/ S 'ft wi - Nv\ \ SC? ( “THE STUDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE STUDENTS OF THE WORLD” WORLD FELLOWSHIP FUND HOW AN INSTITUTION MAY PARTICIPATE EDITH HELMER Published jointly by a Committee of the Council of North American Student Movements and a Committee representing the Foreign Missionary Societies of North America . *. . *. . *. . *. . *. WORLD FELLOWSHIP FUND THE STUDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE STUDENTS OF THE WORLD The An undertaking, as students of the United Project States, in recognition of our fellowship with the students of the world and on their behalf, to raise during the winter and spring of 1919 at least one half million dollars,—this sum to be administered by the regular foreign missionary agencies of the Church. This effort originated at the International Student Volunteer Conference held at Northfield in January 1918; it was part of a larger program, inaugurated at the same conference, which called all Christian students to a vigorous campaign in the interest of a Christian World Democracy. The To spiritualize our new world conscious- Purpose ness. To capitalize for the promotion of Christian world fellowship, the capacity recently discovered in ourselves for generous and even sacrificial giving. To establish in all the earth those foundation principles of Christianity on which may be built a new world order, and from which shall issue an enduring peace. 3 The Every institution participating in this World Goal Fellowship enterprise. The Larger This missionary finance effort should Program be undertaken on a local campus as a part of an adequate presentation of the world task and its challenge for life service. So it will be well to present the appeal for money when the stage has been properly set with a background of keen and general interest in the constructive functioning of Christian principles in international affairs. So also the appeal for money should be an in¬ terpretation of a deeper appeal for life service; and the response of a student, although in terms of dollars, should represent the deeper response of spirit which means commitment of life, at home or overseas, to the establishment of a Christian world order. Power Prayer for the guidance and power of the spirit of God should be begun at once both within and outside the committee which has been charged with the special responsibility for the rais¬ ing of this fund. Any undertaking worthy of the issues involved will be baffling to unaided human .resources. 4 THE PLAN IN GENERAL General The foreign missionary agencies of the Account Christian Church, that is, the denomina- of Plan tional boards, the inter-denominational agencies and the foreign departments of the Young Men's and the Young Women's Christian Associations, are the channels through which this concrete expression of world fellowship will flow into the life-building processes which are at work among our fellow students in other lands. A printed compilation of some of the specific and immediate needs which face these foreign mission¬ ary agencies will be furnished to the local campus committee. Incidentally this presents a rapid fire survey of the vast range and present status of Christian education around the world. An understanding has been reached with all the agencies concerned, that, unless there is some special reason to the contrary, denominational institutions should be encouraged to contribute to objects named by the missionary societies of their respective de¬ nominations and that state institutions and insti¬ tutions on private foundations should be encouraged to choose objects listed by inter-denominational agencies and by union institutions on the mission fields. 5 In view of the fact that it will be impossible within the next few weeks for the secretaries of the Boards and of the Associations to visit all colleges, it is hoped that every person who reads this pamphlet will consider himself commissioned to take immediate and effective steps to initiate this enterprise. Fine cooperation between the denominational Boards and the student movements makes it possible for a Board to draft the Young Men's and the Young Women's Christian Associations secretaries, who regularly visit a college, for the presentation of the work of the Board in that college; and for the Association secretaries in turn to call upon denomi¬ national secretaries and Board speakers for such as¬ sistance in state and non-denominational institutions as their schedules will permit. This World Fellowship enterprise is not primarily an Association affair. It should interest the entire body of students. The local Association in all insti¬ tutions should hold itself ready either to initiate this finance effort or to stand heartily back of the college committee appointed specially for this purpose. The choice of the object or objects for support and of the time for the campaign rests with the local institutions. The support of the work already being done in the foreign field should be continued. It is not other, but more work which needs to be done. A 6 single skillful effort will raise the money for the maintenance of the old interest and for the estab¬ lishment of the new. In some co-educational institutions it will seem wise to unite the interest and support of the whole constituency, men and women, faculty and students, in a single project. Other institutions, however, it will seem well to present the work of the women's agencies to women, and of general or men's agencies to men. This for the reason that both must draw upon our colleges and universities for future leadership and should even now be stimulating an interest and loyalty which will carry a student after college into active participation in the work of his or her board. In co-educational institutions, even when the ob¬ jects supported by men and women are not identical, simultaneous campaigns will be desirable. Secretaries of the Student Volunteer Movement, who will be visiting institutions of all types in the interest of foreign missions, will render valuable assistance in interpreting this World Fellowship undertaking to a local committee, and in relating the committee to the proper Mission Board and Association secretaries and the Boards of Trustees of Union Institutions. 7 Literature The following material for free Descriptive distribution has been prepared by of the World a Committee representing the Fellowship Fund Council of North American Stu¬ dent Movements and the foreign missionary agencies: 1. “An expression of World Fellowship”—by J. Lovell Murray. A general description of this World Fellowship enterprise. For use of cabinet, regular committees and special World Fellowship Fund com¬ mittee. 2. A Partial List of Immediate Opportunities—a compilation of the objects for which money is asked by foreign missionary agencies. For use of the special World Fellowship Fund committee. 3. “A World Student Fraternity for Christian Liberty”—by James H. Lewis. Designed to interest the general student body. For distribution among men and women students. 4. Information and descriptive material will be furnished by the different foreign missionary agencies concerning each of the objects for which they are asking support. 