Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-26

The attention OF religious denomina-
TONS is being called to the Influence
OF private societies on the progress of
the churches. The Episcopal, Method
lists are confronted by the unpleasant
fact that the net gain Of communicates
for the past pear fell to the low figure
OF 1850. while the average Tor the
past ten years has been 81 900. The
lions Herald, n Methodist organ, un-
| hesitatngly expresses the conviction
that the Epworth league is RESPONSE
BILE for the decline. The paper sum
mari2es its observations thus.
Il. 1t is the era OF the Fpworth
league in the church. The league has
been given the right of way every
where, and what 1t has stood for has
very largely dominated the church, The
International convention at TorDnto last
year iilled the thought and life of the
church as perhaps no other gathering
OF recent years has done. II the year
hau been one OF large spiritual in
gathering, gladly would Ne have ac-
credited the league with having large
part in the result. Now that the re-
verse Is so lamentably true, must W.
not with equal Justice lay the actual
consequences at its door? 2. The work
~ ~ iNhHut 'HtuEH not so INTENDED,
mas diverted the purpose Of the church
from its own historic and characters
tic mission of soul winning and Ma,
dissipated Its energies into other chan
nels. While the motives of the league
have been worthy they have not been
on mat nigh plane of spirttual activity
for which the church has always been
distinguished. .. The separate Epworth
league meeting has drawn a line Of
demarkatinn between this organization
and the church and multitudes have
magnihed the league above the church,
and made II Il substitute for IL
In many churches the league is only
social club and therefore lack
Ing in spiritual aspiration. grip and
power, The effect Of the league upon
thousands of churches has been to tone
down its spiritual and revival power"
The Christian Endeavor society re-
ccives similar criticism In England
What far-seeins men in many denomi-
nations have forecnsted f. now being
realized, Tho British Weekly. an in
nuential Non-conformst journal.
| gives expression to the following views:
I'm many cases they 1.-THE socIetiesl
are encouraging. They are especially
so i'm mission churches. where prarti-
| cally the Christian Eudcavur society
is the church, In the smaller dcnomi-
nations OF Methodism particularly.
They are strong ana nuurishiug whcr.
there is "A popular mlnister.Hnd whore
the tide ut prosperity has only Ia br
swclled. They are good also in other
cases where the motto of the society.
/ For Christ and the church. is clear
~ kept In view. Hut it is obvious that
in many places they are evil. This
Is the testimony not merely NJ minis
tiers, hut Of Christian Eudeavorcrs
themselves, In particular there is
frequent complaint that the prayer
meetings and wCrli-uirht services are
seriously injured The young peurl.
go Ia the Christian Endeavol meeting
and neglect the meetings Of the
church The old are I'm one camp
and the new In another In manS
cases the minister Is ignored and
church services are often neglected
Nearly all the replies received from
scotland, and the great majority OF
the replies from CunErcsutluualists
are to the effect that the society is not
only not helpful ia the church, hu;
distinctly harmful Whnt has struck
us very mitch is that from churches
whore the ministers are PROMINENT
endels Of Christian Endeavur there