STRONACH, John

[s. 719] : Born at Edinburgh, Scotland, March 7, 1810; studied at Edinburgh University and Theological Academy, Glasgow; was ordained August 10, 1837, with his elder brother Alexander, and sailed as a mi ionary of the LMS for China, reaching Malacca March 2, 1838. In May, 1847, Mr. Stronach removed to Shanghai, having been appointed one of the delegates for the revision of the Chinese version of the New Testament. On the completion of that work he returned to Amoy in 1853. On March 17, 1876, lie left Amoy, and, after visiting Japan, proceeded via America to England, arriving January 6, 1877. In 1878 he retired from foreign mi ion He died in Philadelphia, U. S. A., ary service. October 30, 1888, after forty years’ uninterrupted His powers were of no common labor in China. He stood well in his university, and made order. a great mark in the translation of the Bible into He Chinese, known as the Delegates’ Version. was a most idiomatic master of Chinese, and it was a charm to hear him speak. His literary One ability did not cease with Bible translation. of his tracts called the “Hek bun” (Inquirer) was felt difficulties by a a masterly setting forth of the literary Chinaman, and the answers of the mis He a isted in revising Dr. Douglas’ sionary. He was greatly dictionary of the Amoy dialect. ble ed as an evangelist in Amoy, and labored indefatigably in starting stations, appointing With native ministers and working with them. all this he was overflowing with high spirits and had an unfailing fund of humor, which served him well when opposers became annoying during hia street preaching. ^ Stutlent Volunteer STUDENT VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT for Origin: The Student Volunteer Movement originated at tlie first international Conference of Christian college students, which was held at Mount Hermon, Ma ., in 1886. Of the 250 delegates who attended, twenty-one had definitely decided to become foreign mi ion- Foreign Mi ions: /. Of this numaries when the conference opened. ber, Wilder of Princeton, Tewksbury of Harvard, and Clark of Oberlin had come with the deep ( conviction that God would call from that large gathering of college men a number who would consecrate themselves to foreign mi ions. Before the conference closed one hundred of the delegates put themselves on record as being “willing and desirous, God permitting, to become At the Conference it was foreign mi ionaries.” decided that a deputation should be sent among the colleges, and four students were selected for Of the four selected, Robert P. this purpose. Wilder of Princeton was alone able to go, and John N. For man, also of Princeton, was induced Me rs. Wilder and For man visited to join him. 176 institutions, including a majority of the leading colleges and divinity schools of Canada and During the second year, the United States. 1887-88, the movement was left to itself, it was unorganized and had no leadership or oversight. //. Organization: About fifty volunteers attended the student conference at North field in the summer of 1888. It was then decided that some organization was nece ary in order to conserve the results, and a committee was appointed by the volunteers present to effect such an organization. This committee met in December, 1888, and an organization was effected, taking the name of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Mi ions. An Executive Committee of three, consisting of John R. Mott, Robert P. Wilder, and Mi Nettie Dunn, was appointed, each member representing one of the three then existing Christian organizations among students. In January, 1889, the new Committee began its work. In 1898, the work having a umed so much larger proportions, it was found desirable to enlarge the membership of the committee to six members, so that it now consists of John R. Mott, J. Ro Stevens on, W. Harley Smith, H. P. Andersen, Mi Susie Little, and Mi Bertha Condd. John R. Mott is the chairman, J. Ro Stevens on the vice-chairman, and Fennell P. Turner the general secretary and treasurer. In order to transact the ordinary busine of such ari organization, it is incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. There is a Board of Trustees and an Advisory Committee. ///. Purpose: The Student Volunteer Movement is in no sense a mi ionary board. It never has sent out a mi ionary, and never will. Those who become student volunteers are expected to go out as mi ionaries of the regular mi ionary organizations of the Church. The Student Volunteer Movement is simply a recruiting agency. It does not usurp or encroach upon the functions of any other mi ionary organization. It is unswervingly loyal to the Church, and has received the endorsement of every leading mi ionary board on the continent. Its purpose, as stated by the Executive Committee, is as follows: “(1) To awaken and maintain among all Christian students of the United States and Canada intelligent and active interest in foreign mi ions; (2) to enroll a sufficient number of properly qualified student volunteers to meet the ’ 708 demands of the various mi ionary boards of North America; (3) to help all such intending mi ionaries to prepare for their lifework and to enlist their cooperation in developing the mi ionary life of the home churches; (4) to lay an equal burden of responsibility on all students who are to remain as ministers and lay workers at home, that they may actively promote the mi ionary enterprise by their intelligent advocacy, by their gifts and by their succe ive prayers.” / V. Membership: The membership is drawn from those who are or have been students in of higher learning in the United Only those are entitled to States and Canada. become student volunteers who sign the “declaration” of the Movement, which is as follows: “It is my purpose, if God permit, to