Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-18
REACHED ITS LIMIT.
The Congregational Club Has a
Membership of 225.
Celebration of It's 24th Anniversary
Officers EIected-An Address on How
to Draw Young Men to the Church.

the Worcester Congregational Club was
held in the Y. M. C. A. building, Mon
day evening, and was very largely at
tended There was reception at 5
O'clock, and at $50 the guests sat down
to an excellent dinner, prepared by Ca
terer Rebboli About 7.3O, TIE business
meeting was called to order by the re-
firing president, c. Henry Hutchins /;
and, after prayer by Rev. Dr. Berry, he
gracefully introduced the new president,
DR.. A. q. Conrad. of the Old South
Church.
DIR. Conrad said that he regarded it
as a high honor to be called TO the pres
idency of the Congregational Club. He
had spoken before many Congregational
clubs in New England, and he thought
that it could fairly be said that they
represented the best brains and hearts
Of their respective cities. Especially was
it an honor to be the successor of so able
president as Mr.. Hutchins. He felt like
Rufus Choate, who, on an important &C.
casion, was asked who he would rather
be, if he were not himself; and replied
after moments thought, that he
would rather be Mrs. Choate's second
husband So, if he were not DIR Conrad,
he would rather be Mr.. Hutchins The
nominating committee had approached
him before the election AMI asked if he
would accept the position of president
If he were elected. He had been moved
to. say on that occasion, much as the
young lady did, whose lover said:
Ethel, if l should propose, would you
accept me?" But she, being a Yankee
girl, answered: Charles, If you knew
that | would accept, would you pro-
pese?'' However, all such difficulties had
been happily solved, and he hoped that
under his presidency the club might
prosper as heretofore.
After a duet by Mrs. Wilton H. Mer-
Ram and William F. Little, both of the
Central Church choir, the business
meeting was continued by the reading
OF the secretary's annual report. The
club was shown to be in very pros
porous condition, having held monthly
meetings. at which interesting TOPICS
had been discussed by some of the ablest
clergymen and laymen in the denomina-
ton. At these meetings there had been
an average attendance Of 242-a gain Of
~ over 1925, and the membership, with
the election of j. S. Cooley Of this city
last night, has now reached 225, the le-
gal limit
The secretary, Mr.. H W. Edison,
/. made some suggestions for next year
among them that the annual festival
should not be held at the end of June
since great difficulty is experienced in
getting speakers at that time. The
treasurer. Clinton M. Dyer, next read
ms report, which showed a balance on
hand Of s57S.S0. The club then proceed
ed TO the election of all officers, except
I president, already elected and the bal
loting resulted as follows:
First vice president, James Logan;
second vice president, Rev. George P.
Eastman; secretary, Prof. Clarence H.
White; treasurer, Clinton NJ. Dyer; au-
dltor, Arthur E. Gray; executive com
mittee, Rev. Sidney Crawford, w. 8.
cement, Willis E. Sibley; nominating
committee, DR.. H. s. Knight Rev. o. G.
Bailey, Frank P. Knowles.
1t was also voted to draw up resolu-
tons on the death of the founder of
the club, the late DR.. Cutler and also
70 send letter of regret to Mr.. c. T.
Simms of Lancaster, whose resignation
was read.
DR.. Conrad then introduced the prin-
cipal speaker of the evening, the Rev.
DR.. William H. Davis of the Eliot
Church, Newton, who spoke on the sub
ject. How can the church draw and
hold young men in it's membership ~
This is topic, said DR.. Davis, always
timely and always fascinating 1t is
said that all the world loves a lover,
and 1t is also true that all the world
loves a young man. America is some
times said to be the land of young men
We have 100000 of them in our coun-
try, and 100000 of them are in Massa-
chusetts and Rhode Island. We assume
~ discussing this subject that it is a
discouraging one. The church rolls
show that two-thirds OF the members
are women. The Y. Nj. G. A. mas given
out statistics which prove that only 5
per cent of the young. men of the coun-
try are in the churches, and only Is
per cent are affiliated with them. He
believed, however, that these statistics
paint too dark picture He held that
the church was never more active or
young men more prominent in it than
today. In Northwestern University rs
5 per cent of the students belong to the
church; in Yale, 66 per cent; in Prince
ton, Ga per cent, ETC. Still there is a
serious problem, and we must consider
the competitors for the young mans
attention which the church has. There
is the club. the various recreations for
Sunday, the bicycle and the secret So
ciety, all bidding for the young man.
time and energy. There are in our
country in secret organizations, excluc-
ing suca bodies as the G. A. r. and la
Dor and military organizations, more
than 5,450,000 men, which is more thfn
a fourth of our adult male population.
These societies make peculiar and
powerful appeal, and the church must
learn to contend against it.
The church must also contend against
the young mems inertia, /. e., that quail
ty which tends to keep thing where it
is put, tendency particularly strong
on Sunday morning. The young man of
today has a misconception about the
church. He thinks that something is
wrong about the Bible, and he does not
know that he is wanted in the church
To meet this. the church should avail
itself of the young mans earnest, hope
full chivalric nature. The pastor should
not call simply in the afternoon, when
the young man is away, but in the eve
ming. He should join him in the club
and on the bicycle. Young men should
be urged-to take part In the official side
Of church life.
The speaker admired the veterans in
Christian service, but he believed in ro-
tation in office. 1t was a situation
analogous to the political one a few
years ago. The young men of the re-
publican party had felt that they were
not wanted, they had gone over to the
rival organization, and the disastrous
result was a just rebuke to the republi-
cans. He would have more virile
preaching. christianity must not be
diluted for young men. They will APP
lfecldJe II II II cOSlS something. w e
need not more men, but more man"
as James Russell Lowell said, and that
Is the promise and hope for the church.
The address was delivered with great
dignity and power, and heartily APP
plaudel After a solo by Mr. Little, Hon.
F. O. Winslow was introduced as one
who had long been leader in the move
nent to draw and hold young men.
He said that ne had recently ex-
aininad a. church record of the year
1900, and was surprised to see how re-
st,-i..f "a ruf,r11 an q enhere Than WAS To