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The rise and fall of the Student Volunteer Movement
The 1880s: asking the question
In 1881, A. T. Pierson published his catalytic “Can the world be evangelized in twenty years?” in The Missionary Review. It would be thought about and argued with for three years, but eventually would in part spark the Student Volunteer Movement. Numerous articles and letters would debate the meaning of the term ‘evangelize’ and the scope of what was necessary.
Throughout the 1880s, the Southern Baptist women who wanted a centralized regional denomination were debating with conservatives who wanted Baptist power to remain in the hands of local churches and state convictions. The conflict also reflected a progressive-vs-conservatives view, for the conservatives saw in the women’s work the potential for “things unwomanly,” notably speaking before “mixed assemblies.”
In February 1881, Christian Endeavor was formed by Francis & Harriet Clark (she, active in the women’s missionary society movements) as a gathering of young people for a mission focus. The Clarks pastored Williston Congregational Church in Portland, Maine, and had a great concern for the youth who had made a clear decision to accept Christ, but were not involved in the church’s activities. An invitation was extended to the young people of the congregation to come to the parsonage Sunday afternoon February 2nd. The topic of discussion was to be “Where do we go from here?”
They composed a constitution for their newly formed group which read in part:”This society shall be called ‘The Williston Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor.’ Its object shall be to promote an earnest Christian life among its members, to increase their mutual acquaintance, and to make them more useful in the service of God. Each member is expected to attend all the meetings of the society unless there is a reason acceptable to Christ.”At the close of this meeting, fifty-seven young people signed the first draft of that constitution.
In order to appreciate the condition calling for a young people’s prayer meeting, we must glance at the ordinary church prayer meeting of the day. In many cases the minister used up all the time except for one or two long, able, and ancient prayers by elders or deacons. Those who spoke must “speak to edification,” and this frequently consisted in a long review of the entire Christian and pre-Christian experience of the confessor, given for the nth time in the same words. Even the Methodist class-meeting had become formalized. The meetings were led without preparation, the singing was spiritless, the prayers tame, and the questions answered perfunctorily. The young people were either absent from such services or silent, and when an especially courageous young soul ventured to testify he was in danger of being waited on by the elders and urged to keep quiet until he could speak to edification. The young people’s prayer-meeting with its pledged testimony changed this… Up to this time the endeavor in the churches had frequently been to attract young people by making as little demand as possible. The new society reversed this procedure, and the young people proved themselves efficient and trustworthy. The growth of the society was little less than marvelous. (Erb 1916)
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Justin, thank you for a well researched SVM article. Over the past 30 years I have had an enduring interest in this history, as a scholar, practitioner and mobilizer. http://www.jaygary.com/students.shtml
But now I think the student generation following World War I also made good choices regarding the gospel. While Robert Wilder chose fundamentalism, Sherwood Eddy embraced both the gospel and social justice, and rallied the church to work with marginalized urban youth. As 21st century Christian leaders, we must not let this divide between evangelism and social action divide us any longer. Even as evangelicals, both WEA and Lausanne have dealt with this both theologically and practically for 30 years now. There are new paradigms of global engagement emerging. We must not be frozen in the 19th century, but open to our own paradigms becoming more biblical and integral.
Second, whatever calls to come to a new generation, their watchword must deal substantially, in a post-Bosch world, on how the gospel must change both the evangelized and the unevangelized. Jesus linked both the rich man and Lazarus in his parable. We must link our overconsumption with the destitution of the developing world, and consider ways to create sustainable enterprises that are culturally relevant, environmentally appropriate and wealth generating among the bottom of the pyramid. See the work of Stuart Hart in this, his book _Capitalism at the Crossroads_ http://www.stuartlhart.com/frameworks%20and%20t...
I am encouraged by your work from Asia. May God continue to give you strength to sound the trumpet.
–Jay, Program Director, M.A. in Strategic Foresight, http://www.regent.edu/global/msf
Assistant Professor, School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship, Regent University