8 HOW AN INSTITUTION MAY PARTICIPATE Consideration This World Fellowship Enterprise of Project should be presented for initial con¬ sideration to a small and carefully chosen group of faculty members and students, representing every Christian organization on the campus. Steps in Local A special and influential committee Organization should then be appointed large enough to be well representative both of students and faculty. This committee should organize itself with chair¬ man, secretary and treasurer. The chairman should represent the institution as a whole. Necessary qualifications are conviction, enthusiasm and executive ability. The members of the committee should be ap¬ pointed not only with reference to their campus prestige, but also because of their fundamental faith in this world fellowship enterprise and of their ability to carry their fellow students to a similar conviction. Sub-committees may be appointed as needed. Suggested sub-committees are, Publicity; Meetings and Speakers; Canvass. The treasurer should be an experienced student or a faculty member. He will forward the money 9 collected to the foreign missionary agency concerned to be transmitted to the fore’°Ti mission field. Selecting The committee should study carefully the Object the literature descriptive of the fund— especially “An Expression of World Fel¬ lowship” and “A Partial List of Immediate Oppor¬ tunities.” After due consideration it should choose the agency or agencies through which the institution might appropriately contribute. Descriptive material prepared by the agency or agencies determined upon should be secured at once. The choice of an object or objects for the gifts of the institution should be referred for consideration to one small sub-committee which will report back to the larger committee. In co-educational institutions, if the men and women are to support different objects as suggested on page, it will be well to delegate the responsibility for choice of objects to two small sub-committees, which after conference together will report back to the large committee. The object or objects chosen should, of course, be ratified by the large committee, and certain alter¬ nates agreed upon. The undertaking should be large enough to stir the imagination of the whole campus and to require the intense efforts of the committee. 10 Notifying the The agency whose object has been Agency selected should be notified of the Concerned selection specifically and asked for descriptive printed material, photo¬ graphs and campaign suggestions. The alternate objects should also be submitted in order of pre¬ ference, so that, in case the first choice has already been taken by another institution, an adjustment can be made quickly. Time of The actual date for the campaign should Campaign be carefully determined. Plenty of time should be allowed for adequate prepara¬ tion. A short intensive campaign is preferable to a long-drawn-out one. Publicity The widest publicity should be given to this World Fellowship Enterprise. The advertising should be carefully studied and begun several weeks, if possible, before the actual campaign. Nothing catches the attention more quickly than graphic publicity and, if well done, nothing can be more effective. Illustrative posters, a series of start¬ ling questions displayed on the campus in quick succession, clever sketches in the college papers— can capture and hold the attention of even a casually interested student. Good articles in the college paper will often reach the last student on the campus. The Stereopticon Lecture, “Christianity and 11 World Democracy” furnishes a vivid survey of con¬ ditions,—industrial, social, educational—the world around. “Four Minute” students can be trained quickly and can most effectively reach every natural group on a campus. The pamphlet “A World Student Fraternity for Christian Liberty” referred to above, should be widely distributed. Circulation of the “World Reconstruction Pa¬ pers,” published by the Student Volunteer Move¬ ment, will stimulate interest in post-war conditions in mission lands. A special folder descriptive of the selected under¬ taking should be printed and put into the hands of every student and faculty member on the campus. Rally A big inspirational meeting is undoubtedly the best way in which to launch the actual campaign. Make it a mass meeting if possible. Use the best speaker available. The meeting should be short and to the point. Recent experience suggests that pledges should not be taken at such a public meeting, but should be secured by personal canvass within twenty-four hours after the meeting. Canvass The strongest possible soliciting com¬ mittee should have been in training during the period immediately preceding the rally. 12 The entire campus should be charted by streets or residence halls or natural friendly groups, and a lieutenant should be assigned to each section. Let the lieutenants secure the helpers necessary to cover their section. Gather together the entire group of lieutenants and canvassers. Put up to them the object, the occasion, the spiritual challenge and the obligation. After several meetings of these canvassers, all together or in groups, they should be enthusiastic over the proposition, thoroughly informed about the need and able to make a good case to a questioning or slightly interested student. Make perfectly clear to this group the plan for the canvass, and the exact part which each canvasser is to play. Provide the necessary pledge cards, and also an accurate list of the names of the students and faculty whom each canvasser is to visit. Duplicates of these lists should be kept by the secretary of the central committee. These solicitors should make their own gifts before the canvass, and should give in terms large enough to challenge the attention of the student body. The importance of this preliminary gift cannot he overestimated. Every student and professor on the campus should be seen personally and unhurriedly. It is better that the canvassers go by twos on this errand, rather than singly. No individual should be over- 13 looked, and each should be approached confidently. Gifts should be asked for in sums that are worthy of the cause and also of the giver. Pledges Accurate pledges should be taken by the canvassers, provision being made for im¬ mediate payment in full or for installments cover¬ ing a period of a few months. Payments may be made either directly to the Fund Treasurer, or to a member of the canvassing committee. The full responsibility of the canvassing committee is not discharged until the money has been collected. The last payments shall be made before June 1st, as the Fund is to be a completed fact within the present college year. Report The progress of the Fund should be an¬ nounced on the campus by some novel kind of register. A full report of the campaign and a careful ac¬ counting should be made through the college papers. Frequent reports of the progress of the object to which the gifts have gone should appear in the college paper. As soon as the canvass is completed a report of the result should be sent to the headquarters of the foreign missionary agency whose object is being supported. 14