The Washington times., 1902-07-28
Organization at Mount
Vernon Place Comes
to End.
BY ORDER OF THE PASTOR
Wanted to Make Room for a Branch of
the Epworth League - No Row in
Church, But Members of Organization
Publish Resolutions of Protest.

render to the forces OF the Epwo, tn
League. laying down their arms and dis
banding their forces.
The crescent-lil,e symbol of the &C.
E." people was pulled down last week
to make way for the Maltese Cross of
the Leaguers by request Of Rev. For
rest ]. Prettyman, pastor of the church,
but the evacuation of the position was
not unattended with protest.
The Christian Endeavor Society of
Mount Vernon Place Church was one
of the strongest in the city. having
been founded about twelve years ago.
aud numbering in its ranks about 100
people. The Christian Endeavor Society
is in:erdenominational. a member of
any Protestant church may belong, re-
gardless of age. sex. color. race. or
previous condition of servitude. Not so
with the Epworth Leaguers. Before a
person is eligible TO have his name
spread on the muster roll of the Ep-
worthian body he must come forward
with the proofs that he is a Methodist.
The Epworth League has had wonder
full growth since its foundation, but its
primary function seems to be to sup
plement the work of the church. The
idea seems to be to catch them young
and keep them Methodists.
Purely Methodist Society.
Perhaps the INSTRUMENTATION
character and come one. come all
spirit of the Christian Endeavor people,
as opposed to the more distinctivelv
sectarian trend of the league, was
what decided the ruling powers of
Mount Vernon Place Church that the
former must go to give place to a
branch of the latter. It was evidently
had young peoples society OF the
Methcdists, for the Methcdists, and by
the Methodists, that Mount Vernon
Place Church needed an Epworth League
society, and not a Christian Endeavor
Society. II is possible that the thought
attacked the pastor and determined
him to force the Christian Endeayor
Society cut of existence and erect an
Epworth League society among its
Iu4lS. anu idlEtlE Win lHt sdIlt ina
terials. At any rate, he requested the
Christian Endeavorers TO disband. They
did so. with most commendable obedi-
ence, and, as they state, rather than
cause a church controversy.
But before the organization thus made
its own quietus it adopted a resolution
last Tuesday that all the world might
know 1t was not willingly that it died
The resolution Is as follows:
Resolved, That we, the members OF
the Young Peoples Society OF Chris
tian5 Endeavor OF Mount Vernon Place
Methodist Episcopal Church South.
Washington. D. C.. hereby declare our
continued love and loyalty to the prin-
oiples Of Christian Endeavor: but, rec
ognizing the authority Of cur pastor,
and in obedience TO his (Rev. Forrest
j. Prettyman's) request, do hereby dis
band as an organization, but under pro-
test
Not Rushing to Join.
The pastors efforts to start a league
among the young folk CT the church who
belonged to the Endeavor Society will. /
it is stated, be somewhat hampered by
his action in forcing the dissolution of
the latter. Many of the members of
the old society. while they Will not go |
so far as to withdraw from the church. |
will pass the entrance to the new sheep |
fold blindly By. refusing 10 enter in and /
be branded with the Maltese cross. They !
will still retain their membership in the
general organization of the Christian |
Many of them regard the action Of |
the pastor and the church authorities |
as a backward step. They say that they /
were very well satisfied with the En-
deavor Society. which works along |
twelve different lines Of religious and |
social activity and adiliates with similar |
bodies Of a number of different chu1ches. |
II Is said by eminent authorities on .
matters connected With this class Of .
Juvenile aEnexes TO church bodies that
the Epwcrth League works along only
three lines Of religious activity
Publication of Resolution.
The erstwhile Endeavorers state that
their action in making public the resolu-
Lion Of protest was to prevent the rest
Of that ilk in the District thinking that
the society dwindled, peaked and pined
through lack OF inherent vlgor. It never
tiA Lfbtti IL ibn litt imam Al the Time
Of its death, and it wished its co-work-
.rs to know the fact as it has taken
prominent part in Eudeavor affairs in i
he District for some time The En-
are, however. very careful to
state that there was no church contro-
'ersy preceding their action TO disband-
ng. The action was taken to avoid the
Of unpleaSan;ncss Of that
,ort, and Got as result OF it. they say. !
Rev. MIR. Prettyman was asked yester-
lay the reason why he had requested !
he Endeavorers 10 disband but de {
lined TO discuss It for publication. =
Mr.. =. J.. Dietrich. who was president
II the Endeavor Society at the time of /
Is demise. said yesterday that It was
lot likely that many Of the old members t.
would enter The Epworth League So
iety, but hat they would still continue t
o be members OF the general Christian
cn6eayor Society. lie said:
There was no controversy or un-
,ieasantness. however, in the church in /
eRaTd to the matter. We disbanded /
nder protest that the other societies n
he District might not think We had :
ost interest In the work.