Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-06
TOSPRfAD THE GOSPEL
Many Students Preparing to
Be Missionaries.
CONVENTION AT NASHVILLE
Great Growth of Movement Started
by Mr.. Moody.
HONESTY OF THE JAPANESE
How the Nation Has Been Corrupted
by Inscriptions Foreign Traders
"A Recent Testimonial
OF THE JAPANESE
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.


Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
Sir Mortimer Durand, the British ambas-
sad.or; Mr.. John W. Foster, ex-Secretary
Of State; Mr.. II. y. +. mcfarland, Com
missioner of the District of Columbia, and
other prominent citizens of Washington.
have gone to Nashville to attend the fifth
International convention of the student vol
unteer missionary movement, which has
brought together about 1900 young men,
representing the faculties and students of
about 500 different universities colleges,
theological Summaries and other institu-
lions of learning in the United States and
Canada. Gathered with them are the Sec
retaries and other officials of the foreign
missionary boards of the several evangel-
fcal denominations In Canada and the
United States and more than 100 active
missionaries from all parts of the universe
who have been called from their posts es-
pecialy to attend this meeting or happen
to be home on vacations.
This is the fifth of these conventions.
They are held every four years and con-
stitute the largest, the most representa-
tive and the most notable gatherings of
college men in North America. The OBJ
ject, prim arily, is to interest the students
in religious work in foreign countries, and,
secondarily, to recruit from among them
the missionary FORCES IN the Helu. IL Is
known as 1.-The forward movement and is
directed by a committee whose headquar-
tiers are at No. West Goth street, New
York. John r. Mott is the chairman, j.
Ross Stevenson the vice chairman. F. z.
Turner general secretary Harlan p. Beach
educational secretary, and Bertha Condo
and Susie Little have charge of the work
In colleges for women and among the wo-
men of co-educational institutions. There
are other officials at headquarters and Ave
travelling secretaries are constantly on the
road, visiting colleges and Young Mems
Christian Associations, organizing classes.
stimulating interest, interviewing students
who are thinking of devoting their lives to
missionary work. and comforting with COM
mttees as to plans and methods for pro-
noting the usefulness of the movement.
Harlan p Beach, the educational secretary,
has charge of the organization of special
educational courses for the preparation of
young men and women who desire to be
missionaries He outlines courses of study,
prepares text books, issues circulars con-
tanning information and suggestions and
carries on an extensive correspondence with
missionary Institutes and summer confer
ences.
Growth of the Movement.
The movement began at Mortified under
the direction of Mr.. Moody, where the first
convention was held, with 251 delegates.
The next convention was held at Detroit in
1894; the third at Cleveland in 1898; the
iourtn at toronto IN lab-, ana lne present,
the fifth, at Nashville. shows an organiZa-
ton of ,O49 distinct groups, composed of a
total of u GO men and women students in
800 educational institutions in North Amer
lea preparing themselves for missionary
work in foreign countries. Up to date $500
volunteers have already gone into the field,
and are scattered over the universe There
Is not an educational institution of any i'm
portance in North America without a
branch, and similar movements have been
organized in Great Britain. Norway and
Sweden, Germany. Holland France. Aus
tralasia, South Africa, China. India and
Ceylon
Addresses of especial significance We're
made at Nashville by Sir Mortimer Durand,
the British ambassador who has taken an
active interest In the movement, and has
always been strong supporter of the mis-
sionary work of the church og England par
ticularly in India. Mr. Foster and Mr..
niacfarand also had conspicuous places
on the program.