iG PEOPLE'S 50GIET1E Leonard WoolseyBac ACTICAL WORKER »OOIK IWH HWMSIWffi *m» LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Chap. L Copyright No. Shells UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. gcmbBoofte for Qprarftcaf HQ9orfterB in £0urc0 cmb (ptftfantffrapg EDITED BY SAMUEL MACAULEY JACKSON PROFESSOR OF CHURCH HISTORY IN NEW YORK UNIVERSITY. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES Young People's Societies BY / LEONARD WOOLSEY BACON AND CHARLES ADDISON NORTHROP BOTH OF NORWICH, CONN. Hew JtJorfe LENTILHON & COMPANY 150 FIFTH AVENUE 1900 L ■ TWO COPIES RECEIVED tjbrary of Cvs »£?*«% Uffloo ©f th« M^S T 1900 Agister --if Copyright* ^q-* /1&\ 56694 Copyright, 1900, By Lentilhon & Company StCOND COPY. \<* o o. CONTENTS. PART I.— HISTORICAL. PAGE Chapter I. — Lend-a-Hand Clubs 17-22 Tendency of Nineteenth Century Christian- ity to Organize on a Large Scale, 17; Many Forms, 17, 18; Dr. Hale's "Ten Times One is Ten," 19; The Resulting Clubs, 20; and Mag- azine, 21. Chapter II. — The International Order of The King's Daughters and Sons 22-27 First Circle of "The King's Daughters," 22\ "Declaration of Independence," 23, 24; Per- mitted Co-operation, 24, 25; Order Opened to Men and Boys, 25; Wonderful Growth in Ten Years, 25, 26; Periodical, Constitution and In- clusiveness, 27. Chapter III. — The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor 28-33 Independent Beginnings, 28; Organization of the First Society, 28; Growth in Succeeding Years, 29-31; The United Society, What It Is, and How Managed, 31, 32; Its Periodical and President, 32; Dr. Clark's Four Trips Abroad in the Interest of C. E., 32, 331 Christian En- deavor Principles, 33. (See also, 223-225.) Chapter IV. — Some Kindred Societies 33-44 1. The Epworth League, Why Formed, 34; How Formed, 35; Modification in the Ep- worth L^agtt^, So^itji, 35; Liberal Policy of the Canadian* LeaTgues, 36; a Like Compre- hensive Organization in Other Orders, 36, 37; Official Information^ .37. 2. The Baptist Young People's Union of America, "General Basis of Organization," 37 (see also, 225-227); Relation of Union to the Local Societies, and Official Information, 37. 3. The Luther League, Special Reasons for vii. Vlll CONTENTS. PAGE its Existence, 38, 39; Its Uniting Bond, its Extent, its Official Information, 39, 40. 4. The Young People's Christian Union of the United Brethren, its Affiliation With the Y. P. S. C. E., 40; Circumstances of its Origin, and Official Information, 40, 41. 5. The Young People's Christian Union of the Universalist Church, a Lineal Descendant of the Y. P. S. C. E., 41; Its Management and Liberal Attitude, 42; Scope of its Work, 43; Official Information, 44. Chapter V. — The Brotherhoods 44-55 1. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Doubk Reason for its Organization, 45; Its Growth, Conventions, Policy and Official Information, 46; Declaration of its Essential Principles, 46 (see also, 228, 229). 2. The Daughters of the King, Like the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Confined to the Protestant Episcopal Church, 47; Not to be Confounded With "The King's Daughters," 48; Its English Chapters, 48. 3. Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, First Chapter, in the Reformed Church, 48; Other Denominations Admitted, 49; Growth and Statistics, 49; Brotherhood Committees in Other Orders, 50. 4. Brotherhood of St. Paul, a Methodist Order of the Fraternity Type, 50; Supplements the Work of the Epworth Leagues, 51; Objects and Principles, 52; Scope of Work, 53; Its Influence and Official Information, 54, 55. PART II.— PRACTICAL. Chapter VI. — Types of Constitution 56-60 How Shall We Organize, 56; For Unselfish Service, the Lend-a-Hand Club, 56; If Evan- gelical Basis is to Be Emphasized, The King's Daughters and Sons, 57; For Self-improve- ment, Church Co-operation, and Enthusiasm of Members, the Original or Specialized Forms of the Y. P. S. C. E., 57; For Exclu- sively Denominational Purposes, the Brother- hood of St. Andrew, and the Daughters of The CONTENTS. IX PAGE King, 57; For Still Narrower Specialization, With Wide Interpretation, the Young Wom- en's Christian Temperance Union, or the Boys' Brigade, or the Knights of King Arthur, 58; these Distinctions Not Exclusive, 59; Good Deeds, and Good Heart Presuppose Each Other, 59, 60. Chapter VII. — Pledge, Covenant or Vow 60-65 The Pledge Constitutive, Whether Informal or More Specific, 60; The Y. P. S. C. E. Pledge as Type, 61; Its Solemn Nature, 61; Not to be too Specific, nor too Extra-Scrip- tural, 62; the Terminable Pledge, 63; the Christian Endeavor Pledge, a Full Testimony of Christian Faith, 63; Why Those Who Take it Need Not All be Church Members, 64; Why They Probably Should Be, 64; Tendency in This Latter Direction, 64, 65. Chapter VIII. — Saving OneJs Own Soul 65-68 Our Master's Warning (Matt, xvi, 25, 26), 65; Its True Meaning, 66; the Two Principles of Young People's Societies, Objective Truth, and Altruistic Service, 67; the Edification of Scripture Quotations, 68. Chapter IX. — Prayer 68-74 "The Prayer-meeting of Old," 68, 69; Its Defects Due to Decay of Faith, 69; Some Uses of Prayer: 1, as a Health-lift, 70; 2, as a Rhetorical Device, 70; 3, as a Vehicle for the Display of Pathos or Eloquence, 72; Will Prescribed Prayers Guard Against These Dangers? 73; the One Dominating Law of the Prayer-meeting, 73. Chapter X. — Singing in the Young People's Meeting 74-77 Various Uses of Music, 74; Singing in Wor- ship, Serious Business, 75; What is "Good Singing?" 76; Studying Hymns, No Help to Worship, 76, 77. Chapter XL— Service 77-87 Two Cautions, Against Selfishness and Priggishness, 77; Christianoid Charity, 78; the Outward Look, 78; Theoretical Danger of X CONTENTS. PAGE Priggishness, 79; Practical Avoidance of it in Young People's Meetings, 80; Shall Women Speak in Meeting? 80; Some Impossible Exegesis of I Cor. xiv, 34, 81-83; the Spirit of Paul's Instruction, 83, 84; No Moral Coercion, the Privilege of Keeping Silence, 86; Advant- ages and Disadvantages of Society Composed of Separate Sexes, 86. Chapter XII. — The Constituting of a Young People's Society 87-91 Begin With Few, 87; Dr. Clark's Sugges- tions, 88; Do Not Hurry, 89; Quotations From Handbook of St. Andrew, 90; the Purg- ing of Gideon's Army, 91. Chapter XIII. — The Form of Constitution... 91-99 Organization Below the Minimum, 91, 92; Shall the Organization be Without or Within Church Lines? Arguments pro and con, 93, 94; Without Church Lines, if for Service in Charitable Work With Widest Diversity of Operation, there are Lend-a-Hand Clubs, 94; if for Spiritual Edification and Service there is the Order of King's Daughters and Sons, 95; Both of these Orders Open to Church Circles, 96; Within Church Lines, there are Several Forms, the Greatest of All is Christian Endeavor, 96; Its Interdenominational Spirit, 96; Five Choices Open, 97, 98. Chapter XIV. — The Christian Endeavor Con- stitution : 99-1 16 "The Beginning of a Society of Christian Endeavor," 99; Hints About Starting, 101, 102; Draft of Constitution and By-Laws, 103- 116. Chapter XV. — The Epworth League Consti- tution '. 