The news & observer., 1897-02-12

practcal hlntS, methods, plans, organ-
zation, development; for the benefit oe
those who have not yet organized the
young people, and others who are meet
ing with difficulties. This was conducted
by Mr.. n. b. Broughton.
Twenty-Five years ago, he said, there
were few Baptist churches in the towns
and cities. Then the denomination be-
gan to make great efforts to build up in
the towns. As result the country
churches have been neglected land weak
ened. These country churches, he said.
are being disturbed and attacked. The
Mormons, the Seventh Day Adyentists
and the like are doing their moss effective
work among these churches The Young
Peoples Union. he feared, was making
the same mistake 1t was Organizing
along the railroads almost exclusively.
| 1t was important to do this, btlt tho
country church must not be neglected
The country church. he declared, was
| the strength of the Baptist denomination.
and if neglected it meant a great Grip
ping of the denomination The young
people, he said, were not being reached
In North Carolina there are 400 country
| Baptist churches that have not even
| Sunday school: there are some 10,0Q0,0 00C
| young people who are not members OF
any Sunday school or similar organiza-
| tion The need was organizations that
would reach out after the young people
A man was needed to go out through the
country, giving his time, his heart and
soul to the work. Business men do this
and the church must do the same
Prof. Scott, of Shaw University. was
the next speaker. He expressed the be
lief that the Young People Union was
going to be a success. The difficulty
| was not, he said, to get conventions, but
| to get people to go out and take hold of
| the thing and build it up from the bot
| tom-keep the local organization alive
| men who believe in them and can arouse
| enthusiasm in the young. It's all right
| to plan big things-State conventions
| district conventions and great move
ments, he said, but I'll tell you the local
union must be attended to. Each indi-
vidual member must be interested
That's the work-the only work-that
will make this or any ether organization
a success.
Other excellent suggestions touching
/ the work were made by Rev. NJ. s..
/ Parrish, pastor of the Baptist church
at Salisbury. The Importance of the
work, he thought, had come to be pretty
| generally acknowledged. How to do it,
| that was now the question. That was
| one Of the problems that this convention
| ought to solve, as far as it can.
| The speaker gave some of his expert
/ ences in organizing young people and
many practical suggestions as to how
/ to interest the young people in christian
| work. His talk was a splendid one.
full of thoughts that would be most
helpful in the management of a young
peoples organization.
| Short spicy remarks were made by
Rev. II. It. Vann, Rev. John ID. Jordon,
| DR.. w. r. Gwahney, Rev. j A. Rood,
| Mr.. J. III. Kerr and others
| Mr.. Vann said his hope for the union
was its organization in the country
/ churches. He didn't think much of the
/ towns. They got all they had from
the country. Most Of the men who made
a town We're first made by the country
He said there was a need for these social
meetings in the country more than in the
Il towns.
| Mr.. Jordan gave his ideas of what
ought to constitute social meeting and
| entertainment of the union. He didn't
want anything to make money He
| wanted prayers, essays, hymns, recita-
| tions and the like. Then serve, free to
everybody, light refreshments and let
| everybody get acquainted, talk and
have a good time generally This was
| the best social meeting he had ever at
| tended.
DIR. Hall thought unconverted people
ought not to be invited to become mem
barO of ha L.,H Al sI,o
| invited to the social meetings and allow
ed to give any assistance they may care
to render. In his church he had dropped
| the associate membership entirely.
DIR. Gwaltney suggested that the
| Union meetings and Associations might
| discuss this question, and this, he
| else to awaken interest among the
country churches.
Mr.. Rood thought the young women
ought always to be prominently reeogniz-
| ed on the programs of these meetings.
Mr.. Kerr said the Importance of this
| movement could not be oyer-estimated
| 1t was well enough to talk about the
glory of God, but the greatest good to re-
suit from this is the practical good that
| is to come to the young people them
selves.
The last address of the morning ses-
sion was made by Mr. Archibald John
son, editor of Charity and Children, on
| Charity Work for Young People"
Mr. Johnson said he wanted to give q
| remedy for dead Baptist Young Peo-
ple's Union. He said he was once presi-
dent Of such an organization. 1t finally
dwindled down to three members and
then disbanded. He knew now what the
| trouble was. They had nothing to do
no object in view. They simply met be-
| cause the time had come. The same two
or three did the talking every time-the
others did nothing. The two or three
| talked the thing to death.
This taught him, he said, that every
thing must have something definite in
view, otherwise it will be a dead, use
less thing. The members of the union
must all be made an integral, living part
Of the organization. Mr.. johnson took
this occasion to call the attention of the