The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-12
THE BROTHERHOOD OF ST. AN
DREW

This organization in the Episcopal
church has for it's object the spread OF
Christ's kingdom among young men.
ST. Andrew and ST. Peter received the
promise from Christ that If they would
follow him they should become fishers OF
men. That promise was fulfilled. The
object of the brotherhood is to inspire
young men to become fishers of men. as
opportunity offers.
Like .many of the movements in the
church, this society grew out of the need
of the times. But the men who or
ganized the movement had no conception
of its influence and extent in ten years.
The design was to meet want in their
own parish in Chicago. They saw the
need Of inspiring young men with the i'm
portance of interesting men in religious
things. But no sooner was it known that
such a society existed in Chicago, than
numerous inquiries from all parts of the
country concerning organization and
methods of work were received. How
widespread the need of such society
was will be seen when it is known that
the local chapters number over 1900 while
the membership numbers about $4,000
The Brotherhood of st. Andrew posses
ses two desirable things. Singleness of
purpose and simplicity of methods in
work.
The purpose is the spread of Christ's
kingdom among young men. 1t Is not
debating isociety. 1t is not literary,
a1 Sanl 1l,,h To
aim is to bring men to Christ. Its meth
DDS for the accomplishment of this pur-
pose is two-fold A brotherhood man is
governed by two rules. The rule of prayer
and the rule of service. He prays for THE
spread of Christs kingdom among young
men and then he goes out into sthe world
and works for the answering OF his own
prayers. In other words, it is to be the
habit of his daily life to do what he can
to leadsmen to Christ and His church.
Since this is SO there can be nothing
spasmodic or sensational about the work
Of this brotherhood. Its members are
pledged to work daily to fnltll the pur-
pose of the society. That such work must
be voluntary thing Is apparent. OF
their own free will and accord men enter
this Brotherhood. They may leave 1t as
freely as they enter it. That $4,000 men
are volunteers In this movement in the
Episcopal church is proof conclusive that
young men are interested in religious
things.
Because this society is called brother
hood we are not to suppose that it is
colored in any way with tho spirit of
medieval asceticism. 1t is an up-to-d date
organization pervaded with the spirit of
the age. Its members are men who are
out in the world fighting it's battles, bear
ing it's burdens, enduring it's temptations
ana winning share of its victories. A
rIopoo ot fha facaa Of the mon who no,r
pose gathering of the Brotherhood will
convince one that they are something
more than company Of mystics engaged
in the task of spiritual contemplation.
7 cir attention is not SO much given to
themselves as it is to the world about
them. The model man for the Brother
hood Is not John the Baptist but Jesus
Christ, who went about doing good.
. This Brotherhood binds men together
by means of noble and pure purpose
and then allows the widest liberty to the
individual in the realization OF that pur-
pose. Unity of purpose with diversity OF
method may be considered the great I'M
DERIVING principle of the organization.
There can be then, nothing mechanical
about the Brotherhood of ST. Andrew.
1t aims to inspire each individual with
the desire to make personal effort to
make some one man feel the Importance
Of eternal things. 1t is expected that each
man Will 9aCn Gay uGVo d WOEk W uo t'iAu
that he will do 1t according to his light
and ability They. are taught that this
work will not remove them from the
world, but rather take them where the
fight is iercest and longest. The Brother
hood man is taught that he is not a mem
Der of the ambulance corps. lie is SOL
der, leading the advance, and while he
may be ready to help 81 wounded brother
off the field, yet he must return to the
front at the earliest opportunity.
The men who will attend the conven-
ton at ST. Luke's cathedral, represent the
Brotherhood in New England. They
come for counsel and inspiration. They
represent nearly every calling in life. But
ali are animated by the single desire to
spread the kingdom of Christ among
young men. Such An organization of
young men not only benefit the world at