Birmingham age-herald., 1895-05-11
THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAVORS
Of Alabama Now in Annual Ses-
 sion in Iris City.
LARGE DELEGATIONS HERE,
And Much Interest Is Being Manifested in the Proceedings Presidents Report-The
 Programme for Today-Notes.

The fifth annual convention of the so- cieties of Christian Endeavor of Ala bama assembled in the First Presbyte- rian church at 2:30 o'clock yesterday af- ternoon. The session was opened with religious services conducted by Mr. E. T. Witherby of Shelby. Rev. John Bar bour. pastor of the South Highlands Presbyterian church, had charge of the music and Mrs. c. B. Spencer presided al the piano.
 President Fred s. Ball called the con vention to order and appointed com mittee consisting of Rev. J. J. Dalton of Selma, E. T. Witherby of Shelby and Prof w. P. Taylor of Birmingh ham to name officers to preside over the ses- sions.
 While the committee was out the pres ident stated that the members would in- troduce themselves and called upon each delegate present to give his name and residence. This request was responded to, after which the committee returned and submitted the following report:
 President-Fred S. Ball, Selma.
 Recording secretary-George Booth, Montgomery.
 Assistant recording secretary-Arthur H. Bradford, Birmingham
 Business committee-ProfeSSor w. P. Taylor of Birmingham, chair man; J. w. Shores of Prattville, Miss Sa- die Black of Montgomery, Miss Agnes Avyrett of Shelby, J. D. Updegraf of Selma.
 Committee on resolutions-Rev. w. I. Sinnott of Columbiana, chairman; c. w. Carey of Montevallo and Miss Julia Bau- CT of Cullman.
 The report was accepted.
 How to Make the Most of This Con , vention" was discussed by Rev Gilby c. Kelly of Owensboro, Ky. He said Chris tian endeavor began with the unit, and in order to make the most of this con- vention you must give yourself to it. It has been charged that delegates who come here merely avail themselves of the cheap railroad rates and free entertain ment. That is false accusation. Let us lift our voices up to God in prayer for all inspiration and all power comes from Him. Hold the great interest you have in the association before God in prayer"
 The speaker urged all to be ready to give and ready to do anything requested or them in the furtherance of the cause That done, said the speaker, and the as- socfation will be great power for good
 At the conclusion of Dr. Kellys talk several short sentence prayers were of- fered by different delegates
 What are you going to do to get the most out of this convention?" was the subject for short remarks by a large number of delegates.
 Reports of the state officers were called for. President Ball submitted the following:
 Report of the President
 The Selma convention emphasized the weakness of our state organization and placed in the executive committee full power to conduct the work of this con vention as it saw fit. No meeting of that committee has been possible until this morning, when only few members were present. The affiiction of the little daughter of the secretary treasurer has deprived us of her good offices and her work has fallen upon other officers. Some matters have been considered by the president with the vice-president and three of the district superintendents. The first task of the president was to get an accurate roll of societies and of- ficers. Blank reports were sent out twice and only ofter repeated and urgent calls have responses been obtained. Of the IA societies on the roll of the united society only seventy-two have responded that they are still in existence Perhaps as many as ten more were reported dis banded. The others are presumably dead.
 A careful count of the roll, as reported during the past four months, shows the following to be the numerical condition of the union:
  sociate, 455; total, 1929. Junior societies. 9; members, active, PIT; associate, 15; to- tai, 232. Total white societies, GA; total white active members, 1891; associate, 470; grand total, 2161.
 However, six of the societies and two juniors have not reported their member ship and If we add the average number for them we have a grand total of 2461 The Mobile Government Street Presbyte- rian society is not affiliated with the state union.
 There are also seven colored societies in the state, with reported member ship of $40, and junior with 37. The col ored society at Marion is offlcered by white endeavorers.
 The president has arranged in an in- dexed book all the societies reported to him, with the name of the church, the membership, active and associate, the of- ficers, pastor and prominent workers. This gives him a better opportunity to keep in touch with all societies.
 The recommendation of the president for districting the state was adopted, and the district superintendents in- structed to appoint county chairmen in each county. How far this has pro- gressed I am not informed; but what has been done has been under great difficult ties and disadvantages. some of which can be removed by this convention.
 By means of the reports above men, tioned about thirty societies, or points where societies were supposed to be, were made known and every effort made to verify them, but in most cases un- successfully. Doubtless there are some societies unreported and others disband- ed which might be revived. About forty places were recommended in those re- ports where societies might be formed. Since the Selma convention number of new societies have been organized, but it is impossible, on account of the prior confused state of the records, to tell how many.
 Efforts have been made by circulars