The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-09-03
RELIGIOUS NEWS.


DR.. S. A. Steele, OF Nashville.
lectured to the EpwOrth League Of
the First Methodist Church last
Monday night, The rain prevented
large audience being in attend
ance, but those who did go thor
oughly enjoyed the talk. DR.. Steele
has the reputation of an orator of
much ability, and upon this occa-
sion he added to his legion of ad-
mirers all who had the pleasure of
hearing him.
The subject of his talk was young
Peoples Societies" He spoke first
of the origin of this great movement
among the young people to become
active workers for the Master. 1t
iOdS a gredt movement, too, with a
membership of two and half mil
lions of EpwOrth Leaguers in the
Methodist Episcopal Church, North
and South, and the Methodist
Episcopal Church of Canada, three
millions of Christian Endeavorers
in the Cumberland Presbyterian
denomination, and enough in the
Westminster League of the Presby-
terrain Church, the Baptists Young
Peoples Society, and other Organi-
cations, to swell the aggregate to
more than seven millions.
The young people were not dis
covered until the beginning of the
present decade. First, the Epworth
League was instituted, the name
"EpwOrth" being taken from Mr..
Wesley's old home place in Eng
land; then followed the organiza-
ton of the Christian EndeavOr
Society, the Baptist Young Peoples
Society, the Westminster League,
and a long list Of others. Just when
bOV had become a man in the esti-
nation of himself, but not quite so
large in the estimation of other peo-
pie, and just when a girl had be-
come a woman in her own estima-
ton, but was not quite so important
in the estimation of others, the
church found that they were prone
to leave the Sunday-school and
church and wander out into the
world. Something had to be done
so, for this reason, these young peo-
! pies societies were started.
There were numerous objections
to the Epworth League. One was
that there was too much "machin-
eryn in the church. The correct
ness of this objection rested entirely
upon the amount of power to be APP
piled to the machine" and the
field to cover. Another was that
the League conflicted with the
Sunday-school. This objection was
utterly groundless. The League
and Sunday school are two entirely
different things, and do not conflict
with each other in the least. The
first is an institution for learning
while the latter was started for the
purpose of giving the young people
a chance to WOrE. Before the
League was instituted, the younger
members took little active part in
the church now the young men and
women pray and talk in public and
are found working in every depart.
ment of the church. Another OBJ
| lection to the League was that il
was new thing"-a department
from the Old-time principles and
the ways of our fathers. This OBJ.
lection was also without foundation
Because our fathers rode hundreds
back, or cut their grain with g
cradle, is no reason why we should
do the same the present day. In
deed, we would be casting a refiec.
ton upon our fathers if we did so.
DR.. Steele said he had done biz
full share of preaching the gospel OF
"dOnr; don't go to the theatre
don't dance-dOnt play cards, etc
This kind of preaching was all right
and he did not propose to abandon
it altogher: but the longer he lived
the more forcibly he realized that
the most effective results were OBJ
tanned from preaching the New
Testament gospel of DO" and the
more of that kind of preaching ne
intended to do. Do good for the
Master; give the young people some
thing to do.
He spoke at length upon the i'm
portance of the literary department
of the League. Through this de.
dartment, the members are encour
aged to read the best literature anC
taught to love good books. Will
good books a man could be at bonn,
in the most isolated place, and, ever
without books, he could entertain
himself in the deepest dungeon by
using the stores of knowledge gained
from reading good literature. H
wouldn't give his love for gooC
reading for all the gold of Klondike
if it could be gathered and brough
away.
Justice cannot be done DR.. Steele,
excellent discourse in this brie
article. Suffice it to say that hi
audience was deeply impressed will
his talk, and will not soon forget hi
kindness in giving them a chance t.
hear him, or DR.. Kelley's kindnes
in inducing him to come.
Elder f. j. Meacham, who has oc
cupied the position as pastor of tn
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