116-131 Forms, for Local Chapters, 1 18-122; Sug- gestions to Officers, 123-126; Like Suggestions in C. E. Work, 127, 128; Variation in Epworth Type in Epworth League, South, 129-131; Further Modifications, 129. Chapter XVI. — The Constitution of the Bap- tist Young People's Union 132-138 CONTENTS. xi t- i • PAGE Emphasis on Education, 132; Influence of C. E. and Epworth League Ideas, 133; Con- stitution for Local Union, 134-138. Chapter XVII. — The Luther League Consti- tution 138, 139 Object, Method and Results, 138, 139. Chapter XVIII. — The Constitutions of the Christian Unions 139-141 1. Young People's Christian Union of the United Brethren in Christ, 139, 140; Close Resemblance to Y. P. S. C. E. 2. Young People's Christian Union of the Universalist Church, 140; Christian Endeavor Inspiration; Suggestive Topics for Devotional Meetings, 141. Chapter XIX. — The Working of a Young People's Society. I. — Its Meetings 141-167 1. Meetings for Worship and Inspiration, 142-147; Hints on Prayer-meetings, 142-144; the Prayer-meeting Pledge in the Various Orders, 144, 145; the Consecration Meeting, -146; the Prayer-meeting Means Effective, In- telligent and Humble Service, 146, 147. 2. Meetings for Instruction, 148-167: (1) The Bible, 148-151; Place and Power of Bible Study, 148, 149; Bible Study Among the King's Daughters, 148; Among the Endeavor- ers, 149; in the B. Y. P. U., 150; in the Ep- worth League, 150, 151; Among the United Brethren, 151. (2) Missionary Study, 151-157; Missionary Revival Parallel With the Young People's Movement, 151; Missionary Work in C. E. Societies, 152; in Epworth League, 153; in B. Y. P. U., 153; Scheme of Conquest Missionary Course, 154-156; the Giving Part of Missionary Work, 156. (3) Temperance Study, 157, 158; Wide Range of Material In- volving Need of Care in Reaching Conclu- sions. (4) General Culture, 158-165; the Ep- worth Reading Course, 159; the Baptist C. C. C. Courses, 160; Advanced Courses, 160, 161; Prescribed Courses of Reading for Epworth Leagues, 161, 162; Books Studied by the Y. P. C. U. of the United Brethren, 162, 163; Rev. H» E. Wise's Method of Conducting His Xll CONTENTS. PAGE Christian Culture Courses, 163-165; What the Lutheran Young People are Reading, 165. (5) Christian Citizenship, 165-167; Empha- sized by Endeavorers and the Universalist Young People; Value of the Periodicals Pub- lished by the Several Orders, 167. Chapter XX. — The Working of a Young Peo- ple's Society. II. — Its Activities 167-178 Transition From Meetings to Activities Made Through Social Committee Work, 168; What- a Young People's Social Should Be, 168-170; Breadth of Activities, 170, 171; a • Leaf From New Jersey, 171, 172; Significance of the Mottoes, 173; Some C. E. Christian Citizenship Work for the Year 1894, 174-176; • • Business Meetings, 176, 177; Flexibility in Working, 178; Ritual, 178. Chapter XXL — Junior Societies 178-181 The Juniors Organized in All Orders, 179; the Junior Society and the Sunday-school, 179, 180; Forms of Junior Pledges, 180, 181; Objects, Equipment and Relations of Junior Work, 181. Chapter XXII. — Younger People's Societies. 181-188 The Many Forms and Names, 182, 183; Dr. Forbush's "Manual of Boys' Clubs," 183; the Boys' Brigade, 184-187; the Church Temper- ance Legion, 187, 188. Chapter XXIII. — Conventions 188-196 The Local Unions, 189; State and Interna- tional Conventions, 190; the Endeavor Con- ventions, 190, 191; Epworth League and B. Y. P. U. Conventions, 191, 192; the Fellowship of these Three, 193; Wider Fellowship, 193; Conventions of Brotherhood of St. Andrew, !93> 194; and of Andrew and Philip, 194, 195; of the Young People's Christian Union of the Universalist Church, 195; the Conventions, Great Summer Schools, 196. Chapter XXIV. — Federation 196-204 The Early Co-operation, 197; the Threat- ened Competition, 198; the Wider Co-opera- tion, 198, 199; Why Not Still Wider? 200; Closer Relations Attempted Between C. E. CONTENTS. XUi PAGE and Epworth League, 201; "Shall the Young People's Societies be Federated?" — Sym- posium in "The Independent," 202-204. Chapter XXV. — Results 205-221 1. Results Aimed At, 205-206; Training for Christian Character and Service. 2. Results Achieved, 206-216; in the Mem- bership, Consecration and Inspiration for Service, 206; in the Churches, More System- atic and Vigorous Work, 207; Results Secured Through Senior Societies, 208; Churches Or- ganized on C. E. Plan, 209; Increased Mem- bership in the Churches, and More Gifts for Missions, 209; Temperance and Good Citi- zenship Revivals, 210. Are the Societies Doing All that is Expected of Them? 210, Is too Much Expected? 211; Some Satisfactory Results in Attendance and Participation, 212; The Societies Not to be Held to Any One Thing, 212, 213; the Time Element Over- looked, Dangers, 213; Criticism of Epworth Leagues, 214; English Strictures on C. E. Work, 214; Twelve Manner of Fruit, 215. 3. Results Expected, 216-221; in the Line of Covenant, the Most Satisfactory Pledge, 216; the effects on the Churches, 217; in the Line of Culture, Increased Interest in Church and General History, and Scripture Study, 218; in the Line of Civics, Better Citizenship, Especially Along Temperance Lines, 219, 220; in the Line of Missions, Work at First Hand, Relief of Boards and Treasuries, 221; Provis- ion for Indefinite Continuance of Results, 221. YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES, PART I. HISTORICAL. CHAPTER I. LEND-A-HAND CLUBS. One conspicuous distinction of the Christianity of the nineteenth century, especially in America, is its tendency to large organization. It belongs, in- deed, to the essential nature of the Christian faith, that wherever it prevails it organizes itself. Love toward Christ's brethren is an invariable sign of spiritual life in Christ ; so that wherever Christians are, there must needs be the church ; and wherever churches are, there is manifested, in spite of all hindrances and perversions, the movement toward that general fellowship of holy souls which is de- fined in the Apostles' Creed as "the holy catholic church." But that large organization of which we have spoken as distinguishing the American Christianity of the nineteenth century has its own characteristic forms. A wonderful quickening of religious faith all over the inhabited continent, in the early years of the century, resulted in the institution of national charitable and missionary societies, first without re- gard to sectarian division, afterwards within the lines of the several sects. About the same time sprang up the system of 17 l8 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. Sunday-schools, attaching themselves to individual congregations as part of the parish equipment, and by and by entering into mutual leagues and cre- ating for themselves a vast literature. In the middle of the century, the Young Men's Christian Association was imported from London, and so fitted itself to a rapidly growing need of American cities, as to become established in great vigor and wealth in all parts of the country, and by a system of mutual correspondence and confedera- tion to grow into a national institution. The wonderful expansion and cheapening of transportation, travel and postal communication came to have the effect of rapidly