The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-16

1 tOo many VI Nv NOhhs INRf
church were recklessiy sowing wild
oats And. therefore. the church In after
wears. when IL would have garnered the
highest type of character. character per-
meated with holy zeal. reaped instead inc
inevitable and abominable harvest OF
wild oats. To a large extent the young
life of the church. instead Of being conse-
Grated TO the Masters service. was allow
cd TO drift in sinful and reckless indiner-
ence. A great problem confronted the
4 church. A problem OF three more impor-
tant interrogativcs probably never con-
fronted a Christian society. They Were;
How shall we promote intelligent and
loval piety in the young members ana
friends of the church? How shall we aid
| them in the attainment Of purity OF heart
and constant growth I'm grace? How shall
we train them in the works OF mercy ana
help?
different solutions were offered. From
the years 1883 to 1889 five different at
tennis were made to organize the young
peoDle of the church. The first was the
Young Peoples Methodist Alliance. or
ganizcd at the Dies PLANES camp meet
ing near Chicago in 1883. In 1894 the OK
ford League was organized at Philadel-
phia. Bishop Vincent was the prime pro-
moter. The New England Young People
organized the same year. The Young Peo-
pies Union originated I'm the Detroit con-
ference. The NTH and last society to be
organized was the North Ohio Conference
Methodist Episcopal Alliance. in 1882.
Each of these five societies was COM
paratively prosperous. Upon a moments
reflection IL will be observed that they
originated at points proportionately dis
tributed throughout the most densely
populated portion Of the United States
and in the midst of Methodist Episcopal
strongholds.
1T was observed at once by the leaders
In our church that in the attempt to solve
the problem of organizing the young peo-
pie complications had been augmented.
Now the question arose, What shall he
done with the young peoples societies?'
In accordance with a mutual arrangement
representatives, of the five different socie-
ties met at Cleveland. Ohio. May -. 1889.
These delegates were stalwart Methodist
E~piscopalians. They were good men and
fun of the Holy Ghost and of faith A
few of the more conspicuous were Willis
w. Copper. DIR. Jessie l.. Hurlbut. Robert
Dougherty. Rev. w. I. Haven, Rev. Sam
uel Plantz. Rev. Orlando Badgely and
DIR. :, A. Keen. These men had no small
task to perform. None of them were with
out the conviction that a unitedly organ
lied young people would add strength and
glory to our church. They were to build
even greater than they knew. They were
to bring into holy active service one of
the most potent factors in the church-its
young life.
Great victories are seldom won without
sacrifice. The Cleveland assembly was no
exception. For two days they planned.
they argued. they prayed. Each delegation
conscientiously believed that their society
was the one i'm which all should unite.
One society wanted, five societies exist
ing. Evidently four must he sacrificed,
however dearly cherished.
FINALLY. late at night on May IL. after
a great deal OF time had been spent in
I DraNgr for the guidance of the HOLY Spir-
H.. "A union was effected. And, as on the
day of Pentacost. when they had at last
succeeded in assembling with one accord
I'm one place.
This Spirit of God came down their
souls to greet,
While glory crowned the mercy seat
I'm the midst of "A baptism Of power
from on high the Epworth League was
born.
Man stands i'm awe before the manifes-
tation of divinity. We tell with amaze
ment the short story of mine wonderful
years In nine years time we have or
ganized over 5000 senior chapters. The
membership of these chapters aggregates
l,215.OOO. Were IL possible To hold "a con-
Nention at which every member of the
league could be present We would form
a population 25i2 times the size of Butte.
reckoning the population of Butte at So
0oo. And, too. this is saying nothing OF the
10000 members of the Junior Epworth
League,
The league is not only large in num-
bers, but is also large i'm point of terri
tory covered. | tits Worldwide. Less than
one year ago. at the Toronto convention.
at which were assembled $1,000 Epworth-
ians, the cry went forth The World for
Christ SO marvelously has the blessing
OF God rested upon our efforts that the
cry OF victory has many times gone forth.
Indeed. our numbers have increased so
rapidly I'm India that the league there is
demanding "A secretary of its own. We
have two secretaries now. General Score
tary Rev. Edwin A. Schell and Assistant
Secretary Irving q. Penn. The ~latter's
mission is among the colored brethren of
the South. In other words, we have "A
secretary for the whites. one for the
blacks, and now the cry comes. "a secrc-
tary for the Indians across the Pacific
ocean.
"The Epworth League is not an indie
pendent organization of itself. II is con-
trollcd by the Methodist Episcopal
church. IL was organized i'm the church.
by the church. OF the church and for the
church. IL is an auxiliary Of the church.
1t is the church's training school in which
We develop fun rounded manhood and wo-
manhood. Ii is "A training school i'm which
every phase OF social. intellectual and
spiritual life is given attention.
First of all. the Epworth League I'M
phasizes the work Of the salvation of
souls. II stands upon thNdeClarations of
scripture and believes that every soul
which is not saved IL "a damned soul. and
that unless that soul accepts Christ its
condition will never change. For this
evangelistic work we have the spiritual
department. Its work is to seek out the
lost and lead them from darkness Ia
light. All the other departments Of the
league are expected to reinforce the first
department. and in return the spirit of
the first department shall permeate all
the other departments. Then the league
believes in the work of mercy and help.
We look up to Christ for help and do
what We can to lift up the fallen. The
first twosiepartments of the league have
been OF great assistance 10 the church in
revival work. I'm visiting and praying with
the sick. in calling upon and encouraging
new converts and i'm inducing members