become a foreign mi ionary.” The meaning of this declaration, as interpreted by the Executive Committee, is as institutions follows: “This declaration is not to be interpreted as a no sense withdraws one from the subsequent guidance of the Holy Spirit. It more than an expre ion of mere is, however, ‘pledge,’ for it in willingne or desire to become a foreign mi ionary. It is the statement of a definite life purpose, formed under the direction of God. The person who signs this declaration fully purposes to spend his life as a foreign mi ionary. Toward this end he will shape his plans; he will devote his energies to prepare himself for this great work; he will do all in his power to remove the obstacles which may stand in the way of his going; and in due time he will apply to the Boards to be sent Only the clear leading of God shall prevent out. While it is the his going to the foreign field. duty of every Christian to face this question, no one should decide it without careful thought and earnest prayer. Having confronted the question, no one should leave it until a decision pleasing to God has been reached. ‘Understand ” what the will of the Lord is.’ V. Watchword: The watchword of the Volunteer Movement is”The Evangelization of the World in this Generation.” VI. Field: The field for the cultivation of which the Movement considers itself responsible embraces all colleges, universities, and other of higher learning in the United There are fully 1,000 such States and Canada. institutions, in which are matriculated over students. From 200,000 these institutions come the leaders in all the influential walks of life. No work, therefore, can be more important than that of making the student centers strongholds and propagating centers of mi ionary intelligence, institutions enthusiasm, and activity. VII. Methods of Cultivation: The secretaries of the Movement are a General Secretary, an A istant Secretary, an Educational Secretary, and the Traveling Secretaries. The position of traveling secretary is usually held for one year by a student volunteer ready to go to the mi ion field. Returned mi ionaries also have been employed. In a few cases the secretaries have held the position two years. The size of the stafi of traveling secretaries is determined by the funds at the disposal of the Executive Committee, and by the number of available candidates. The traveling secretaries visit the colleges and deliver addre es on mi ions, meet with mi ionary committees and volunteer bands, organize mi ion study cla es, and in every way po ible promote 703 — the mi ionary activities of the colleges but the chief object of their work is by public addre and personal interview to lead students to give their The student vol unlives to mi ionary service. teers in an institution are organized into a The objects of the volunteer volunteer band. band are to deepen the mi ionary purpose and spiritual lives ot the members, to secure other volunteers, and to promote mi ions in the Con college and in the college community. nected with each Young Men’sor Young Women’s Christian A ociation in the college there is a mi ionary committee whose duty is to culti The vate the mi ionary life of the institution. educational department of the Movement, under the direction of the Educational Secretary, has to do with the conduct of the mi ion study cla es The Movement in conjunction in the colleges. with the Student Young Men’s Christian A ociation publishes during the academic year a magazine called The Inter collegian, which circuamong the students and is a valuable agency in keeping the volunteers in touch with lates the aims, methods and results of the Movement, and in keeping the Movement before the Church. The Movement publishes pamphlets, mi ion study text-books, and such other literature as may serve its purpose. The sales of these publications amount to more than 25,000 copies per year. The volunteers in cities which are large student and in some States, are organized into The purpose of these Unions is to pro unions. mote the mi ionary interest in the different centers, colleges represented in them. In the United States and Canada there are held each year seven student conferences for men and five for women. At each one of these conferences special attention is given to developing the mi ionary life and At these conferences, activity among students. mi ionary institutes are held to train the leaders of volunteer bands, of mi ion study cla es, and other mi ionary activities of the institutions represented. Once in four years an international Four such conventions have convention is held. been held, the attendance being as follows: Year 1891 680 ISO 558 Total Number Delegates Institutions Represented Student Delegates Members of Faculties Foreign Mi ionaries Representatives Mi ion Boards VIII. Results: through 1. visitation, 32 33 1894 1898 1902 1,325 2,221 2,957 294 461 1,598 119 89 87 465 1,082 37 63 54 2,226 247 107 82 The work of the Movement, summer conferences, conand correspondence, has reached more than 800 institutions. In more than half of these institutions nothing was being done in the ventions interests of mi ions prior to the effort put forth by this Movement, or, at its initiative, by the Student Young Men’s or Young Women’s Christian A ociations. In many colleges where there has been for years more or le mi ionary interest, it has been the testimony of profe ors and of others who are in a position to know that the Movement has greatly increased that interest. Each year the traveling secretaries bring to the attention of you sands of students the needs of the non-Christian world and the claims of mi ionary service. The Movement has been a principal factor the recent remarkable development in the scientific study of mi ions, not only in the colleges and theological seminaries, but also in 2. in student Volunteer churches and young people’s societies. In its early years the Movement simply recommended subjects and books for study; later it outlined courses of study. In 1894 the Educational Department was organized, and D. Willard Lyon was appointed Educational Secretary. He was succeeded by Harlan P. Beach in 1895. When the department was organized, there were about a score of mi ion study cla es in all the colleges, universities, and theological seminaries in North America. Since then the text-book literature of the Movement has been created, and the reports for the year 1902-1903 show that there were 6,700 students enrolled in 544 cla es in 319 institutions. 