Chapter 47 305

Student Power in World MissionsDavid M. Howard

David M.

Howard is a

well-known

missionary,

speaker, author

and teacher.

David served as President of

the Latin America Mission after

having served as a missionary for

15 years in Colombia and Costa

Rica. For 10 years, he served as

the International Director of the

World Evangelical Fellowship.

He served as Missions Director of

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

and Director of the Urbana

Missions Conventions in 1973

and 1976.

Adapted from Student Power

in World Missions, 1979,

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

of the USA. Used by permission

of the author.

The Bible recounts how God has used people of all ages and backgrounds to advance His purposes. Many of the most remarkable events of the biblical

story involved young people. It should not be surprising to find that in recent centuries, many of the greatest things God has done to help fulfill the Great Commission have been done with university students.

Earliest TracesPerhaps the earliest instance in which students had a defini-tive part in promoting a world outreach was in Germany in the early 17th century. Seven young law students from Lubeck, Germany, while studying together in Paris, commit-ted themselves to carry the gospel overseas. At least three of them finally sailed for Africa. Only the name of Peter Heiling has survived. He spent some 20 years in Abyssinia, where he translated the Bible into Amharic and finally died a martyr.

Heiling had no successors, and thus there was no imme-diate continuation of what he began, but his translation of the Scriptures into Amharic made a lasting contribution to the strong movements for Christ in Ethiopia, which have flourished in later generations.

The important thing to note here is that Heiling’s impetus to carry the gospel to another part of the world came when he banded together with fellow students to pray and work for the extension of the Church overseas.

The MoraviansCount Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760) is well-known in mission history as the founder and leader of the Moravian movement—one of the first, most effective and most enduring of missionary enterprises. Deeply influ-enced at an early age by the Pietist movement, Zinzendorf was only ten when he determined that his lifelong purpose would be to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.

From 1710 to 1716, Zinzendorf studied in the Paedago-gium founded by Francke in Halle, Germany. With five other boys he formed the “Order of the Grain of Mustard Seed.” Its members were bound together in prayer. They purposed to witness to the power of Jesus Christ, to draw other Chris-tians together in fellowship, to help those who were suffer-ing for their faith and to carry the gospel of Christ overseas.

STUDENT POWER IN WORLD MISSIONS306 Chapter 47

The modern protestant missionary movement was actually born in the hearts of a group of students who

joined together to pray for world evangelism.

held a commission in the Royal Artillery and was later to become the successor of Hudson Taylor as director of the China Inland Mission. Arthur and Cecil Polhill-Turner were the sons of a member of Parliament. Stanley P. Smith was the son of a successful London surgeon.

With a unity of pur-pose and outlook, these seven desired to share their vision with fellow students. Follow-ing graduation, they traveled extensively throughout England and Scotland, visiting campuses and church-

es. Their impact for missionary work reached far beyond the few months they invested in this tour. In February 1885, the seven sailed for China, to be followed in subsequent years by scores of students who, under their influence, had given themselves to Jesus Christ to reach other parts of the world.

Thus the forward movement of the Church continued to be inspired by youth. Whether it was among students at Halle with Zinzendorf, or at Oxford with the Wesleys, or at Cambridge with C. T. Studd and his fellows, the Holy Spirit continued to use students as spearheads in awakening the Church to its worldwide responsibilities.

Samuel MillsOn the North American continent, the begin-nings of overseas interest on the part of the Church can be traced directly to student influence, and more precisely, to the impact of one student, Samuel J. Mills, Jr. (1783-1818). Born in Connecticut to a Congregation-al minister, Mills was brought up in a godly home. His mother reportedly said of him, “I have consecrated this child to the service of God as a missionary.” This was a remarkable statement since missionary interest was prac-tically unknown in the churches of that day, and no channels (such as mission boards) for overseas service existed in America. Mills was converted at the age of 17 as a part of the Great Awakening that began in 1798 and touched his father’s church. From the moment of conversion on through the years of his study and for the rest of his public

Zinzendorf continued with this vision in his university days at Wittenberg and Utrecht.

