The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-11-22
THE PORTLAND FRATERNITY.
A Crowded Meeting at the First Par
ish Church.
Rev. DR.. BoIIes Speaks of the Aim of
the Organization,
And the President and Secretary
Tell of Its Work..

The meeting at the First Parish church last
evening. given under the auspices of the
Portland Fraternity. that the annual report
OF Its work and statement of its purposes
and expectations might be made to the pub
lie, was attended by an audience which com
pletely filed the pews, while some were
obliged to stand at the back of the chnrcb
Inc services were both appropriate and in
terestlng and those present gave the closest
attention to the remarks of the different
speakers. The music by the church choir
was OF its usual excellence.
After reading from the Scriptures and
prayer by Rev. DIR. Hill, Col. E. c. Earring
ton, the president of the Fraternity, deliver
ed brief Introductory address.
PRESIDENT FARRINGToN's REMARKS.
Col harrington said that he regarded this
as q business meeting, at which the officers
OF .he rraternlty Were to render an account
OF lnelr stewardship. and those present were
70 Judge OF the work which had been done.
Col harrington then referred to the fact that
there Is not in Portland, as in many other
cues, system OF evening schools at which
az an euucatlon may be obtained by many of
the youth of today. who cannot attend the
day schools. The Fraternity is doing what
II can to supply this want. Young ladies'
ana gentlemen OF our city give large por-
tlon OF their evenings to serve as teachers
ana they are meeting with gratifying results
Inc president instanced several cases i'm
which the pupils of the Fraternity school
have become self-sustaining members of So
ciety. one young man who, after receiving
an education at the rooms of the association,
served as one of its teachers, is now engaged
IN business IN one Of the towns near Port
| land Two nfhQrs hn -
elgn lands, were sent to the Fraternity by
the prominent merchant who took them into
MS employ, and now are in good situations
with savings in the bank. There is room for
so mncn greater effort by the Fraternity, with
matter will be brought TO the attention of the
city government during the winter The
president referred to the primary department
the latest feature of the Fraternity work. and
In closing spoke of the need of assistance
ana greater number of workers. He then
introduced the secretary, Mr.. A S. ellison.
who read his annual report.
SECRETARY GILsoN's REPORT.
Secretary Gilson's report gave the scope of
the society. lie stated the aim was to attract
the boys and girls of the street into comfort
aDle rooms, furnished with books and good
games, and forming them into classes for IN
Structlon, thus fitting them for a better life.
ana giving them good manners and good
morals. BY thus instructing and elevating
them chances are afforded them to obtain
good positions in business and society. In
1909, with three or four teachers and some
twenty street boys and girls, the Fraternity
had its origin in Preble Chapel The Frater-
nifty has occupied rooms on Congress street
since then, and now has apartments on
free street, Dut It has outgrown even these
later quarters and needs large airy coffee
room, with bright, open fire, lecture room
with piano, and in fact a home like the
Young Mems Christian Union of Boston. 1t
Is not Delieyed that the society conflicts with
any other charitable organization: IL is non
sectarian, and help from Catholic. Episcopal
or orthodox teaching is cordially welcomed
Inc speaker then gave list of the studies
In the evening school classes, and stated that
one evening week Is given to games, music
or lectures from well known gentlemen, and
thele Is also the Thanksgiving supper. the
gymnasium, girls sewing school, and the in
terest TO make industrial features perma-
nent. Inc primary department was Started
70 70 re rescue tne small boys and girls before
their characters had become crystalized. In
1888, 200 rough boys were brought in, and in
TWO years the change has been marked, They
nave formed military company, have be-
come disciplined and orderly, and will this
winter, Train the younger boys. The older
primary boys have graduated into the even
ing school, and thus the primary department
Is fulfilling its mission of a training school
for the Fraternity. The speaker closed with
an urgent request for his hearers strong sup
port
REV. DIR. BoLLEs' ADDRESS.
Rev. DR.. E. c. Bolles of Salem. was intro
duced by President Harrington, and deliver
ca an instructive and eloquent address upon
the scope and purposes of the work of the
Fraternity. DR.. Bolles mentioned his former
passionate in this city and the interest he felt
In the Portland Fraternity, which was form
ed at about the time he moved away from
fortland. lie spoke of the necessity of
teaching the boys and girls who are growing
up IN ignorance, and the work which the
fraternity is doing in this direction, persons
VINO nave been educated in circles of culture
and refinement giving the benefit of their
knowledge and friendship to those less fortu-
nate. The college and university point with
prlde 10 their great men, the statesmen phil
osophers, scientists and poets but before
tne poem can be written its creator must
possess knowledge of the alphabet, and
the effort made to give the alphabet lof edu-
cation and training to the Young is as de-
serving OF respect and consideration as the
work of the colleges.
The speaker said that years ago, when in
London he saw how quickly the authorities
took under their protection two children
VINO were run over by a recklessly driven
carriage, he had asked himself if it was not
possible that something might be done in
that great city to ameliorate the condition OF
the poor children who never knew what ii
was TO be kindly treated and cared for until
some calamity befel them. In this land of
ours it may be that the rich are growing
richer and the poor, poorer. That is not
proved, but DIR. Bolles said that when he
thought of the widespread laxity of morals
and the decreased power of religious teach
ing among certain classes in our large cities
he feared that crimes might be Committed
even In the name of liberty. for which the
nation would blush with shame and which
might threaten the very existence of the
republic. wy
One reason for the teaching by people of
culture and refinement in such institutions
as the Fraternity, is the danger that those
people who lead lives of honest Industry or
ease may forget the miseries and hardship
OF tnose less fortunate. The misunderstand-
ing felt by one class in its relations with
another has always been source of trouble.
Dr. Bodies spoke of the effort to benefit those
IN need OF help as one of the highest at
tributes of Christian life.
at the conclusion of the address, an oppor
tunlty was given to the audience to con-
tribute In AID OF the Fraternity, and the
meeting was dismissed with the benediction
by Rev. DR.. Hill.