nationalizing any successful local method of organization. Illustra- tions of this are to be found in the history of many "orders," "granges," "unions," and other like com- binations, for social, business or mutual insurance purposes. One of the most striking and admirable instances of the sort is found in the great and swift expansion of the Chautauqua movement. Begin- ning with a fortnight's picnic of a few Sunday- school teachers in a grove beside Chautauqua Lake, in New York State, in 1874, it has grown like a banyan tree, striking root from its branches, until after two decades, it has covered the continent with what is, in some respects, almost tantamount to a national university, numbering its students by scores of thousands. It was into the midst of a people thus predisposed to organization on the grand scale that the Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale, in the year 1870, sent YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 19 forth his extraordinary little book, entitled "Ten Times One Is Ten." In form, it was a Utopian fancy wrought out with that lively realistic detail in which its author excels all other English writers since De Foe. In effect and impression, it was a translation of the Acts of the Apostles into the dia- lect of nineteenth-century America. It reminds one of the New Testament scenes depicted in modern costumes and surroundings by von Uhde or L/Her- mitte. It tells how ten very unlike persons, inspired to a life of good service by the surviving influence of one noble character, were scattered in all direc- tions bearing in their hearts the inspiring mottoes : Look up and not down; Look forward and not back; Look out and not in; and Lend a hand. The original ten was multiplied by ten every three years, until at the end of twenty-seven years the whole world accepted faith, hope and love as the rule of life. It was characteristic of this beginning that it was without constitution or compact or other form of organization, but only with a vital principle. As in the story, so in the practical results of it. Little knots of helpful persons began to form them- selves without mutual correspondence and without any effort of propagation. The first club was formed in 1870, the year of the publication of Dr. Hale's story. At the end of twenty-five years, the Secretary of "The Ten Times One Corporation," which had been formed and chartered as an agency for the common business of the clubs of various 20 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. names that had adopted "The Wadsworth mot- toes/' reported : "It is simply impossible to know the number of people who have chosen these mottoes for their own. It has escaped, if ever it was held by the Central Office. Orders are formed that have multiplied with vigor. Clubs are re- ported, of whose existence the Central Office never knew. New clubs are forming and old ones are disbanding. Though they do disband, often single members, cherishing the mottoes, wait until the time shall come, when, in far- away towns or countries, they form a new Ten." In accordance with the ideal of the man who gave them a start, the common organization of the "Lend-a-Hand Clubs" and "Ten-Times-One Clubs" was of the simplest and slightest. In fact, they were not organized together at all, to begin with; they simply grew and multiplied, and had more or less, or none at all, of mutual correspondence. In 1874, a "Look-up Legion" was formed at Chautauqua, and gave occasion to Dr. Hale and his circle of friends at Boston to publish successive circulars, which by and by gave place to a monthly "Journal of Or- ganized Beneficence/' entitled "Lend a Hand." What followed upon this jnay best be told in Dr. Hale's own words : "Quite, without any conscious plan on the part of any of us, so soon as the magazine "Lend a Hand" was es- tablished, there flowed in upon its office a great variety of appeals and suggestions for charities, which no one of our clubs alone could attend to. In an informal way, the editors and other persons interested in the work met these appeals as best they could. From time to time, in one way or another, we printed public reports of what we had done with money entrusted to us, and sometimes we made YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 2I appeals for such money to the public at large, in addition to the circulars which we sent to the several clubs. At last, the business thus transacted was so large that it seemed to me desirable that, in the event of my death or of the transfer of the magazine to other publishers, some arrangement should be made for carrying forward this sort of work, — at least, for preserving the property, in the shape of stereotype plates or printed leaflets, which be- longed to the Central Society. This wish of mine led to the incorporation of the society on the 20th day of November, 1891. All contributions made to the various charities of the Central Clubs are really made to this corporation, and in the event of my death such charities would go on as directly as if they were carried on by me."* The motto to characterize the common order of these affiliated clubs might be, "Go as you please — only go." The central office, which offers them facilities for mutual correspondence and co-opera- tion, has set forth the following statement : Any club, or society, of whatever name, is a Ten-Times- One or Lend-a-Hand Club, which accepts the Wadsworth mottoes: Look up and not down; Look forward and not back; Look out and not in; And lend a hand. It should have for one, at least, of its objects, the up- lifting of some person, neighborhood, or institution out- side of the Club itself. A Club may organize as it will. Each -Club may choose its own name, make its own constitution and select its own work. ^Annual Report of the President of the Ten Times One Corporation, 1894. 22 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. The badge is the Maltese cross; the watchword, In His Name. But neither badge nor watchword is compulsory. On no other basis than this of Faith, Hope and Love, of which words the four mottoes were ac- cepted as a paraphrase, a very large number, not only of clubs and societies, but of affiliations or orders of clubs, have grown up. Among them may be named : The Look-up Legion, The Commercial Temperance League, The Order of Send-me, The Lend-a-Hand Clubs, The I. H. N. Clubs. A monthly magazine, "The Lend-a-Hand Rec- ord," is "devoted to the interests of Lend-a-Hand Clubs and humanity. " It is published at No. I Beacon street, Boston. The President of the Corporation is Rev. Edward Everett Hale, D.D. ; the Secretary is Mrs. Bernard Whitman. CHAPTER II. THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER OF THE KING'S DAUGH- TERS AND SONS. One of the earliest organizations springing from the inspiration of Dr. Hale's story of "Ten Times One Is Ten" was a circle in New York, that took the name of "The King's Daughters." The birth of it, as told in a letter afterwards written to Dr. Hale by Mrs. Davis, the Secretary, was on this wise ; "In October, 1885, I went to Mrs. Bottome, YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 23 who received the outline of the 