When he was 31, Zinzendorf met Anthony Ulrich of St. Thomas in the West Indies, who told the Count of his deep desire that his brothers in the West Indies should hear the gospel. Zinzendorf saw the relationship bet- ween the commitments he had made as a stu-dent in the Order of the Grain of Mustard Seed and Ulrich’s hope for the West Indies. He and Ulrich became the first two Moravian mission-aries who sailed to St. Thomas the following year.

Thus, the modern protestant missionary movement (which traces parts of its roots to the Moravians of 1732) was actually born in the hearts of a group of students who joined together at Halle to pray for world evangelism.

The Cambridge SevenIn 1882, the American evangelist, D. L. Moody, visited Cambridge during a tour of Britain. The results of Moody’s evangelistic meetings were beyond expectations. A great impact was made at the university. Immedi-ately after his visit, there was a rapid increase in the number of students who applied to the Church Missionary Society of the Anglican Church for service overseas.

About the same time, there was a mount-ing interest in a new organization, the China Inland Mission, which had been recently launched by J. Hudson Taylor. From 1883 to 1884, the Spirit of God began to move upon seven outstanding students (six of them from Cambridge) about going to China. Ultimately, all seven applied to the China Inland Mission.

They were all brilliant and talented men with good upbringings and a variety of ath-letic and academic abilities. Charles Thomas Studd was the son of wealthy parents who knew every luxury of life. He was generally considered the most outstanding cricket player of his day. Montagu H. P. Beauchamp, son of Sir Thomas and Lady Beauchamp, was a brilliant student. William W. Cassels was the son of a businessman. Dixon Edward Hoste

307DAVID M. HOWARD

The Student Volunteer Movement watchword, “The evangelization of the world in this generation,” was profoundly influential in motivating thousands of students.

presented a petition to the annual meeting of the General Association of Congregational Churches, requesting the formation of a foreign mission society. On June 29, the Association recommended to the assembly “that there be instituted by this General Association a Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, for the purpose of devising ways and means, and adopting and prosecut-ing measures for promoting the spread of the gospel to heathen lands.” Although not legally incorporated until 1812, the Board began activities immediately. It was interde-

nominational in character, enjoying the sup-port of numerous church bodies. Volunteers were recruited and prepared.

On February 19, 1812, Adoniram Judson and Samuel Newell and their wives sailed for India, and five days later Samuel Nott, Gordon Hall and Luther Rice also embarked on another ship for India. These first Ameri-can missionaries joined William Carey for one year in India. Judson and Rice subse-quently persuaded the Baptists of North America to form their own missionary soci-ety, which became the second foreign board in the United States.

Thus, within four years of the Haystack Prayer Meeting, these students had been influential in the formation of the first North American missionary society, and a year and a half later, the first volunteers were on their way to Asia.

The Student Volunteer MovementThe Student Volunteer Movement (SVM) has had perhaps the most far-reaching influence on the worldwide outreach of the Church in North America. Its great leaders—John R. Mott, Robert C. Wilder and Robert E. Speer, to name a few—carried this movement for-ward with tireless commitment and energy.

Its watchword, “The evangelization of the world in this generation,” was profoundly influential in motivating students for overseas

ministry, he never lost his deep commitment to world evangelization.

The Haystack Prayer MeetingIn 1806, Mills enrolled in Williams College, Massachusetts. Mills customarily spent Wednesday and Saturday afternoons in prayer with other students on the banks of the Hoosac River or in a valley near the college. In August 1806, Mills and four others were caught in a thunderstorm while returning from their usual meeting. Seeking refuge under the eaves of a haystack,1 they waited out the storm and gave themselves to prayer. Their spe-cial focus of prayer that day was for the awakening of foreign missionary interest among students. Mills directed their discussion and prayer to their own missionary obligation. He exhorted his companions with the words that later became a watchword for them: “We can do this if we will.”

