-2-

him he will take the post the gym director is pressing on him as
English teacher and work only in his spare time. But the pay is
not enough to live on without giving private lessons and I think
he is far too valuable to lose, especially if he could be given time
to study a bit more.

His fiancée comes of a missionary family and is an experienced teacher and musical. He would like to get married this summer and go back with her. Could the Y.W. give her a salary if she is willing to give certain time to work amongst the girls? The gymnasium has mixed classes, and the director and some teachers are sympathetic and there are training and other schools and colleges there or will be soon.

I forgot to say that we held a crowded meeting in the Skofye gymnasium (windows closed and air typically Balkan!) when he and I and the religious teacher all spoke on the W.S.C.F. I in French.

5

Die Raad is asvolg saamgestel :—

Die Aartsbiskop van Kaapstad.

Prof. Dr. J. du Plessis (Stellenbosch).

Dr. A. E. Bliss (Wellington).

Dr. H. S. Bosman (Pretoria).

Ds. John Lennox, Fort Hare.

Mnr. J. C. Gibson (Kaapstad).

Ds. A. F. Louw (Bloemfontein).

WERELD VERWANTSKAP.

Deur sy verbinding met die Wêreld-Christen-
Studente-Federasie vorm die Vereniging 'n
skakel tussen die christen studente van Suid-
Afrika, en van die hele wêreld. Hierdie
Federasie verbind meer dan 'n kwart miljoen
studente van byna 3,000 uniwersiteite en kol-
leges in veertig lande, in één groot deelgenoot-
skap van christelike ideale en ko-operatiewe
werksaamheid. Die verbinding met die
studente van die wêreld het ook gedien om
die praktiese medegevoel vir behoeftige
studente in ander lande by die Suid-Afrikaanse
studente op te wek.

Gedurende die laaste jare het hulle mild
bygedra tot ondersteuning van honger lydende
studente in swaar beproefde lande, sodat baie
van hulle vandag die geleentheid om opleiding
te ontvang, en selfs om 'n lewensbestaan te
voer, aan die tydige mildadigheid van die
studente in 'n meer bevoorregte land te danke
het.

6

## FINANSIES.

Die grootste gedeelte van die fondse wat nodig is vir hierdie uitgebreide en steeds groeiende werksaamheid is tot hiertoe deur die lede self bymekaar gebring, en in baie gevalle met groot opoffering. Gedurende 1922 het hulle meer dan £2,250 vir die doel versamel, 'n aansienlike som, as 'n mens die feit nie uit die oog verlies nie dat studente gewoonlik nie mense is wat oor baie geld beskik nie.

Die som is egter nie voldoende om in die werk van 'n degelike personeel te voorsien nie, en om gelyke tred te hou met die snelle ontwikkeling in die opvoedkundige wêreld van Suid-Afrika.

Die Vereniging is genoodsaak geword om Christene uit te nooi, om hulp te verleen deur onderhoudende lede te word, wat 'n deel in die werk sal neem deur middel van jaarlikse subskripsies van £1 is. of meer. Die hoop word gekoester dat van £750 tot £1,000 op die wyse sal verkry word, sodat hierdie veelbelowende en strategies belangrik werk onbelemmerd kan voortgeset word.

## MOONTLIKHEDE.

Dit is 'n ernstige versoek wat daarom aan u gerig word, en aan almal by wie u belangstelling kan opwek, om die voorreg om in die werk te kan deel aan te neem. Die Komitee het volle vertroue en glo dat u die waarde van so 'n geldbelegging sal erken. 'n Bietjie nadink sal u miskien laat insien dat u, óf direk óf indirek, deur een of ander vriend of famieliebetrekking, rede het om dankbaar te wees vir die invloed van die Vereniging.

7

Kan enigiets vandag meer belangrik wees dan die feit dat daar in al ons vernaamste kolleges, waar sonder die minste twyfel die wortels van die lewe van ons volk te vind is, 'n sterk organisasie sal wees wat vir die ware godsdiens, en dit van die studente se oogpunt, staan?

Dit is duidelik, dat as die Vereniging swak en die ondersteuning onvoldoende is, meeste van die studente die lewe sal ingaan met 'n betreurenswaardige begrip van die godsdiens, en sal sy eise nooit weer ernstig oorweeg nie. Dit is nie alleen die beste geleentheid om die jong mense met al hulle moontlikhede vir God te wen nie, maar dit is ook so dikwels die laaste kans.

Daarom versoek ons u openhartig en vol vertroue om u help. As u dit bywyse van subskripsie kan gee, daar is 'n vorm vir die doel op die laaste bladsy van die boekie. Hoe dit ook al is, die Vereniging verlang die ondersteuning van u gebede en belangstelling, en die sekretarisse sal altyd bly wees om informasie te ontvang aangaande studente in wie u belangstel, en vir wie die Vereniging tot diens kan wees. Dit sal besonder nuttig wees in geval 'n student van die skool na die uniwersiteit, of van huis na een of ander sentrum van opvoeding oor die water gaan.

## BESLUIT.

Suid-Afrika moet vandag die hoof bied aan probleme van buitengewone omvang en ingewikkeldheid, wat alleen tot 'n suiwere oplossing kan kom langs die weg van 'n "Christus gelyke" karakter en selfopoffering. Hiervoor

8

staan die Christen-Studente-Vereniging, wat in sy geledere die beste van die jeug van Suid-Afrika insluit. Met sy duidelik en ondubbel-sinnige boodskap bied hy weerstand aan die strome van oppervlakkigheid en selfbevrediging wat vandag so sterk is. Sy eise is die hoogste van almal, die voortreflike woord wat te gelykertyd eis en ook krag gee, en wat pakkend uitgedruk word in die sinsnede, wat van die vroegste dae af die leuse is van die Vereniging:—

“MAAK JESUS KONING.”

SUBSKRIPSIE VORM.

Die Sekretaris,

Christen-Studente-Vereniging van Suid-Afrika, Bus 25, Stellenbosch.

Wil so goed wees my in te skrywe as by-draer tot u fonds, vir die jaarlikse som van £ : :

Naam (Mnr., Mevr., of Mej.).

Adres

N.B.—Aan diegene wat 'n ghienie of meer bydra sal tydskrifte van die Vereniging gestuur word, ook die *Student World*, die kwartaalse tydskrif van die Wêreld-Christen-Studente-Federasie, wat geredigeer word deur Dr. John R. Mott.

Romance in the Treasury

FINANCE and Romance are not usually associated, but the tale of Federation finance is the most romantic story in the world. To maintain this proposition, let us look at a few items of the expenditure in the last three years of the World's Student Christian Federation. What do these figures mean when translated into terms of life and love?

*Twelve hundred pounds for expenses of General Committee and Executive Committee. Expenditure in bringing committee members long distances is sometimes questioned. Perhaps the largest sum ever expended under this head was used in 1921 to bring Mr. T. Z. Koo from China to the meeting of the Executive Committee in Holland, but the Federation was determined that the East should be represented at this important meeting. One task of the committee was to determine the place of the first Federation Conference after the war. Mr. Koo left his native land for the first time. He came with an appeal that the Federation Conference should meet in Pekin in 1922. He faced a committee almost every member of which believed that in view of the desperate need of Europe, Europe had the first claim. One powerful speech from T. Z. Koo converted a hostile committee, and to Pekin the Conference went.*

*Results.*—The Pekin Conference revealed to Chinese students, both men and women, the real solidarity of the Chinese Student Christian Movement. Large developments in its self-consciousness and usefulness have been the consequence. The Conference, moreover, revealed to Eastern students their solidarity with students from the West, and vice versa—a new sense of world fellowship, which was at once manifest in the appointment of T. Z. Koo as one of the Federation Secretaries. With the honourable exception of the League of Nations secretariat, this is the first time that an Oriental has become secretary to a world organization.

China invited the Federation to Pekin in the hope of counteracting anti-Christian propaganda which had been carried on amongst Chinese intellectuals by distinguished Western leaders. Their hopes were abundantly fulfilled through the evangelistic work which followed the Conference throughout the university cities of China.

The spiritual message of Pekin was carried on by Mr. Koo himself to India, where in 1923 he succeeded, as no Western has ever done, in presenting the claims of Jesus Christ to young India. Experiments in understanding and reconciliation, which were carried on amongst the highly exclusive international mixtures in the Pekin Conference laboratory, enabled the Federation to elaborate the formula of its international aim in the well-known Pekin resolutions. These resolutions on fighting the causes of war and facing the problems of race have been studied and discussed by students all over the world during the past

two years with the definite result that large masses of students, both Christian and non-Christian, are lined up against war as a means of settling international disputes, and in favour of seeking the Christian solution for international strife.

The events centering round the Pekin Conference gave birth to two new Movements in the East. After Mr. Hurrey's visit to the Philippines, the existing student Y.M.C.A.'s united in a Student Christian Movement which was accepted at Pekin as a "corresponding" Movement; while in Korea women students who had attended Pekin called together a women students' conference which began the Student Y.W.C.A. of Korea.

Surely a heavy percentage of interest on money spent to enable one man to cross the world and give expression to the conviction of his nation!

Over £4,000 may seem a large sum of money on the travelling expenses of secretaries, though it is only a little over £200 per annum per secretary.

In 1920 a secretary of the Federation went to Vienna, was appalled by the sight of thousands of students starving, cold and homeless in Central Europe, and broadcasted an appeal to the brothers and sisters in the Federation. The result—European Student Relief, bringing salvation from physical and spiritual misery to over 100,000 students in nineteen countries during the past three years; creating a new economic order in the student world of Europe through student self-help; revealing something of the ideals of Jesus Christ to vast bodies of students quite untouched by the more direct appeal of Pekin, and binding students, North, South, East and West, together in a veritable and all-inclusive student league of nations. That journey to Vienna cost perhaps £20. European Student Relief has already raised over £300,000, not to speak of its far more important results in the region of the spirit.

In 1923 Monsieur Henriod went to South Africa. The Movement there had been unvisited for seventeen years. His journey cost under £250, but some have challenged it as an unjustifiable expense. For several years the South African Movement had been in arrears with its quota to the Federation (small blame to them since we had left them so long unvisited!) Monsieur Henriod's visit roused their imagination to the realities of the Federation, and they have paid their arrears. Regarded purely from the financial point of view, the expenditure on his visit has already paid 200 per cent. or 300 per cent. interest. Its supreme value, however, lies in its contribution to the solution of race and missionary problems in that land of strife, where the contacts of the African native, the Indian, and the two great European races give rise to friction at a thousand points.

Max Yergan, a negro secretary, supported by the coloured student Y.M.C.A. of the United States (another picturesque fruit of wise expenditure encouraged by the Federation) has developed the native Student Christian Movement in South Africa to a remarkable degree in two years of work. Monsieur Henriod's visit did much to create understanding of Mr. Yergan's work and of the native Student Christian Association in white student circles and amongst the missionaries. There are signs of the coming of a real unity between the groups of black and white students, theoretically in the same Movement. Monsieur Henriod and Max Yergan have together worked out a valuable memorandum for the special investigation at present being carried on by the Federation on the possibilities of the Student Christian Movement amongst Africans. Apart from the realization of their dreams, the evangelization and Christianization of the African Continent is impossible.

Federation expenditure on tours does not invariably bring forth results which can be measured in dollars and cents.

In 1923 Mr. Hurrey paid a visit to the Near East. As the result of the Greek collapse in Asia Minor the entire body of Christian students in that region was either dead, imprisoned or in exile. On the material side the Federation did something to meet their appalling physical need through European Student Relief. Mr. Hurrey went to meet their still greater need of love and sympathy. He was present at five conferences of Near East students —in Palestine, Syria, Constantinople and Greece, awakened and renewed their fellowship in the Federation, stimulated their missionary zeal, brought back the record of their martyr spirit to inspire the students of other lands, and incidentally saw the birth of a new Movement—the Greek Student Christian Association in the University of Athens.

Office expenses, as a heavy item in the Budget, as a rule awakes small enthusiasm in contributors, but see the inspiration arising from desks and files!

One solid task performed annually by the Geneva office is the preparation of the Directory and Exchange List. Few realize the months of dreary correspondence, compilation, correction and re-correction which go to create the Directory. The toil is abundantly repaid, however, when at length the Federation Master of the Ceremonies makes its bow to the public. Hundreds of our members go forth on pilgrimages of friendship armed with the Directory. Thousands of letters or cables of inquiry about foyers, hostels or student departments are saved by application to this potted encyclopædia. How often are office workers of the Federation or the national movements saved hours of preparation of lists of names and addresses by spending five minutes ticking off names in the Directory for some special purpose.

Apart from office expenditure, the production of Federation literature would be impossible. Our literature plays a rôle as romantic as that of our travelling secretaries, and penetrates where they cannot go.

One of the youngest children of the Federation is the *News Sheet*. Produced in one of the Federation offices, it broadcasts the latest information and spares the editors of the forty-five different journals published by Federation movements the trouble of Federation research. It has other uses. Enter a Central European university and you will see our broadsheet on the notice board—or you would see it were it not concealed by the heads of a group of earnest students busy reading it! Maybe they do it to improve their English, but the reading of Federation publications has dynamic results.

Note one single result from the reading of a single Federation pamphlet. Huntley Dupre, of Prague, selected out of the five or six thousand Slav students surging through the Studentsky Domov one Ukrainian man to translate Dr. Mott's *Twenty-five Years' History of the Federation* into Ukrainian. A week of work on Dr. Mott's facts wrought a complete revolution in a man's conception of life and the world, and provided a leader for the Ukrainian students scattered through the universities of Central Europe, and their Renaissance Movement has branches in Prague, Brno, Bratislavia, Berlin, Warsaw and Vienna, an annual conference and a vigorous programme. It is the beginning of a Student Christian Movement without a country, but with a nationality. Its members are burning to carry back to the country from which they have been exiled what they have learned from the Federation.

Extension work provides five items of the Budget, one a trifling item for small international conferences. Three such, from different angles, have been held each year for the last three years in Europe. In these conferences, French and Germans, Bulgarians and Servians, Poles and Czechs, Hungarians and Roumanians, Poles and Ukrainians come together to seek to understand and to apply the principles of Jesus Christ in international and inter-racial relationships, and to develop the work of their national movements. One amongst many miracles, the result of these international conferences, is the fact that the Hungarian Student Christian Union in the transferred territory in Transylvania is now one section in a federated Student Christian Movement in Roumania. Such conferences cost the Federation at the most £50 or £60, sometimes much less. Surely worth while, when they make visible the power of Jesus Christ to overcome international and inter-racial suspicion, hatred and the elements that make for war.

