The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-10-23
EPWORTH LEAGUE.
Important Convention of the Order
Held at MOrristown.
Special to the .Jersev cfty Ne,os.


MoRRIsTowN, Oct. 23. 1S91.-The con-
vention of the EDworth League and other
young peoples societies of the Methodist
Episcopal Churches in the Newark dis
tricr, held in the Morristown Church, was
both Interesting and important. There
were three sessions, morning, afternoon
and night, and every minute Of the time
was occupied, either with the business of
the convention or the devotional exer-
cises. President @. A. Cameron Kept
everything moving. so that the business
was transacted promptly aud within the
allotted time.
The attendance at the afternoon session
was largely in excess of that of the morn
ing, and at night the church was crowd
ed, The delegates were entertained at
lunch and supper by the young women of
the Morristown church In the church par
lors. The devotional exercises with
which the afternoon session was opened
were conducted by the Rev. II. NJ. Ayles-
worth, pastor OF the DeGroot Memorial
Church, Newark.
The reports from chapters of the Ep-
worth League and other societies showed
that they had increased in mum bers and
membership since the convention in the
spring. Societies from several Newark
churches submitted statements. The
Halsey Street Church reported the largest
league IN the district, with membership
OF 40. This league issues u
paper called the Epsportl, Rec
ord. The league Of the Frank
lin Street Church, which organized
year ago, reported membership OF LII.
which Is Two years old, reported a mem
bership of 172. This league has two Bible
training classes, and one OF these classes
is training members for active WORK.
Dashiell Memorial Church, with league
numbering forty. reported a junior
league with the same number of mem
bers. A Kings Daughters Society is Il
branch of the league. st. Luke's Church
reported membership of 1856; Union
Street Church. eighty members; Cen
tenary Church, seventy-ive members
These other societies reported their
Vile. 45; Bloomfield, 100; Chatham, 40;
Irvingtou, 81; Madison, 100; Morristown.
270: Franklin. so; New Providence, 60;
ParSippany, ~; Summit 20; SDrin gtield
65. Presiding Elder Van Benshoten men,
toned ether leagues that were not repre-
senued at the convention. All the leagues
told of encouraging work, and every one
der the auspices OF the young people.
Presiding Elder Van Benschoten ad-
dressed few remarks to the convention
on the subject, ''Tne League anu Societies
in the District." He said that almost
every church had young peoples So
Societies of Christian Endeavor he deemed
1t unwlse 10 insist on their being changed
into EpwOrth leagues, preferring to leave
the option to individual societies. He
said that while the Christian Endeavor
societies were doing good work he thought
the Methodist Episcopal Chnrcn could DO
better Tor its young people If they were
organized under at denomination.
HOW YOUNG PEOPLE HELP.
How the Ysung People Help Me-"
was the subject OF discourses by mum
ber OF pastors.
The Rev. J. II. Egbett of Belleville,
spoke of a number of ways in which the
young people helped the ministers, and
raised a laugh by saying they helped
them with their weddings.
A number of lay members read inter-
esting pap rs on various subjects.
An address on the possible dangers of
the Epworth League was delivered by the
Raw. +. G. Baldwin of the Union Street
Church, Newark. The speaker said he
was thoroughly in sympathy with the
Epworth League movement but there
were some dangers that oaght not to be
overlooked. One of these, he said. was
the Isolation of young people from the
Church; the placing Of the league above
the Church in their estimation. Anot her
danger he alluded to was undue appre-
citation of youth. The general cry that
young men were doing the work of the
world was misleading, he said. Men of
mature thought are shaping the affairs
Of life. though young men rightly have
large part in the work.
the Rev. Nelson A. MacNichol also
told the convention that it could not
save souls by organization. There is
serious danger in organization. 1t is only
valuable as a stimulus TO individual
effort. The Church OF the future is to be
intensely individual. and man ought not
to De lost In the machinery of organiza.
tion -