Bowed in prayer, these first American stu-dent volunteers for foreign missions willed that God should have their lives for service wherever he needed them, and in that self-dedication gave birth to the first student missionary society in America. Kenneth Scott Latourette, the foremost historian of the Church’s worldwide expansion, states, “It was from this haystack meeting that the for-eign missionary movement of the churches of the United States had an initial impulse.”2

In 1854, Bryan Green, one of those present in 1806, visited Williamstown and located the spot where he and his friends had prayed under the haystack. A monument was erected on the site in 1867. Mark Hopkins, who was then president of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, gave the dedicatory address in which he said, “For once in the history of the world, a prayer meeting is commemorated by a monument.”

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign MissionsIn June 1810, Samuel Mills (then studying at Andover Theological Seminary), with several fellow students, including Adoniram Judson,

STUDENT POWER IN WORLD MISSIONS308 Chapter 47

“The Mount Hermon One Hundred”

burden for world evangelization gripped some of these students. A memorable address given by one of the Bible teachers, Dr. A. T. Pierson, contained the seed form of the SVM watchword, and he is generally credited with having originated it. As a result of Pierson’s challenge, plus other motivations, 100 stu-dents volunteered for overseas service during the conference.

The foundations of the SVM were laid that summer, and the movement was formally organized in 1888. During the school year 1886 to 1887, Robert G. Wilder and John Forman, both of Princeton, traveled to 167 different schools to share the vision they had received of world evangelization. During that year, they saw 2,106 students volunteer for missionary work. Among these were Samuel Zwemer and Robert E. Speer, whose influence in missions during the next decades is almost incalculable.

The SVM was formally organized in 1888 with John R. Mott as its chairman. A fivefold purpose was developed:

The fivefold purpose of the Student Vol-unteer Movement is to lead students to a thorough consideration of the claims of foreign missions upon them personally as a lifework; to foster this purpose by guiding students who become volunteers in their study and activity for missions until they come under the immediate di-rection of the Mission Boards; to unite all

service. John R. Mott wrote, “I can truthfully answer that next to the decision to take Christ as the leader and Lord of my life, the watch-word has had more influence than all other ideals and objectives combined to widen my horizon and enlarge my conception of the Kingdom of God.”

The SVM had its distant roots in the famous 1806 Haystack Prayer Meeting. Out of the student movement at Williams College grew the Society of Brethren at Andover Theological Seminary. Royal Wilder, one of its members in later years, sailed for India in 1846. Returning to the U.S. in 1877, he settled in Princeton, New Jersey, where his son, Robert, formed the “Princeton Foreign Mis-sionary Society.” The members of this Society declared themselves “willing and desirous, God permitting, to go to the unevangelized portions of the world.” The students met at the Wilder home weekly to pray for the needs of the world. Robert and his sister Grace prayed regularly for 1,000 volunteers to be raised up for overseas service.

In the same year, Luther Wishard was appointed secretary of the Young Men’s Chris-tian Association’s (YMCA) new college divi-sion. In its early history the YMCA was vigor-ously engaged in evangelistic efforts in many parts of the world. Inspired by hearing the story of Samuel Mills and the college societies that led to the birth of the American mission-ary movement, Wishard traveled to Williams College. He knelt to pray at the Haystack Monument, saying, “Lord, do it again. Where water once flowed, let it flow again.”

Wishard deeply wanted to go as a missionary himself, but became convinced that he could make a greater impact by remaining in the United States to bring about a movement of students going overseas. In 1885 Wishard convinced D. L. Moody to host a month-long summer Bible conference at Mt. Hermon, Massachusetts. Two hundred and fifty stu-dents attended the conference. As Wishard, the Wilders and others prayed fervently, a great

309DAVID M. HOWARD

“The Mount Hermon One Hundred”

“Lord, do it again. Where water

once flowed, let it flow again.”

“By 1945, at the most conservative estimate, 20,500 students from so-called Christian lands, who had signed the declaration, reached the field, for the most part under the missionary societies and boards of the churches.”5 The motivations were genuine, the grounding in biblical principles was solid and the leadership had a burning vision for world evangelism.