There are but five items under "Extension." Those who know the history of the past three years see blank spaces between these items. They see India kept waiting for Federation visitors in spite of repeated appeals; they see weak movements denied the services of a foreign secretary for which they have begged; they see the wonderful and growing religious work amongst Russian students in Europe cramped for lack of funds; they see the Federation suspending the services of two of its travelling secretaries because there is no money for their salaries. But we have left the subject of the romance of Federation finance. This is not Romance: it is tragedy.

The Garden City Press Ltd., Letchworth

Strictly private not to be printed or published.

Extract from a letter from Mr Oswin Bull, Cape Town,

7th July, 1919.

The Conference of the Students' Christian Association has recently concluded. I was unable to be present but I hear that they had a good time in every way, though the Conference was not a very large one. Mr Haarhoff is the new chairman of the Movement; Mr Gerdener being the vice-chairman. The other members of the Executive are Miss Sargent from Wellington, a Stellenbosch Theologue called Liebenberg and myself.

I hope that we shall be able to pull things together somehow and to lay down the new lines of development for which the times are calling. For one thing I think it is going to be necessary for us to draw a clearer line between the School and the College work. The latter part of our field is growing steadily in numbers and is also becoming much more mature in its outlook, now that a proper system of Universities has been established.

I am very glad to be on the Executive, and I think that we ought to be able to pull together very well.

Private: not to be used in print.

Normal College,
Heidelberg,
Transvaal,
S. Africa.

19th July 1910.

My dear Miss Rouse,

It is time you should have a word from me again. I thought I would wait until our S.C.A. Missionary Conference at Graaff Reinet July 1-7, was over to give you a few impressions of it. It was, I think, the most inspiring Conference I have ever attended. There was such a deep, quiet working of the Spirit, such a sense of the need of prayer. Rev. C.T. Wood was chairman and our revered Dr. Murray was present at most of the gatherings. His powerful messages again and again centred round the fact that we pray too little, that we must not look upon that as a weakness but as a sin, that the Holy Spirit given by the Father to those who ask, will lead us into the life of real, prevailing, importunate prayer.

The plan had been to study "The Story of Islam" at this Conference, but the books failed to appear in time. To supply the need a card was printed containing five common objections to Missionary work with Biblical references, and these formed the topics for study and discussion by the 200 delegates divided into twenty odd classes. Mr. Oswin Bull had the Normal Class. These little circles, meeting daily for an hour, were very helpful in that they gave the leaders the opportunity of coming in touch with delegates

- 1 -

and doing a little personal work.

A great feature of our Conference was the consideration of
the Mohammedan problem in Africa. A most interesting report was
given of the state of Mohammedanism in South Africa. A Committee
had been appointed some time ago to investigate the matter and the
result of their research was laid before us. The report is not to
be printed yet, as it was felt that it was still incomplete and that
next year when the census is to be taken, a more accurate knowledge
of certain parts of the country will be obtainable. The committee
will therefore continue their investigations.

Visions of the world's need, of Africa's need, of wide-open
doors, of unparalleled opportunities, made a deep impression on the
gathering of students and young teachers and when stirring addresses
on the choice of a life work and the desirability of choosing the
best and not the second best were delivered, a warm response was made
Our Volunteer Band was considerably strengthened by fresh additions
and many are still considering the Declaration prayerfully. We felt
our own responsibility, especially towards Africa, with its millions
of heathen and the Mohammedan peril. A letter from Mr. Gerdener
from the World Missionary Conference to the Chairman of our Conference
arrived very opportunely. He, too, emphasized the fact that the
problem of the evangelisation of Africa rested with the students of
South Africa.

As a Conference we were led one evening to wait upon God till
deep in the night and a wonderful time of blessing it was, - an ex-

- 2 -

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF MISS J.DE.VOS.

November 13, 1911

South Africa

The biennial Conference of our Student Christian Movement at Gradock in July seems to have been a source of real inspiration to the different branches represented for from all sides come encouraging news of a forward movement. There is evidence of spiritual blessing in various branches and all seem to be working strenuously to meet the financial needs of our Movement.

A notable fact in connection with our Movement in South Africa is the spiritual awakening and quickening in various centres at the time of Pentecost. It is the custom of our Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa to meet daily for prayer during the ten days between Ascension and Pentecost and many of our ministers during that time have special evangelistic services for young people. To these we have often traced new life in our S.C.A. members and work. In our own branches here in Heidelberg we had such a time of revival in June due to those services and the prayers behind them.

The General Committee has decided to appoint another lady Travelling secretary besides Miss Kriel, to do work specially in the Transvaal and Orange Free State. At present we are prayerfully looking out for the right one. We hope to have one to start work at the beginning of next year.

Now for a bit of personal news. After ten years of waiting as a Student Volunteer God has wonderfully opened the way for me

-3-

to the Mission Field. A few months ago I became engaged to the Rev.J.Daneel, missionary at Zoutpansberg right in the North of the Transvaal.

I hope to continue this work for six months longer and when I resign hope to have a good name to suggest as my successor.

**********

COPY.

Blazell 19/8 Serbia

The Missionary College, DORCHESTER,
OXFORD.

Dear Miss Rouse,

2. 5. 1918.

Really it is time that I wrote a long letter to tell you how
work has been going among our Serbian friends. You will remember that
it was not easy to get permission from the S.R.F. to visit the Hostels
where the Serbians are living. The formal permission has only just come
to hand now, but do not think that I have been idle. in the meanwhile.

Early in the year, I had permission to visit some of the Hostels
in a friendly way. I took advantage of this and I am sure it has been
very useful as, since then, I have had a great number of letters and so
have got into touch with quite a large number. But I failed completely
to get permission to visit the Hostels from time to time. Mr. Tatlow
wanted, or rather offered, to help by approaching some members of the
Committee that he knew, but I was anxious, if possible, to make all
arrangements amicably and have had the following measure of success.

During this Easter Holiday, I convened a Conference by the kind
help of Mrs. Gurney who had us in her house at Haslemere in Surrey.
After endless correspondence, I got together 9 Serbians and one other
Englishman besides myself. Of the 9, there were 2 priests, 1 Theo,
student and 6 seculars, all studying different schools. Enclosed you
will find a copy of the Programme and a short report. Before very long,
I hope to have ready a longer report which I will immediately send to
you. Judging from human standards, the Conference was a complete success.
Indeed it far exceeded anything that I had dared to hope. The problem no
will be to keep the Serbians wisely and soberly enthusiastic.

If you have had much to do with these charming people, you will
have learnt that one of their characteristics is that they quickly get
interested in a matter and as quickly lose that interest. But I have
good hope that this will be the exception that proves the rule. In
short, the situation is this. They were so interested in all that they
heard of the work of the Y.M.C.A. and the W.S.C.F. that they at once
thought it will be impossible for Serbia to exist after the war without
these two Societies in the country. Good. Moreover, they feel, and I
think rightly, that they ought to make a beginning now whilst in England.
So they have formed a Provisional Society which it is hoped will get
going in the all the Hostels. Eventually, they hope it will evolve
into something very definite so that when they return to Serbia, the
nucleus will be ready for some very useful work. Whilst they see the
value and scope of C.U. work, they also realise that they cannot confine
themselves to that as many of the boys now in England may never pass on
to the Universities but go directly into some form of Commercial life.
These boys must also be made interested that they may realise the full
responsibilities of their work in the rebuilding of their nation.

So, they want to keep in touch, as much as possible, with the Y.M.C.
A. in the hope that, when they return to Serbia, they may be able to
open an Institute in Belgrade on Y.M.C.A. lines. The man they have
appointed as Secretary of their Provisional Society is, in every way,
excellent. At his schools at Oxford, he has done brilliantly and carrie

off University Prizes and a Scholarship. To this end they are writing to the Y.M.C.A. to feel the way, to see if they will get any help if it becomes possible to open an Institute in Belgrade after the war. At the same time, they will recommend any Serbian, who joins the Society in England, to attach himself to the C.U. if he is of University status. All this seems to me to be tending in the right direction!

It will now be possible for the C.U. to help them and the S.R.F. Educational Committee will not be able to say anything as the members of the Provisional Committee are all students who have done very well and are recognised by the S.R.F. to be amongst the best of the students they are training in England. The Prov. Comm. asked me to visit the Serbian Hostels in this country to try and show the boys and students what their hopes and aims are. I told them that the S.R.F. had not seen their way to give me permission to visit their Hostels, so they wrote to the S.R.F. with the result that now I have unconditional permission to visit any of the Hostels whenever I desire.

I have written to you this way, at length, that you may understand exactly what is the situation. I want to say, with regard to the attitude the S.R.F. has taken all along, that personally I consider it a great sign of grace in them and fills me with admiration. They know that the Orthodox Church has never officially pronounced on its relation to other Christian bodies; they also realise that a grave responsibility rests with them in the education of these Serbian boys.

And so, they were justly most anxious not to allow anything which could be easily misunderstood by other Serbians who are not living in England and do not know the conditions. But now the request has come from a Serbian Society, and one with a committee which is unquestionably strong and thoroughly Serbian, they are quite satisfied.

In a day or two, I will write to you again and tell you if there have been any developments since the Conference. I shall be very grateful to hear from you your opinion and counsels.

Please be lenient to this appalling typing which I am only just beginning to learn.

Greetings to any Serbien friends you may meet. I expect to be returning to Salonica at the end of the summer, do you think it would be a good thing to try and get permission to stay in France a short time so as to visit some of the Serbian centres. I think that the permission could be obtained.

Kindest regards,

P.S. It is of interest that I am now, by arrangement between the Y.M.C.A. the Serbian Ch. Aid.Soc., living in a Hostel of Serbian Theological Students.

["Extract from Report of Special Delegation of Serbian Students\nat First Swanwick Conference, July 11 -17, 1919.", "-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

-2-

It was pointed out that in many villages no church existed - indeed there were often large groups which had but one building among them, or even had to depend upon the church in a town some ten or twelve miles distant. It was suggested that Sunday-schools should be instituted for the teaching of children in such villages, and simple services held. The teachers should also be urged to make use of the schoolrooms for the exhibition of Y. M. C. A. literature and other books which would educate young children in the religious life, and perhaps to set aside an hour a week for some sort of classes or for sport or amusement. In reply to the contention that teachers must first be taught the value of a society like the Y. M. C. A. and trained to run it efficiently, a process which would require a long period of instruction, one of the students reminded them that all great movements and social reforms had been initiated by a very few men. He thought the Serbians at present in England were sufficient to establish an effective society in Serbia. The teaching profession was so badly paid that those who entered it did so from a desire to help their fellow men, and such men would quickly realise that a true education must be based upon religion. He thought the Society would be joined by the bulk of the teaching profession, any by many from other professions who would work hard for the realization of its aims.

It was urged that the Movement ought to be established in the Normal Colleges. Men in the universities tended to be out of touch with the life of the masses. It was those who were to teach both in schools and churches (where the teacher's aid was frequently requisitioned) who would do the most useful work. In two years after the establishment of the Christian Union in such colleges there should be two hundred men ready to carry on the work in two hundred villages.

The importance of work among the intellectual classes was also emphasised. These classes were largely hostile to religion, and their influence was very widespread.

The darker side of the picture was also touched upon. Serbia had been greatly influenced by Germany, hence its materialistic outlook. All the educated men had been taught that only Science could develop the spirit of the people, and they regarded Christianity as an anachronism. They often know Marx and other socialist writers by heart, but had never read the New Testament and knew nothing of what it contained. It must be remembered that only forty years ago Serbia was under the dominion of the Turks. They were a new nation, growing and developing. It should be the privilege of those who had been in England to teach them from their experience of religious life in England that Christianity was no anachronism but a power to lead men. If those who did not care to read their Bible saw its effect upon the lives of others they would change their views.

On the last evening of the Conference letters, signed by all the students, were sent to Mr Blaxall and Mr Vidacovitch, the retiring secretary of the Serbian Y. M. C. A; and, through the kindness of a friend it was possible to present each Serbian student with a copy of a good textbook to be used for Bible study.

Extract from Report of Special Delegation of Serbian students at
first Swanwick Conference, July 11 - 17, 1919.

000000

The various branches of the Serbian Y. M. C. A. established
in the Serbian colonies in Great Britain raised a delegation of
thirty-one members to attend the first conference of the British
Student Movement at Swanwick this summer. The numbers of students
sent from the different colonies were as follows: - Glasgow (with
Dundee) 7; Edinburgh 5; Cambridge 1; Oxford 4 (theological students);
London 2; Reading 4; Aberystwith 5; Banger 3. Birmingham, Leeds,
Manchester and Cardiff were unable to send representatives, as most
of their members had already returned to Serbia whilst others were
busy with examinations.

The Serbian delegates shared a large tent in the men's camp,
known as "The Jugo-Slav Tent". Their leader and tent officer was
Mr Petrovitch an able young medical students from Edinburgh who had
already done excellent work as a Committee members, especially among the
Serbian students in France during a short visit to Paris in April
1919. The delegation was very cordially received, by the other mem-
bers of the camp, and many of the British students exhibited great
interest in Jugo-Slavia. The Serbians were asked to talk about
their country in several of the tents, and upon more than one occasion
a crowd might have been seen in the tent of some British university
delegation, listening to one of these students describing the
conditions in Serbia to-day.

Three special meetings for Serbians were held during the
course of the Conference. These meetings were very well attended,
and the students exhibited the greatest interest in the work of the
Serbian society. They also attended the general meetings with zeal
and regularity and took a leading part in all the other activities
of the Conference, including the sports in which they carried off
several prizes. On the closing day of the Conference one of the
theological students remarked that it had been an experience which
he would be glad to look back upon all his life, and added "I am
even gladder of it for some of my friends than for myself. We who
are theological students already know something of what religion is,
but for some of the others it is not so easy to understand its meaning
I am thankful that they should have had this great opportunity of
learning."

Mr Henriod gave them an address on the World's Student
Christian Federation, to which all present listened with the greatest
attention. He explained the connection between the Federation and
the Y. M. & Y. W. C. A.'s and described its characteristics as an organ-
isation and some of the moral and social effects of its influence
in different countries. The secret of its success, he said, was the
spirit of prayer. The workers who had gone out to Serbia, men like
Blaxall and others, had not gone to exercise a political influence

-2-

though but to bring Christ to the people. They had gone to devote their lives to the spiritual regeneration of Serbia.

