The Washington herald., 1911-02-11
THE TREND OF THINGS

11lL 1INL1ND vi 1A1A4NOO
Last Monday morning the Rev. War
rem Gelston, secretary of the young peo-
pies work in the Presbyterian Church
addressed the Presbyterian clergy Of
Washington. Conhning his attention to
the work of the Christian Endeavor So
ciety among the Preshyterians. and in an
effort to give an exact statement of con-
ditions, he exhibited the results of an
extensive inquiry as To the status and
efficacy of these societies throughout the
church While replies TO his questions
differed widely. the impression, accord
ing to his Interpretation, indicates positive
usefulness and efficiency with an Optim-
iStic outlook toward the future.
The speaker noted a changed viewpoint
as to the function of the Christian En-
deavor Society. From the original idea
Of the founder and early leaders which
held it to have exclusively an express
sional function in the development OF
Christian life. depending largely upon
the public expression with regard to re-
lisiolrs experience, there seemed to be a
change, and now the emphasis is upon
the character building and educational
function. This Is seen in the systematic
study of religion and of related religious
subjects, which is now being promoted
This is all the more necessary" declared
Secretary Cseiston- since the sunday
schools Of F'rotestanism are giving only
twenty-four hours year TO the actual
class instruction in the Bible. and ii
would seeLI obvious that religion cannot
teach all a Christian. especially a young
growing Christian. ought TO know about
his faith and religious truth in that short
time"
Religion and the Home.
Two meetings Of national Importance
are scheduled for the coming fortnight.
The first Is the annual convention of the
Religious Educational Association, which
meets in Providence February "A to I6
and which has for its theme Religious
education and the American home"
President W. H. ?. Faunce. LII D.,
Brown University, Will give the address
Of welcome Right Rev. William Law
renee, Bishop Of Massachusetts, will
speak on The American situation" Mrs !
Frederick SchOf. president of the Ma
tional Congress of Mothers, speaks on
The obligation OF home and church TO
the children Among others who are
announced in the preliminary programme
are Rev. Lyman Abbott Right Rev !
James de Wolf Perry, Bishop Of Rhode !
Island; Rabbi David PhiIipson, Miss Jane
Adams, Hull House, Chicago: Frank T |
Sanders, president of Washburn College:
Sha1Ier Mathews, dean of the Divinity !
School, the University Of Chicago: Rev |
Henry F. Cope, c. W EOtaw. professor |
of the University Of Chicago. George |
Albert COe. Union Theological Seminary, |
and Abram w. Harris, president of |
Northwestern University
Indications are that the cause of re |
ugious education as promoted by the |
Religious Educational Association in its |
svveTaI departments is receiving a de- |
cided impetus The convention city it !
self will lend added interest to the theme |
OF the convention. Here are located !
Brown University. with its new John |
Hay Library, Moses Brown School, the !
old Independence Han. and Betsy Will |
t1ms cottage-aII places of great historic
interest.
Looking Toward Golden Gate.
Marion Lawrance of Chicago, general
secretary of the International Sunday
School Association. who has recently re-
turned from d comprehensive trip to
California, says:
connection with the International Sun
day School Association. preceded by ff-
teen years of close relation with it, in
my Judgment we have never faced an
international convention which began to
compare in Importance with the one to
be held in San Francisco next June The
time and place are strategic. and our
brethren all up and down the Pacific
Coast are looking forward with the most
eager anticipations TO the blessings that
are coming to them because of this
gathering. California needs US and San
Francisco needs us. This city. which
has rebuilt herself in less than four
years, has a population of $4,000 people,
but less than 15,OOG OeSs than 1 per cent
OF the population are connected with
the Protestant churches. The Pacific
Coast needs this convention. Warning
clements Of Christian and foreign re-
hg1Ons are coming face to face here. Our
fornia with the choicest picked Sunday
school people ever assembled in any
Sunday school convention before"
Mr.. Lawrance adds that the Sunday
school is the golden gate to the church's
promised land" There are 2S5,OOO Sun
day schools in the world to-day, with an
enrolment of 100000 persons. In the
past three years throughout the world
there has been a gain Of 5000 Sunday
schools and 100000 members, and II is
q matter of official record that during
the three years 800 Sunday school MEM
bers have Joined the church for every
day Of the year.
Ali