'Sisterhood' which you sent, with enthusiasm. I read 'Ten Times One' before her class in her husband's church to-night. . . . . She is carried away with it." The "leaven which a woman took" wrought effectively. January 13, 1886, ten women met at Mrs. Bottome's house and organized themselves into a "Ten," adopting the four mottoes, the watchword, "In His Name," and the badge, a silver Maltese cross, that were common to the societies of various names that had sprung from the same fruitful stock. The position of this Circle, and some special gifts and aptitudes among its members, constituted it a natural centre for counsel and co-operation among the many like Circles that at once began to multiply about it. But, following the example of the proto- type at Boston, it scrupulously avoided the error of "governing too much," "disclaiming any purpose to control any Circle in its choice of a field of labor." A curious incident, not difficult to explain on ob- vious principles of human nature, marked the early history of this sisterhood. It issued among its "leaflets," a "declaration of independence" in the following terms : In answer to the repeated question that comes to us, "Do you belong in any way to the other 'Tens,' 'Lend-a- Hand Clubs,' 'Look-up Legions/ etc.?" we desire to clear- ly state that we have no connection with any other orders whatsoever. The Daughters of the King recognize that they are in- debted to these friends for admirable suggestions, which they have thankfully adopted. Ours is distinctly a spiritual 24 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. organization, based on strictly evangelical principles. Our foundation is Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose atonement alone we rely for salvation, and by whose power, and in whose name and to whose glory all our work is done. Our Order has assumed unexpectedly large proportions, and we feel God has chosen His daughters as instruments of great blessing to multitudes. Let us not "limit the Holy One of Israel." God has promised to pour out His spirit on His handmaidens in these latter days. Let us be emptied vessels, that He may fill us, and use us to the pulling down of Satan's strongholds and the bringing in of the kingdom of our Lord, "whose we are and whom we serve." Let us see to it that our basis be distinctly understood that we may have the confidence and co- operation with all with whom we are one in a common faith in the ever-blessed Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Indorsed by the Central Council of the Order of the King's Daughters. This somewhat ostentatious display of dogmatic orthodoxy looked like a bold act of excommunica- tion fulminated against the first founders of the so- cieties from which The King's Daughters had sprung. It seemed as if the Order was instituting a censorship of religious opinions, and preparing to found a religious sect. But the sequel showed that practically it was only an expression of the lively and demonstrative zeal of some of the leaders of the young movement, and meant nothing more. It was officially announced that the Order demanded no uniformity in choice of labors. It declined to make of its Central Council a Board of Examiners into the theological views of its members. It had no right to question the love of those who accepted a call to commit YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 25 themselves to labor for His sake and in His Name. It did not found a Church. It only summoned women to greater and sweeter service, in and beyond their own churches.* So plain a declaration as this puts the Order of King's Daughters indistinguishably on the same basis as the original "Tens" from which it was de- rived, and gives it free course, and saves it from an easily besetting peril. Another limitation to its wide effectiveness was removed in 1887, when "after urgent request, mem- bership in the Order was opened to men and boys." Its corporate style is now "The International Order of the King's Daughters and Sons." The growth of this Order has been wonderfully great and rapid. At the end of its first ten years, it was able to report : From the organization of the Order, in January, 1886, with ten members, it has attained, in 1896, to a member- ship approximating 400,000. At the present time it exists in greater or less numbers in North and South America, in Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Denmark and Turkey, in Europe; in India, China, Japan and Turkey, in Asia; in Australia, New Zealand, the Hawaiian Isles; in the Bermudas and Bahamas. There are individual members and some Circles in Palestine, effective bands in Smyrna, and several hundreds of members in mission fields abroad. In many of these places organization is well advanced, and there is not only a steady increase of membership, but, what is far better, there are evidences of consolidation, classification and adaptation to many practical lines of helpful work. Silver Cross Leaflets," No. II. 26 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. The Order has passed beyond such sentimentalism and sensationalism as was born, not of its principles, or its general management and conduct, but of its excessively rapid growth. This growth proved two things: first, that its projectors had been quite right in the supposition that there were multitudes of women eager and desirous of making their lives of value to themselves and of use to the world; and, second, that what they needed was not stimulation in order to make them willing to work, but education in the world's needs, and instruction as to the best methods of battling with its misery and sin. But the transformation of this mass of womanhood into companies of well-trained soldiers, ready for an aggres- sive and successful movement against any one form of suffering or sin, has been a mighty work. The marvel is, not that it should have been so imperfectly accom- plished, but that such wonderful progress should already have been made. And how largely the movement was of God, and not of man nor of woman, is proven by the fact that even under the prolonged period of experiment the interest and enthusiasm have not died out, and the uplift- ing purpose is dominant in thousands of women's lives who have not yet found out the best way to make the most of themselves or to do the most for the good of others. The measure of this work is not in the number of large buildings erected, not of new enterprises successfully car- ried on; its object has ever been the training of character until it should be a quiet, helpful force in good work already existing. Yet the Order can point to such an amount of new and aggressive work as would be a grand record if there were nothing else to be considered. Hardly any class of people has been forgotten in its ministrations. Among the poor and the sick, in kinder- gartens, hospitals and jails, among the victims of flood and fire and disease, the little cross has gone with its lov- ing service. Missionaries in foreign lands, and the Indians on our own vast plains, have been helped. Special in- YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 27 terest has always been shown in the care of the aged and of little children; and the distinctively educational work, in school and college extension by correspondence, among members of the Order, has no insignificant place among the varied activities of the King's Daughters and Sons.