It was pointed out that in many villages no church existed - indeed there were often large groups which had but one building among them, or even had to depend upon the church in a town some ten or twelve miles distant. It was suggested that Sunday schools should be instituted for the teaching of children in such villages and simple services held. The teachers should also be urged to make use of the school rooms for the exhibition of Y. M. C. A. literature and other books which would educate young children in the religious life and perhaps to set aside an hour a week for some sort of classes or for sport or amusement.

In reply to the contention that teachers must first be taught the value of a society like the Y. M. C. A. and trained to run it efficiently - a process which would require a long period of instruction, one of the students reminded them that all great movements and social reforms had been initiated by a very few men. He thought the Serbians at present in England were sufficient to establish an effective society in Serbia. The teaching profession was so badly paid that those who entered it did so from a desire to help their fellowmen, and such men would quickly realise that a true education must be based upon religion. He thought the society would be joined by the bulk of the teaching profession, and by many from other professions who would work hard for the realisation of its aims.

It was urged that the Movement ought to be established in the Normal Colleges. Men in the universities tended to be out of touch with the life of the masses. It was those who were to teach both in schools and churches (where the teacher's aid was frequently requisitioned), who would do the most useful work. In two years after the establishment of the Christian Union in such colleges there should be two hundred men ready to carry on the work in two hundred villages.

The darker side of the picture was also touched upon. Serbia had been greatly influenced by Germany, hence its materialistic outlook. All the educated men had been taught that only Science could develop the spirit of the people and they regarded Christianity as an anachronism. They often knew Marx and other social writers by heart, but had never read the New Testament and knew nothing of what it contained. It must be remembered that only forty years ago Serbia was under the dominion of the Turks. They were a new nation growing and developing. It should be the privilege of those who had been in England to teach them from their experience of religious life in England that Christianity was no anachronism but a power to lead men. If those who did not care to read their Bibles saw its effect upon the lives of others they would change their view.

-3-

One the last evening of the Conference letters, signed by all the students, were sent to Mr Blaxall and Mr Vidacovitch, the retiring secretary of the Serbian Y. M. C. A. and, through the kindness of a friend, it was possible to present each Serbian student present with a copy of a good text book to be used for Bible study.

It will be easier to appreciate the advance which the work of this Conference represents, if we close this report with a brief reprospect. Three years ago 350 students and boys arrived in this country after some terrible experience in the retreat in Serbia and Albania on their way through Italy and France. Many of them were a long time in recovering from the effects of the nervous shock and the long period of starvation. The future looked very dark. Their country was in ruins and there seemed little prospect of brighter days to come.

An advisory committee composed of representatives of the Serbian Government, some priests and few English friends, was responsible for these boys. They were not allowed to take part in any sports, but were told to mourn for their country and to study hard.

Thanks to the magnificent work of Mr Blaxall who had been with some of them in retreat, a small conference was held at Haslemere in the spring of 1918, at which a few representatives from the various Serbian colonies in Great Britain were present. Some of their compatriots explained to them the nature of the work they needed to do for Serbia, spoke of their heritage in their church, and told them of the work of the Federation and the Y. M. C. A. all over the world. They left Haslemere filled with enthusiasm and resolved to unite in giving their best efforts to the cause. During the following summer some Serbian students also attended Swanwick, where their enthusiasm for Christianity and for practical work for their country was increased. In all this they had the full support of Father Nicolai Velimirovitch, now a Bishop of the Serbian Church, and the very helpful collaboration of Fr. Demaskin Granitchky and of Dr Tchaikanovitch, a professor at Belgrade university. These three supporters of the society have now returned to Serbia where they have promised to give all possible assistance to its work.

All the theological students and a certain number of others are now returning to their own country. Those remaining in England, however, who still number more than 150, are very anxious to continue the work of the Serbian Y. M. C. A. in this country. They are in touch with Professor Lecco and the Serbian Student Movement and desire to devote their lives to Christ and their country as priests, as teachers and in other professions. Those who are still students hope soon to develop this nucleus of a Serbian student Y. M. C. A. with the full support of the Serbian Orthodox Church and in close connection with the Federation and Y. M. C. A. in other countries. Similar groups have been formed in France and Switzerland.

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A great deal of money will be needed for the development
of this work. The fees of almost all these students are paid by their
own Government, but they have no money of their own. They require to
be supplied with Bibles and religious literature. But what we need
more than anything else is the prayers of those who recognise the
great opportunity which God has given to this country of helping
Serbia, not only as an allied country and in the reconstruction of
her national and economic life, but also and mainly in the spiritual
development of her young men and women, who have for many years
suffered more than any other nation and who are so responsive to
spiritual influence.

-------o0o0o‡-------

A

SERVIA.

NOT TO BE PRINTED.

Ruth Rouse.

February 3 - 7,

1911.

Servia is a sad little country. It is the most backward of the three Balkan States, and where it is progressing, it is by no means always in sound directions. The civilisation is "half-baked": they have all the appurtenances of a modern state, but I have seen a cow sitting on the pavement in a main street of their capital city.

The Government seems very corrupt. This affects education seriously. All the teachers in the secondary schools are apt to lose their posts when the ministry changes. Favouritism governs educational appointments, and the University seems inferior to those of Bucarest and Sofia.

There are about 1000 students; the number of women students is stated variously at 30, 50, 80 and 200! It is only during the last two years that a complete girls' gymnasium has been sending women properly equipped into the university.

Morality seems low amongst the students. As regards the women, things seem better than in Bulgaria, but worse than in Roumania. There is no sort of hostel provided for women students, and the usual results of a too sudden passing from sparse seclusion to a complete liberty are evident; but the gymnasium girls at least are carefully looked after.

The same painful attitude towards the church of the country is found amongst the educated as in Roumania, fanatical attachment to her as a national institution, combined with openly avowed scepticism and utter contempt for the priests as uneducated and corrupt. But whether from a kind of superstition or a primitive sort of hypocrisy, (the

2.

Servians are very primitive in lots of ways) many of them seem still to go through a certain amount of church attendance. They are exceedingly afraid of any form of propaganda, Catholic or Protestant: their main dread seems to be of Catholic advances. Their fear is political rather than religious; it is a dread of their watchful enemy Austria. We found ourselves constantly suspected of political "arriere pensees".

Their belief that Christianity is dead amongst thinking people is complete and fixed. The clearest and simplest declaration of our faith in the Gospel was only met again and again by a polite intimation that of course we must understand these things in some peculiar sublimated sense, not literally. The Federation has one advantage in advancing on Servia. The Servians are still at a stage when a visit from foreigners pleases and impresses them. They are kind to a degree and most eager to show all that is best in their country, and to be hospitable: we have a very happy memory of their warmhearted kindness.

I believe that the Federation is the only chance of impressing the educated young people of Servia with their need for religion. It can do so because it is a *student* witness.

Our visit to Servia was pioneering in the most absolute sense of the word. We did not know a soul in Belgrade, and had just a few introductions. Again, as in Roumania, we had a wonderful sense that God was with us, preparing the way before us. We were there four days, paid over twenty calls, received several more, had a small meeting of women students and teachers, and gave a tea-party. Curiously enough, as in Roumania, so in Servia, it was a Roman Catholic lady who rendered us the best service: this time, an Irishwoman married to a Servian. She is a most ardent Roman Catholic; but in her intense distress over the moral and spiritual conditions amongst Servian girls, was most ready to co-operate with us in any possible way. She sends her own girls away

3.

to live in England because she says it is utterly impossible for them to
retain any faith, if they remain in Servia. She gave us several very
useful introductions, and took us to see students, and one afternoon
gathered 15 women students and professors to meet us, and hear an address
in French on the Federation. More might have been done had it not been
vacation! Who could have dreamt that any country in the Northern
Hemisphere would be in the middle of a long vacation at the beginning of
February!

Now, hearken all ye who work in the Student Christian Movements
in France, Switzerland or Germany! At that small meeting in Servia
were present two girls, one of whom had been an Associate member of the
Student Hostel in Paris, another who had been an Associate member of the
Student Christian Association in Berlin, while a third who nearly came,
said she had come across the Association in Geneva! Our Paris friend,
whom I had met before, laid herself out to help us, "It is my duty, I am
a member of the Association". Our Berlin friend, though still unbelie-
ving, said of the German meetings, "After them I always felt "viel schöner,
viel besser".

Again, my two most useful introductions were given me by
Servian students I met in Geneva. One from a girl was to the Metropolitán
of the Servian Church. He received us most cordially, and said he
longed that the Federation might touch the Servian students. We had his
blessing. All say he is a good and earnest man, striving to raise the
Church. The other introduction was to the Minister of Public Instruction
from his son, a student in Geneva. The Minister, though openly saying
he was himself a sceptic, promised to give us permission, on a second
visit, to hold meetings for students, and promised also to open halls for
us. What was even better, he promised to do the same for any secretaries
who might come there after Constantinople to address the men. The only

4.

assurance he required was that no attack would be made upon the Orthodox Church.

The responsibility of the Student Christian Movements in French and German-speaking countries for the Balkan States is simply incalculable and crushing. They have so much to do to counteract the immoral and irreligious current set in motion by the Balkan students who return from those countries. It's their work: the Anglo-Saxon countries simply don't count there one way or another.

We did little more than prepare the way for further meetings both for men and women, secure the sympathy and work of some students and professors towards this end, and sow in a few minds the startling idea that a Student Christian Movement does exist. We found one professor, the professor of Chemistry, who showed us much sympathy. He said that he never lost any opportunity of telling his students that, while a man of science and a chemist, he was at the same time a Christian by conviction. He added sadly that all his children were unbelieving.

Do pray for the following up of our visit.

-----00-----

SERVIA. II.

NOT TO BE PRINTED.

Ruth Rouse.

May 1 to 4 and

13 to 15, 1911.

My second visit to Servia was in company with Mr. Mott and Baron Nicolay, Miss Grace Saunders and Miss Lanievsky, (a Russian student) for following up the Constantinople Conference.

Baron Nicolay had visited Servia after me, and had formed a
committee to prepare for Mr. Mott's coming. In spite of all the diffi-
culties I told of in my first report, there was much to encourage us.
A good committee had been formed to prepare; the Rector of the University
and the Minister of Education allowed the use of the University Hall;
three professors showed a genuine religious interest in the work; the
head of the Post and Telegraph system came to Constantinople to attend
the Conference and to prepare for interpreting Mr. Mott. Amongst the
students too, in spite of absolute indifference to religion and terrible
immorality, there was a real preparation for what was to come. Till
recently, the students have been busy almost exclusively with different
political clubs: "Socialist", "Anarchist", "Liberal", "Radical", etc.
Of late, a new club has been formed amongst them of 200 members, "The
School of Free Thought", that is an anti party-spirit club, binding the
students to no political school, and recommending attention to study!
The best elements have gathered round the club and an "Antò Alcohol
Society". The professors were delighted with these movements. They
are in absolute terror of the students, who do exactly as they please.

Mr. Mott's first move was to call upon Church and State. The

2.

Church received him with open arms. The old Metropolitan of Servia gave him his blessing on his work, and begged him to emphasise the need for the study of the Bible. The Synod of the Servian Church was in session at Belgrade to elect a new bishop, and the Metropolitan invited Mr. Mott to address the bishops assembled in the Cathedral! (This did not come off, owing to the illness of two bishops.) It was who addressed the bishops finally, not by invitation, however, except in so far as the bishops invited themselves to a meeting at which I was speaking!)

The Metropolitan also sent Mr. Mott to the Ecclesiastical Seminary, where he spoke to the ecclesiastical students on "Leadership in the Church". The newly elected bishop responded, and said the subject was one upon which he had been thinking all through his ministry; but that Mr. Mott had given him new ideas which he meant to devote himself to teaching in his new sphere. The theological were very enthusiastic, and want a branch of the Student Christian Association in their college.

The Church was easy. Sensation awaited us in the University. A series of three evening addresses had been arranged. We went to them with the solemn consciousness that, for the very first time, the claims of Jesus Christ were to be definitely put before the educated men and women of Servia. The University Hall was absolutely crammed, mostly with students. All air was carefully excluded. Packed humanity combined with the first hot days of spring gave every point to the powers of evil. However, the first night passed off quietly. Mr. Mott spoke on "Spiritual Atrophy". There was tremendous attention, ⭐ and crowds of men and women wishing to speak with him after the meeting and next morning. The next night Mr. Mott gave two addresses on "Temptation" with an interval between. The interval was fifteen minutes pandemonium, as a Socialist wished to make a counter demonstration, and the University authorities were powerless to quell either him or his

3.

supporters and opponents. The meeting closed about 11 o'clock in the hall, but was continued in sections in the streets till 12 o'clock. and in the cafes till 2 or 3. Nothing else was discussed next day.

The socialist party in Sofia is violently anti-Christian, and resented bitterly the preaching of Christianity among the students upon whom they have a strong hold.

The third night they organised their opposition. A professor and six students stationed themselves inside the hall, supported by a body of socialists outside. Mr. Mott got about half way through his address, when on his quoting the words of Christ, he was interrupted with shouts of "Down with Christ!" inside and outside the hall. Pandemonium once more, quieted only after a considerable time. Mr. Mott got under way again, but once more the name of Christ provoked a demonstration. The mass of the audience wanted to listen, and furiously tried to eject the brawlers. Result: a free fight, the two parties hammering each other with chairs; the rector and professor shouting but helpless on the platform, and Mr. Mott perfectly calm but equally helpless. After about 20 minutes and some bloodshed, and a scene unique in the annals of Federation meetings, they quieted down enough for Mr. Mott to say a few words and close the meeting. The mob waited for him outside and made a wild demonstration, jostling and shouting on the stairs; but no further damage was done.

Mr. Mott's work made a profound impression in Belgrade. To describe it as "the greatest sensation in Servia since the murder of King Alexander" is perhaps a doubtful compliment! But the work went deep. We went from that breezy closing meeting to a quiet room where 15 men and 1 woman were gathered who wished to

4.

work for a Student Christian Association. Nearly 70 men had
registered themselves as wishing to become either active or associate
members. Little enough they know of what it means, but these 15
were those of some earnestness of purpose. They formed a temporary
committee to arrange a further series of meetings and Bible circles,
and had made some progress in this direction when I went there some
days later. It was touching to hear one or two in that quiet
little meeting, testifying to their own personal belief in the
Gospel, and to their faith that it would triumph in spite of all.

