The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-07-04
juvenile Religious Societies

r
Preparations are now being made for
the conyvntions OF the Christian En-
deavor Society at st. Paul. Mimi, ana
OF the Epworth League at Seattle.
wash. both Of which are to be held
from July to ~. Tens Of thousands
of members OF these great religious So
cietiea and their friends will attend
these convictions. For six days WASH
tngton and Minnesota will resoainds
with song, prayer and exhortton. II
the past 10 any criterion. the world
viii pay more attention to the doings
Of these two conventions during their
sessions, and to religious matters gem
orally, than to the tariff. crime. or any
other matter OF public interest. The
conventions viii probably exchange
greetings by wire and there may be
some discussion OF the question Of .
possible federation Of the two socie-
ties and others Of similar character.
The Christian Endeavor Society and
the Epworth League are striking ex-
amples of successful religious organi-
ration for the young. The movement
from which they developed began less
than thirty years ago. Today not less
than 100000 members are enrolled
under the banners Of various young
peoples religious societies, including
every race and creed scattered over
every continent and the isles Of the
sea.
There is considerable difference OF
opinion as to which OF the great re-
ligious societies for the young was In
the field irst. Two centuries. or more.
ago, Cotton Mather, the celebrated
Massachusetts, divine and foe Of witch
craft, published an elaborate treatise
on how to revive the interest OF the
young In religion. After him, and be-
fore him, possibly, there were many
others, who attempted to form church
societies for young people. These or
ganizations were local In character.
Many of them did not MI the require
ments OF the situation. Perhaps the
time was not ripe for their success.
1t was not until 1881 that theNpres-
ent movement really began to grow.
In that year Rev. Francis r.. Clark
pastor of the wiliiston Congregational
Church at Portland, Me-. organized
what is said to have been the first
young peoples society OF Christian En-
deavor He secured the cooperation
of q number Of boys and girls in mis-
congregation In plan which included
q promise from every one Of them to
participate In the work of the society
and in Its frequent services. It was
not long before the idea took hold In
other churches. In 1882 the hrsi
Christian Endeavor convention was
held with half q dozen branches rep
resented. Some Methodists insist that
In 1880 a local society bearing the
name "Christian Endeavor," was or
ganized in a Methodist Church at AL
Iegheny, Pa.
However this may be, It was under
DR.. Clarks leadership that the society
developed AS q benefactor OF man.
kind he is classed with George VIII
liams. founder of the Young Mems
Christian Association, who was knight
ed by Queen Victoria for his work, and
Gen. william Booth, organizer and
head of the salvation Army Dr.
Clark Is alive today and at the head
Of the international society which ne
unwittingly started. Unlike othei
young peoples religious societies. tne
Christian Endeavor IL not confined &c
aectarfan lines. Its membership Is d.
vided among 100 religious denomina-
tons.
In 1908, there were seventy odd
thousand Christian Endeavor societies
in local churches with total member
shin of nearly 100000, chiefly In thu
United states. Canada, Australia, Greai
Britain. China, Japan, India and th'
missionary lands. The headquar teTs
of this tremendous organization Is q
Boston. aAfiinated with theRsoeiety II
the Young Peoples Christian Endeavol
Union With d total membership OF ga
$50 In 2,215 societies, including b7s
Junior societies. This union was or
eanized in 1890. More than nifty ma
tons or large colonial dependencies
and over 100 denominations. speaking
eighty languages are represented In ths
society.
over fifty periodicals devoted to the
interests Of the society are published
in fifteen languages, while many otffeI
periodicals and newspapers have their
Christian Endeavor Departments. Prob
ably 5000 state and local unions Of
societies hold regular meetings
throughout the world. The Presbyte-
rian church is perhaps more numer-
ously represented In this country, with
the Disciples of Christ and the Congre-
rational Church close seconds. In
Great Britain the Baptist and Metho-
dist Churches lead in the membership
of the society. More Endeavorers are
connected with the Baptist Temple OF
Philadelphia than with any other
church, there being fourteen societies
with sixty members each.
The Christian Endeavor Society dis
tributes no literature except the con-
stitution of the organization. 1t has