* "The Official Representative of the International Order of the King's Daughters and Sons" is a weekly paper, "The Silver Cross/' published by the Central Council, New York. The Constitution provides for "Circles" and "Chapters of Circles" and State secretaryships, under the general direction and advice of the Cen- tral Council, with which they are expected to keep in closest correspondence. Every branch or Cir- cle may choose its own special work, adopting its own Circle name and motto and its own plan of operation. "In the development of the idea the direction specially emphasized is, first, the heart, next the home, then the Church and after that the great outside." The Order does not make an age limit, and con- tains many who, while no longer young, still seek to serve. It is interdenominational in the fullest sense. The members of its Circles often belong to one Church. Quite as often they belong to different Churches. They may belong to no Church at all. They may be Protestants or Catholics. Re- sponsibility is unto "the King, our Lord and Sav- iour Jesus Christ." ""Silver Cross Leaflets," No. III. 28 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. CHAPTER III. THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR. We have had a notable illustration of the pre- paredness of the country for rapid and widely dif- fused growths of religious organization. But a more impressive illustration of it is the subject of the present chapter. The beginning of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor had no traceable connection with the multifarious organizations that sprang from the good seed sown by Dr. Hale's story of "Ten Times One Is Ten." It grew from its own root. In February, 1881, there was planted by the Rev. Francis E. Clark, the young pastor of a young church in Portland, Me., a little society of the young people of his own congregation, designed to pro- mote the spiritual culture and useful activity of its members. The details of its organization will be the subject of our future study; but it will not be easy to discover in its very simple Constitution the ex- planation of the great consequences that followed from this small beginning. It was on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 1881, that 35 boys and girls, including some of a little maturer age, gathered in the pastor's parlor, and signed their names to the draft of a Constitution by which they pledged themselves to be regularly present and take some part in a weekly prayer-meeting, which once a month should be "a YOUNG- PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 29 consecration meeting," in which vows of fidelity should be exchanged. Among the committees of the society was to be a "look-out committee/' charged with recruiting new members and reclaim- ing any that might grow negligent of duty. These are really all the essential points of the organiza- tion that has since been carried round the world and numbers its members by millions. At the end of twelve months there were twenty Societies of Christian Endeavor, framed upon sub- stantially the same plan. The next year, 1883, there were reported fifty-six societies. At the third annual convention of Young Peo- ple's Societies of Christian Endeavor, October, 1884, there were reported 156 societies, and 8,905 members. Among them were societies in China, India and the Hawaiian Islands. Nine months later, at the fourth annual conven- tion, there were reported 253 societies, with nearly 15,000 members. In 1886, there were 850 societies, with 30,000 members, representing eight different denomina- tions, distributed through thirty-three States, Ter- ritories and Provinces, with seven societies in for- eign lands. In 1887, there were 2,314 societies; they were multiplying in the Western States and in foreign countries. In 1888 were reported about 4,000 societies and 310,000 members. The annual conventions of the Order began to be recognized as events of national 30 young' people's societies. importance, attended by annually increasing throngs gathered from the ends of the land and of the world. At the convention in Philadelphia, in 1889, were reported 7,062 societies, with 485,000 mem- bers. At St. Louis, in 1890, after an interval of only eleven months, the societies were found to have increased to over 11,000, and the 485,000 members to 660,000. With great fitness, the tenth anniversary of the founding of the first of the Christian Endeavor Societies was celebrated by a convention at its birthplace, in Portland, Me. In 1891, the addition of 6,200 brought up the number of societies to 16,274; the membership numbered 976,440. In 1892, notwithstanding the withdrawal of sev- eral hundreds of societies to join the Epworth League, the roll of societies counted 21,080, and the membership 1,370,200. In 1893, there were in all the world, 26,284 so- cieties, with a membership of 1,577,040. Of the societies, 600 were in England, 525 in Australia, 71 in India, 41 in Turkey and 32 in Madagascar. The Constitution had been printed in 21 languages. In 1894, the Secretary reported 33,679 societies, of which 28,696 were in the United States. The membership was 2,023,800. In 1895, there were 41,229 societies, of which 4,712 were outside of the United States. The mem- bers were 2,473,740. YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 3 I In 1896 there were 46,125 societies, and 2,767,500 members. In 1897, at the convention in San Francisco, were reported 50,780 societies, having 3,000,000 members. In 1898, at Nashville, there were reported 54,191 societies and a membership of more than three and one-quarter millions. In 1899, there were 55,813 societies and over three and one-third millions of members. These societies are found in nearly forty different denominations and in every country in the world. Early in the history of the movement the ad- vantages of incorporation were seen, and so, in 1885, the United Society of Christian Endeavor was founded and incorporated, the object being "to bind the societies closer together in a common in- terest and to provide a responsible central organiza- tion, through which the work of the society may be carried on in the way of raising, receiving and pay- ing out money, and giving proper custody for whatever property the society may acquire. " The United Society of Christian Endeavor, with headquarters in Tremont Temple, Boston, is made up of such members and former members of Chris- tian Endeavor Societies as choose to pay one dollar into its treasury, and are elected by a two-thirds vote of the corporation. It is "simply a bureau of information. It claims no authority and exercises none. It records the names of local societies, tabu- lates statistics, issues information in the form of 32 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. leaflets and booklets, and provides the program for the International Conventions." It is managed by a Board of Trustees, elected at the annual meeting, representing the