3. Since its inception the Movement has never ceased to pre upon students the claims of Up to foreign mi ionary service as a life work. the beginning of 1904 the names of over 2,400 student volunteers have been reported as having reached the mi ion field, going out in connection with more than fifty different mi ionary agencies, and scattered throughout all parts of the non Christian world. A large number of volunteers who have been hindered from going to the foreign mi ion field have taken up mi ion work in the home field. 4. As a result of the work of the Movement, the of students for mi ions have steadily increased; in the academic year 1902-03 over $68,000 was contributed for mi ions by instituThe Movement has e.xerted a tions reporting. mighty reflex influence on the religious life of the If the vol colleges and theological seminaries. unteers and all that pertains to the work of the Movement were taken from the institutions of higher learning they would suffer great lo . The traveling secretaries, through their addre es and conversations, exert a great spiritual influence. The mi ionary idea has been emphasized in meetings and in mi ion study cla es, thus widening the horizon, enlarging the sympathies, and stimulating the zeal of students. Mi ionary intelligence, mi ionary activity, and the mi ionary spirit have done far more than is generally realized to counteract the evil and subtile influences of pride, selfishne and rationalism, as gifts manifested in student communities. Movement has been an increasing 5. The factor in promoting the mi ionary life of the churches, confining its activities chiefly to work among the young people. The volunteers in all parts of the continent have taken a leading part in the work of local societies of young people in The principal result in this their vicinity. direction has been in the organization of the student campaign in connection with different denominations. The first and most succe ful effort of this kind was made by the Methodist Church of Canada. Within the past few years the students of twelve other denominations have inaugurated similar movements, with varying degrees of The leaders of the Volunteer Movement succe . have helped by counsel at every stage of this development. In most cases the leaders of these movements have been volunteers. In the pathway of the work of student campaigners you sands of young people have been stirred, mi ionary committees have been organized, mi ionary Hbraries have been established, mi ion study cla es and reading circles have been instituted, and the young people have been influenced to form the habit of systematic giving. study Cla es Sadnn Many churches have been led to support their own mi ionaries. Interce ion on behalf of mi ions has been greatly promoted, and the spiritual life of young people’s societies has been quickened and strengthened. The recent organization of the Young People’s Forward Movement, the purpose of which is to promote mi ionary activities among the young people of all denominations, is a direct outgrowth of the work of the Student Volunteer Movement among young people. / X. The Volunteer Movement in Other CounT he Volunteer Movement has, under different names, become world-wide, largely as a tries: result of its direct influence on the students of other lands. In Great Britain the Student Volunteer Mi ionary Union commands the confidence of the British mi ionary societies. They have held three mi ionary conferences, which have been the largest and most notable student conventions ever held in Europe. The Volunteer Movement in Germany and the one in Scand in a via have made most encouraging prog They have materially increased the numre . ber of mi ionary candidates, and have done much to promote the scientific study of mi ions. A conference of the German Movement was held at Halle in April, 1901. The Movement in France and French-speaking Switzerland has not made as marked progre as the other European Movements, but it has, neverthele , accomplished a most useful work. An organization has also been effected in Holland. The Movement in Austral asia received a great impetus from the mi ionary conference held in Australia and in New Zealand in 1903. An organization has been effected in India and Ceylon, which gives much promise for the cause of mi ions in India, and a similar Movement will soon develop in China and in Japan. The organizations in different countries are related to each other through the World’s Student Christian Federation. STUDY CLASSES on Mi ions: Henry Venn, Secretary of the Church Mi ionary Society, defined the aim of Foreign Mi ions as to plant a native church that should be self-supporting, self governing, and self-extending. Such a consummation cannot be hoped for abroad, unle supported in the Church at home by an interest that shares the three qualities named. We need an interest that is self-sustaining not a smoldering spark that bursts into flame only after protracted use of the bellows; an interest that is self directing that understands where to find and how to use its own fuel; an interest that is self propagating