Evening star., 1896-07-10
transferred their song and energy to the
hymns given out.


hymns given out.
Mrs. Clark. Address.
The devotional exercises, consisting Of
responsive Scripture reading and prayer.
were led by Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson Of
Anacostia. Ind at their conclusion Rev.
John T. Beckley Of New York, who pre-
sided over the meeting. in the absence Of
President W. r. Harper of Chicago intro
duced Mrs. Francis E. Clark. the wife of
the founder of Christian Endeavor, and
she was given the Chautauqua salute Of
waving handkerchiefs. Mrs. Clark smiling
ly acknowledged the compliment, and pro-
ceeded in clear tones to read a paper on
The Mothers Society of Christian En-
deavor-" 1t was as follows:
The whole object and purpose Of the
Mothers Society of Christian Endeavor Is
really included in the first sentence Of their
pledge. Trusting the Lord Jesus Christ
for strength. I promise Him that I will
strive to do vi atever He would have me
do. especially that / will endeavor to bring
the children to Christ and to train them
where desire above all things to draw
nearer Christ themselves. and to bring
their children to Him and train them for
His service Is there any better way 20
gether for this very purpose? There are
now a few societies in our own and other
lends which have taken this name Of THE
Mothers Endeavor Society,"" and are reg
ularly organized and pledged to do this
work
There ought to be in every church, by
whatever name 1t may be called some Or
Ranization that will be in very truth a
mothers endeavor society, an organization
whose definite purpose should be not only
prayer, hut prayer and work for the chill
dren. There are already in many of our
churches maternal associations and ladies'
prayer meetings, having for their object. in
part at LEAST. to pray for the children.
Why could not these organizations pledge
themselves definitely to do this work in
cooperation with the junior endeavor
cieties, even If they do not care to change
their own name or have a more formal or
ganiZation?
Plans for Helping the Children.
Why should there not be in every
ladies' prayer meeting or maternal asso-
citation a Junior committee, whose work
should be to consult with the junior su-
perintendent and report to the meeting
any plans for helping the children? The
junior superintendent might be invited TO
come once onth or once a quarter to
the mothers meeting to give five-minute
talk about her work, it's encouragements
and perplexities and needs 1t would be
her opportunity to appeal to the mothers
for their help and counsel and prayer.
Could it not be planned that occasionally
the little junior secretary or president
give report Of the work? Perhaps the
members Of the sunshine committee or
scme other committee might some time go
together to the mothers meeting and tell
how they are trying to do their part of
the work, and ask for the prayers Of the
mothers Perhaps, too. it might be possible
to plan as often as once year to have a
union meeting of the mothers and the
juniors, when both societies could learn
more of each others work and be drawn
into close sympathy.
The. meetings of the maternal associa-
ton in many churches are held every
| month, and many heartfelt prayers are
offered for the children, and yet the chill
dren themselves know little or nothing
about it, and there Is nothing done in the
way of following up these prayers. and SO
the definite results are not what they might
be.
1t sometimes happens, too, that in the
course Of time these mothers meetings
come to be largely grandmothers meetings
because the younger mothers do not at
tend.
1t would be very helpful not only to the
Junior societies, but to these mothers meet
ings too. If they could in these ways or in
other ways be more closely connected and
work and plan together. By consulting to-
gether new ways Of working would be al
| ways opening up to both societies. The
| mothers would find many ways Of helping
the children and the children would take
great pleasure in the discovery that they,
| too, could help the mothers in many little
| ways.
| Suppose the mothers should decide that
| IT would be we'll to send printed or written
h.Vitatlons TO some or the younger mothers
| who do rot attend their meetings. Surely
| the sunshine committee would be glad to
| divide the work among themselves, and
| run on these errands. Do all the mothers
| Of juniors in the church attend the ladies'
prayer meeting? II not, then 1t might be
well to have some daintily printed cards
| OF invitation to give out in the Junior
| meeting that each boy or girl may take one
/ to the mother at home.
Visit the Junior MeetinRs.
1t would be well that quite often the
| mothers should send representatives from
their meeting. not more than one or two
at any one time, to visit the Junior meet
ing. and often the Junior superintendent
would be glad to ask one Of the mothers
for five-minute talk upon the topic of
| the day from a mothers standpoint
| Let the Mothers Society occasionally
give social to the juniors, and let 1t be
! the pleasantest social of all in the wear.
Let the mothers occasionally give the chill
| dren pleasant surprise in the shane of a
| new banner. or some new pledge cards or
any other little thing the juniors may he
| needing, and new link between them
| would be forged.
| If some such plans were put into prac-