But they know so little, and have no experience in how to
work. "Sheep without a shepherd" rings in one's ears all the time
when thinking of them. May the Divine Pity of Him Who had compas-
sion on the multitudes drive us to pray for these Servian students.
The utter spiritual destitution there is terrible, and the craving
to hear some saving and helping word, pathetic. The Rector said
to his students: "Mr. Mott is much younger than I am; but when I
heard him speak, it seemed to me as if my father was speaking to
me; and I want you to listen to him as a father". Another professor
said: "If someone had only told us these things when we were young!
But now we are old sinners".

The papers were full of Mr. Mott's meetings for days after, and
were mainly favourable. Nothing else was discussed. The Servians
suddenly discovered themselves to be interested in religious
questions. The priests took courage, and began to announce that
they would preach, and on what subjects.

I grieve to say that the group least touched seemed to be the
women students. Some of them were entirely helping the hostile
Socialist party; and they were, with few exceptions, fierce and rude

5.

in their opposition. Only one joined the Christian Association.
"We've better things to attend to than talking about Christianity,
and we tell you so frankly: we're frank, because we are not
Christians". Their opposition is terribly crude; but one or two
were interested. I hope Miss Grace Saunders may be able to visit
them from Sofia occasionally, and follow up the more hopeful.

NOT TO BE PRINTED.

STRICTLY PRIVATE.

Ruth Rouse.

1917

## SERBIAN STUDENTS.

During the last few weeks I have been spending a considerable amount of time amongst the Serbian students. I have not been to Serbia! The Serbian nation is at present at school elsewhere, and, as far as her students are concerned, largely in France. Serbian men and women students, (chiefly in medicine) are to be found at Paris, Bordeaux, Clermont Ferrand, Montpellier, Toulouse, Lyon, Poitiers, Besancon, Dijon, Grenoble, Marseilles and Aix. At Montpellier there are more than 100 Serbian students, at Bordeaux between 80 and 90, and so on. Theyx are by far the largest foreign element in the French universities to-day and they are a permanent element. Most of them hold scholarships from the Serbian Government and are to remain in the French universities till they have finished their course. In addition to the students there are thousands of Serbian boys in the Lycées always massed together in large groups; at Nice there is a Serbian Lycée with only Serbian boys and Serbian professors. There are 360 Serbian girls in the French Lycées in different places, The Serbian student field in France if you include the boys and girls in the Lycées amounts to several thousand.

To my mind there is no question but that the Student Christian Movement is tremendously responsible to take advantage of the presence of these students in France and that for a number of reasons. I believe that they were sent there by the Providence of God that they may return to be a regenerative force in their own country.

1. The spirit of the Serbian nation is not broken; they are alive, alert, full of courage, believing in the future of their own country and eager to prepare for it. There is a contrast between them and other foreign students who have been separated from their own country for a long time. The third year of war sees the Poles, for instance, depressed, their morale gone down: it is not so with the Serbians.

2. They are like a great family. They are almost all under the Bureau Scolaire Serbe in Paris which keeps a fairly close track of them and their progress. They are often related to each other, and if you get to know a group of Serbian students in one university and are liked, you are sure of an entrée in to the next group; they will give you introductions.

3. There has been a distinct spiritual preparation for a religious movement amongst Serbian students. Religion has never died out amongst Serbians; the priests have been uneducated, the Church has had little influence intellectually and spiritually, but religion in the home has remained even when the churches have not been frequented. So many Serbian Students have told me lately that both among the peasants and the educated people family

2.

prayers are regular institutions, the Scriptures are read in the home and prayers offered daily, but besides this there has been real awakening in the Church. Right through the three Balkan wars this awakening has gone on, the central figure, as far as I can make out has been Father Nicholas, Professor Velmirovitch of the Theological Seminary in Belgrade. He was not there at the time of Dr Mott's visit in 1911 though he returned shortly after. When he preached the Cathedral was always crowded. The students attended his sermons and were influenced by them and by him. So far in France I have not met a single woman student who did not know Father Nicholas and admire him and who had not come under his influence. He is a man of deep and truly Evangelical faith, and a man of widespread sympathy and experience. He has travelled and studied in many different countries. He is now in London working with the Serbian Legation. He was the monk who preached the Federation sermon in Nish Cathedral on the day of prayer for students in 1915, and he is a friend of the Student Movement.

4. The Student Movement is known to the Serbian students whom I came across. They have all heard of Dr Mott's work in Belgrade and of the exciting times we had there. They know that the Student Christian Union continued to work until the actual invasion of Serbia. Some of them have come across the Movement in Switzerland; at Montpellier, for example, I met one Serbian woman student whom I met last time at Ste Croix last October in Switzerland, at the Swiss Student Conference. She is a member of our foyer in Montpellier. Another Serbian woman student at Montpellier who is a member of the Student Christian Association and the Vice-President of the foyer committee, first became a member in Switzerland at Geneva and attended conferences there. We have other links: the President of the Belgrade Student Christian Union is now in France. He is professor at the Serbian Lycée in Nice. As I sat in the Bureau Scolaire Serbe in Paris one of the men working there stepped up to me and said he remembered meeting me in Belgrade. He was Professor Mitrovitch one of the three professors who took a special interest in the Student Christian Movement there, and an enthusiast for the Movement. At Biserta in Tunis some Serbian officers have come to a French Protestant pastor there asking him to give them books to help them in Bible study. One of them was a student in Belgrade when Dr Mott was there and came to faith at that time.

5. The Serbian Authorities in France at least in the Bureau Scolaire Serbe are friendly to the Student Movement. One of the chief men there with whom I had a long conversation would certainly back anything that we could do to extend the Student Movement amongst the Serbiand to-day. I talked over with him the possibility

1916

5.

of a French or Serbian travelling secretary being appointed to visit the different groups of Serbian students; he seemed decidedly favourable to the idea and said, "Why only students, why not boys in the Lycées too?" I believe he would get us an entrée to these groups of boys. He and others seem to have a real concern for the welfare, both moral and spiritual, of the students and to be convinced that our Movement has a future in Serbia and could give great help to Serbia.

6. I have had very little opportunity of testing the accessibility of the men to Student Movement influence, but if the women are any criterion they should be easy to reach. In every place where we have foyers or Student Christian Associations in France the Serbian student women come in and sometimes become members. They are easier to reach than the French students. They are very grateful to the Movement for the friendliness shown them, and more than that they take a real interest in its aims and work. At Montpellier at a party given on the Serbian Christmas day for foreign students one of the women students gave an exceedingly good address on the Federation. Mlle. Bidgrain said she had never heard a better explanation of the aims and principles of the Federation. They often talk about what the Student Christian Movement can do in Serbia after the war, and they are eager to see it at work there. As far as the men are concerned nothing has been done except that they have been asked to such Christmas parties. The French Student Movement is practically non-existent amongst the men students to-day owing to the war, and it is not easy for the women students' unions to work amongst the Serbian men. The only thing that is being done for the men in the social way is the Maison Serbe at Paris which is practically a restaurant and club run for Serbian students in the Quartier Latin. It is managed by a French woman and is, I believe, an excellent institution, but it has no relation whatever to our Movement.

I should like to see the French Student Movement appoint a special secretary either Serbian or French to travel amongst Serbian students and school boys, to study the field, and to see what can be done to help them in their present social and moral difficulties which are considerable as may be easily imagined; also and above all to bring them the religious message of the Federation to crystallise their religious aspirations and to lead them out to work for the coming of the Kingdom of God in their own country.

I want to ask your prayers that the French Student Christian Movement may not lose this wonderful opportunity and that whether in France, Switzerland or England we may be led into the plan of God for the Serbian nation and for her students.

Private for Members of the Women's Subcommittee of the W.SG.F.

Extract from letter of Professor Marco Lecce.

Nisch, Servia.

Jan.10.15

"I am pleased to be able to tell you that for some time we have had regular Student meetings on Sunday afternoons, that in association with some of the members of the Christian Student Movement in Belgrade we strive to win students (of both sexes) for our Lord Jesus Christ.

May God deliver us soon from the miseries and sorrows of this great conflict and grant to us once more the blessing of Peace."

["Strictly private, not to be printed or published.", "Extract from a letter from Miss Grace Saunders,\ndated 13th December, 1918.", "There will be increasing openings for schoolgirl and \"gone down\" schoolgirl work in Egypt and H. Harrison has just been definitely asked by the Patriarchal Coptic Schools to organise school Y. W. branches for their elder girls and teachers. She and I and Miss Padwick were to train their teachers and show them how to lead. I do hope the scheme will not fall through, though it has had to be postponed for six weeks or so, as H. H. was first ill and now has gone on a month's itinerating tour in the C. M. S. dahabyah.", "x x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x

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attend the student Bible circle, and two of the gymnasium
teachers said they would try and meet her and Professor Lecco
there and talk over the question. I longed to stay on a few
days but various matters here were waiting for my return, and
and I don't think I could have. I invaded the girls gymnasium
the last morning to hunt up a young teacher there two girls had
told me would help, Mlle. Darinka Novakovitch, and besides her,
(she is young and very shy) I found some of the other teachers
quite prepared to be interested in the attempt to make a school
girl class or Association, and two of them, I hear, are quite
people of weight, M. Petrovitch and L.Boschkovitch. The
Director was out but they said he would be quite favorable and rea
ready to lend a room from 4 to 5. I am longing to hear if some-
thing is really going to start. As usual I only just got hold of
all this skein the last day!

The most favorable field for the moment, I believe, in
Belgrade is the gymnasium boys and girls, and I was much struck
during the many calls I paid on ladies and teachers with the
way they doubted either the possibility or the need of our work
for students; but the instant I described schoolgirl work every
one said, "Oh, if you can do anything for our girls between 14
and 18, I think it would be excellent." For the moment, the men's
Association is getting on nicely under the three Professors,
Lecco, Mitrovitch, and Chaikanovitch, who come to the Bible circle
and speak and write for them. There are 21 members now, mostly
active, and they are doing temperance work among boys, and hope

4.

Charities and they have lately got the younger teachers keen on
the educational group, Magazinovitch and Pritza who are under
Mrs Ivanitch's influence. They are training people and are
preparing themselves to go round the villages giving courses of
instruction to the peasant women for 2 or 3 months at a time,
on Hygiene, bringing of children, cockery and other subjects;
and also they want to give religious instruction. This is
where Madame Ivanitch feels our two Associations might meet
and mutually help each other, if we can find them women who are
qualified and anxious to teach religion. I saw Pritza but
always failed to find Magazinovitch. The former promised to do
what she can for the girls class, if there really is a nucleus
of keen ones. I suggested to Frau Jouker that it might be
interesting to have three consecutive Bible circles, and then
a monthly meeting for discussions on social and moral and
literary subjects, or occasionally perhaps a social meeting.

Let me know whether you think the Federation would
think it advisable for me or for some other workers to follow
up Belgrade before and during Mr Phildius visit.

P. Achkova sends her love. She is younger sister of the
one at the Constantinople Conference, and at first was an
Association member, but has just been able to sign the personal
basis as active member. Another good piece of news that greeted
my return is that Chintrilova who resigned because we stuck to
having the Lord's Prayer has now come back and much chastened and
prepared to work more loyally. 49 club members now.

98

THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

Article on South Africa.
February 1928

1. It was intended to be a week of self-denial, when every member of the Movement should try to think about it as an instrument for bringing in the Kingdom of God in college, pray more than usual for the Movement, and give as liberally as he can to the central fund, which serves every branch in a variety of ways.

2. It was intended that every member of the Movement should take some part, and that this should happen whether the union numbers 500 members or 10 members, and whether it feels itself a strong or weak branch of the Movement.

We do not under-rate the valuable help of unions which organise work, entertainments, sales and the like, but do not want the more austere ideal with which Finance Week started to be forgotten.

We hope that members of the Auxiliary Movement and senior friends will again take part as heretofore in considerable numbers. The Movement has stabilised its internal expenditure for several years now at a figure between £16,000 and £17,000 per annum, but its income from regular subscriptions is far short of that sum, though it rises steadily. Finance Week is a very important auxiliary to the regular subscription list. May everyone be found in a generous mood this year!

"LIVERPOOL, 1929."

The General Committee has had under review for nearly a year the question of holding another Quadrennial Conference. Although a great conference has been held once in each student generation since 1896, the only interval being during the war years, it has never been taken as a matter of course that such a conference should be held. The decision to hold the next Quadrennial Conference from January 2nd—8th, 1929, has been reached, with as much conviction and after as much careful consideration as has been behind past conferences.

The subject of the conference is to be the purpose of God in the life of the world. We believe God revealed in Christ is the way of life for all races and nations, and the fulfilment of truth expressed in other religions; that God is at work in every department of human life, political, economic and social; that where men learn to co-operate with Him there is the establishment of that which is good, but where this co-operation is rejected there is a continual breaking down, but that this breaking down is also an opening up which leads to fresh possibilities of co-operation with God. We shall try to look at the facts both of good and evil; learn to understand what God is doing, and what He wants us to do in the world; we shall hear of the great missionary ventures undertaken in Christ's name, and consider our own part in them.

On three previous occasions, namely, 1896, 1908, and 1912, we have met in the City of Liverpool, and on enquiry from the Bishop of Liverpool and a number of Free Church leaders as to whether we might venture to hope for the hospitality of Liverpool people, we received the immediate assurance of a warm welcome. Accordingly, we look forward to assembling about 2,000 people at Liverpool in the first week of January next year.

## GOD IS WORKING HIS PURPOSE OUT.

"It is an open secret that the writer of this year's Federation Call to Prayer is a negro—Mr. Max Yergan." Max Yergan is the American negro who for the last few years has been secretary of the African section of the Student Christian Movement in South Africa. Max Yergan's Call to Prayer, so beautifully interwoven with the spiritual poetry and music of his own race, may be regarded as the latest link in a chain of praying men and women through whom God has been working out His purpose in South Africa, that land of problems and opportunities.