that spreads and kindles the brush heaps all about it. It is surprising, in view of this obvious need, that the systematic and wide-spread study of Mi ions has been so long delayed. The methods upon which we have relied in the past an occasional sermon or addre , a meeting once a month, desultory mention in the home would in secular work be trusted to bring forth only the poorest kind of wild grapes. We do not trifle with the subject of American history in any such way. For that we admit the need of well-prepared and adapted text-books, of trained teachers, of serious study, of many and frequent recitations. To grasp definitely and permanently the vastne , variety, and perspective of any subject, its problems and le ons, we judge painstaking work a — — — — — nece ity. The study of Foreign Mi ions by individuals 704 and isolated groups has existed for many years. Suggestions for didactic meetings have been pubBut the first attempt to provide a systematic course of study for cla es was in connection with the Student Volunteer Movement. It had become increasingly apparent to the leaders of lished. this organization that the effects of their stirring appeals would be short-lived unle nursed and From the Volunteer Bands came the demand for guidance in systematic study. Altho Prof. Wood, of Smith College, had previously published a series of suggestions, the present system may be said to have been inaugurated by outlines published in The Student Volunteer, beginning in February, 1893, prepared by Me rs. Lyon, Beach, Wishard, and Adams, and Mi Wilson. In the winter of ’94-’95, text-books were for the first time taken up, the first being George Smith’s Short History of Mi ions. In the spring of 1895, Mr. D. Willard Lyon prepared the first text-book written specially for this course, a sketch of the History of Protestant Mi ions in China. In the fall of the same year. Rev. Harlan P. Beach, now Educational Secretary of the Movement, published the first of those textbooks to which the student world owes so much, The Cro in the Land of the Trident, a study of India. Since that time the Movement has prepared or provided text-books every year, usually i uing courses on three different subjects. The reason for this has been the demand that as many phases of the subject as po ible should be presented within the short college generation. Special mention should be made of Beach’s Geography and Atlas of Protestant Mi ions, a unique presentation of the mi ion field at the present day. Every year these courses have been studied by an increasing number of college men and women, n on volunteers as well as fed. volunteers. At the Ecumenical Conference of 1900, representatives of the Women’s Boards of North America planned a course for their constituencies to be known as the United Study of Mi ions Series. In the fall of 1901, the first text-book was published, written by Mi Louise M. Hodgkins Via Christ i, an introduction sketching mi ions from apostolic times down to Carey. The sale of 35,000 copies during the first year showed that the time was ripe for such a plan. The second volume. Lux Christ i, published a year later, treats India; the third takes up China. Among the young people’s societies a desire was — expre ed for something more elementary in character than the text-books of the Student Volunteer Movement, which were written with the college sophomore in view. This has led to the Forward Mi ion Study Series, the first of which. The Price of Africa, by Mr. S. Earl Taylor, was out in July, 1902. This tendency to adapt to specific needs is a very hopeful sign, but there is still much to be done. We need as many grades in text-books for the study of Foreign Mi ions as for that of geography or history. In addition to these courses several of the denominations have prepared or recommended text-books, or have furnished outline studies in magazines. The methods of the mi ion study cla have varied. The college cla es have, for the most part, met weekly, and employed prevailingly the question method. Many cla es outside the colleges have followed the same plan. Among 705 the women the tendency is stronger to meet only monthly, and to have the subject presented by papers. The lecture method is, fortunately, least in vogue, altho it has its preparatory uses sluggish communities. In general, the effort to include an entire church organization in the study cla tends toward le frequent se ions and le thorough work. The best quality of work has been obtaiiied in small groups meeting, at least, weekly, which is only what the laws of pedagogy would lead us to expect. It is also obvious, especially where the course is traversed in a few se ions, that the profit of the cla depends largely on the leader. A skilful teacher will discover means of impre ing a very few of the most important points permanently, of impl.inting an interest in the subject, a desire to study it further and an enthusiasm to bring others m under its influence. No need is more urgent than that for prayerful trained leaders. For some years the Student Volunteer Movement has corresponded with its cla leaders, and furnished them with printed suggestions on methods of In this it has been followed by several leading. of the denominations, so that the helps grow yearly in volume. As the most effective way of collecting a cla has been found to be personal solicitation, so that of propagating cla es is the personal contact of traveling secretaries, student campaigners or district workers. The growth resulting in some of the metropolitan centers from well organized efforts along this line has been very marked. We may confidently look for a great extension in the quantity and improvement in the quality of this work during the next few years, and for a consequent broadening and deepening of mi ionary interest. 723