Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-08
PRESIDENT CLARK,
A Sketch of the Founder OF thu
Cl,ristian EndenXnr Society,"

Christian Endeavor Society,
TO write the history Of the Society of
Christian Endeavor during the fifteen years
of its existence would be in part to re-
hearse the story Of the life and labors of
the president of the society. Rev. Francis
E. Clark, DID. He Is also the founder of
the society. and his initials are such tina: It
Is not remarkable that he is frequently re-
ferred to as Father Endeavor Clark. He
himself says that the term is an absurd
ore, but those who know him and know
the PIT rt he has taken In the great work.
claim the privilege of disagreeing with
l i'm on that point
1t was in DR.. Clark's church in Portland.
Me-, Williston Church. that the idea of
starting a society for young people to
bind them closer in the bonds Of Christian
fellowship for church work was first given
birth. DR.. Clark seeing the need of some
thing to more thoroughly arouse and hold
the interest of the boys and girls in his
pSstorate conceived the plan of organizing
society for them. The constitution with
which he provided it Is practically the
same as holds today and the purposes and
methods of the society are almost identi-
cally the same as he outlined them in the
early part Of 1880, little dreaming how
wisely he builded or that that movement
would spread until 1t became a world
wide campaign for the elevation and i'm
pIovement Of the young people connected
with Christian churches.
DR.. Clark Is not native Of this country
but was born In Aylmer P. O., in Septem-
ber 1851. His parents were Massachu-
sets people, from the vicinity of BOSTON
his parents were removed from him by
death, as were also the other members of
his immediate family. He had an uncle.
a Congregational minister. who adontad
him and brought him to Auburndale WHERE
he cared for him until he was able to
care for himself He entered KimbaI IN
Union Academy, after which he pursued a
course in Dartmouth College graduating
therefrom in theLclass of rs. He then en-,
tered Andover Seminary, from which he
81 aduated in 1876.
He was called to Williston Church, Port
land, in October, 1876 At this time the
members but during the seven years thai
Mr.. Clark was connected with it 1t grew to
membership Of $50. ranking the third
largest in the denomina ton in Maine and
having the second largest Sunday school Ii in
the state. During this time a new churc h
edifice costing $4,000 was erected. This
was in the second year of his pastorate.
1t was while Mr.. Clark was at this church
that Christian Endeavor was born The
first society was formed February 2. 1881
There had been a revival in the Williston
Church. and the great problem that con-
fronted Dr. Clark was how he should re-
tain the young people active Christia ns
and keep them from growing cold in the
service. He knew that to accomplish the
end which he had in mind each must he
gwen some specific work to do The solu-
ton Of this problem was the forming of the
first Christian Endeavor Society.
In 1883 DR.. Clark resigned his pastora to
in the Williston Church, becoming nastor
of the Phillips Congregational Church in
South Boston, October 16 of that year. He
was then trustee Of the Christian En-
deavor Society. In September 1887, short
ly after his selection for the presidency of
the society, he resigned his Phillips Church
pastorate and thereafter devoted his entire
time to the organization of which he was
the founder. DR.. Clark resides in Auburn
dale, Mass.