Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-10-09
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR.
Ninth Annual State Convention
Now in Progress at La
Crosse.

La Crosse, Wis, Oct. 4.-[Special.] I
The ninth annual state convention of
Christian Endeavor societies began here
| this morning. The attendance so far is
not as large as anticipated, and falls
considerably short of the last years.
The convention sessions are being held
! at the theater, and the first one opened
at 500 a. m. with a Bible training class,
conducted by George r. Merrill of Min
neapolis. Then came the address of well
come, on behalf of the city by Mayor
Frank Powell, on behalf of the churches
by Rev. Henry Faville and on behalf of
the local Endeavor union by George
Farnam. The esponse was made by
Rev. j. w. Cochrane of Madison.
State President A. @. ~Letfingwell of
Appleton then delivered his annual adj
dress. At the outset he paid a fitting
tribute to the memory of Myra A. Man
ming of Oshkosh, whose death occurred
during the past year and who was vice
president from the beginning of the or
ganization. Hers was the first death
among the active state officers. The
past year in Wisconsin has been one of
steady increase without In systematic
effort put forth. Nine years ago, at the
organization of the state union in Be
lott, 176 societies reported a membership
of about 5000. The growth has been
gradual from year to year, the total
membership equalling the total number
of societies in the international union,
36,517, until the Boston convention this
year, when a gain of 1000 societies was
reported.
One of the chief aims of the past year
has been the perfecting and cementing
of the organization, and to this end it
was decided to hold regular educative
board meetings each quarter, that all de-
partments might receive the proper share
of ATTENTION Thn atfnn6on moo of thnSo
meetings has been more than could be
expected.
In organization, Wisconsin heads the
list of states by a long way. 1t has
not yet reached the complete district
period. One new one was formed this
year, making ten in all, with two more
to be formed, one in the central portion,
including Adams, Juneau, Marquette
and Waushara counties and one in the
northern part. One large district, the
Fox River, was divided. A change was
made in the financial policy this year,
whereby all moneys used or in any way
connected with the state work would
show on the treasurer's books. The de-
partment of junior work has made rapid
progress, the state being fortunate in
having for a superintendent one who
could respond to the many calls on her.
1t has been the aim to interest every So
ciety in the good citizenship department.
1He WOIk 10 Wildly euuculiOudI, D1C
through a wrong conception many socie-
ties nave been hindered and q few re-
fused to attempt this work, This was
the first year of activity in the mission
airy department and it had an suspicious
start, though the work was not all that
was desired, owing to the suspension of
the missionary extension course. The
report made complaint that the press
committe was not alive to it's duties.
In closing, the speaker emphasized three
special features for Endeavorers: /.
Closer fellowship of several societies
through a perfected union of all; 2. Ex-
tension of societies until every church
shall have a Young Peoples society,
both junior and senior; 8. Deeper spirit
ual life.
The rest of the forenoon was devoted
to receiving suggestions of how to get
help from the convention, appointment
of committees, etc. kilograms of greet
ing We're received from the Good TEN
plars in session at Green Bay and from
the international committee at Washing
on. n number of papers were pre-
scented this afternoon and this evening
an address on junior work will be given
by Miss Nettie Harrington of GAINESVILLE,
followed by a social hour at the Y. NJ.
~ A