The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-10
BORN IN PORTLAND.
How the tristan Endcavor Socisty Was
Founded by Pastor Clark.

BORN IN PORTLAND.
How the tristan Endeavor Society Was
Founded by Pastor Clark.
Though one OF the greatest religious
movements the world has ever seen, tho
beginning WINS modest I'm the extreme. In
JLo winter of iSs0Sl there was revival In
the Williston Church. Portland, and
many Of the young people gave their hearts
To God.
The pastor, Rev. Francis r. Clark. D. D.,
anG the older church members, wero
naturally anxious concerning these young
disciples, and felt that great wisdom and
caro- were necessary to keep th0m true to
tho Saviour during the first critical years
of thoir discipleship. To fill the gap be-
tween conversion and church mem bership
and to train these young people and set
them at work was the problem.
After much prayer and thought, DR..
Clark invited the converts and others OF
the young people Of his church to bis house
on the evening of Feb 2.slSSl, and after
an hour Of social intercourse presented a
constitution which he had previously
drawn up of tho "Williston Young
Peoples Society Of Christian Endeavor"
IL will be seen that the society was
founded on necessity, and that 1t had q
very dcfnite field.
The authorship Of the Christian En-.
deavor idea has been claimed for others.
A western paper has stated that the Chris.
tian Endeavor idea was obtained from
Rev. Edward Eygleston. This talented
author once was pastor of a church called
the Church of Christian Endcavor, but no
organization like the present society ever
existed In his church.
This society has also bcen said TO have
been modelled after ayoung peoples so.
ciety In DR.. Cuyler's church in Brooklyn.
This most wise and eminent pastor did,
indeed, have "a vigorous young peoples or.
ganzation In his church, and the success
of this effort inspired the belief that young
people could be effectivele organized for
Christian work. But this admirable OF.
ganization never had the special features
OF the Christian Endeavor society.
So far as careful search reveals, the dis.
tinctive features Of the Christian En-.
deavor movement-the strict prayer meet.
ing pledge, the conservation meeting, the
rollcall, the variety OF committee work
and the duties OF these committecs-were
characteristics Of ehis organization alone,
and, wherever adopted, have been copied
from IL.
At each of the International conven.
tions of the Christian Endcavor societies
II has seemed certasr that the high water
mark had been reached mt last, but every
year witnesses Increased interest and
greatly augmented crowds of delegates at
the annual conferences.
Perhaps nothing so clearly shows tho
power aud strength of the Christian En-
doavor idea as these annual gathe ings of
the yoGng people of all denominations
from aii over the world
Not only has its growth been phenom-
enal, but its wide extension has also bes
wonderful. From country to country
idea hiss spread, until now there are Ch
tian Endeavor societies In every coun
on the face of the globe, civilized or
except Russia, Italy, Sweden Aus
Greece, Belgium, Iceland and Greenla
Society Is worid-wide.
The ran who Is primarily responsible |
for the hosts of delegates who are now |
visiting Boston, and in whose thought |
this entire Christian Endeavor movement |
had its origin, Rev Francis f.. Clark, |
ID. d.. is probably the busiest man in Bos-
ton, but he took n few moments to speak
of the convention that has already come
to the city.
"You notice." he said, after some pre-
iiminary conversation. that tho delegates
who have already arrived include several
from other lands. In out treatment Of the
we must bear this thought In
mind, for this is prc-emincntly an inter
national convention. All the delegates,
from whatever part OF the earth they may
come, are on an equal footing.
"Wc have cndcavored 20 have fair rep
resentation of all tho nationaltics. rs be-
comes hosts worthy Of our home and repu-
fation. You must think that our display
" foreign flags is somewhat liberal. but /
assure you IL Is rs nothing compared with
he treatment that has been accorded
Christian Endenyorcrs visiting foreign
ands
'It was my privilege some time aco TO
visit many OF the countries OF the world In
he interest Of Christian Endeavor, and in
most OF these places, especially I'm England
Ind Australia, the Stars apd Stripes were
hown fully rs prominently as tho native
,olors, and In many cases more So
"Christian Endcavor is Interstate, in
intcrracial, and most thor.
,ughly interdonominational Every evan
rclical denomination In America will be
eprcscntcd in this convention, so that
'ou scc we may we'll I've called. as you say,
society Of inters.
at is moro than likely" added DR..
lark. shat there will bc an opportunity
or the public TO attend the Thursday
morning services, rs many Of the dclc
Iatcs do not arrive In time 10 attend this
netting"
Eacb .laio,,.t. - th. .ouwo,,tu.. A. |