Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-06-25
The Boys Brigade.
BY b. TIL. Bliss.

The United Boys Brigade of Ameri-
ca is religious organization in Mill
tary form composed of boys of twelve
years and upward, and is represented
in every continent in the world and
spoken of by those thoroughly familiar
with the subject as ''The grandest boys
movement that the world has everf
seem"
The object is the advancement o
Christ's Kingdom among boys and the
promotion of habits of obedience, re-
verence, discipline, self respect and all
that tends toward true Christian
manliness. This object is successfully
accomplished by means of Military
organization and drills as used in the
Infantry, hospital, signal and other
departments of the United States
Army.
The Boys Brigade was organized in
Scotland by Gen. William Smith of
Glasgow, in October 1888. At present
there are over twenty-five thousand
boys belonging to the organization in
America. There are fourteen compan-
les in Philadelphia and four thousand
members in the entire state. National
Headquarters is located at Pittsburg,
Pa, and General HI. P
Bope is Commander-in-C Chief of the
organization.
Major-General Clement M. Devine is
in command of the Division of Penn
sylvania with headquarters located at
Philadelphia.
The organization is as follows: Two
or more companies form Battalion;
two or more battallions regiment and
five or more regiments constitute
brigade.
The company is the working unit
and it must be connected with
church, mission, Sunday school or
other christian organization which
shall have full control of the religious
instruction of the company.
The companies are officered by gen.
tlemen desirous of promoting the OBJ
ject of the Brigade.
Each company is under the COM
mand of captain, whose junior Off
GERS are lieutenants. Two or more
companies in town usually organize,
with the sanction of headquarters, into
battalion. We have three compan-
les organized or nearly organized in
Ridgway-Co. / of the Episcopal
church, Go. K of the NJ. E, church, ,and
Co L of the Presbyterian church. Also
one company, Co M of fifty six mem
bers organized at Emporium, Pa
These companies form the third battal-
lion of the fifth regiment of which Col
A. d. Burns of Bradford is in COM
mand and of which | have the honor to
be major.
Co. has been organized nearly four
years and during that time the mem
bers have drilled faithfully and we'll
and acquired considerable proficiency.
Companies X and L are at the pres
ent being recruited up to their full
complement; are starting out with
every prospect of success and deserve
to receive the hearty cooperation of
the parents OF every boy of suitable
age who may enlist.
Co. Nj of Emporium is comprised of
fifty-siX members of all denominations.
This company is very enthusiastic in
the work and is credit to the third
battalion and the fifth regiment.
Before joining one of these compan-
les each boy is required to sign an en-
lstment blank containing the follow
ing pledge: "God helping me. prom
ise and pledge that / will do all in my
power for the advancement of Christ's
Kingdom among boys, and the promo
tion of habits of obedience, reverence
discipline, selfrespect and all that tends
towrad true christian manliness; that
| will obey faithfully all the Company
rules; and and that will at all times
set an example of good conduct to my
comrades and other boys"
The ministers of the different
churches are elected chaplains of their
church companies and have full con-
troll of the religious training of the
boys.
Military drill according to the Unit
ed States Drill Regulations adopted
June %, 1904, is used as means to Sc
cure the interest of the members, and
train them to habits of obedience, dis
cipline, neatness, promptness, courtesy
etc. This drill does not tend to stimu- |
late spirit of militarism as many sup
pose, but rather to teach patriotism in
it's truer sense. True patriotism diff. |
fers as much from militarism as the |
spirit of '76 differs from that of some |
pugiist about to enter the arena Boys |
are naturally very natrintic mnnh |