Let us look at the South African student world as it was thirty-four years ago, when the South African Movement was founded, and see the changes that have taken place. From the beginning the Movement had certain points of strength. It was always strong on Bible study and in giving. The South African student has always had a keen sense of God and of his duty to God. In his attitude towards missions, however, and towards the native African, he reflected the standpoint of the general South African community, even in the Churches. It was no easy task to appeal to the South African student for missions. It was impossible to get him to think of fellowship with the African, even in Christian work. The Africans were a race apart that must be kept under. The Church of the majority, the Dutch Reformed Church, was at that time very weak on the missionary side, despite the strong missionary bent of one or two of its most honoured leaders, such as Andrew Murray.

To-day the Dutch Reformed Church is a strong missionary Church. In the Anglican, Presbyterian, Wesleyan and Congregational bodies there has also been a considerable advance in missionary interest, though even forty years ago these Churches were conducting effective missions. But it was the Dutch Reformed Church which recently called the first conference ever held in South Africa at which the black and white leaders of the different Churches met to consider together the problems of race relationship and African welfare. A glance at the names of the Dutch Reformed and other white leaders who took part in that conference will show how great has been the influence of the Student Christian Movement in bringing about their present attitude.

Look at one or two student happenings which thirty years ago would have seemed to the South African student as fantastic as broadcasting. At the Manchester Quadrennial Conference of the British Student Movement, January, 1925, a group of white South African students invited all the African students present to tea for conference on race relationships. Max Yergan has been invited to speak in not a few of the white South African colleges, and has received the warmest welcome. Groups of white South African students are in certain places inviting African young men to meet with them that they may take counsel together concerning the welfare of both races. It is a similar change of attitude in the general community which made possible the recent advance towards the solution of another grave race question, that of the Indians in South Africa. "The quadrilateral racial problem in South Africa between

# The STUDENT MOVEMENT

VOL. XXX. : FEBRUARY, 1928 : NO. 5.

Secretarial Offices: Annandale, Golders Green, London, N.W. 11.

Publishing Department and Bookroom: 32, Russell Square, London, W.C. 1.

## TABLE OF CONTENTS

### EDITORIAL.

<table><thead><tr><th></th><th>PAGE</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Loyalty</td><td>97</td></tr><tr><td>This Important Month</td><td>97</td></tr><tr><td>Liverpool, 1929</td><td>98</td></tr></tbody></table>

### GENERAL ARTICLES.

<table><tbody><tr><td>God is Working His Purpose Out</td><td>Ruth Rouse</td><td>98</td></tr><tr><td>The Quest of Religion</td><td>C. E. Raven</td><td>100</td></tr><tr><td>Student Self-Help</td><td>M. Joliffe and W. E. Jones</td><td>101</td></tr><tr><td>U.S.A.—Ourselves and our Cousins</td><td>M. Read</td><td>102</td></tr><tr><td>Jerusalem, 1928</td><td>J. O. Dobson</td><td>104</td></tr><tr><td>Imaginary Prefaces (Micah)</td><td>J. R. Coates</td><td>104</td></tr><tr><td>Art as a Spiritual Force</td><td>Alec Miller</td><td>105</td></tr><tr><td>The Spirit of Childhood; Kindergarten Days</td><td>E. B. Warr</td><td>106</td></tr><tr><td>In Memoriam, Norah Mount Ward</td><td></td><td>108</td></tr></tbody></table>

### THE WORK OF THE MOVEMENT

<table><tbody><tr><td>Prayer Calendar</td><td>108</td></tr><tr><td>Call to the Universal Day of Prayer for Students</td><td>109</td></tr><tr><td>General Committee</td><td>110</td></tr><tr><td>The London Conference</td><td>110</td></tr><tr><td>Modern Universities' Conference</td><td>111</td></tr><tr><td>Detroit, 1927</td><td>111</td></tr><tr><td>Second Anglo-Russian Conference</td><td>112</td></tr><tr><td>Open Forum</td><td>112</td></tr><tr><td>Letters to the Editor.</td><td>114</td></tr><tr><td>Federation News</td><td>115</td></tr><tr><td>News from the Colleges</td><td>115</td></tr><tr><td>Student Movement House</td><td>116</td></tr><tr><td>General News and Notes</td><td>116</td></tr><tr><td>Writers, Marriage</td><td>116</td></tr></tbody></table>

### THE AUXILIARY MOVEMENT

<table><tbody><tr><td>Auxiliary Notes</td><td>117</td></tr><tr><td>Authority, Obedience and the Individual</td><td>117</td></tr><tr><td>The Kingdom in the Heart and in the World</td><td>Louis Fenn</td></tr><tr><td>Glastonbury Conference</td><td>R. Bridle</td><td>120</td></tr><tr><td>A Request for Prayer</td><td>120</td></tr><tr><td>A Letter to Teachers</td><td>E. T. Stevens</td><td>120</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Editorial.

### LOYALTY.

There must be many people up and down the world who will ask themselves this month whether there is any special grace for which they will pray for the Student Christian Movement as they know it, when the Universal Day of Prayer for students comes on February 19th. We shall all try to ask for the things the leaders of the Federation bid us ask, but we shall also make our own particular request. We hope that some will ask for the grace of loyalty.

A few weeks ago we listened to a medical student giving expression to what was obviously a deep concern with him. He was the leader of an important university Christian Union, and was feeling the lack of loyalty in the Christian Union committee. Members came late for committee meetings, and left early to catch trains, rather than suffer inconvenience. They were easy-going about all that their union was trying to do. They shouldered no burdens on its behalf and put no spiritual drive into their work for it. There was something almost Pauline about the man in his longing that those he led might show more devotion, more loyalty.

The episode was calculated to make one think. Loyalty does not seem to be a feature of our generation. We know many hard workers to-day, but few who seem to have in a high degree the capacity for loyalty. It is not very easy to say exactly what loyalty is, but its absence is easy enough to sense. When people back one another up, try to do a little more than is expected of them, are slow to see the failings of their comrades, but are glad in their strength, when cliques do not easily form, and gossip dies because there are no tongues ready to nourish it, then we know that the spirit of loyalty is alive.

Perhaps we ought all to think more of loyalty and its demands. The good things in corporate life do not just happen, they are cultivated and nourished, loyalty is one of them. It is a thing anyone who is a leader thinks about often, it will be forced upon his attention, and the lack of loyalty in the case of really good men will often confound him and hurt him. The leader knows that almost everything depends upon loyalty—loyalty both to him and to one another of those he is set to lead. But most of us are spared the burden and loneliness of leadership, and what is required of us is to follow, and to follow well. The following is just as important as the leading, it is merely a difference in function. To every man and woman who says, “I’m only a follower,” we would say, “then you belong to the most important group.” We talk of the Kingdom of God in college—almost all depends on you: study to be loyal, try and think out what loyalty involves in relation to real people. When we learn to be loyal to the brothers whom we have seen, we shall open the way to loyalty to God Whom we have not seen.

### THIS IMPORTANT MONTH.

February is a very important month in the life of the Student Christian Movement. The General Committee chooses as many of its secretaries as possible for next autumn before the month is out; most Christian Unions begin to look out for new committee members and officers this month, and begin serious plans for summer conference delegations; the Universal Day of Prayer for students falls on the 19th, and Finance Week is from February 18th to 25th. To help members to know what Finance Week has done in the past, we print a sheet giving the record of each branch of the Movement. We would stress two points about Finance Week.

13

100

THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

one or two student leaders realised the appalling conditions of starvation which prevailed amongst students in Central Europe, they sent an S.O.S. call to every Student Christian Movement in the world. It was a venture of prayer and faith. We never dreamed of much help from South Africa; but the Movement there published our appeal in Dutch and English as soon as received, and by October had collected £1,400. South Africa, with only 3,000 university students, gave £110s. a head to European Student Relief between 1920 and 1924. This was despite a period of appalling economic depression when the fruit crops failed. Much of the money came from school-boys and girls, both white and black.

This article is a record of a few of the changes that have taken place in one Movement in the Federation; but can we doubt that we have seen in South Africa God working out His purpose through calling on men first to pray and then to work out His will?

In your country there is a conflict of race. In your Movement you are faced with what looks like a complete impasse. You feel that your Student Christian Movement is making huge demands on what is but a small and feeble group; but God is in your midst as surely as in South Africa. He is waiting to work His purpose out—it may be through your prayers—your answer to this Call to Prayer.

RUTH ROUSE.

## THE QUEST OF RELIGION.

### V.—THE CENTRALITY OF THE CROSS.

ONE supreme problem has always confronted mankind since first he began to ask questions about the meaning and nature of the world in which he lived. “Why all this pain?” is a cry that every human being must utter, a question so insistent as to demand from the least inquisitive some sort of reply. Propitiatory rites, demon-worship, dualism complete or veiled, doctrines of a Fall, of an angry God, of a ruthless necessity—in a multitude of forms we have tried to console and fortify one another, and to justify the ways of an ‘nscrutable Providence. And to-day, when the element of struggle and suffering in the evolutionary process has been so powerfully emphasised, and when thirteen years of agony have left our hearts wrung and our nerves strained, it is to many almost a mockery to talk of a God of love, a God like Jesus, as the source and reality of existence. Unless Jesus can help us here, He cannot receive or sustain our homage.

It is a theme on which only those who have themselves suffered dare speak, and where none may speak glibly. The easy optimism of conventional piety is futile: so is the well-meant cheerfulness of those lucky but useless folks who have no sense of tragedy. The facile consolation, spoken or written, “the empty chaff well-meant for grain,” that appears in hymns and sermons, has probably alienated more souls from the churches than any other single cause. He who would help his fellows here must bear in his own body the print of nails and spear. It is because He can say “Is any sorrow like unto My sorrow?” it is because He can ask “Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of?”

that men have found in Jesus a Saviour. It is by right of the Cross that He reigns.

To say so is to claim that He not only illuminates the meaning of suffering but that He vindicates its place in the scheme of things, and demands of us a change of outlook so complete as to overthrow all our standards of success, of pleasure, of ambition. Can this claim be made good?

(1) The first lesson of the Cross is that the suffering of the innocent is the result of the inherited insensitivity, the blind prejudices, the self-complacency and conservatism not less than of the deliberate cruelty and greed of mankind. Pharisees, Sadducees, Herod, Pilate had all excellent reasons for doing what they did: they being what they were, the whole drama moved inevitably to its tremendous climax; men crucified their own true Manhood because they could not free themselves from the obsession of ambitions and fears, of habit and inheritance. The tragedy of it has the universality of supreme art. Here, focussed to a point in Calvary, is the pain of the world. The Christian facing a row of beds in a hospital, or a queue of dockers at a Labour Exchange, finds himself murmuring, “They are punished for our transgressions,” and “The Lord has laid on them the iniquity of us all.” He sees in tortured bodies and starved souls the marks of the Lord Jesus: and remorse for his own share in their crucifixion cuts him to the heart. And if human woe is thus seen anew as the outcome of man’s ignorance and sloth and acquiescence in inherited wrong, the same light shines back upon the suffering of the animal world. Life differs from the inanimate in its power of self-determination: the amœba, unlike the blob of colloid, has a capacity for alternate response. Our freedom is bought at the price of mistakes, and mistakes involve always and everywhere more or less of calamity for the race: the innocent pay in blood.

(2) So far we see only the remorseless rule of necessity, a judgment just indeed but grim; and the sense of an appalling imprisonment crushes us in the seeds of pride. But the Cross, if it plunges us into despair, does not leave us there; with penitence and consciousness of our impotence, comes encouragement and triumphant release. For out of evil springs good; through suffering there is revealed love and love victorious. The vindication of Calvary is that in fact it sets men like Simon Peter, or me, free. No sooner do we realise our bondage than the fetters are loosed from our limbs. Jesus by His death so manifested the power of love, so called out sympathy, devotion and passionate loyalty, that the men whose adventure had seemed to end in disillusionment were re-born with a vitality incredibly larger and a fellowship immeasurably deeper than they could else have achieved.

Those who crucified the Son of Man found Him far more creative in His death than He had been in His life. The gospel, which had hitherto aroused hope and interest, now displayed an energy which accomplished the transformation of human nature. Pilate may have forgotten his victim: the world has not done so: indeed it remembers the Procurator only from his connection with Jesus.

The truth is that, as with St. Joan, so far more mightily with Jesus, martyrdom was not the end but

THE STUDENT MOVEMENT

99

British, Dutch, Indian and African is still grave," but there are signs of a brighter day amongst coming leaders.

God is working His purpose out through the men and women whom He calls to prayer. At the beginnings of the British Movement, in 1895, at the summer conference, Luther Wishard of America, fresh from a tour in the South African colleges, stirred in many British students an interest in the newly created South African Student Christian Association. He asked the British Movement to help the South African Movement by sending a leader to make a more thorough visitation, and in 1896, Donald Fraser, fresh from chairing the first Student International Missionary Conference at Liverpool, spent some months in the South African colleges and schools before beginning his work in Livingstonia. We remember the prayer, which many felt impelled to make for him, and the eagerness with which his reports were read, showing the hopeful beginnings of the Student Christian Movement, the undeveloped missionary resources of the South African colleges, and the great need for the awakening of a missionary spirit.

In 1899 the outbreak of the Boer War rent asunder the two white races in South Africa; the wrench was felt in the Federation, and the Dutchmen of Holland refused at first to meet British students at the Versailles Federation Conference in 1900. But the Federation held together, and Christian students of the very nations at war did really pray for each other, and were able to serve one another and the Kingdom of God. A group of Boer Student Christian Movement leaders and members found themselves together as prisoners of war in the island of St. Helena. They were already interested in missions; they got a message through to the British Student Christian Movement asking for missionary books. The books were sent, and they started missionary study circles. That group went back to South Africa, many of them into the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church. They threw their weight into making their Church missionary, and it is not a little due to their influence that the first quarter of the twentieth century has seen the growth of strong Dutch Reformed Missions in South and Central Africa.

As the South African Student Christian Association took up its work after the war, the Boer leaders, bitter as was their feeling on race and language questions, came to regret that the Movement was almost exclusively Dutch, and to desire that the British section of South African students should be drawn into their fellowship. To this end, at the conference in Holland in 1905, they gave a pressing invitation to Dr. Mott, as General Secretary of the Federation, and a "neutral," to visit South Africa in 1906. His engagements were such that he declared it quite impossible. Now pardon two very personal reminiscences. I went a few months later to Holland, and told a secretary of the Dutch Student Christian Movement of the strong conviction that had come to me in prayer that Dr. Mott ought to go to South Africa. He told me that he too had felt impelled to pray that Dr. Mott might change his mind. We both wrote to Dr. Mott, telling him of our conviction. About that time Dr. Mott, in America, woke one night under the strongest impression

that he ought to go to South Africa. The difficulties were as great as ever, but he said, "If this is God's call, some other evidence will come that it is so." A week later he received our two letters from Holland, and another from the South African Movement renewing their invitation, and saying they were praying that he might be guided aright. He went to South Africa next year; his visit meant the extension of the Movement amongst English students, considerable developments amongst native African students, and the strengthening of the missionary spirit amongst the Dutch. God had worked His purpose out through moving English, Dutch and South Africans to agreement in prayer.