Confusion and DeclineIn 1920, an ominous change began to take place. “The Missionary Review of the World,” a journal founded by Royal Wilder in 1887, analyzed the SVM convention at Des Moines as follows:

The Des Moines Volunteer Convention…was marked by a revolt against the lead-ership of the “elder statesman.” That con-vention was large in number, but the del-egates were lacking in missionary vision and purpose and were only convinced that a change of ideals and of leadership was needed. They rightly believed that selfishness and foolishness had involved the world in terrible war and bloodshed and they expressed their intention to take control of Church and State in an effort to bring about better conditions. The prob-lems of international peace, social justice, racial equality and economic betterment obscured the Christian foundations and ideals of spiritual service.

From the high point of 1920, the SVM experienced a rapid decline; 38 volunteers sailed for the field in 1934, as compared with 637 in 1921. In 1940, 465 delegates attended the quadrennial convention in Toronto, as compared with 6,890 at Des Moines in 1920.

Here was a movement whose influence on students and the world mission of the Church had been incalculable. Yet it could be said of SVM that “by 1940 it had almost ceased to be a decisive factor either in stu-dent religious life or in the promotion of the missionary program of the churches.”6

Termination of the SVMIn 1959, the SVM merged with other Christian student groups to form the University Chris-tian Movement (UCM), a ministry focused on the needs of Christian college students. While

volunteers in a common, organized, ag-gressive movement; to secure a sufficient number of well-qualified volunteers to meet the demands of the various Mission Boards; and to create and maintain an in-telligent, sympathetic and active interest in foreign missions on the part of students who are to remain at home in order to en-sure the strong backing of the missionary enterprise by their advocacy, their gifts and their prayers.3

Taking a cue from the Princeton Foreign Missionary Society with its “pledge,” the SVM developed a declaration card. The purpose of the card was to face each student with the challenge of the “evangelization of the world in this generation.” The card stated: “It is my purpose, if God permit, to

become a foreign mis-sionary.” When a stu-dent signed the card, it was understood that he or she was respond-ing to the call of God. Every student was expected to face the challenge of complet-

ing the evangelization of the world and either respond in the affirmative or show that God clearly was leading him or her elsewhere.

Growth and OutreachThe growth of the SVM in the following three decades was nothing short of phenomenal. In 1891, the first international student mission-ary convention sponsored by SVM was held in Cleveland, Ohio. It was decided that such a convention should be held every four years in order to reach each student generation. Until the 1940s, this became a pattern, interrupted only by World War I. The first convention at Cleveland was attended by 558 students rep-resenting 151 educational institutions, along with 31 foreign missionaries and 32 represen-tatives of missionary societies.4 By the time of the Cleveland convention, the Movement had also reached out and planted seeds of similar movements in Great Britain, Scandinavia and South Africa.

Thousands of students volunteered for overseas service as a result of these efforts on local campuses, the quadrennial conventions, literature, speaking tours and other activities.

STUDENT POWER IN WORLD MISSIONS310 Chapter 47

The First “Urbana” – Toronto 1946.

and a deeply discouraged Church, a group of college students became convinced that they could not sit idly by and watch the Church give up its missionary outreach. They decided to form a new organization.

Thus, the Student Foreign Missions Fellow-ship (SFMF) was organized in 1938. It grew rapidly, and in November 1945, became a missionary department of InterVarsity Chris-tian Fellowship (IVCF). In December 1946, the newly-merged SFMF/IVCF sponsored their first international missionary convention, attended by 575 students, at the University of Toronto. The next convention was in 1948 at the University of Illinois, Urbana, and Urbana student missionary conventions have been held every third year since that time. Follow-ing World War II there was a great upsurge of missionary concern. Veterans who had fought in the Pacific and Europe returned to campus-es deeply desirous to go back and share the gospel with people who so recently had been their enemies. These veterans had seen the world, life, and death in a way few students before or since have seen it. God used them to lead others into an understanding of mission obligation. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, more students went overseas as missionar-

ies than at any other comparable period in history.

