second session of mission study classes. Conference, “Missionary Meetings in the Ep- worth League.” Conference, “Christian Stewardship.” Address. Adjournment. Third and final session of the mission study classes. Conferences, “Missions in the Sunday School,” “Available Material, How it may be Used,” etc. Address. Closing Address. This is merely a suggested program. It will be necessary to vary many portions to suit local circumstances. The time 13 3. OO P. M. 4. OO P. M. 8. OO P. M. of beginning, for example, will be governed by the train schedule, as will be the time of closing. It is earnestly urged, however, that no more discussions be attempted than the ones proposed. Experience goes to show that a crowded program is very likely to be a failure. Moreover, the dele¬ gates need time to read the mission study lessons. Persons who conduct missionary institutes of this character should, if possible, attend the summer Conferences, as suggested on page 4 of this leaflet, and teachers of the mission study classes will find such attendance the best possible way to prepare for their work. The Young People’s Missionary Department invites corre¬ spondence from anyone who plans such a program or any¬ one who is to conduct one of the conferences or lead one of the classes. A special missionary institute of this character cannot be worked up in a week or in a month. It needs very careful planning and preparation. District Boards, as has already been suggested, will constantly be planning for the future and this may well be a part of a campaign covering two or three years, and definite plans should be made months in advance. If possible, it would be wise to secure a special missionary worker to be present during the entire institute, who will lead the discussions indicated, have general charge of the mission study classes, and possibly give one or two of the general addresses. The Young People’s Department will gladly do anything in its power to cooperate with a dis¬ trict that wishes to promote missionary educational work in such an aggressive manner, and urgently solicits corre¬ spondence on the part of those who have such a plan in mind. The expense of the institute is a feature that should be carefully considered. That may be met by an appropriation of the district treasury, by a small registration fee of 50 cents or $1.00 from each regular delegate, by collections at the evening addresses, etc. In the conduct of such institutes if is usually very wise to secure a guarantee fund, asking ten laymen, for example, in the district to promise $10.00 each or such a proportion thereof as may be necessary to pay all the bills of the institute. When the final adjustment is made it may be necessary to call upon these guarantors for only part of their pledge, or possibly none at all. If the various districts of an Annual Conference would plan such institutes consecutively so that the same field secretary, if one is se- 14 cured, and possibly the mission study class leaders and speakers could go from one district institute to another, the expense could be shared and would not be great. This might even make possible the securing of a field secretary and a home or foreign missionary. If all the districts could not combine in such a campaign it might be possible for two or more to do so. Workers from outside the bounds of the district are not essential to success, and plans for such an institute should not be abandoned because they cannot be secured. This will be especially true if district workers have attended one of the summer Conferences. Money spent in sending delegates to a Conference would bring greater results than if spent in paying the expense of a field secretary or some other worker from abroad, as the delegate remains and his inspiration and knowledge will be a permanent asset, whereas the foreign worker would soon be gone. Conventions The regular annual or semi-annual convention of the District Epworth League may be utilized effectively in pro¬ moting the missionary educational campaign. To utilize this it will be necessary to make plans before the district program is built, so that the missionary work may be taken into consideration. For example, in a two-day convention it would be perfectly possible to have mission study classes on the same plan, if not at the same hours, as they appear in the suggestive program given on page 12. During other hours of the convention other phases of Epworth League work could be considered. The amount of time given to missions on the program will be determined by the emphasis which the district officers wish to place upon this subject. In a great many districts it is being found advisable to make the work of some one department of the League the major of the convention. It will, of course, not always be the same department, but there is no better department with which to try this plan than the Second. District Conferences The regular annual or semi-annual district Conference, which is in charge of the District Superintendent, offers a very effective means of promoting this educational work in the district. This is probably the very best opportunity to 15 present this entire plan to the pastors, so that they may have a very thorough discussion of its importance and methods for its promotion. In a number of district Conferences this plan has been tried with great success, the District Superin¬ tendent condensing the regular business of the Conference into as small a compass as possible, and putting it at the opening of the Conference so that it will be out of the way, and then taking up in earnest a discussion of the plans involved. A program very similar to that suggested under the heading of “District Missionary Institutes” could be used in this connection. Conference and State Institutes or Summer Conferences In a number of cases Conference and State Epworth League organizations have held larger Conferences for special training patterned after the summer Conferences of the Young Peo¬ ple’s Missionary Movement. Such Conferences have been held by the Michigan and Illinois State Epworth Leagues and by the Newark, Pittsburg, and Troy Conferences. These State and Conference Institutes have been a week or ten days in duration and have covered very thoroughly the various phases of missionary work. The results have been large in every case and the effort has been well worth while. Where such institutes or Conferences are contemplated it would be well to take up the matter carefully by correspondence. Literature and Exhibits As far as practicable there ought to be presented, in con¬ nection with every institute, rally, or convention, an exhibit of text books, libraries, helps, maps, the general leaflet and booklet literature of the Home and Foreign Boards, and the work of mission study classes such as maps and charts made in connection with their study. Where institutes are to be held it will be absolutely necessary to have text books on sale, and it would be helpful if a small quantity could be taken to rallies and on personal visits. Arrangements for text books may be made with the nearest depository of the Book Concern. Exhibits suitable for these purposes, mounted on frames, will be furnished by the Young People’s Depart¬ ment, the districts to pay transportation charges both ways. 16 Libraries will be sold to district workers for institute use only, with the privilege of returning if not sold to some local class, providing