Dr. Mott's visit showed clearly that one line of advance was imperative. Dutch secretaries agreed that they could not do their best work in English colleges or in the native African institutions: to reach these an English secretary was needed. The Movement decided to call one, and Dr. Mott secured his support; but the man could not be found; one after another refused; the impasse seemed complete. But not a few in South Africa, England and America were praying that God would show whom He had chosen. One day there came to me a thought; I went into T.'s office, and said, "Have you ever thought of Oswin Bull of Cambridge as a possibility for South Africa?" "Yes," he said, "the same idea has come to me." We cabled our idea to Dr. Mott in New York, and learned, when he replied, that he had already thought of Oswin Bull, and had wired to Canada, where the latter was at that time, asking him to come to New York, to discuss the call to South Africa. At the next British Summer Conference Oswin Bull said good-bye to the British Movement, told what lay before him, and said he would like the names of any who meant to pray for him. Hundreds responded. Their prayers have been answered in his work in South Africa, where through all these years he has been a missionary force and a reconciling influence between Dutch and English.

Meantime in other lands God was preparing other men, through whose lives and prayers He would work out His purpose of race reconciliation in South Africa. Fourteen or fifteen years ago, in America, a negro student went to the first negro summer conference in the United States. Moved by what he heard, he spent long hours in prayer on a neighbouring hill, till he settled to give his life to some form of missionary service. That student was Max Yergan. His decision led him into the Y.M.C.A. secretaryship, and then to South Africa, to be the interpreter of black to white, and build up the Student Christian Movement in the native African colleges.

It was only in May last year that the serious situation between South African and Indian was relieved by the Hertzog-Habbullah Agreement. Even the secular press remarked how every phase of the negotiations which led to that agreement had been followed in prayer, not only amongst Christians in South Africa, India and elsewhere, but also amongst Hindus and Moslems. Through such men as the Christian C. F. Andrews and the Hindu Gandhi the world has learnt something about the relation of prayer to God's purpose.

One more instance of the movement of God in South Africa through prayer. When in the February of 1920

are untouched. (3) New districts. The Movement is at present practically confined to the western part of Cape Colony. The eastern part, with Grahamstown, the most important educational centre in the Colony after Cape Town is nearly untouched. The Orange River Colony and the Transvaal are untouched. Natal is not only untouched but practically closed through Government regulations. We are hoping that visits to Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Grahamstown and Natal and Lovedale, in all of which places we are hoping to hold small conferences with leaders, may be the means of opening up these new districts to the Movement. (4) The Student Volunteer Movement has practically died out here and needs to be revived. We hope the convention will give a great impetus to this as well as get South African men into the ministry of the different churches. Except in the case of the Dutch Reformed Church, practically all the ministers are drawn from home and not from the Colonies. (5) I need not say that we are all of us hoping, whatever race we belong to, that the convention may be a great unifying force and may result in a strong South African Student Movement, really representative of all of South Africa, working in unity and whole hearted fellowship for the coming of the Kingdom of God.

We have received the warmest welcome. We have never gone to work in any part of the world where more careful preparation was made in all directions and more thought and prayer been made regarding our visit. There is hope and encouragement in every direction. Yet at the same time, the difficulties are very great. There is a peculiar set of problems to deal with which are new to us and we feel that we need your prayers as never before.

RUTH ROUSE.

-2-

all the same by what Elsie said.

Miss Hodgkin's seems to have had some lively discussions from the first, some on deeper subjects, but largely led by some of the men who held the Kaiser's view of woman's place: "Küche, Kirche und Kinder"! As this is a mixed student Hostel, in which the men outnumber the girls by 38 to 12, you may imagine this is a live issue, and they found lots to say, and were interested to see that the women who came in contact with Christ were not despised by Him.

I found great difficulty over the reading, as we had only one rather low oil-lamp and only two French Bibles (both in different translations, which puzzled them a good deal), and one Roumanian Gospel, between twelve people, my English one being no use to anyone else but myself.

The pension is a self-governing institution, without any Matron, but under a President elected by themselves. This student is fairly autocratic, so, when we leaders got tired of waiting more than half-an-hour to start work, and there seemed no proper lists of who was to be in which circle, he simply packed us leaders in the rooms available, and packed the people he thought best after us! He stopped to listen a bit in each room, and asked me to discuss devil-possession and miracles, and everything that is controversial and far from the point.

However, we soon got on to quite profitable things. One of the things they seemed to be most interested in being the question whether, in trying to work for social or individual justice, men were not getting away from pure Christianity. The man who asked this said he thought real religion was undoubtedly renunciation, and hastened to add that of course pure religion was dead! I don't at all suppose nearly all these students will go on coming, but another man has just asked to-day whether he may not join, and I think some are really in earnest. One teacher who was there as a visitor told us after, that one man in Elsie's circle kept saying under his breath: "What on earth are they driving at? Do they want to convert us, or what?"

Father, or rather Archimandrite Scriban, as you know, is a regular reader of S.C.M. literature of every kind, and has been most cordial. I had to be very frank, and tell him his presence would not help to establish the true circle method, as we found he was intending to attend'. He took it like a lamb, but said if we had more public meetings, at which there was likely to be discussion and opposition, he must come, so as to defend either us or the faith.

Mr. Ispir, as you know, was two years or more at Oxford, living in Wycliffe Hall, and taking anthropology and philosophy. Since he came back, he has had to take some further exam, as they would not recognise his degree for a professorship, and he has been teaching English in a boys' lycée, but in a week or so he will be professor in the University. He had been intending, in any case, to have given some special lectures or to try circles this winter, but he has given us the most cordial welcome, and, if his ardour can only be restrained, can be quite helpful in circles.

Elsie Radulescu is a very quiet and plainly dressed girl for a Roumanian, but she is related to several of the aristocratic families, and is liked by all.

Not to be printed or published.

Strictly private.

June 31st 1905.

A.

SOUTH AFRICA.

0

REPORT 1.

General Impressions.

We landed in Capetown April 17th, and I am writing after two months travelling in schools and colleges. We have spent our time roughly as follows :-

Capetown. 2 weeks, including Conference May 17 - 20.
Western Province. (Cape Colony) 1 week.
Eastern Province (Cape Colony) 1 week.
Orange River Colony. 4 days.
Transvaal and Natal. 2 weeks.

We have visited Capetown, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Wellington, Grahamstown, King Williamstown, Lovedale, Bloemfontein, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Maritzburg and Durban. It is a country of magnificent distances, (I have already spent 18 nights in the train).

The South African Student Christian Association

- 2 -

was founded in 1896 by Mr Wishart and Mr Donald Fraser. It has now over 80 branches, and is in many ways a strong movement.

## A. STRONG POINTS.

1. The junior work.

No other movement has carried the work in boys' and girls' schools to such a point. With few exceptions their branches have been in schools of High School grade. They have adopted excellent plans for such work, and have specialised on Bible studies etc, for younger students.

Regular branches of the S. C. A. are established in the schools. I am quite a convert to this plan for a country like this. The boys and girls, while younger in some ways than those at home, are far more capable of carrying responsibility. and organising, surprisingly so in fact.

2. Spirituality.

The leadership of the movement has always owed much to such men as Dr Andrew Murray and Professor Hofmeyer, and it has laid constant emphasis on the deepening of the spiritual life. Bible study and Bible circles have everywhere been the main work of the Association. Evangelistic work has been strong; they look for conversions and they are granted to them.

- 3 -

3. **Self-support.** Though composed of schoolboys and schoolgirls this movement has done more than any other to carry its own finance. They keep two men and one woman at work in the field all the time, and their budget is considerably over £1000 per annum.

4. **The Volunteer movement.** In face of enormous difficulties, the Volunteer movement for missions to the heathen started in 1895, and has continued its work. They have had about 150 volunteers and at least half are already at work amongst the heathen, almost entirely in Africa, and almost entirely under the Dutch Reformed Church. They great missionary development of this church, during the past ten years owes much to the inspiration of the Student Volunteer Movement, both in recruits and in other ways.

5. **Hospitality.** Surely there never was a more hospitable land, than South Africa, and the schools and colleges have supported its reputation nobly. It is hopeless to begin to recount the kindness which has been heaped on us everywhere. The girls are charming both amongst the Dutch and the English delightfully friendly and not a bit shy: quite little girls will come and sit down beside you, and try to make you feel at home and entertain

- 4 -

you. Schoolgirl work here is a joy.

## B. WEAK POINTS.

1. The junior work has been developed at the expense of the senior. The work in the colleges even though these are few in number has not been developed correspondingly, to the work in schools. ( This is specially true of the women), and the consequence has been that with the honourable exception of Stellenbosch (Victoria College and the D.R.C. Theological Seminary) no leaders have been developed from the colleges. We have laid special stress on the need for developing the college work. Before this year there was a good branch of the S.C.A. at Stellenbosch, and Wellington (Womens' Huguenot College) and struggling at the South African College, Capetown, and the Grey College, Bloemfontein. Branches have been started during the past weeks at Rhodes College, Grahamstown, the Diocesan College, Capetown, the Technical College, Johannesburg, and amongst the girls of the South African College at Stellenbosch. Thus all the University Colleges now have branches. University life is just beginning to develop rapidly in South Africa, and it must be captured and firmly held by the Student Movement.

2. The Methods of Work have been one-sided.

-5-

Both the theology and the methods of the South African move-
ment have been one-sided, and the theology has been one-
sidedly "pietist", the methods those of a Christian Endea-
vour Society rather than a Students' Christian Association.
While keeping most of their old methods, which suit many
of the places with which they have to do, they need to
broaden out and be more adaptable to older students, and to
all classes of students.

Their failing in this way is largely due to their isolated position. They know less of Federation work than any other country I know and are more exclusively absorbed in their own. They simply do not know what goes on elsewhere, and when they do, they respond well, tho' inclined to think anything they are not accustomed to, unspiritual.

Their Missionary work has also been one-sided.

3.

Their Missionary outlook has been confined to Africa, and is
often darkened by the grave problems of missionary work at
their own door and the attacks made on missions locally.
They need a world outlook to inspire their volunteer move-
ment to fresh life. It is not as strong as it was, and as
far as the women are concerned they are at present wholly
failing to reach the strongest class of women students as
volunteers. There is not a single volunteer amongst
their college women at present.

- 6 -

4. There is a tendency to emotionalism and religiosity amongst them.

Almost every girl raises questions about her "feelings" in religious matters. The ethical side of religion requires strong emphasis. It gets it too, for the Secretaries know this weakness and are on their guard against it.

Doubt is almost unknown I found, except in one college: the questions brought to you are always either "How shall I resist temptation, or overcome sin?" ( and that is good) or some problem concerning the emotions( of that there is far too much.)

I have done a good deal of evangelistic work out here (in the well established branches) and base these remarks on experience gained here.

-3-

She was at school in St. Leonards, and took history as a home student at Oxford, and, though at that time I am told she did not seem to be interested in the Student Christian Movement, she certainly is now, and gives us a lot of real help in various ways.

Father Scriban sent us in a pretty, naive little person, Nina Ionescu, by name, who arrived armed, like himself, with a portfolio full or articles written and books translated by herself, before we had finished our breakfast! She studied at Bedford College, London, and has visited the Student Movement House, and is quite keen on our work, though she was being kept back by Father Scriban with some difficulty from becoming a Roman Catholic and a nun! The fact is that she has lived in convents during her education, both here and in London, and the greater part of the living religion she has seen has been through nuns.

Elsie and I have been rubbing up our German conversation with a young Austrian teacher in the Mission School, a Roman Catholic, and she and her friend, an Orthodox who teaches Roumanian in the same school and is a former Bucarest University student, were keen to see the circles, so, though they don't know much more than the rest, we took them along too, as at least they understood what we were driving at, and were sympathisers.

Then there was Miss Slivici, who went, like Mme. Mattei, to Switzerland in search of help, and took a short training in nursing at St. Loup, and is a great friend and disciple of Mme. Romalo's author sister. She has been doing fine work among workmen in dispensaries, and is now helping in a day-nursery, and longing to help in the fight against infant mortality. She and I had prayer together at her own request, when she came to tea one day, and both she and Mlle. Seculici attended the prayer-meeting Elsie led, which was our one observance of the Week of Prayer. She is far more advanced than any of the other Roumanians I know, except Mme. Romalo and her sister, and they are not Roumanian by race at all.

Elsie has a sort of preliminary circle on Sunday at 6, for any we think are ready to help in any way, and yesterday we not only asked the nicest girl from my circle and her friend, but they brought along another girl, who is off to study in Paris next week, and to whom of course we gave introductions, and who seemed to enjoy the circle so much that I hope she will at once join one there.

A very sweet girl came in too, who is only able to come in on Sundays, as she is trying to take her last two years in veterinary medicine in one year, but she will come as often as she can.

The last member of that Sunday circle was a nice curly-headed Dutch Jonkheer, van Lennep by name, to whom Mr. Rutgers had given us an introduction, and who was very sad when he heard there was no Student Christian Movement here as yet. He had been a schoolboy camper in Holland, and also a Student member at Zürich, though he said it was not strong there. He is now an attaché in the Dutch Legation in Bucarest, and tells me he had been trying to explain all about the Movement to our young officers in the British Military Mission that morning, when he was motoring with them, as he likes them all so much.

He was a great help at tea-time in talking to a young student in the Commercial Academy, a friend of Mr. Popescu, who gave me an introduction to him

# REPORT

## of the General Committee of the S.C.A. S.A.

### July 1919—June 1921.

To the delegates of the branches of the S.C.A.S.A. gathered in conference it is with pleasure that the General Committee would give a short resume of the work of the Association during the past two years.

We are deeply grateful to God for His protecting and guiding care which has rested upon the Association during this period.

