Morning journal and courier., 1885-11-19
ANNUAh STATE CONVENTION.


 The Young Peoples Society of
 Christian Endeavor Hold Their
 First state Convention at the KHum- phFey Street Church. Business Trans. acted-Addresses Made.
 The first annual State convention of the Young Peoples Society of Christian Endeav or was held at the Humphrey street church in this city yesterday afternoon and evening. The first society of the kind was organized in Portland, Me-, less than five years ago. There are now over 250 such societies. More than one-haf of them are connected with Congregational churches, the rest with vari- ous ether denominations. They have two classes of members, active end associate. The active members carry on the weekly prayer meetings.
 The meeting was called to order by Rev. Spencer H. Bray, who said that it's object was to discuss the method of the work in each society and agree upon uniform meth cd of the work. Delegates from the differ ent societies in the State to the number of 200 were present, and after the routine business connected with organizing the con vention was furnished, the report of the sec retary of the convention, Eli Manchester, jr., of this city, was read. It is as follows; To- day we meet together fer the first time in an nual convention as Societies of Christian En- deavof in the State of Connecticut. May our meeting prove both pleasant and helpful to us all. In the minds of some of us still finger pleasant memories of the little gather ing which was held in thez .Howkrd ave nue Congregational chnroh with that society July 2dt 1884. That gathering, which comprised
 
 of New Haven, was so successful that it was thought wise to hold another on larger scale at no very distant day; and commit tee was appointed for that purpose, consist ing of the presidents of the various societies then represented. Time, however, passed swiftly by, and it was only recently that steps have bseh taken towards calling the n1a..slllttee together, the results of
 here to-des. In rendering this l report your secretary would say that he is 1 unable to give as full and eonsiss . report as he would liEe to, owing to the disadyan- tage under which he has labored in getting | hold of the material for the same. The com mittee of arrangements fot this convention sent question blanks to all societies known, asking for information regarding their work. Twenty eight sustain weekly prayer meet ings, while in one ease meetings are held 1 every two weeks and in one case once a month. Eighteen hold their meetings Sun day evening, while the balance hold them on different evenings during the week. Two so- cieties report our district work such as meetings held in the suburbs. Time will not permit me to quote or even read the facts of the interest given regard ing the work of these societies, suffice it for inc to say that the reports most encouraging The meetings well attend ed and interesting, and in number of cases religious interest is reported as doing good work, and judging from the reports received bids fair to stand in front rank of the States 80 far as regards Societies of Christian Endeavor.
 There are 31 societies in the State with @ membership of ,835-1 300 active, 442 asso- ciate and 4s honotary
 A. H. Hayes, president of the Hutnphrey street church society, spoke upon the subject Has Become of It." During his address he said: The Humphrey street church society obtained a copy of the constitution of the so- ciety in Portland, Me-, the first one formed in this country, and after considering it's de- tails organized themselves September 19 with thirty-eight charter members. Rev. MT. Bray was then elected president, but at their second meeting he resigned and MT. Hayes was elected in his place. The society arranged it's committees differently from number of contemporary local organizations. The society had first Lookout" committee to look after the spiritual and general wei fare of the society members. They also had a Praying" committee, which held weekly prayer meetings. A Sunday school commit tee was afterwards established, then a mis- sionary committee. The society also has Temperance" committee, who have pledge book and get signers. They hold monthly meetings. Their aim is not only to restrain others from drinking liquors, but to enlist children ia the cause of tenn perance. In their pledge books are 230 names, and between 90 and 100 have signed g pledge to abstain from to, structive lectures to the young on the evils of intemperance and of tobacco. MT. Hayes stated that the society had now 104 actual members and IS other members who were not professed Christians, but who keep with the others in their work. Of these 95 were church members. Their president is James F. Parsons, vice president, Louis Krause, and secretary and treasurer, A. H. Hayes
 Following the different subjects as they were discussed by the different gentle men: ttWhat the Society Does for the Prayer Meeting was the subject of discus sion opened by F. w. Mar of the West Ha- ven Congregational church society; This was followed by discussion on "How to Make the Society Most Elective" which was opened by Rev. s. H. Bray of the Humphrey street church. A discussion l upon "The Effect of the Young Peoples | Societies of Christian Endeavor on the Mem | bers' was opened by Rev. s. w. Adriance, l the general secretary of the United Society ! of Christian Endeavor The closing discus | sion opened by Rev. R. w. Brokan of l Belleville, N. Y., upon "What are the Chief 1 Elements of Success in the Societies"
 A collation. was served in the small chapel | room after the afternoon meeting was over. 1
 EVENING SESSION.
 In the evening at 7:30 the church was l thronged The programme consisted of an | opening praise service by the church choir, l led by MT. J. F. Parsons, followed by ten l the Y. P. s. c. E. during the last five years by MT. Eli Manchester, president of Howard | avenue church society; address, four of the Y. P S.. c. E., Rev. s. W. Adriance, general secretary | of the United Society c. E., which were the church and from the church," an ad- l dress by the Rev. c. A. Dickinson, D. D., of Lowell, Mass; also an address, ''The church and the young people, Rev. J. E. Twichell, D. D., pastor of Dwight Place church.
 Upon recommendation of the business committee it was voted to form a State body, which was offered as follows: Rev. Erastus Blakeslee, president; Eli Man chester, jr., State seretary; E. P. Merwin, treasurer. The executive committee consisted of N. J. Squires of West Haven, MT. Warner of Bridgeport, Rev. MT. Lee of New Milford, Rev. MT. Boardman of New Britain, Rev. Mr. Kinney of Winsted, MT. H. K Brainard of Thompsonville, MT. Bartholo- new of Ansonia. They hold office for one year.
 A motion was made and car jed that the secretary be instructed o have published in pamphlet form the loings end records of the society during the ast four years, together with such other in- ,idental matter as would be of interest, and distributed throughout the land. The con- rention closed at 9:45, the benediction being pronounced by the Rev. Erastus Blakeslee.
 RATHBONE LODGE K. OF P. of Their Seventeenth Am |
 niversary Last Evening.