Birmingham age-herald., 1895-06-27

Some one at Q Christian EndeaEor con vention, when tho organizations number was in tho vicinity of 100000, said that the day vas shortly coming when l, ,000, 900 would be 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 speai l, but down deep in their hearts the dclea tes to that now famous gathering did r t see how such declaration could ever be true, how the society could ever reach such magnitude. Ono million mem bers-the suggestion was too good to be possible of too great magnitude to be true, Of too immense a scope to be practical.
 Yet when Secretary John Willis Baer stands on tho immense platform of tho Mechanics building at the annual con vention next month he will tell tho thou sands within sound of his voice, and it will be repeated to millions of newspaper readers that there are now over 2,250,000 persons enrolled in the membership of tho society, which about b years ago started with less th,.n 100 earnest young people determined to try some new method in winning friends to the church.
 Some one may say i'll July that within fve years the membership shall reach 5000, GOO. It would not cause half the in- tercst, half the enthusiasm, half the hope or half the douht that did the original prophecy that some day there would be LOCO, GOO Christian Endcavorcrs.
 The 2,250, coo members who now con stitute tho united organization belong to 10000 different societies, most of which are in tho United States, but there arc hundreds of members in all parts of tho world-some in Alaska, many in Europe, A lfn sia and not a few in Asia and Africa
 This all camc from the little meeting which was called by Pastor (now Prcsi- dent) Clark of the Williston church of Portland in tho vostry of that society on Feb. 3, 1881.
 Tho convention in Boston will hc tho fourteenth that has been held by the so- ciety. In its days of infancy, for tho first four years, the members of the organiza- tion gathered in places in Maine or in cities adjaccnt to the Pine Tree State which could be easily reached by tho dele gates from that commonwealth, the con ventions then being largely composed of members from Maine and Massachusetts.
 The first convention was hold in 1882 in the Williston church, Portland, where the organization was born. It was not called convention, but an anniversary, and, in
  1886, when, in response to the growth of the society outside of tho New England states, the meeting was held in Saratoga The word conference answered until then, after anniversary became obsolete. Now, however, the gatherings arc indisputably conventions and will probably remain so while the organization lives.
 Tho second anniversary was also ob served in Portland in 1883.
 The third conference was in the Kirk Street church, Lowell in 1884.
 Tho 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.
 Tho 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 1893.
 Tho thirteenth at Cleveland in 1894.
 The fourteenth will be i'll Boston in 1895.
 Tho fifteenth will be in Washington in 1S96
 San Francisco, Portland, Or, and Los Angeles arc already putting in their claims for the sixteenth in 1897.
 It was at tho fourth annual conference mt Old Orchard Mo, July and 9, 1885, that tho crusade enthusiasm began to take possession of tho hearts of the delegates and the vision of the great things to como was opened to their eyes Two hundred and flfty-three societies wcro reported from 23 states and Canada with membership of II, S92. Steps of vital importance were taken at this convention. July tho cor poration, bearing the title "The United Society of Christian Endcavor," was formed under tho general laws of tho state of Maine the object being to bind differ rnt societies together in n common inter est and to provide responsible central or gilniZation through which tho work of tho ,socicty may bo carried on in the way of raising, receiving and paying ont money and for giving proper custody for whatever property tho society may acquire. MT Van Patten of Burlington, Vt, was made pres .dent of the United society and George M. Ward of Lowell was elected secretary. It was also voted to put n general secretary into the field, who should be paid a suit able salary for his work
 At the second meeting of tho board of trustees after this convention Rev. $. 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 tho position only for a short time. The treasurer, MT. George M Ward, was elected to succeed him, and Mr William Shaw was made treasurer.
 The rapid growth of the society outside of New England made it necessary to re- move the convention from the Atlantic coast farther inland. Saratoga was the place selected for the fifth anniversary, which, in point of numbers and enthusi- as1n, far exceeded all its predecessors. It was here that the cosmopolitan and inter- denominational character was forecast as never before. The second Saratoga meeting in 1887 was unlike its predecessor only in its larger attendance. wider and more va rious representation and deeper spiritu- ality.
 At this convention The Golden Rule was adopted as the official organ of the so- ciety. Over 5000 societies were reported, and more than s6, 900 was raised for carry ing on tho work. The most noteworthy feature of this second Saratoga conven- ha pf