The student world of the 1960s, however, was marked by activism, vio-lent upheavals and negative attitudes. The anti-government, anti-establish-ment, anti-family, anti-church atti-tudes were also expressed in anti-missions reactions. Seldom have mis-sions been looked upon with less favor by students than during the 1960s.

legitimate, it had little relationship to the origi-nal objectives of the SVM as spelled out at Mt. Hermon and in subsequent developments. The UCM was discontinued in 1969.

Thus, the final vestiges of the greatest stu-dent missionary movement in the history of the Church were laid quietly to rest 83 years after the Spirit of God had moved so unmis-takably upon students at Mt. Hermon.

The great heritage left by the SVM still speaks to our generation. The reasons for its decline can serve as warning signals. Its prin- cipal emphases can help today’s student movements remain tethered to important essentials: emphasis on personal commitment to Jesus Christ; acceptance of the authority of the Word of God and emphasis on personal Bible study; sense of responsibility to give the gospel of Christ to the entire world in our generation; reliance on the Holy Spirit; emphasis on student initiative and leadership to carry out these objectives.

Recent AdvancesBy the mid-1930s, in spite of the decline in missionary interest, the toll of the Great Depression, war clouds rising again in Europe, the raging liberal-fundamentalist controversy,

311DAVID M. HOWARD

Endnotes1. In the 19th century, as livestock fed from lower parts of haystacks, the upper parts of larger haystacks remained in

place, forming shoulder-high spaces where shelter could be found. The “Haystack” prayer meeting of 1806 actually took place under the shelter of such a partly consumed haystack.

2. Kenneth Scott Latourette, These Sought a Country (New york: Harper and Brothers, 1950), p. 46.3. John R. Mott, Five Decades and a Forward View (New york: Harper and Brothers, 1939), p. 8.4. Robert P. Wilder, The Student Volunteer Movement: Its Origin and Early History (New york: The Student Volunteer

Movement, 1935), p. 58.5. Ruth Rouse and Stephen C. Neill, A History of the Ecumenical Movement, 1517- 1948 (Philadelphia: Westminster

Press, 1967), p. 328.6. William H. Beahm, Factors in the Development of the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions,

unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Chicago, 1941.

Study Questions1. Trace the roots of the Student Volunteer Movement.2. If another student missions movement were to arise today, how do you think it would be similar

to and different from the SVM in its origin, characteristics, and effects? What factors would promote the development of such a movement? What factors would hinder it’s development?

3. In your own words, explain the decline of the SVM and the lessons to be learned by contemporary students.

university students to keep themselves accountable in their commitment to world evangelization. To mobilize other campuses for Christ’s global cause, scores of young people heading to the mission field delayed their departures in order to travel as teams to campuses throughout the United States. In the spirit of the SVM, these teams challenged thousands every year throughout the 1980s. At the turn of the millennium, yet another band of student leaders formed a mobili-zation effort called “The Traveling Team” which has continued to challenge students on hundreds of university campuses every year. Such student mission mobilization has begun to flourish as well in Korea, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and parts of Latin America.

Today’s students have the great privilege of standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before. With thanksgiving for what God has done in the past, they can look ahead to the future with confidence that God has greatly used student movements to evan-gelize the world.

An unexpected change took place in the 1970s. Apparently recognizing that negativ-ism was not going to solve the problems of the world, students began to take a more positive attitude and to work for change from within “the system.” Nowhere was this more dramatically seen than at the Urbana student missionary conventions. InterVarsity uses world evangelism decision cards at these conventions to help stimulate student commitment to missions. In 1970, 7% of the students at Urbana signed these cards. Three years later, 28% signed the card. The number grew to 50% by the 1976 conven-tion. The percentage has remained above 50% since then.

Today, we are still riding the crest of a wave of student interest and activism in mis-sions. Summer programs and short-term assignments overseas have increased dra-matically in recent years. The Perspectives Study Program of the U.S. Center for World Mission has encouraged many thousands to be involved in world evangelization. The Caleb Project was launched in 1980 among