different denominations, and includes the presidents of each State, Territorial and Provincial Union in the United States and in Canada. "The expenses of the society are kept at the lowest point possible, and it is supported altogether by the sale of its literature and badges, and never asks for a contribution from the societies." Within a short time after its found- ing it was self-supporting. In 1887, R ev - Francis E. Clark became its Presi- dent and editor-in-chief of its official organ, "The Golden Rule" — since named "The Christian En- deavor World." He receives his support from the paper and not from the society. In 1888, he made a journey to England and laid the foundation of the Christian Endeavor growth in the United Kingdom, following it up by a later trip, with others, in 1891. The next year — J 892 — he made a journey around the world at the invitation of many friends in Aus- tralia, Japan, China, India, Turkey, Spain and Eng i land, not to start new societies, but to visit and en- courage those already formed, to study the adapta- tion of Christian Endeavor to other lands, and to stimulate zeal for missions in the home societies. In 1895, the World's Christian Endeavor Union was formed, with Dr. Clark for President and Rev. W. J. L. Closs, of Australia, for Secretary. An- other extended journey in distant lands was made YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 33 in the next year, to establish and strengthen Chris- tian Endeavor Societies, chiefly on the continent of Europe and South Africa. Christian Endeavor principles were reaffirmed at Boston in 1895, in what is known as the Chris- tian Endeavor Platform, and is given in full in the Appendix to this book. CHAPTER IV. SOME KINDRED SOCIETIES. I. The Epworth League. It is an essential quality of the Christian En- deavor Society that it is vitally and organically con- nected with the local church. It was an incident of its birth that at the very start it was connected with churches of the Congregationalist order. But almost from the beginning it began to organize it- self indifferently in churches of many different de- nominations, until the Endeavor Societies of Con- gregationalist churches came to be a very small mi- nority of the whole number. In the annually in j creasing conventions of the united societies, the fervid mutual fellowship of societies attached indi- vidually to many differing and almost antagonistic sects was to many generous minds an inspiring sight, conveying the prophecy and the earnest of the manifested unity of the Church of Christ. But it was inevitable that to minds deeply im- pressed with the value of existing sectarian divisions 34 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. and the importance of maintaining them unim- paired, these manifestations of fellowship would become an occasion of alarm and jealousy. It was undoubtedly a wise concession, in the interest of the diffusion of the Order, to disarm the enmity and propitiate the good will of sectarian leaders, not only by earnest disclaimers of any intention of weakening sectarian ties, but by urgently com- mending to each local society the duty not only of faithfulness to the church in which it lives, but to the sect with which its church is connected. It was eager to declare itself "not undenominational, but interdenominational. " The prodigious throngs of delegates that gathered by scores of thousands at the annual conventions, assembled not only in huge mass-meetings to express their mutual fellowship and common faith, but in "Denominational Ral- lies/' in which the multitude should be assorted and distributed according to sectarian attachments, and should counsel and cheer one another for the promotion of the interests of the several denomina- tions. Notwithstanding all this^ the suspicion still pre- vailed in the minds of some influential leaders that sectarian interests would not be secure so long as the young people's societies in the sect should have any organic connection with societies outside of the pale. The Methodist Church, in whose connection Christian Endeavor Societies were numbered by hundreds, led off with its declaration of independ- ence. In May^i88c), a meeting was held at Cleve- land of representatives of five different Methodist YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 35 organizations for young people, who agreed to con- solidate their various societies in "The Epworth League." The new institution was ably constituted equipped and manned, and at the first meeting of its "Board of Control," February 6, 1890, was in a position to announce its two thousand chapters and over one hundred thousand members. The summons, "To your tents, O Israel/' was sent out to all the Circles of Christian Endeavor and like or- ganizations in Methodist churches to reconstitute themselves under the denominational Order, in the following appeal : The Epworth League has its origin in the conviction that the various young people's societies of the Church should be united in one organization. Its scheme of work has been made large enough to comprehend all forms of Christian activity. We, therefore, recommend that all literary, social and religious societies of young people now in existence in our Church merge themselves into the Epworth League, and that every such society continue its special work through that department of the League under which it would properly fall. The withdrawal in consequence of this recom- mendation, considerable as it was, did not arrest, even for a single year, the prodigious growth of the Christian Endeavor Society. The Epworth League, organizing its work systematically in six departments, has attained a substantially exclusive standing in the congregations of the Methodist Episcopal Church. October 1, 1897, it claimed 1,650,000 members, in 24,000 chapters. A similar constitution, with modifications, has been adopted in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; there 2,6 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. the work is divided into only three departments. In the Canadian Methodist Church a more liberal and catholic policy has been followed. While "the Epworth League is the official young people's so- ciety of the denomination, the combination of the two names, Christian Endeavor and Epworth League, is allowed if the society desires, and the continuance of the Christian Endeavor interde- nominational fellowship is allowed to the Epworth Leagues of Christian Endeavor, which are now greatly in the majority in the Canadian churches. The plan seems to work most admirably, for full denominational control is secured, and at the same time the widest interdenominational fellowship/'* The Baptist Young People's Union, and, among the Lutherans, the Luther League, are constituted in a similar comprehensive way. Aiming to sys- tematize and draw together in some measure of correspondence and co-operation all the organiza- tions for the young in their several congregations, they have not sought to detach them from a wider fellowship. A similar course has been taken by the Free Baptists, the Evangelical Association, the United Brethren and the United Presbyterians. The name and method of the Christian Endeavor Society have been found sufficiently excellent and elastic to commend themselves, without modifica- tion, for general acceptance among the Presby- terians, the Cumberland Presbyterians, the Dis- *World-wide Endeavor," by Francis E. Clark, D.D., pp. 320, 321. