The evening times., 1902-05-14
ANNIVERSARY OF
EPHORIH LBAGUBRO
Local Organization to Ceie-
brate Birthday.
HAMLINE CHURCH EXERCISES
Many Prominent Workers in the Great
Methodist Auxiliary Body to PaTtici-
pate-oficers and Leading Lights in
the District Society.

The members of the Epworth League Of
the District viii celebrate the fourteenth
anniversary of the foundation of the or
ganization at Ham1ine Methodist Episcopal
Church this evening. Among the leading
lights Of Methodism who will be present
and take part in the exercises is Rev.
Joseph F. Berry general secretary of the
League, and editor of its Official organ,
the "Bpworth Herald
This organization was ushered into ex-
istenee May Is, 1889, with total member
ship of twenty-seven. Today it has over
2,C00,000 in the senior league alone. while
the junior league. which had scarcely
been dreamed Of thirteen years ago, now
has a membership which runs Up into the
thousands. New chapters are being or
ganized at the rate Of about twelve
week.
Fourteen Years of Good Work.
To find the genesis Of this wonderful
organization it VIII be necessary to 20
Back to 1872. when the first effort was
made to provide uniform organization
for the Methodist young people, and the
general. conference Of that year was ne
moralized to give recognition to the
Church Lycsum, a society which had al
ready gained considerable influence IN
Philadelphia ana vicinity The memorial.
was not adopted until the general con-:
ference Of 1876 when IL became part Of
the organic Ifn Of the Methodist Epis-
eePaI Church Tae 1yceum in turn gave
place to the oxford League. In the begin
NJ
psopies societies came into existence,
namely. the Eoung Peoples Methodist
alliance, the Young Peoples Christian
League, the Methodist Young Peoples
Union, aad the Methodist Episcopal Ali
s1ce- Each 8f these societies was quite
active IN Pushing It's respective orgariza-
ten which resulted IN opposition and
friction when they began to operate in
che another's territory.
Birth Of the Organization.
at was recognized by each one that some
step shouIh be taken TO harmonic and
eentralize the work. Finally ti.S Metho-
dist Alliance proposed a conference. and
Dr. 3. T. Dimmick, pastor OF the Central
Church. Cleveland. Ohio. invited rs.re-
sentatives OF the societies to meet in that
church. The Invitation was accepted and
the leaders met Nay II, 1889. After a
spirited debate, mueh prayer and consul /
tation. the work vas accomplished. and
the news was flashed over The wire next
day that 2 union had been formed known /
as the EIworth League.
Our Youth, 2 pa per recognized as the /
Official organ OF the oxford League, was !
adopted as the -temPoEary organ of the /
Ifew Organization The founding of the /
:. .Epworth Herald rs the official organ I
Of the league marked z new eDoch in the3
nHblicatlon Of church periodicals. RevSi
Joseph T. Berry, d. D., was elected editor /
and the first Issue came from the press in
Nav 1Seo has the largest circulation
Z any Sseekly ehaTeh payer paoFfsEleI IA II
be Yorld It's subscription list shows
lTer ice 000 subscribers It IS 4 twenty
sur-page illustrated paper. and at ever
be small price OF 81 per year is pub
Shed at a financial profit greater than ! s
hat of all other official papers Of the
fethodist Episcopal Church combined. J
More than 500, coo per annum IN ret ]
rofits is turned over 10 the conference
fund.
Chapters All Over the World.
The. sun never sets on the Epworth !
eagCe. It's chapters are located in some y
wenty foreign countries, ranging in lati-
J :
adfnally it belts the globe There arc
lore than fifty chapters in Germany. 1
early as many in Switzerland. twenty in
enmark, and IN India, where the church /
ad not single adherent foTty-two years
go, there are now over 185,G0J Ep-
-orthians
The league Is Offered by a president,
1ur vice presidents, secretary. treasurer.
nd-a superintendent Of the Junior
eague, all of whom are elected by the
hapter except the latter, who is appoi.ss-
I by the pastor. The president is mem
er OF the quarterly conference, and must
e z member OF the Methodist Episcopal {
hgFeh. and other officers members Of the :
ethodist Episcopal Church or some
7angelicaI church. The different organi-
atoms are known as district leagues
Inference and general conference dis
.ict.
District conventions are held annually. |
anera1 conference district every TWO U
ears, and international bienniaIIy Wash | 4
gton is in the Fourth General Confer
nee district, which holds its convention
this city June 1922. b
a maltese cross with the words Look | e
?; lift Up is the Official badge. and tho t
hcial coloFs are a white ribbon with a | r
.ariet thread through the center
Miss Esther r. Woodward, third vice
'esident OF the District League, is serv- I
e her second term IN that capacity. {
be is member OF Wesley Chapel which
.ague she has served in the positions Of
.eretary, third vice president, and super
tendent Of the Junior League. The lat q
r position she acceptably fills today, IN L
idition to being superintendent of the
-imary department OF the Sunday school / G
iss woodward is a native of this city n
Id is a graduate Of its high and normal
.hools. 5eiIg at present a teacher in the n
Ibiic school 4
President La Fetra.
Mr. Edwin S La Fetra, president OF
ie washington District Epworlh League,
one Of the most popular men in its
relies. He has filed this position longer
ian any OF his predecessors. In former
;aTs ne vas fourth vice president. and /,
Is served three terms as president OF 7
etropoiitan Chapter, Of which church he | 7
an active member.
His connection with the Y. NJ. c. A
IS been OF vital interest as chairman OF
e reception committee Mr. La Fetra
as born in the District Of Columbia \
e was in the high school class Of 90.
'epared for college at the Emerson In
itute, and graduated from Princeton / I
1885. He is at present proprietor OF I
e Hotel La Fetra. OF this city.
Editor of the Herald.
Rev. Joseph F. Berry, D. D, general I
.cretary Of the Epworth League and
!itor Of the "Epworth Herald, the off,
al organ Of the league, is one of the
ost popular men in MethodIsn He was
died 10 Chicago from Detroi. 10 as
lme the editorship Of the ''HeraId'' IN a