### I. THE ADVISORY COUNCIL.—
With deep regret we have to remind you that one of the members of our Advisory Council has been taken from us in the person of Prof. J. I. Marais, D.D., who from the day the Association was founded in South Africa gave it his watchful attention and interest. His place has been filled by the appointment of Prof. J. du Plessis.

### II. MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE.—
Of the following nineteen members who have served on the Committee during this period Rev. G. B. A. Gerdener, Native Institutions, President; Mr. S. J. de Villiers, Schools, Vice-President; Mr. F. W. Liebenberg, Theological Colleges, Vice Secretary; Miss H. A. Sargent, Colleges; Miss E. H. van Deemter, other Institutions; Mr. T. Haarhoff, Colleges; Mr. O. B. Bull, Native Institutions; Dr. B. B. Keet, Theological Colleges; Mr. H. C. Brink, Colleges; Mr. L. M. Dugmore, Colleges; Mr. G. Smit, Colleges; Prof. W. P. de Villiers, Colleges; Miss G. Brink, Normal Colleges; Mr. T. Dönges, Normal Colleges; Mr. D. J. de Villiers, Schools; Mr. H. T. Gamble, Schools; Mr. D. J. Retief, Schools; Mr. D. A. Hunter, Native Institutions; Prof. J. H. Hofmeyr, Old Members; we have lost our President, Rev. G. B. Gerdener, Mr. F. W. Liebenberg and Mr. H. C. Brink. The General Committee wishes to express its appreciation of the valuable services rendered by him to the S.C.A. The last two vacancies are filled by Mr. J. C. Cronje and Mr. Blom. Miss A. Gamble acted on behalf of Miss Sargent during her absence on furlough.

### III. GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS.—
During

2

the period under review only one meeting of the General Committee has been held. A meeting called for Jan. 14, 1921, fell through owing to the necessary number for a quorum not being present.

The Executive met on twelve occasions to confer in the interests of the Association and the Association is greatly indebted to the members for their disinterested sacrifice of time and strength on its behalf.

#### IV. OFFICIALS.—Our staff was augmented by the appointment of Rev. J. R. L. Kingon as Travelling Secretary in 1919; and Miss E. Jacobs as Travelling Secretary in January, 1921. Miss Vermaak also acted temporarily on our staff for two months during the absence of Rev. Kingon on leave. A Business Secretary was appointed in the office in the person of Mr. C. J. Fourie. We are also glad to welcome back Miss M. M. Kriel after an absence of ten months in Europe in the service of the Association at Conferences and amongst the needy students of the Central States. We regret to have to record the resignation of Rev. D. F. Marais our General Secretary who gave three and a half years of unremitting and untiring service to the Association. His place in the office has been filled by the appointment of Rev. C. H. Murray, as General Secretary.

#### V. LITERATURE.—During the last two years the usual courses of Bible Studies for School branches were issued, an edition of 10,000 in Dutch and 1500 in English. Of „Roe-ping” by Rev. Gerdener, 500 were printed and of „Sosiale Studies” 1500. The Association has also passed through the press „Het Overwinnend Leven”, „Wenken voor Jonge Chris-tenen”, „Hoeder of Broeder”, Student Volunteer Pledge cards and Prayer cards.

Unitas has appeared eight times per year though owing to the changes in office it was sometimes somewhat late in appearing. 2650 copies are printed of which about 2500 are sent out to subscribers. We fear that many copies go astray as secretaries do not notify us of changes of address, or of subscribers who leave.

In 1920 a new magazine Universitas was issued under the aegis of the Association. Its purpose is to direct the thought of Students in those questions which occupy their thought. Of this magazine 1000 copies are issued each term about half of which are taken up by subscribers.

The S.C.A. Calender for 1920 was again issued. „The Student World” is sent out from the office and now counts 192 subscribers.

#### VI. BRANCHES OF THE S.C.A. S.A.—According to

-4-

at the Student Movement House! He had come in for the first time, and told us afterwards that a friend had told him to beware, or he might be converted, or something equally terrible! This Dinischiotto Nicholae asked whether he might come at 11 o'clock next morning to ask some more about the Association, and began by saying he thought "extend the Kingdom of God" was a very vague expression, and he proceeded to ask very pertinent questions, and I ran along to fetch Elsie Boyd from mending her clothes to give a few statistics.

And so it goes on - just the sort of thing you know, odd mixtures of people surging up to say they were members of Kamschatka or Timbuctoo, and others holding aloof with varied fears. We have been getting estimates of the cost of the repairs needed to do up the old "Home International", if we can find nothing less dilapidated, for five or six months. It would be really funny if we were to use the house in which Milly Sage and I were taken in as refugees on our escape from Bulgaria, and where we were so severely taken to task for putting down our parcels on the bed! However, we have now heard of some other possible houses to visit to-morrow.

This afternoon we had the second of our meetings of the Ladies' Study Group to learn about the conditions of the working women of Bucarest, and several of them really had brought splendid reports on the legislation and other points they were to find out. It is funny to see these fine ladies sitting about on packing-cases and luggage-stands and improvised seats of a rickety kind, as the Hotel sternly refuses to give its visitors more than one chair each!

The day after to-morrow we hope to have the first meeting of the group to study the educated women and their needs. As last Mme. Sadoveano, the lady who was studying for the Ministry of Education in Geneva and was a warm admirer of Constance Grant, has returned and is at the head of a large Institute for girls. We had hoped to have her speak at our drawing-room meeting, but now I think I am glad she did not come in time, as we shall soon be having a bigger one, and her advocacy will be an important one.

3

our books there are 188 branches of the S.C.A. in the Schools, Colleges and Universities of South Africa with an approximate membership of 10,000. Of these branches 106 are in the Cape Province, 40 in Transvaal, 41 in the Orange Free State and 1 in Natal. What tends to make the numbers high is that in the large educational centres each boarding department has its own branch and the day scholars their own branch.

In seventeen of our Normal Colleges, University Colleges and Universities the Association has found a home and counts a membership of 830 out of the 3,000 students.

Of these 188 branches only 129 have sent in Reports for the purpose of this Conference representing a membership of 4738.

### VII. PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVES.
By the following resolution of the General Committee viz.—"The General Committee will in future hold the Provincial Executive responsible to collect contributions and gather statistics and forward these regularly to the Head Office," greater responsibility rests on the Provincial Executives.

TRANSVAAL.—As a result of the new arrangement the Provincial Executive comes into closer contact with the branches and a more sympathetic co-operation between the Provincial Executive and General Committee has been established. Signs of growth are to be observed on every hand. There now exist 44 branches with a membership of 2,000 and the contributions of members to the work has greatly increased. Two Provincial Conferences were held in Transvaal; one at Heidelberg in September 1919, and one at Pretoria in September, 1920. These Conferences mark a deeper interest in the Association as well as a desire for stronger spiritual life. For the first time a Girls' Camp was held at Potchefstroom in Transvaal and proved very popular.

ORANGE FREE STATE.—The large membership of the S.C.A. in proportion to the number of branches shows what a hold the Association has taken on the schools of the Free State. Reports from 24 Branches give a membership of 2436 i.e. an average of 100 members per branch.

In 1920 a Provincial Conference was held at Ficksburg where reports were handed in from 35 branches with a membership of 2,700. The Conference proved of great benefit to all those branches that had sent delegates.

In the Free State too, Camps for Girls (one at Hillandale and one at Fouriesburg) and Camps for boys were organised during the short vacations. To extend this work the Provincial Executive raised £117 to purchase tents.

In two directions the work of the S.C.A. in the O.F.S.

4

has proved specially helpful viz. in connection with the Wor-
ker's Bond and in connection with the Purity League. In
the first members get the opportunity of making their profes-
sion effective in relation to their fellowmen. In the second
a salutary influence is exercised over many young people.

CAPE PROVINCE.—During the last two years the fol-
lowing Conferences were held in the Cape Province:— At
Paarl, February, 1920; Wellington, March, 1920; Stellenbosch,
May, 1920 (two, one for women and one for men); at Cradock,
June, 1920; and in Cape Town April, 1921. These Conferences
proved very helpful to build up the spiritual life of those who
attended. Very successful Girls' Camps were organised in
Bainskloof where a large number of girls spent a happy and
beneficial short vacation. A beginning has been made with a
camp for boys but there is ample scope here for the devoted
energy of members of the Association.

VIII.—UNIVERSAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR STUDENTS.

During the last two years as in previous years the Universal Day of Prayer for Students was observed on the last Sunday in February. We have gratefully to acknowledge the prominence given to the Day of Prayer by the Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church which has officially accepted this day as a Day of Prayer for Students. Also other denominations gave their attention to this Day of Prayer. Special efforts were made not only to have the day observed as a day of intercession, but also to make it a day of blessing to Students by bringing them to face the claims of Christ upon heart and life. In 1921 effort was directed to the holding of a series of Conferences with leaders at Paarl, Wellington, Worcester, Robertson, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Potchefstroom. These Conferences proved stimulating to the leaders of the Association's work.

In 1920 an opportunity to contribute to the funds of the S.C.A. on the Day of Prayer brought £259 12s. 11d. into the general funds; so far only £61 6s. 5d. has come in as a special contribution from the Day of Prayer 1921.

IX. SEASIDE SERVICES.—During the Christmas vaca-
tion Seaside Services were held as usual both at Kalk Bay and at
Somerset Strand. That we have been deprived of the use
of Rustoord has been a great handicap for the workers. But
notwithstanding this the work was taken up with zest and ener-
gy and proved of great blessing to the children, the young
people and also the grown-ups.

There is ample scope for extension of this work, specially
in the short vacations of April and September. And the Gene-
ral Committee is asked not merely to give it moral support but
officially to take this up as part of the activities of the Asso-
ciation.

5

## X. STUDENT VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT.
The Student Volunteer Movement still continues its work as a branch of the S.C.A. The Movement has issued Prayer cards and had a fresh set of Pledge cards printed. By exerting its influence at Conferences in special Student Volunteer Meetings, by encouraging and guiding Mission Study Circles, by recommending suitable missionary books for reading the S.V.M. has sought to keep the enthusiasm for Missions warm amongst the members of the Association. Since July 1919 twenty-five have joined the Volunteers viz. in 1919 four, in 1920 sixteen and in 1921 five. We are deeply grateful to God for this addition to the Volunteer ranks. While the first task of the Movement is to present the claims of the Mission field upon life the Movement also exerts an indirect influence by encouraging its members to consider the Native problem from a Christian Standpoint.

The S.V.M. feels strongly the urgent need of a Volunteer Travelling Secretary, who will devote all his time to the interests of the S.V.M. The Mission Secretaries of the Dutch Reformed Church have strengthened the work of the Movement by interest shown for which we feel grateful. We have to record the great loss to Mission in the homegoing of Rev. Attie Hofmeyr, one of our most earnest Volunteers and capable Missionaries, who for years was supported from our funds. May God speedily raise from our ranks many of similar character to step into the breach.

## XI. CHRISTIAN TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
This branch of S.C.A. activity has not flourished during the past two years. A lack of interest marks the members who seldom let the Secretary hear from them. Eighteen members have paid their subscriptions. There was a balance of 4/- in hand; at present there is a credit balance of 21/-. There is a general complaint that teachers have their hands overfull with their work, and can not give time for more meetings. The Executive has considered this difficulty and suggested changing the Association into a Teachers Prayer Union. In honour of our revered founder, Dr. A. Murray, this Union should be maintained.

## XII. W. S. C. F.
After a long interval due to the European war the General Committee of the W.S.C.F. was again summoned to meet in July 1920. As official representatives of South Africa to this meeting at St. Beatenburg in Switserland were delegated Mr. H. P. Crause and Miss M. M. Kriel while Mr. Theo. de Villiers attended as a visiting delegate. Matters of importance were discussed and great changes made, bringing added responsibilities to all the mem-

6

bers of the Federation not excluding us in South Africa. The resignation of Dr. John R. Mott after 25 years of service lays the moral and monetary responsibility for effective organisation and extension of the work begun by him on the Federation. And the General Committee asks the support of the S.C.A.S.A. by an annual contribution of £200 dating from July 1920. This matter will be laid before you for your approval.

### XIII. FUNDS FOR CENTRAL EUROPEAN STUDENTS.
After the European war a call came to South Africa to assist in the distress of the Students of the Central States, where hunger and disease were carrying off scores. Revd. Gerdener and Miss M. M. Kriel immediately published the facts and issued a call for help. This appeal met with a warm response both from the Students and members of the general public. It is worthy of note that the branches of a single Student centre raised over £700 for these Funds. During the last eighteen months the Association has been able to send away £2,801 6s. 8d. to Europe to strengthen the hands of the Federation workers in supplying food and clothing for those who are in dire distress. The Funds are still open and we are still receiving sums of money. As the need is great we still must do what we can to support the work undertaken. Through the doubling on the part of the Government, of money sent, the actual amount received in Europe approximates £4,300.

### XIV. GENERAL FUNDS.
(a) The contributions to the General Funds of the Association have been very good on the whole. But we will have to try and arrange that all contributions are not sent in during the last six months of the year, as in that case we are constantly faced with an overdraft during the first six months. (b) Study Grants are being paid out to two young ladies who are preparing to go out as teachers. Of those who received help one is paying back part, while we are in correspondence with others. (c) Towards Mission work among the Mohammedans, to which we contribute £75 per annum very little has come in and the amount has been made up from the General Funds. (d) Contributions towards the Memorial Fund amount to £1,223 1s. 2d. A building was purchased for £1,000 which serves as office of the S.C.A. and in which the Bookroom is also accommodated, while some rooms have been sublet. During the last twelve months nothing has been done to augment this fund. If it is to answer its purpose fresh efforts will have to be made to increase the amount considerably.

### XV. THE BOOK STORE continues its useful work

7

and considerable extension has taken place with regard to
dealing in second-hand books. We try to supply the need
for good christian literature and to execute orders of books
which have been entrusted to us.

XVI. NATIVE INSTITUTIONS.—These are now re-
presented on the General Committee by three members. There
exist five branches of the S.C.A. in Native Institutions. With
the advancement of native education and the opening of a Na-
tive College it is important that the General Committee should
devote more earnest attention to this portion of its activities.
More specially is the need felt of a Travelling Secretary for
Native Institutions.

Two Conferences for branches in Native Schools were held
at Lovedale.

