The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-07

Remarkable Inter
RESULTS O FMEN AND RELIC
SHOWN IN INCREASE
The tangible results Of the eight-day
campaign Of the Men and Religion
Forward Movement in Des Moines are
far beyond the expectations Of those
whe were most intimately connected
with its promotion. and are a source OF
wonder to the entire city. All Of the
meetings during the eight-day cam
paign were largely attended and were
attended principally by men who had
made UP their minds to give Of their
time m energy to the further work
of the movement. They Went with
note books and determined to secure
every new idea that would be Of bene-
tit to them in the work to be done in
the individual churches and through
the general committees for the entire
city.
The result was that the men of Des
Moines We're thoroughly convinced
that the eight-day campaign was only
THE beginning of the real campaign
which Is to continue not.only through
eight months but through all the years
to come. The delegates who went to
Silver Bay gave a great cal Of time
before the campaign to e%xpatiating up
on the practicabality of the various
features Of the movement and upon
the splendid equipment of the team of
experts who We're to visit the city. All
of these men have been delighted with
the expressions of their friends and
fellow laymen to the effect that they
did not state the case strongly enough
and that the experts who visited Des
Moines We're far better equipped than
the people at large had been led to be-
lieve.
Immediately after the eight-day
campaign, steps We're taken to form an
interchurch council composed of rep
resentatives from all of the participant
ing churches. Each church brother
hood was requested to name two rep
resentatives for each subject. that is to
say. " men to represent social serv-
ice. two to represent missions. two to
represent Community Extension, two
representing bible study, two repre-
senting evangelism and two represent
ing boys work. In some cases where
the church was small only one repre-
sentative was named for a commit
tee. A great majority of the churches
have already named their representa-
tivcs and one meeting OF the inter-
church council has been held. This
was full Of enthusiasm n some of
the practical results will be outlined
in this article.
1t might be well to state that. as far
as possible. the men Of the different
churches are being enlisted along diff
ferent lines Of work. Men have been
asked to volunteer for social service,
community extension, boys work, and
the other phases of the movement.
This gives every church a strong COM
mittee of active workers which will
devote its efforts primarily to the work
that they have chosen in their w
church and will cooperate with the
interchurch department for city work.
The result has been that the religious
life of every church has been quicken
ed. More men nave volunteered for
service than eve before in the his
tory Of the Des Moines churches. and
this work is not complete. New vol
unteers are being received daily, and
in every church in the city will be
aligned with some n or two phases
of the work. Men are much more
willing to attend church services and
attend committee meetings than ever
before, and all have expressed them
selves as delighted with the prospect
ahead for definite aggressive work.
The work Of the interchurch council
is conferred in the Des Moines Y. NJ. c.
A. 1t is more than probable that this
Will become the permanent center OF
the work and that the Y. NJ. G. A. will.
in fact. become not only the headquar-
tiers but the center W of which ali
city work will radiate.
Nearly two hundred men were pres
ont ot tho fret mooffn0 NJ tho fnfpV.
church council held last week. TIE
definite results of the work can be he:,
outlined by a synopsis Of the reports
presented by the various committee.
at this gathering.
. The first definite outgrowth of tho
eight-day campaign in Des Moines was
in the direction Of bible study. Before
the team of experts left the city. j,
was announced that plans had beer
worked out to establish a Sunday
school workers and teachers training
institute for the entire city. This in
jstitute is held on Monday evening o.
each week and will continue through.
out the year. Undoubtedly, It will be
come q permanent thing In bible stud,
. work in the city. A faculty Of som'
fourteen members composed OF thu
best authorities on the different phasel
of bible study has been secured. ant
two meetings OF the institute have al
i ready been held. About one hundred
and fifty were present at the frs
meeting. and at the second meetin,
over two hundred were in attendance
= A nominal registration fee of one dol
: lar mas been agreed upon to pay RUIZ
ming expenses. All Of the instructor
i and teachers give their scrviccs free o
l charge. Practically every phase o
bible study is being taken up. Their
q are classes for superintendent. DO,
:, workers. kindergarten teachers. pri
u mary and intermediate teachers. new
8 testament students, old testament stu
dents, q class in child psychology.
d class in story telling, and several 9th
ers. Nothing has " occurred in tn
Il history Of bible study work that ha
- aroused as much enthusiasm as thi
& institute. Many Sunday schools ar
- paying the enrolment fees of all q
o their teachers and workers who dcsir
. to Join the institute.
The committee on boys work is ca
operating in his institute. a specia
h feature being the class for the train
ing of boy workers. In addition,
. special committee of seventy nine hig
II school boys has been formed to CO
n operate with the committee Of on
hundred. These high school boys al