Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-15
AN IMMENSE ARMY.
THE TWO AND A QUARTER MILLION
CHRISTIAN ENDGAvoRERs.

fF'G W. NiNC - 4OtVtGN "tIItSN
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOReRs.
Their Coming Convention In Bosson-won-
derful Growth of the OrganixAtion-Ho
visitors VIII Be Cared For--City to Bs
Generally Decorated.
Some one at Christian Endeavor con-
vention, when the organizations number
was I'm the vicinity Of 100, 900, said that
the day was shortly consApg when |, 900, 900
would DO the mark Of membership In the
society.
Wild was the enthusiasm with which
the prophecy was greeted, and cheer after
cheer paid tribute to the earnestness OF tho
speaker, but down deep In their hearts the
delegates to that now famous gathering
did not sec how such q declaration could
ever be true, how the society could ever
reach such magnitude. One million men,
bers-the suggestion was too good to be
possible, OF too great magnitude to be true
Of too immense SCOPE to be practical.
Yet when Secretary JohS Willis Baer
stands on the immense platform of the
Mechanics building at the annual con-
vention next month he will tell the thou
sands within sound Of his voice, and IL
will be repeated to millions OF newspaper
readers, that there are now over 2, 260, 600
persons enrolled In the membership OF the
society, which about 10 years ago started
with less than 100 earnest young people
determined to try some new method In
winning friends TO the church.
Some one may say In July that within
five years the membership shall reach
5000, O0O II would not cause half the In
terest, half the enthusiasm, half the hope
or hah the doubt that did tho original
prophecy that some day there would be
1000, 600 Christian Endeavorers.
The 1880, 600 members who now con-
stitute the united organization belong to
10000 different societies, most Of which
are in the United States, but there are
hundreds OF members In all parts Of the
world-some In Alaska, many in Europe,
large numbers In Australia, some In Per-
sia and not few in Asia and Africa.
This all came from the little meeting
which was called by Pastor (now Presi-
dent) Clark of the Williston church Of
Portland in the vestry OF that society on
Feb. 2, 1881.
The convention in Boston will be the
fourteenth that has been held by the So
ciety In its days Of infancy, for the first
four years, the members OF the organiza-
tion gathered In places In Maine or In
cities adjacent to the Pine Tree State
which could be easily reached by the dele
gates from that commonwealth, the con-
ventions then being largely composed of
members from Maine and Massachusetts.
The first convention was held In 1882 In
the Williston church, Portland, where the
organization was born. 1t was not called
convention, but an anniversary, and, in
1885, when, in response to the growth Of
the society outside of the New England
states, the meeting was held in Saratoga.
The word conference answered until then,
after anniversary became obsolete. Now,
however, the gatherings are indisputably
conventions and will probably remain SO
while the organization lives.
Tho second anniversary was also OBJ
served in Portland in 1888
The third conference was In the Kirk
Street church, Lowell, in 1884.
The fourth at Old Orchard Beach in
1885.
The fifth convention was at Saratoga In
1886.
The sixth at Saratoga In 1887.
The seventh at Chicago in 1888.
The eighth at Philadelphia in 1889.
The ninth at st. Louis in 1890.
The tenth at Minneapolis in 1891.
The eleventh at New York in 1899.
The twelfth at Montreal in 1898.
The thirteenth at Cleveland in 1894.
The fourteenth will be in Boston in
1895.
The fifteenth will be in Washington in
1896
San Francisco, Portland Or, and Los
Angeles are already putting in their claims
for the sixteenth in 1897.
1t was at the fourth annual conference
at Old Orchard, Me-, July 8 and o, 1885,
that the crusade enthusiasm began to take
possession of the hearts Of the delegates
and the vision of the great things to come
was opened to their eyes. Two hundred
and flfty-three societies were reported from
90 states and Canada, with membership
of IA, S92. Steps of vital Importance were
taken at this convention. July the cor
poration, bearing the title "The United
Society of Christian Endeavor," was
formed under the general laws of the state
of Maine, the object being to bind differ
ent societies together in a common inter-
est and to provide a responsible central or
ganization through which the work of the
society may be carried on in the way Of
raising, receiving and paying out money,
and for giving proper custody for whatever
property the society may acquire. Mr.. Van
Patten of Burlington, VT, was made pres
ident of the United society, and George M.
Ward of Lowell was elected secretary. 1t
was also voted to put q general secretary
into the field, who should be paid suit
able salary for his work.
At the second meeting Of the board of
trustees after this convention Rev. S. w.
Adriance of Lowell was elected general
secretary. He entered on his work in No
vember, but owing to the strong pressure
which was brought to bear on him by the
church of which he had been the honored
and successful pastor he held the position
only for a short time. The treasurer, Mr..