Let’s take a trip back in time to 1945 when young people from all over the Maritimes gathered for the Maritime Young People’s Conference which took place during the annual Maritime Conference. The assistant secretary of the Young People’s Union described the experience for the readers of The United Churchman (September 26, 1945, Vol. 30, No. 39, p. 3):
“For the first time it is my privilege to extend greetings to all the old and new friends of our Maritime Young People’s Conference through the pages of the United Churchman.
Those of us who were able to attend Conference this year have many fond memories that we will cherish for years to come. I often smile to myself when I think of how embarrassed some of the Conferencecites were when they were trapped into confiding to the whole Conference, in song, prompted by Billie White, just how many helpings of dessert they had had for dinner.
None of us came back from Conference without an uplifted feeling and desire to live a more Christian life. Over the nine days we spent together we learned the true meaning of Fellowship – with strangers and with Jesus. By the time we were ready to leave for our homes there were no strangers among us and everyone had the feeling that Jesus was in our midst. This was as it should be, since one of the greatest aims in our Young People’s work is – Friendship.
During Conference we were happy to welcome into our midst Dr. Little, of Toronto, who added a great deal to our discussions. His most cherished contributions to most of us was the Chapel service he held in which he asked us to prepare a self-analysis around these four questions:
1. What is your greatest problem?
2. What is your greatest desire?
3. What is your strongest conviction?
4. What is your highest purpose?
I believe that these questions put forth a tremendous challenge to each and every one of us now and at all times. It would be well for all of us to think about these questions and decide just what we, as Young People of Canada, feel is our duty towards our Church and our Country.
Yours in His Service,
June W. MacKenzie”
Maritime Youth Conference, 1945
