Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-03-20
STUDENT VOLUNTEERS.

frhe fourth international convention
OF the Student Volunteer movement,
held recently In Toronto, Canada, de-
serves more than passing notice. II
was attended by about $500 delegates,
representing about 500 institutions Of
learning. Harvard, Yale, Michigan, and
the Northwestern University We're well
represented The object of this move
ment Is to inspire to greater activity in
missionary work throughout the world
ana the aim Is to "eyangeiZe' all the
world in this generation, Every stu
dent volunteer is supposed TO be
missionary in training, or a missionary
potentially since the organization OF
the volunteers sixteen years ago,
1883 OF their numbers have been en-
rolled AS active missionaries for for
elgn ands, and the enthusiasm for that
kind Of work appears to be spreading
II Is believed however, that only
small beginning has been made com.
pared with the possibilities, The mum.
Der of students now engaged In the
mission studies that have been organ
ICED has doubled since 1858, hut the Ave
thousand thus enrolled are but a forth
eth part OF the student body on this
continent. A great deal is to be done In
organizing more active interest In
churches and Sunday schools, Four adj
ditional secretaries are TO De put into
the field and three-fourths Of the in
creased expenses Of the next -four years
was collected or pledged upon the spot.
The religious press OF the country Is
disposed TO see in this movement a
challenge 90 the spirit Of materiallsm
and ratlonalsm Of the age, 1t IL
hoped that IT win have a lasting aud
far-reaching influence upon the reli-
gous life Of the youth of the world, as
the students interested in II have a
sublime faith in the Bible as the in
spred word OF God. and have conse-
Grated themselves to missionary work
In response to the divine command
found therein, They are young men and
young women of the highest literary
culture and education. They are free
from fanaticism and bring to the
study Of the Bible the fruit OF the latest
scholarship, but their faith In Christ
as the Savior of men is not disturbed
by questions Of Biblical criticism or the
railroads.&c. arguments Of agnostics
and skeptlcs.'
From the standpoint Of an impartial
spectator Of this, and similar move
ments. it appears doubtful whether
the object stated can be obtained by
the means proposed There may be- no
lack Of enthusiasm Of sincerity of pur-
pose, Of willingness to make sacrifices.
But TO "evangelize' the world more Is
required divine commission Is the
first and the last and the chief consid-
GRAFTON. When the first messengers
Of salvation went out into the various
parts OF the Roman empire, and far
beyond It's confines, they did SO, because
they each and all had been authorized
to 20 forth as ambassadors OF the
Kingdom that was not Of this world.
Peter did not go, because he had read
about the call Of Moses and Aaron
Paul did not rely on the heavenly VI
sions OF Ezekiel for his credentials
as missionary They all were called
by the Supreme Authority for their
missions, They all had been endowed
from on high They all could speak
in the name OF the Master knowing
that what they did on earth in confor-
nifty with their instructions would be
ratified in heaven. II was this that
gave them success No amount Of en-
thusiasm would have suiIiced as sub
sutute FOR this commission, that was
sealed upon them by the outpourlng Of
the Holy spirit.
IN lnelf udy, TOO lNeft we're lill-
tators who sought TO subdue demons in
the name Of Him, whom Paul pro-
claimed, but with disastrous results.
For they were thus rebuked by the
evil spirit Jesus know, and Paul
know; but who are ye?" and then they
were nearly torn to shreds. (Acts XIX;
l6) And 80 an Illustration was given
OF a fact that should be self-eyident
that 1t Is not safe TO assume an auth
, orily which is not given. And yet
today, thousands go out as "mlssionar-
les on the strength Of a command
given 10 someone thousands Of years
ago. They go without a special COM