The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-07
YOUNG PEOPLES RELIGIOUS ORGAN
IZATIONS.

The craze for organization which has
swept over the country In the last ten
years has no more remarkable exempli-
ication than the Christian Endeavor So
ciety. the Epworth League, and Baptist
Young Peoples Union The purpose OF
the formation of these societies was to
further religious sentiment and activity
among young people-certainly a com
mendable object in itself. At the time.
however. the Journal expressed a re-
spectful doubt as to the necessity or
utility OF establishing independent asso-
Citations for. this work when that much
older organization, the church, seemed
intended for the same purpose and Of
fered every opportunity for religious de-
velopment- This attitude OF inquiry,
rather than criticism. was met with
great d~isapproval by friends Of the
movement, and the Journal was in
formed with much emphasis by EN-
~deayorers' themselves and by a number
Of ministers that it's theory was wrong,
inasmuch as the society was working
within the church, was subordinate to
it, and really a part of it. That 1t was
highly favored by the young people was
evident from the rapid increase in it's
membership from the beginning until
now, when the aggregate runs into the
hundred thousands and it's conventions
include 10000 or more delegates. That
1t has not proved to be quite the pliable
and harmonious adjunct to the church
Uhich Ire O. or1u propoafarc nron,iooA 90
also suggested by occasional expressions
from the pulpit, from the religious press
and in private conversation. The or
ganization has grown so large that 1t
has become a power in itself, and in
some churches dictates the course 1T pre-
fers when a conflict of opinion arises
between it and the church authorities.
1t is, in fact, not subordinate, but co.
ordinate, or approaching thereto.
Whether this is Objectionable in any or
all respects, the Journal does not under
a to say, not caring to enter into a
discussion of church polity. Neither
does it mean to intimate that much good
is not accomplished by the society. On
the contrary. it believes that an organi-
cation for the promotion of moral and
Christian ideas and conduct which
arouses SO much enthusiasm among it's
members as seems to exist in the En-
deavor and kindred associations must
be Of benefit. whether it remains under
the complete control of the older re-
ligious institutions or not. The only
purpose in abiding to the matter here
is to call attention to the growing i'm
portance and independence Of the So
ciety.
If a criticism were ventured upon. it
| would be as to the wisdom of holding
mass conventions of young people. even
for religious rposes The utility of
mass conventions of any sort is ques-
t~ionable, and the purpose meant to, be
gained by this annual gathering has
never been made clear to the public. At
all events, what might have been done
by the comparatively few delegates at
the earlier meetings can hardly be ac-
complished now since the affair has
| grown unwieldy. In fact. this over
growth will probably result, sooner or
later, in a change of methods and an
abandonment of the general onven
tons. Meanwhile, 1t must be admitted
that there are obvious objections to the
assembling together Of a multitude of
unchaperoned young people from all
parts of the country, even for the sake
Of conducting a thousand prayer meet
ings simultaneously in darkest Boston.
Young American men and maidens con-
duct themselves properly, in the main.
| especially when they are bent on a
Christian errand. but even pious youth
sometimes lacks in wisdom Inc needs
the protection Of discreet guardians. The
Boston convention certainly affords an
outing which will be enjoyed to the ut
most by the Endeavor delegates, but it
is at least pen to question whether the
outing would not be Of more benefit un-
der other conditions