Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-08
How They Won the Convention
for Washington and the
Pledges Of Support by
Business Men,

When the District of Columbia Christian
EnGeavOr Union was organized, nearly sew
en years ago it was composed OF twenty
three societies. with d membership of less
than one thousand persons. Today there
are seVenty-rine societies, and total mem
hership of 5S-I2, exclusive OF the Junior
Union. which is auxiliary to the senior, and
includes tifty-one societies and 2,533 men,
hers
Societies in the suburbs and immedia te
vicinity OF Washington are included in the
local union. even though. In a few instances.
they are located outside the legal jursdic-
ton of tie District of Columbia. Thus, for
convenience sake, the tIyattsviile and Ken
sinston societies in Maryland. and the
society among the soldiers at Fort Nyer, in
Virginia. ore included in the membership
OF the District of Columbia union.
II seenas rather strange. in these days
when the principles OF the Christian En-
dstvuT mOs eTn-nt are universally recog-
niEsd and :tS influence 50 widespread, that
Tor three years several societies holding to
these principles and subscribing 10 the
coast t:.IiOn OF the organization. should
Rave existed in the District of Columbia
Independently OF eIch otEer and even I'M
aware ri each others existence. Yet the
fact is yoIcheI for by those whose recol-
lection OF the then existing cirC uIESt stances
Is still fresh. as well as attcsted by the
records OF the District union. 1t may be
accounted for by the explanation that
when the first Christian E@deavor society
in the District was organized the move
n-ut Itself was little. if any, beyond its
infancy: 4 certainly had not then entered
uron that epoch when its pid growth and
vigorous development aStcnlShed even its
friends and those actively engaged in foS-
tering its spread. al the same time max
ing itself felt in the religious world
powerful auxiliary to the church. Then,
too. prior TO the organization of any so
ciety of Christian EHdeavor in the city,
there had been for some time in existence
in the churches other religious organiza-
tons of Young people, ard the mere change
in form from a young peoples meeting,
as they were not infrequent!y called. to a
Young Peoples Society of Christian En-
Geav1r' was not in its nature such a one
as to be apt to attract any special notice.
And so it came about that from 1855, dur
ing which year the first genuine Christian
EDdeavor society in tn city was organized.
until the summer Of 1879. when the propo-
sit.on to form a union of local societies
WAS first made and seriously discussed.
th,Se youEE peoples CrgdniZati lions had
been spasmodicaily and spontaneously
spr.ngiTg mp. each without the knowledge
OF the others existence.
The First Society.
Christian Endeavor in its spread from
It's birthplace in Portland, Me. reached the
District of Columbia just five years after
the first society was organized. To the
Lincoln Memorial Congregational Church.
colored. corner OF 18th and r streets. be-
lor gs the honor of organizing the pioneer
society in the District. The year following,
in tSS7. the second society in the District
was formed. Others followed III quick sue
Cession. as the movement began to be
nCiScd abroad and noticed at greater
less length in the religious press the adap-
liability of it's principles to young peoples
organizations at the nations capital
we'll us in other parts of the country. was
res ognIZed. and in three years there We're
formed here a score or more of societies.
In the early summer of 1850 the society of
the Kendall Baptist Church. then mis-
sion chapel. gave an excursion down the
river Invitations We're extended, by adj
VertiSenent in the daily papers and by spe-
cial notification. to members of all other
Christian Endeavor societies to attend the
excursion. and this invitation was the first
intimation to many who have since become
prominent workers in the movement and
who We're then the chief members in their
local societies. that theirs was not the only
Y =. :. c. F. in Washington. However.
the invitation was gladly accepted by
number of Endeavcrers and several So
Cieties were represented.
The evening was an ideal one. and the ex-
CUrsior proved TO he q success socially
But probably il would long since have been
forgotten and its pleasant memories have
faded almost completely from recollection
had not 4 suggestion been made on that ey-
cTrsion more portentous in its consequences
and farraaching in its Influences than any
other result of the evenings entertainment
The Potomac river WAS the birthplace of the
District of Columbia Christian Endeayor
Union, a palace excursion steamer its
cradle. The excursion of the Kendall Ran
fist Society in the summer of 1889 the occa-
sion of this suspicious event.
The Frat Steps.
Credit for the suggestion is given Mr. Glen
l. Jones. member of the Kendall Society.