XVII. IN CONCLUSION we could not close this report
without drawing your attention to two points in particular.

If we would have our Association assert itself as a living
force amongst Students and Scholars we must be clear as to
the foundation principles on which our Association stands,
and the purpose we have in view. We will have to be on our
guard against a flourishing organisation which is nought but
a dead form. And this can only be as each member main-
tains the personal relation to the Lord—whom we confess.

If we would be strong as an organisation, a healthy body
through which the spirit can work, we will need to take up
the tasks of the Association in no haphazard and spasmodic
spirit, but give it our continued and faithful support. Pro-
blems are awaiting us, specially in connection with the develop-
ment of Higher Education. There is still much ground to
be won. There is much work that has to be strengthened.
This will demand the enthusiastic devotion of the new Commit-
tee, of each member of the Association, and of each official.

May He who hitherto has supplied the needful strength and
spiritual force, continue to inspire with His selfsacrificing love
and example to the honour of His Name in our Schools, Col-
leges and Universities.

On behalf of the Executive,

S. J. DE VILLIERS, Chairman.

C. H. MURRAY, Gen. Secretary.

COPY

AFRICAN STUDENT UNION

"Unity is Strength"

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY'S OFFICE

Tuskegee Institute, Alabama

February 24, 1922.

To the Students of
Asia, Europe, and the U.S.A.,
Peking, China.

We the native African Students attending Colleges and the Universities in North America from various parts of Africa representing different tribes from such countries as the Republic of Liberia, Abyssinia, Cold Cost, Uganda, Natal, Rhodesia, Basuto-land, Poutuguesse, East and West Africa, Central Africa, Egypt, and Zangibar, send greetings to the World Student Federation assembled at Peking, China.

We ask you students from Europe to plead for us before your respective governments that justice may be meted out to the native Africans which you rule. In addition, we ask you to see to it that the doors in the colonies which are under the supervision of your governments be opened to all races who desire to carry on missionary work and Christian education in such colonies. At present it is difficult for the American Negroes to enter certain parts of Africa to carry on Christian education. We feel that such action is contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and will delay the coming of Christian internationalism and brotherhood of all men.

The African people have done all they could for Europe: Many of our people died in battle fields of Flanders in France, in order that the French Nation might not perish from the earth. Many of them died in European battle grounds to protect the British flag and nation. Those who could not go to Europe fought in African battle fields. Many died defending the German cause while others gave their lives for the cause of Allies.

Hence students of Europe we did all we could to save you from being destroyed by the Germans, and we ask you to send us Christian young men and young women to give us Christian education which will make us firm supporters of democratic ideals.

To you students of Asia we invite you to help us in our struggle to get Christian education. We realize the fact that we are somewhat backward in many ways. We ask you to look to Africa as a great mission field for you and we hope you will not disappoint us.

- 2 -

We desire to express our great gratitude to you
American students for the helpful services which you are giving
us in your colleges and universities. You have taught us by
your examples the Spirit of Christian brotherhood. In addition
we thank you for sending at least one young man to carry on
Young Men's Christian Association work among our people in Africa.
We hope God will bless you and inspire you to send more workers
to join Mr. Max Yergan who is now working in South Africa.

To the students from European colonies in Africa we
ask you to do all you can in opening up educational opportunities
for the young native boys and girls that surround you. You will
find it to be a paying proposition. The old term, that education
spoils the native is not a true one. Education will help the
natives to be more loyal to your government and will help to im-
prove the colonies politically, economically, socially, morally
and religiously. Hence we ask you again to work for the common
good of both white races and black races in Africa.

We wish to ask the World's Student Federation to have
two or more native African students on its staff or committee.

May God bless the wonderful Conference, we remain

Respectfully submitted,

(Signed) Chas. Blooah, President
S. M. Nkomo, Secretary
Peter C. Dunson
Jerome F. Diggs

Die Christen-Studente-Vereniging
van Suid-Afrika.

Enige Getuienisse wat u Simpatieke Aandag
werd is.

'n Werk van die Grootste Waarde.

Die Christen Studente Vereniging werk
nou al vir meer dan 'n kwart eeu in die
Kolleges en Skole van Suid-Afrika. Dit
oefen invloed uit op die lewe van die toe-
komstige leiers van ons volkslewe, terwyl
hulle nog vatbaar is vir indrukke. Vir so
ver die Beweging vandag die aandag van
die Studente kan vestig op Christelike ideale,
sal genoemde ideale hul lewes beheer in die
toekoms. Die werk is dus van besonder
gewig. Dit vorm 'n "sleutel idustrie" in
die morele en geestelike lewe, want 'n werk-
like doeltreffende Christen-Studente-Vere-
niging moet noodwendig die regte oplossing
lewer van ons meeste en grootste yraag-
stukke.

Wat diegene, wat weet, daarvan se.

Sir Carruthers Beattie, Prinsipaal van die
Universiteit van Kaapstad, sê:—

"Ek het die lede van die Christen-
Studente-Vereniging altyd behulpsaam ge-
vind in die sosiale lewe van die Uniwer-
siteit. Hulle verwerf vir hulself 'n karakter
van 'n hoë gehalte, en doen veel om ander
te help om dieselfde te doen."

Prinsipaal Jan H. Hofmeyr, van die
Uniwersiteit van die Witwatersrand,
sê:—

"Ek is bly dat ek kan getuig ten behoewe
van die Christen-Studente-Vereniging, waar-
mee ek vir jare persoonlik verbind was.

"Ons Suid-Afrikaanse Uniwersiteits in-
rigtinge is sekulêre instellinge, en die tradi-
sionele bande tussen Uniwersiteit en Kerk
het reeds so goed as verdwyn. Uniwer-
siteits opleiding, soos ook ander takke van
die opvoeding, is egter onvoldaank wanneer
dit geskei word van godsdienstige invloede,
en daarom moet dit die taak van vrywillige
vereniginge wees om hierdie onmisbare
element te verskaf. Die funksie is in die
verlede, en word vandag nog op bewon-
derenswaardige wyse deur die Christen-
Studente-Vereniging verrig 'n beweging wat
ek dus beskou as mees belangrik en inder-
daad 'n essensiële werksaamheid in die
studente lewe van 'n Uniwersiteit of Uniwer-
siteits Kollege.

Ds. J. D. Kestell, Rektor van die Grey
Uniwersiteits-Kollege, Bloemfontein,
sê:—

"My ondervinding is dat die werk van die Christen-Studente-Vereniging die studente tot groot seën strek. Ek het rede om te weet dat die Vereniging onder die leiding van God die middel gewees het om menige student standvastig te maak nie alleen in sy geloof nie, maar ook in sy sedelike en geestelike lewe."

Mej. A. E. Bliss, Litt.D., President Emeritas
van die Huguenot Uniwersiteits-Kol-
lege, Wellington, sê:—

"'n Mees belangrike gebeurtenis in verband met die Skole en Kolleges van Suid-Afrika was die stigting, in 1896, van die Christen-Studente-Vereniging wat die Christen-Studente van die land organiseer om doeltreffend saam te werk.

"Dr. Andrew Murray het gesê, 'Ons beskou hierdie werk as een van die rykste seëninge wat God aan Suid-Afrika verleen het. Die ewigheid alleen sal aantoon wat 'n krag dit sal word in die toekoms van

die hoogste en voortdurendste vorm van beskawing is. Ek wens die Vereniging die grootste sukses toe met sy goeie werk, en vertrou dat sy doeltreffendheid en nuttigheid in die loop van die tyd gestadig sal uitbrei.”

## U Kan die Werk aanhelp.

Die werk van die Vereniging moet uitgebrei en grondiger gemaak word om tred te hou met die snelle ontwikkeling van die Uniwersiteitslewe in Suid-Afrika gedurende die laaste jare. Tot hiertoe is die onkoste van die nodige personeel van sekretarisse byna uitsluitelik deur die lede self gedra, maar gewoonlik het studente nie oorvloed van geld nie, en tensy hulp uit ander bronne verleen word, sal die werk vertraag word.

Daar is baie wat seker sal voel dat dit 'n voorreg is om 'n aandeel te hê in die goeie werk deur 'n vaste bydraer te word; oulede, bevoorbeeld, wat erken dat hulle baie te danke het aan die invloed van die Beweging in hul studente dae; of ouers van teenwoordige of oustudente, of meer algemeen, diegene wat die hoogste welvaart van hul land op die hart dra. Die Komitee maak 'n dringende beroep op u om langs hierdie weg in die werk te deel. Jaarlikse bydraërs van 'n ghienie (21s.) of meer sal in aanraking met die werk gehou word deur middel van sy tydskrifte and ook die Student-World, die orgaan van die Wereld-Christen-Studente-Federasie, wat hom gratis sal toegestuur word. In geval u u kontribusie wil stuur, of enige verder informasie verlang, wees so goed u te rig tot:—

Die ALGEMENE SEKRETARIS, of
Die SEKRETARIS van die
"STUDENTE-VRIENDE-FONDS,"
(Mnr. Oswin Bull, M.A.),
Bus 25, STELLENBOSCH.

T.T.& S. 6057.

# Die Christen-Studente-Vereniging.

## DOEL.

Die Christen-Studente-Vereniging is daar om die Studente van Suid-Afrika bekend te maak met die beroep wat Christus vandag op hulle doen. Sedert sy ontstaan in 1896, het die Beweging 'n toenemende en belangwekkende invloed in die Kolleges en skole van die land vir God uitgeoefen.

Die doel van die Vereniging word in sy Konstitusie as volg weergegee:

> "Om studente daartoe te bring om die Christelike geloof in God—Vader, Soon, en Heilige Gees—volgens Gods Woord, aan te neem, en te lewe so as ware disiepels van Jesus Christus.

> "Om die geestelike lewe van die Studente te bevorder, en om ernstiger studie van die skrif by hulle aan te moedig.

> "Om studente te influenseer om met toewyding te ywer vir die uitbreiding van die Koninkryk van God onder hul eie volk en oor geheel die wêreld.

> "Om getrouheid op te wek by die studente aan die Kerk van Christus in die algemeen, en aan hul eie kerk in die besonder."

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METODES EN WERKSAAMHEDE.

Takke van die Vereniging word gestig in Uniwersiteite, Kolleges en Skole (in die laaste geval onder die leiding van een of ander lid van die staf), en bestaan uit die studente, professore, of onderwysers wat verlang om getroue volgelinge van Jesus Christus te wees. Dit vergemaklik die organisasie van sulke werksaamhede soos gereëlde godsdienstige vergaderings, kringe vir die bestudering van die Bybel, of van sending en persoonlike probleme, en ook om die student daartoe te bring 'n toegewyde lewe te lei, en 'n ware christelike houding in te neem teenoor die verskillende aspekte van die lewe. Hierdie takke verenig die lede op 'n doeltreffende wyse om 'n kragtige invloed ten goede op die hele studente liggaam uit te oefen.

Ander voordelige werksaamhede wat aangepak word is die konferensies vir studie, gemeenskaplike omgang, en inspirasie, vakansie kampe, stranddienste vir kinders, die studie van sosiale vraagstukke, ens. Baie studente word aangespoor om aktief deel te neem aan verskillende soorte van christelike werk in agterbuurtes en elders, en 'n getal behoeftige studente word gehelp om opleiding tot onderwysers te geniet, sodat hulle weer op hul beurt kan werk vir die opheffing van ander.

Die Vereniging is getrou aan die sentrale waarhede van die Christelike Geloof, en doen veel deur middel van literatuur en toesprake om diepsinnige studente te hulp te kom in hul moeilikhede, om die wyd verspreide invloed van die agnostisisme en skeptisisme by

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huile teen te werk, en om hulle so tot 'n helder, lewende, en oorwinnende geloof in God te bring.

UITGEBREIDHEID.

Die Vereniging het gedurig gegroei en is vandag oor geheel die Unie gevestig. In kort weergegee, is die omvang vandag in ronde syfers, soos volg:

Getal van erkende Takke ... ... ... 180
Getal lede ... ... ... ... ... 10,000
Getal van Studente ingeskrywe as lede
van gereëlde Bybelstudie Kringe ... 10,000
Som deur die lede gekontribueer vir
die voortsetting van die werk (1922) £2,250

Besonder interessant en betekenisvol is die werk van die Vereniging in die Inboorling Opleidingskole, en onder Inboorlingskool-onderwysers. In die ledetal word vandag die meerderheid van die toekomstige leiers van die Bantoe rasse gevind. 'n Spesiale gekwalifiseerde sekretaris gee al sy tyd aan die werk, met die entoesiastiese medewerking van die verskillende outoriteite van die verskeidene kerke, en met die mees aanmoedigende resultate. Meer dan enig ander bestaande organisasie, inspireer hierdie Vereniging die veelbelowendste Inboorling studente met die gees van self opofferende diens ten behoewe van hul eie agterlike nasie.

BEHEER.

Die aard van die werk, tesame met die feit, dat veel daarvan gedaan word onder jong mense op skool, noodsaak 'n sorgvuldige toe-

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sig. Dit word verskaf deur reisende sekretarisse, in die keuse van welke manne en vroue die grootste voorsigtigheid beoefen word. Hulle reis van plek tot plek en verleen hulp in organisasie, spesiale vergaderinge, en konferensies. Die sukses, wat die werk gedurende die afgelope 27 jaar bekroon het, benewens die hartelike verwelkoming en medewerking wat die sekretarisse ontvang van beide die staf en die studente, toon die deursig en doeltreffendheid van die metodes ten volle aan.

Die beheer van die Vereniging is toevertrou aan' n deur en deur verteenwoordigende Komitee, wat deur die verteenwoordigers van die takke op die Tweejarige Konferensie verkies word.

'n Groot deel van die werk van hierdie Komitee word verrig deur 'n Uitvoerende Komitee, die werksaamhede waarvan van die Vereniging se hoofkwartiere in die W. Prov. uitgaan, terwyl onder sy leiding Provinsiale Uitvoerende Komitees in Transvaal, Natal en O.V.S., en die Oostelike Provinsie, toesig oor die werk hou, en dit in die respektiewe gebiede bevorder.

Die werk is feitelik interdenominasionaal, en sluit in lede van al die christelike liggame, vir die werk waarvan dit 'n onontbeerlike hulp is. Sy werk is nie om te verswak nie, maar inteëndeel om te versterk, en die lede verstandelik meer lojaal aan die Kerk te maak waaraan hulle behoor.

Die Vereniging het ook 'n Adviserende Raad van prominente christenleiers, wat simpatiek gesind is, en die uitstekende moontlikhede van die Beweging erken.