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 37 ciples, the Moravians, the Friends, the Congrega- tionalists and the Methodist Protestants. The President of the Board of Control of the Epworth League is Bishop W. X. Ninde, LL.D. Its central office is at No. 57 Washington street, Chicago. Its General Secretary is Rev. Wilbur P. Thirkield, D.D.; its official organ, "The Epworth Herald," a weekly paper, edited by Rev. Joseph F. Berry, D.D. Its motto is "Look up. Lift up." The emblematic colors are a white ribbon with a thread of scarlet running lengthwise through the centre. The membership is 1,750,000. II. The Baptist Young People's Union of America. This society was organized upon principles agreed upon at a conference of representative Bap- tists, who met at Philadelphia in 1891, several weeks previous to the organization of the Union, and put forth over their signatures a document which was widely disseminated, entitled "General Basis of Or- ganization." A copy of this paper will be found m the Appendix. The relation of the Union to the local societies is substantially the same as that borne by the United Society of Christian Endeavor to its societies, being a "bureau of information, providing a common platform for conference and discussion, opening springs of enthusiasm for the local societies." The headquarters of the Union are at No. 324 Dearborn street, Chicago. Its official organ is "The- Baptist Union," published weekly, edited by the General Secretary, Rev. E. E. Chivers, D.D. The 38 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. President is Mr. John H. Chapman, Chicago. Its estimated membership is 500,000. III. The Luther League. In no denomination of the American Church was the social influence of an efficient Young People's Society more needed than among* the Luther- ans. From comparatively small dimensions, this denomination has grown, within a few decades, to be one of the most numerous of the American sects. It has been aggrandized by a great tide of immi- gration, in which have mingled currents from four principal nations, Teutonic and Scandinavian. Its new recruits are under the necessity, within a generation or two, of unlearning their ancestral language and learning English; and the danger is a grave one that in this transition, losing hold of patriotic and family traditions, they will make ship- wreck of faith. But even if faith is saved, there is danger that the German or Scandinavian immi- grant, in becoming American, will lose his hold upon the church relations of his ancestors. And in the case of the Lutheran Church, there is more to lose than in the case of some others. There is a great treasure of hymnody, the richest in Chris- tendom, which must in any case be almost a total loss in the process of translation. But, besides this, there is a great history, reaching back into the ages before the Reformation ; and a church polity which combines to a remarkable extent the elements of episcopal and classical authority and of congrega- tional liberty ; and a definite and characteristic the- YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 39 ology, the ripe fruit of many generations of the highest scholarship; and venerable liturgical tradi- tions, the outgrowth both of the studies of theo- logians and of the experience of saints. The lead- ers of the Lutheran Church in America have other and nobler reasons than those arising from mere sectarian emulation, when they study methods of organization that shall hold the youth of their con- gregations in social union, and promote their in- terest in the history, the worship and the activities of the Lutheran communion. The Luther League of America was organized at Pittsburg, Pa., in 1895, by delegates representing State, District and individual organizations from twenty different States in the Union and the Dis- trict of Columbia. It fused the elements of move- ments that had been in progress for eight years. Article II of its constitution reads: "We acknowl- edge as the bond of our Union the Word of God as the only infallible rule of faith and practice, and the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as the correct exponent of that Word." It receives into membership "any society of what- ever name connected with a Lutheran congrega- tion or a Lutheran institution of learning." It holds biennial conventions, and its interests are com- mitted to an Executive Committee., and to a Statis- tical Secretary, who promotes the organization and growth of local societies. It has belonging to it twelve State Leagues, besides three District Leagues in States not organized. Its President is Mr. E. F. Eilert, New York City. The Statistical 40 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. Secretary is Mr. George M. Jones, of Reading, Pa. Its Treasurer, and Business Manager of the official organ, "The Luther League Review/' a monthly paper, published in Washington, D. C, and edited by the President, is Cornelius Eckhardt. The headquarters of the League are at Washington, D. C, P. O. Box 133. The motto is "Of the Church, by the Church, for the Church. " The membership is 50,000. IV. The Young People's Christian Union of the United Brethren. Another organization that has many affiliations with the Endeavor Societies is the Young People's Christian Union of the United Brethren. This was organized at Dayton, Ohio, in 1890, as a com- promise between the interdenominational and de- nominational ideas. It includes societies of different names, many of them being Christian Endeavor So- cieties. Such societies adopt the prayer-meeting pledge and consecration meeting of the Endeavor Societies, and are entitled to membership in the Union upon paying an annual due of one dollar, and adopting certain Articles in the model or sug- gested Constitution put forth by the Union, which Articles require loyalty to the discipline and usages of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. The headquarters of the Union are at the United Brethren Publishing House, Dayton, Ohio. It publishes a weekly paper, "The Watchword," and has a "Watchword" agent in every local Society. Its membership exceeds 75,000. Its President is YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 41 Rev. J. P. Landis, D.D., Ph. D. Its Corresponding Secretary is Rev. H. F. Shupe. The motto is "For the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men." V. The Young People's Christian Union of the Uni- versalist Church. It was a realization of the lack of interest in its young people that led the General Convention of the Universalist Church to establish in 1886 the Young People's Missionary Association, to raise money for the general church work. A few So- cieties were formed and were partially successful. They lacked spontaneity, however. There were other young people's societies, but none whose avowed work was spiritual. "The Young People's Christian Union is a lineal descendant