The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-07-15

ing of fellowship which existed between
the two organizations. and gave a short
review of the work which has been &C
complished by the society which he repre-
sented. 1t was organized in convention at
Dayton. o., In 1890. and since that time has
grown to have societies over the country
TO the number of seven hundred. having 8
membership of about 81. 900. He said that
it was the hope that By the next time they
met in convention. which would be next
June. that there would be q thousand sOci-
cites. with q membership nearly double
that OF the present.
General Secretary Wilkins announced to
the convention that H. l.. Starke. OF Onta-
rio. who had been elected one of the vice
presidents of the organization, had de-
clined TO. serve, and that it would be In
order to nominate some one for his place.
The privilege of doing this WAS given the
Canada delegation. and A. A. Ayers was
named for the place and unanimously Sc
looted.
on junior organization. and with IL came
the first difference OF opinion which has
broker out IN the convention. Rev. Mo-
Lauren, of Michigan, was the committees
chairman. and he read the report. The
committees work had been to draw MP a
set of by laws and q constitution for an or.
ganIZatIon of the younger people of the
church. 1t is an effort TO get the boys and
girls OF the church into the church work.
and to give them religious instruction
The constitution drawn up by the COM
mittee said first that the name of the or.
ganiZation should be the Junior Reserves;
b It's members should consist OF girls and
boys under the aye of sixteen; that It's OFF,
Gers shonld consist of q leader, who shall
be AL adult. a president. q vice president. q
secretary aud q treasurer. anu that all
members be required to mako q pledge to
abstain from all liquors. tobacco and to use
no prOfane or impure language.
When Rev. McLauren had finished read.
ing q delegate moved that the report of
she committee be referred to the board of
managers for action. To this Rev. Me-
He SAID that 1t was a most important mat
ter, and that he wanted the entire conven-
tion to take action upon it. Ii was about
to be put to q vote when Secretary wilkins
got no and said that he believed
that the name ought not to remain
ss IL was. He said chat the word union"
ought to be brought in here.
That word. he said, was distinctly Baptist.
and it ought to be inculoatedas q part of the
organization. Rev. McLauren got up and
said that it Vas the intention OF the CON-
mittee to allow local organizations to In
sert the word ''endeavOr' should they de-
sire TO do SO, and that no thought that CIV
ing II the name of union would MAKE it SO
strongly Baptist that it would preclude
all effort toward the grand aim
of the church. that of federation.
70 this Secretary Wilkins replied
again reiterating his former re-
ain ITO ~ bCo W tuO hONs
Spencer and several others, who spoke on
his side. and when the question was finally
put to vote 1t was almost the un animous
choice of the convention that the name Of
the organization should be the Junior
Bsptists." Following the end of this dis
cnssiOn was q brief intermissiOn which was
devoted to singing. The hrst song was the
national hymn, My Country. tbs of Thee"
When that bad been finished
an international convention 1t would
be proper to sing u verse OF God Save the
Queen" 1t was respond TO with q hearty
good will. and when it's last notes had died
away, Secretary Pierce proposed the sing
ing of the hymn. blessed be the Tie tina
Binds" and the audience joined with him.
The Rev. NJ. X. Demlng. of New York.
followed with an address on the Boys
Brigade, which is given below:
THR BAPTIST BOYS BRIGADE.
We ask your attention this evening to three
points: first, the origin of this organization; sec
ond, what this organization now lie, and, third,
what it may bet
The Baptist Boys Brigade had its origin last
Decent Der in the city of New York and is an out
growth of the mission work of the New York
City Baptist Mission Society. of which society
Hon. Charles L. Colby is the able president and
of which the speaker is corresponding secretary.
| entered upon my work in New York the LIST
of November. In visiting the mission schools
III tuC w Int VI ~ I'LL " y III
society, [ noticed one feature which was marked
and common to them all. namely, the dearth OF
boys. aud the mnrniy conduct or the few who
we're present. While the schools were in ses-
sion 1 found scores of boys on .he side walks in
front OF the churches or the missions engaged in
playing marbles, pitching pennies or throwing
dice. My problem was 10 transfer these reckless
boys from the sidewalks into the schools and to
make orderly scholars OF them. After consider.
ing various plans. 1 decided to try the Boys
Brigade Band plan. L hac learned much con.
cerniDg 1t from friends travelling In Scotland.
who brought me a full set OF the literatnre. 1
organized the first company where the boys were
utterly unmanageable. The effect or the move.
ment was almost magical. Those boys will now
march the rurtnest aud endure the most wOrK OF
any company We have in New York city. Their
unruliness proved 10 be energy waiting to be
properly directed 1 had not the remotest idea
that the movement in New York would extend
beyond the mission schools. but In two months
every Baptist church and mission in New York
city started to organize a company.
As y local organization II is substantially an
embodiment or the Scottish idea. We have boys
from six TO ten organized by themselves. ana we
call them cadets. From ten TO fifteen. from If
teen 10 twenty-One, and from twenty-one up.
wards. The Marcy-avsnue Church. OF Brooklyn,
hrs a battalion consisting OF four companies,
made no or boys or these various ages. But they
have a sunday school or fifteen hundred to draw
on Some OF our churches have two companies
boys from ten to fifteen and from
different ages cannot take the
same stride in walking and need TO he drilled
separately. OF course il Is understood that ev-
cry boy who joins the brigade pledges himself 10
abstain from Intoxicating liquors, tobacco and
proiane language while under the brigade. He
also pledges himself TO attend regularly the ses-
sions OF the sunday school and the regular week
night meeting OF the band unless excused by The
captain. We are doing our best work with the
boys from ten 10 fifteen. The time OF the weeh
night drill Is divided equally between
drilling in Bible study and Mill
tary exercises. A very vital pom;
IN this brigade movement Is the equal division
OF the time into religious and military exercises
The boys lose their interest IL the company wOrh
Is made into all religious or all military. In
where the balance Is kept perfect the boys i'm
prove In all points AMI the companies steadily
grow. our experience teaches US that the mil
itary part OF this organization is valuable FOL
the GLOWING reasons:
First-It develops physical msnliness by cor
rectipg a shufing gait. by strengthening stoop
ing shoulders, by imparting quickness OF action
and precision Of movement, and by giving
graceful and dignifed self-poise 10 the body.
seeond-lt elicin prompt obedience and g