Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-06

is known to the readers Of The Star. have
recently been organized Into an association,
but the main object of that for the present
VIII be to assist In raising funds to pay
Tor the new synagogue. I have, however.
every reason to hope and believe that as
soon as our financial emergency is passed,
the members of the society win take up
other lines of work.
AS soon as possible the society will
nave Its Bible classes and classes for the
study of Jewish history. and Choral So
ciety will also be organized. The latter is
an absolute necessity, 1t is our wish to
use In our worship the union hymnaI in
conjunction with the union prayer book, on
the former of which many years of labor
have been spent by DR.. Alois Kaiser of
Baltimore. an eminent Hebrew scholar, and
to do which. successfully. will require the
services Of more trained vocaIsts than we
now have"
The Outlook Hopeful.
Vice Chancellor Beiler Of the American
University expressed the opinion to a Star
reporter that the outlook for the improve
ment Of the condition of the masses in
the United States through the agency of
the young people who are engaged in
church work was as hopeful as could be
wished for. and continuing, said:
There has been a wonderful movement
among the young people of the Methodist
Episcopal Church during recent years.
UP to about six years ago. there had
lions for young people within the denomi-
nation. in addition to a course of study for
which they had been organized to some
extent by Bishop John H. Vincent.
In 1891 these five societies were con-
solidated into one organization. known as
the Epworth League. There had also
been In the M. E. Church some Christian
Endeavor societies. but most of these have
since become chapters of the Epworth
League.
This organization has grown so rapidly
that 1t now numbers 100000 members in
the M. E. Church alone; the M. E. Church
South has also an Epworth League, with
a membership of about half million. and
the Epworth Leagues in the M. E. Church
? in Canada number nearly as many MEM
bers do those of the M. E. Church
South.
These three bodies meet in great bien-
NAL gatherings at some place within the
territory Of the three churches Each OF
these organizations has its general officers,
with headquarters, board Of control and
general secretary with assistants. Each
of them also publishes a paper. devoted to
the interests of the work of the young
people.
Its Course of Study.
1.-THE Epworth League has also course
of study, under the direction of the gen.
eral secretary, Rev. E. A Schell, and sold
last year nearly 100000 sets of books COW
ering the course of study. The course
comprises history, literature, biography,
the doctrine and .polity of the M. f.
Church and practical methods of church
work
1.-The enthusiasm of these young Chris
tians is felt throughout the entire denomi-
nation. They have given new life to So
cial meetings; to large extent have man.
aged the social life and affairs of the
church: have been of great service in Sun
day school work, and have been very eff
cient in the revival services held annually
In the different churches of the denon:i-
nation.
Recently the Epworth Leaguers have
been taking hold of practical lines of work,
especially the missionary, the educational
and hospital work of the denomination
The largest chapter of the league is at Ann
Arbor. Mich. where from among the stu
dents of the university there are 800 MEM
bers.
Leagues in different parts of the coun-
try are raising funds for educational in
situations, and some have already con-
tributed toward the American University
ton of the Epworth League to educational
work there is to be held at Pittsburg, Pa,
during Thanksgiving week a congress of
those young people Of the NJ. E. Church
VINO are engaged In the educational work
as specialists.
Those who will compose the congress
propose to discuss the relations of the
church to special and original inyestipa-
ton Of all recent movements in the world
or higher education, and to inform them
selves as to what can be done to put
Methodism thoroughly at the front in all
these lines of work.
Anticipated Results.
All this will certainly result in better
membership in the Methodist Episcopal
Church in the next generation. They will
be better trained Intellectually and be more
thoroughly alive spiritually They will
not only be able to do more and better
work. but they will be larger minded and
broader minded in their views and SYM
pathies
This will make the church stronger and
more aggressive: 1t will hasten the triumph
OF the gospel and the final conquest of the
world" Wv