The Washington herald., 1914-07-12

Exactly twenty religious denominations
are represented in the list of 40 delegates
thus far reported by the missionary edu-
cation movement as having registered for
its summer conference now in session at
Silver Bay. y. Y. July 1913. These dele
gates are chiefly drawn from Central and
| Southern New England. New York State,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania, though
some are coming from points as far away
as Minnesota and Kentucky. Most OF the
delegates are young men and women, but
this Silver Bay conference, WHICH is now
in its thirteenth year. is coming more and
more to represent the whole church Sun
day schools. women's societies. young
peoples societies. and church missionary
committees are learning that this is the
place to gain inspiration for the task of
spreading missionary knowledge. as well
! as for acquiring a practical knowledge Of
how to go about it
The delegate of the Christian Endeavor
Society of First Congregational Church,
Miss Elizabeth Russell. is attending the
conference and will make report OF its
work to her society.
Swat the lie." is the slogan adopted
by the Associated Advertising Clubs of
America at their recent convention held
in Toronto. Honesty is not only the best
policy-it is the only policy" was a senti-
ment applauded by the convention. I'VE
have come here not to reform the world.
but to reform ourselves" was the eX-
preston of several speakers. and ap-
peared 10 be the keynote of the conven-
ton. The religious note was prominent
throughout the convention. Appeals 10
high ethical and religious principles al
ways received hearty applause Religion
in Business" was emphasized when a
number of lay delegates occupied the
leading pulpits of the city on Sunday
morning.
On May Il. the Epworth League. of
the Methodist Church. celebrated its
twenty-fifth anniversary. The league
had its origin in the necessity for single
unified organization to take the place OF
the several societies that were trying to
keep themselves individually. The con-
vention that set this great young peoples
movement to going met in Cleveland. in
1889. Delegates from the five church
societies came to Central Church. Cleve-
land, at the invitation of the pastor
there. There were three purposes in his
probable federation
and possible union. The following inter
esting story of the meeting is told by
the Epworth Herald: There were
twenty-seven men in the little class
room of Central Church on May Il, 1859.
and when the meeting began no man
could forecast the outcome of their dis
cussions. At one time they were so far
from agreement that the delegates from
Cne of the societies withdrew, seeing no
hope of any profitable result But two
days of conference and fellowship. even
though each man was a sturdy defender
Of his own society. brought broadening
vision and hotter eagerness that there
should be one great body of young peo-
pie in the church. Far into the night Of
the second day every group had given
up something and contributed something:
there was a happy blunder which settled
the vexed question of the name OF the
new organization, and the Epworth
League of the Methodist Episcopal
Church was born" The league was hailed
by some as a providential institution; by
others as a child of dissension and divi- |
sion. The news of the Cleveland merger |
was received by the young people Of |
the whole church with an enthusiasm
that swept everything before il, and the |
record of the first year or two amazed |
the most sanguine. That the sentiment |
of the church is still strong for the |.
league was evidenced by the result of a |
recent QuestionnaIre.
In a recent number of The Nation ap- |
peared an interesting symposium on the /
question, Has the Protestant church .
lost ground in endeavoring to make itself |
a social and sociological force?" The par
represented the educational and .
literary worlds and the religious bodies. !
Those taking part in the discussion were
Samuel A. Eliot, president of the Ameri- |
can Unitarian Association; George A.
Gordon, pastor Of the Old South Church.
Boston; W. S. Rainsford. formerly rector
Of st. Georges Episcopal Church, New
York; Charles F. Thwing. president Of
Western Reserve University. and Mere
dith Nicholson, the author All these
men practically agree that the church
must be social force II it would be loyal
to Christ and successful in His service
Rev. Robert +. Coyle, famous as Pres