Missionary alliance 1888.pdf - DSpace

:STBR-SE\lJNARY MI ~S IO NAn.Y ALLIANCE.Toronto, has raised $1,425, and her missionary, Mr. Goforth, is alreadyin China. Their history in a nut·shell is, "they enthused a f~w , discussedthe matter in the college paper, circulated missionary literature,and when they struck the blow, there was little opposition. 90to 95 per cent. of the student, and even some of the alumni CODtrlbuted."University College, Toronto, expects to raise $500 for eightyears, and a.t last accounts was very near success. At Princeton College,although but little had been previously said, the occasion of thefarewell meeting to Mr. John N. Forman was used to present theclaims of this question to the students. Within two days $1,500 was subscribed.This year they have arranged for a permanent fund of $1,000for five years. This, 8 S is the case with all the others which have begunthis work, has stirred up a great missionary interest; many who hadhitherto shown little interest in Christian work giving liberally. Theirmissionary, Mr. Forman, is already in India. Only this term the studentsof Wooster University, Ohio, have secured over $600 for thispurpose, and each student giving the amount pledged each year whileremaining in college; the latest news from Brown University is to theeffect that $700 a year have been subscribed for a number of years.Grove City College, Penn., is a splendid ideal for undenominationalcolleges, dividing the ,750 which it raised among seminaries a.nd collegesof three different denominations to aid them in sending out theirmissionaries.These seminaries and colleges form but a few of the great net.work of institutions throughout the land. It would naturally be feltthat to enhst all these, there should be co-operative action for mutualhelp and encouragement. Local and isolated action can never haveperm~nent or fa.r-reaching ~esult s. In order to judg{ll the possibilityof UD1t~d an~ g ener~l action from a practical rather than a purelytbeorebcal pmnt of View, the writer last April sent a letter containinga plan for co-operative action to 280 colleges and 50 seminaries.Special thanks are due l\[r. R. P . Wilder for important suggestions aswell as to the vOlunt ~ er band of Union Seminary for providing nea~lvhalf the money reqUITed to print and send out the circular. The pla~suggested. in th~ letter is herewith presented in an abridged form foryour conSideration, and if may be for your approval Th ill' It' f h" ' . e 0 cia sanc­Ion 0 t IS Alha?ce would give the plan much weight and dignity,and would ha!o\ten Its speedy acceptation by the sem' . d IITh f . . man es an co eges.e act that It has 10 view a wide and compreb' "'11'enSlve orgaDlzatlOnWI account for Its seeming elaborateness It can h '1I 1'0 d f· . , owever, eaSl y be• mp. e or the primary stnges olthe work. For th k f b .the d" II ". f e sa e 0 revlty,wor co ege .IS 0 te~ used where all institutions are included. Abrief adaptation as .t applies to this Alliance will be su ested laterOD. The plan reads as follows : ggI. Each state should have a state mi SSionarycommittee,.com-• •.1SEMlN"ARY AND COl.LEGE SUPPORT OF MrSSIONARIES. 89posed of one member from every school of learning in the state whichhas Y oung ~len's Christian Associations (or in seminaries some otherform of organized Christian workj, and which agrees to raise moneyfor the support in whole or in part of a foreign missionary or YOUDgMen's Christian Association secretary. This state committee shouldelect from their number an executive committee of from two to fiveactive men, who shall have charge of detail work.I I. The annual meeting of this state committee and of Its executivecommittee should be held at the time and place of the state conventionof the Young lIen's Christian Association. This assumes thatall the members of this committee wlll be delegates from their college tothe convention. Other meetings of the executive committee may beheld as the work may require.III. The special work of the state committee at its annual meetingshould be to discuss questions relating to the work, as well as toconsider the colleges of the state individually, and on the two-foldbasis of the proportion of Christian students and their a.pproximateindividual expenses, it should suggest to each college its proportionateshare of money to be raised. Tbe estimate should be based upon thefacts presented by some 1·epreselltatil.'e student from each of Buchcolleges.IV. The Young Men's Christian Association of each collegeshould take up the estimate suggested by the state committee, andafter public consideration the Association should decide upon its adoptionby Po vote of its members. If a fa,·orable vote is given, theyshould then pledge themselves to raise the amount, pushing the canvassto a successful close as rapidly as possible. E ntire freedom ofjudgment and conscience should be given to each college to decide toraise a greater or less amount, the fact of taking action giving it 8.place upon the state committee.V. The state executive committee should be composed of youngmen of special ability and energy, as well as of marked mi s ~ionaryenthusiasm, selected from colleges in different sections of the state.It will be the duty of each member of this committee to arouse missionaryinterest in his own and neighboring colleges by public meetings,to be present and advocate the estimate of the state committeewhen presented at these colleges, and, if necessary, help in pushingthe canvass.VI. An effort should be made by the state committee to securefrom friends outside of the colleges, a fund su fficient to pay the necessaryrailroad expenses of the executive committee, so that this extraburden may not faU upon the colleges. This money should not beused, however, to pay the expenses of the committee as delegates tothe Young Men's Christian Association State Convention, this beingprovided for in the usual way.