Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-04

energetic manner that he feels his burdens
tighten Its members visit strangers and
the sick, care for the destitute give mes
sages Of love and hope, instruct the young
in VISIONS ways, assist in the collection
Of the conference contributions, conduct
prayer and revival services. outdoor meet
ings, cottage and home prayers. services in
old ladies' homes, visit the hospitals and
jailS, pray with the sick and the penitent-
all of this and much more, with due re-
gard to systematic work, the fitness of the
persons for the work and desire to find
for every one something to do in the work
of The church.
1T would seem to be established that
wherever a church in our communion has
attempted to systematic church work in
this manner by means of an intelligent Ep-
worth League, there has come to it a large
uplift of spiritual power, and measure OF
success which has been very gratifying.
1.-The membership of the Epworth League
in our branch of the church is about 100000
of whom 10000 are juniors 1t is especially
strong n the states Of Texas Georgia, Mis-
souri, and Virginia.
Numerical Strength.
I'm the Baltimore conference, one of the
forty-seven annual conferences Of this
church, there are $4,000 church members
and I 200 members of the Epworth League.
In this city, which is embraced in the Bal
timore conference limits, the league is nu-
merically small, having only three chapters
and 1S5 members. Of these two are locat-
ed at Epworth Church, 7th and A streets
northeast, and one at the Mount Vernon
Place Mission in West Washington.
Good work has been done by these chap
ters, and it is probable that few chapters
in any place are more perfectly organized
or have larger proportion of active and
enthusiastic workers than the one at Ep-
worth Church. Its influence is felt in the
conference
"A city union has recently been formed,
having for its aim the better organization
of pI,a Of fhn LNyNrrra D,
within twenty-five miles of Washington
and which meets in session every two
months. Questions of practical helpfulness
are expounded and discussed, questions
asked and answered and uniformity in
methods of work sought. Its meetings
thus far have been well attended. enthusi-
astic and decidedly helpful.
1.-The work of the Epworth League in the
southern second largest branch of the
Methodist Episcopal Church differs but lit
tie from the plan outlined by the NJ. E.
Church. Three vice presidents and three
departments instead of four, the absence
of pledge of membership and a few
other minor differences are all that sep
crates the two bodies in the great work OF
enrolling the young people of the church
under the banner of active and consecrated
service"
Among the Lutherans.
Rev. DIR. j. 6. Butler. pastor of Luther
Memorial Church. said:
1.-The religious movement among the
young people of today in the various
churches is phenomenal. Led by the Chris
tan Endeavor Society, with its three mil
lions of members. besides leagues and al
liances and brotherhoods, 1t sweeps the
whole Christian horizon. In the several
general bodies of the polyglot Lueieran
Church, with Its one million and hall
&C mmunicants in the United States, there
are various young peoples. organizations.
In our general synod. embracing largely
our English-speaking congregations. with
some German, the Young Peoples Society
of Christian Endeavor has taken deep root,
and still grows.
In the 1000 congregations there are
about l, 100 Z. E. Societies. with compare
lively few organizations of any other name.
Outside the general synod, the National
Luther League reports some $1,000 men,
bers. OF our National c. E. Union, Rev. d.
Frank Garland is president, with ifev. c.
H. Butler OF this city as first vice presi-
dent. That which we like in the &. E. or
ganizatioE is the emphasis which 1t gives
to UNCONVENTIONAL loyalty, whilst at the
same time 1t cultivates interdenomnational
fellowship. giving chief emphasis to the
spiritual in the Christian life.
ITO Us 1t appears that the Y. P. s. c. E.
is greatly furthering the solution of the
greatest of all problems-the oneness of all
believers in Christ. Sectarian division is at
the same time the weakness and The sin of
the Christian Church. 1t is wholly Utopian
to hope for uniformity in faith or method
or ritual, and there is a place for the
guarantees UNCONVENTIONAL autonomy, whilst
it enjoins that higher unity os the spirit
"flch saves from the wastes and wrongs
OF the sect and cultivates Righteousness and
peace and joy in the Hcly Ghost.
The present generation of young reople
Will grow into greater unity than is now
witnessed, with many of the sharp dividing
lines of today lost in the growing love in
Christ Jesus, which is the only bond of
union. Besices all this, the Y T. s. c. f. is
building up our young people in the knowl-
edge of Gods word is teaching them sys-
tematlc and proportionate giving 10 the
cause of God, and is training them as good
Citizens. as well as for active work in the
cause Of Christ. These are some of the rea-
sons why the c. E. Society movement is
taking deep root among our Lutheran
young people,
President Whitman of Columbian IJniver
slty spoke OF the Significance of the young
peoples movement in the churches, as fol-
lows:
THE most marked feature of church life
in the last decade is the unusual promi-
nence OF young people. Matters of admin
istration that formerly were entirely in
the hands of the older men and women
are now found largely in the hands of
young men and women. Pastors are
called who can interest the young people.
committees are made up in part of young
people. The working offices of the church
are largely discharged by the young peo-
pie. Sunday school management and
teaching show large proportion of young
AS an abstract question it might be hard
to decide whether this meant good or i'll
for the churches. For a decade and more.
however. the influence of young people
In the churches has been marked, and SO
Tar the Ill that might have been expected
has not materialized. True, in some cases
the organization OF young people for pur-
poses particularly interesting to young
people has drawn the activities of individ-
ual churches from lines in which they had
peen accustomed to move, to the detriment
OF the work as a whole. Sometimes the
young peoples meeting just preceding the
general meeting has left young people with
the idea that they were at liberty to go
home or elsewhere, without reference to
the meeting Of the church to follow, when
they had met the obligation of their own
special service. Sometimes, when the
young peoples meeting comes on one even
ing and the general prayer meeting on an
other evening, young people attend their
own and not the other. Notwithstanding
these disadvantages, 1t is the pretty nearly
unanimous judgment of church workers
That the movement has been of untold
good to the churches.
Dung men and women by the score
have been trained for the activities of -he