the express is paid both ways and the books returned promptly and in good condition. Mission study announcements and enrolment cards will be furnished free in reasonable quantities, sent express collect. The Depart¬ ment will also gladly furnish information cards which may be used in institutes in securing registration for the various classes, this information to be sent to the Department at the close of the institute. Correspondence will be opened with those who have been in classes with a view of encouraging them to organize classes in their local churches. The City Campaign The educational campaign in the city deserves special mention. Many of the suggestions which have been made above can be applied to this work in the cities. Institutes, for example, can be planned and conducted very successfully either on a denominational or interdenominational basis. Such institutes have been held in very large numbers and with considerable success. A special leaflet has been pre¬ pared, called “The Missionary Institute—Essentials in Preparation and Conduct,” which will gladly be furnished upon request. An aggressive normal mission study class campaign will be found especially practicable in the city. Take a city, for example, which contains a dozen Methodist churches, and let the district worker or the city worker organize a normal mission study class composed of one person from each of these churches, who in turn will be the leader of a class or classes in his local church. In a larger city two normal classes could be organized, possibly one in home and one in foreign missions, and in still larger cities even more normal classes might well be formed. In some of our larger cities it has been found advisable to have a central normal class for leaders of district normal classes. As an example, one large city was divided into three mission study districts; in each of these districts four normal mission study classes were organized, two in home and two in foreign missions, the classes, of course, being located at convenient centers in the various districts. These leaders of district normal classes met in two sections of the central normal class, one foreign 17 and the other home, and were prepared for their work by a specialist in mission study. The members of the district normal classes in turn led mission study classes in their local churches, with the result that the mission study enrol¬ ment in that city was increased by 146 per cent. This does not necessarily mean that the cooperation of every local church can be secured, but that is the ideal, and so far as possible that ideal should be attained. The normal mission study class should be organized early in the fall. The classes in the local churches may be started at the close of the normal class or three or four weeks after the beginning of the normal class. If the normal class, for example, is organized the first of September, then the local classes might be organized the first of October, and they would complete the work before the Christmas holidays. This would mean that the leaders of the classes would have two sessions a week for about four weeks. If they could possibly accomplish this they would find it very advantageous, as the normal class would afford them the opportunity of coming together and discussing their mutual problems while they are actually teaching their classes. They would be better able to ask intelligent questions and enter into an intelligent discussion. In Rural Districts A majority of the topics discussed in this leaflet relate to the work in the country as well as in the city. District institutes and rallies should reach country chapters. A num¬ ber of workers in rural districts were asked to give us the benefit of their experience. One reply is given below almost in full and is typical of all: “To my mind the whole problem rests on the question whether there is someone in the charge with the determina¬ tion to go ahead. Our success in rural charges has been limited to those which have had pastors who would push. And when there have been changes of pastors, charges that before could not get a class promptly organized one, sometimes two or three; and charges which the year before had them were not able to get another under the new administration. The problem, therefore, is the problem of the man. “We did our work by holding in the fall a series of group meetings and pushing mission study. Then a man, and 18 ■usually he was one who had been at the summer Conference, was put in charge of a group. He kept in touch with each charge by letter, and on call went to the charge and organized the class for them. He prevailed on our District Superinten¬ dent to ask about the study classes at the Quarterly Confer¬ ences. We always had a place on the program at the district Conferences. We kept the officers deluged with literature. We made mission study a topic of conversation every time there was any sort of preachers’ meeting. In a word, we had the banner floating everywhere, always avoiding becoming obnoxious. Every year we found a man or two who had possibilities undeveloped and paid part of his expenses to go to the summer Conference. (He always came back an enthusiast.) Yet with all that we got classes in only about half the charges. Of those who failed us, the pastors were of two kinds: i. Those who have but the thought to get their meager salary. 2. Those who have not caught the vision. These we will get to the summer Conference as rapidly as possible. “The next thing is to emphasize the fact that numbers are not essential to success. Two families or three near together can group themselves and make a class. Probably all this class can do will be to carefully read the text book and discuss it among themselves. Not one of them will know enough about missions to make him competent as an instructor. “All that can be done is to push, push, push! And then get others to push with you, and the District Superintendent is always a great help there.” Another worker closes his letter with the same idea, but expressed in a more original way: “Mission study is like a lawn mower and has to be pushed.” A third worker’s summing up puts the whole matter in a very definite form: “In summing up, I would say that three things are necessary: A person in each locality fired for missionary service; a promoter to visit when needed; and institutes brought to these workers or workers taken to in¬ stitutes to catch fresh zeal.” We do not know of a district where any large success in mission study has been attained except by use of one or more of these methods. Missionary educational work is so new in character and so little understood that long and careful training will be necessary before great success can be 19 attained. There need not, however, be a discouraging note. Success has been attained in many places and will be in many more. The new district organization gives promise of larger possibilities. Nothing succeeds like success. Faith in God and an undaunted perseverance will bring no defeat. Correspondence As already intimated, the Young People’s Missionary De¬ partment invites correspondence in connection with any phase of missionary work among young people. The Depart¬ ment has been organized by the Home and Foreign Boards for this purpose and should be used to the utmost by all missionary workers, especially those in district offices. 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