The Ordway new era., 1914-09-11
ouBTLEss no other man

SO many miles and done 30
large work for the world
w as Rev. Francis E. Clark.
~ D. D.. LII. D., founder of
u the Christian Endeavor So
ciety and president Of the
Worlds Christian Endeavor union.
Doctor Clark was born at Aylmer.
Que, Canada, September II. 1851.
Thirty.three years ago Doctor Clark
was pastor Of the Wiiliston Congrega-
tional church of Portland. Me. He was
then n young man Just fresh from col
lege and seminary. Williston church
was q typical New England church.
with all Of the problems and difhcul-
ties that those churches had to meet.
In the winter of 1880-1881 q series
Of special evangelistic services In the
church had led great many young
people into church membership. This
wise young pastor realized that II
those young people we're to be held for
the church they must be trained for
service. they must have something to
do. and they must be shown how to
do II. He called his young people to-
gether. and on February 2. 1881, the
nrst Christian Endeavor society was
formed, the first Christian Endeavor
pledge was signed. and the following
Sunday the first Christian Endeavor
prayer meeting was held.
From. that small beginning In Port
land the society has spread and grown.
until today there afe more than 10000
Christian Endeavor societies in the
world, with more than 100000 mem
bers.
There are Christian Endeavor soci-
eties in every country of the world.
and each week meetings are conducted
in more than eighty different Ian
guages; the literature OF the society
has been printed In as many tongues.
Something like 1900 daily. weekly and
monthly periodicals carry Christian
Endeavof news; more than 200 perl
odicals are devoted entirely to the
work of Christian Endeavor. There
are more than 750 different kinds of
books, leaflets. cards. etc. published
for use In the work Of the society and
as aids to 1t. Millions of pages of
special printed matter are issued sv-
cry year.
From almost the very beginning Of
the movement Christian Endeavor has
been interdenominational in its scope
and work. Though 1t began in . Con-
Kregational church, today there are 81
different denominations that take
Christian Endeavor as their young
peoples society. Throughout The world
there are probably more Methodist
Christian Endeavor societies than
those Of any other denomination.
though in North America many Of the
Methodist churches have purely de-
nominational young peoples society.
On this continent there are more So
cieties in Presbyterian churches than
in those Of any other denomination;
the Christian church has the second
largest number Of societies, the Con-
Rregational third. the Baptist fourth.
In England, Burma and India the Bap-
lists lead in Christian Endeavor, while
in Australia, Spain, France and other
countries the Methodists lead; in Nor
way. Denmark, Germany and Russia
the Lutherans lead; in Italy the Wal
densians, etc.
No agency has done more to bring
the Christian people OF all denomina-
tions closer together than has this
great society. The present tendency
toward unity Of Christian people and
churches Is due. in large part. to
Christian Endeavor. with its more
than $4,000 union meetings every year.
ranging from local and county Chris
tian Endeavor union gatherings OF ono
hundred or less to the state, interna-
tional and worlds conventions. with
thousands and tens Of Thousands of
delegates present. Some of the county
conventions in this country are large;