of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, and not of the Young People's Missionary Association." It was organized at Lynn, Mass., in 1889, as the result of inquiries instituted by the Y. P. S. C. E. of the Universalist Church, Bay City, Mich. It was hoped that the denominational organization might take the name of the Y. P. S. C. E. But failing in that, the present name was adopted, the Young People's Christian Union of the Universalist Church. The object of the national organization is "to foster the religious life among the young people, to stimulate to all worthy endeavor, to train the young to the work of the Universalist Church, in the promulga- tion of its truth, and the increase of its power and influence." Its affairs are managed by an Execu- 42 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. tive Board, consisting of a President, Secretary and Treasurer, holding office for one year, and of four delegates holding office for two years, and ineligible for re-election. Its friendly attitude toward the Y. P. S. C. E. at the first — many of its young people's societies having been organized on that plan — was expressive of its willingness to co-operate with others. Its eighth annual convention — Detroit, 1897 — resolved "that we approve and encourage all endeavors in the direction of co-operation and sym- pathy between our local State and National young people's organizations, and the young people's or- ganization of any church whatsoever, especially as manifest in union meetings designed to contribute to mutual understanding and inspiration and prac- tical relief work." Its Executive Board at the same convention rec- ommended "that an invitation be issued to young people's organizations in the other liberal Christian churches to select the time and place of their next convention at the same time and place selected for the next session of the Y. P. C. U. convention, and that at least one union mass-meeting be held, ad- dressed by a representative from each organization, and we also recommend that in local work the spirit of co-operation shall be fostered, especially along the lines of Christian citizenship and charity work." The Union holds annual conventions. It has started, and fostered and enlarged a movement in the direction of church extension in the South, be- ginning at Harriman and Knoxville, Tenn., and extending to Atlanta, Ga. It had a religious and YOUNG PEOPLE ; S SOCIETIES. 43 educational exhibit at the Atlanta Cotton Exposi- tion, in 1895, and at the Nashville Centennial Ex- hibition, in 1897. It intends ultimately to reach and benefit the negro, but only in separate organiza- tions. Its influence has already extended to Japan. Through its Post Office Mission and Loan Li- braries it seeks "to get Universalist literature into the hands of those who know not our interpretation of the Christian religion, especially in parts of the country where we have no organization." Its National Secretary, in his report at Detroit in 1897, set forth the work of the Union, as follows : "To recapitulate : the National Union, as a busi- ness organization, collects, makes record of, and disburses funds amounting, in the aggregate last year, to more than $6,000. It is the owner of a newspaper, the only one in the denomination which is owned by our people, whose policy is shaped by the people and its editors named by them. "It has a Christian Citizenship Department, which means that we, who have such high conceptions of human brotherhood, intend to give our beloved country the benefit of our lofty ideals. "We have a Post Office Mission, thanks to those in whose minds originated the idea. Through this means we design to make of every Christian Unioner, through the distribution of our literature, a messenger of our faith, and the leaves of this tree are for the healing of the nations. "We have a Junior Department second in im- portance to none. It enlists the little ones in the 44 YOUNG PEOPLES. SOCIETIES. service of God and humanity through the agency of the Church. "And we have our Church Extension Depart- ment, designed to give our young people training in the missionary spirit and method, and to extend the organization of our Church. "We have our great Conventions as generators of wisdom, enthusiasm, courage and power. And all of this has meant work." The headquarters of the Union are at the Uni- versalist Publishing House, No. 30 West street, Boston. Its President is Mr. H. M. Fowler, Cleve- land. Its Secretary is Rev. A. J. Cardall, Boston. It has two Department Superintendents : Christian Citizenship — Rev. C. A. Knicker- bocker, Auburn Me. Junior Work — Mary Grace Canfield, Dover, Me. Its official organ is "Onward," a weekly paper, published at Boston, edited by Rev. E. G. Mason, Hightstown, N. J. The membership is about 12,000. CHAPTER V. THE BROTHERHOODS. I. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew. There was a double reason, amid the general multiplication of young people's organizations, for expecting a special type of such organization in the Protestant Episcopal Church ; First, this denomi- YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 45 nation has shown an exceptional aptitude and zeal for the work of the church in city populations, where the work among young people is specially needed ; secondly, it has also shown itself less in- clined than some other communions to unite with those outside of its own pale. It seemed for a time as if the swelling tide of "Christian Endeavor'' which affected the whole estate of Christ's Militant Church beside, was failing to lift this important and useful denomination. But in October, 1886, the representa- tives of twenty local societies that had been formed in as many parishes in different regions met in Chicago, and organized a general Brotherhood of St. Andrew, "on the basis of a constitution which has never been materially changed." The growth and development of the Brotherhood has fully answered the hopes of those who founded it. At its fifth annual convention, in Philadelphia, Octo- ber, 1890, 433 Chapters were reported, with a mem- bership of over 6,500. In March, 1897, there were 1,223 Chapters, with a pledged membership of about 13,000 men. "The Brotherhood had devel- oped from a loosely tied band of church guilds into an Order of laymen in the Protestant Episcopal Church, divided for local work and administration into parochial Chapters. Further, the Chapters had confederated themselves into Assemblies with- in State or diocesan, or more narrowly circum- scribed boundaries ; sixty-four of these Assemblies were enumerated. The Order had extended itself into Canada and Australia, and had begun to take root in England." 46 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. The annual conventions of the Order have been occasions of great interest and practical value. The first international conference of the Brotherhood was held at Buffalo, in October, 1897, was dis- tinguished by the presence and participation of eminent men of different lands, and by an excellent spirit of devotion and service. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is frankly sec- tarian. It "works in and for that branch of the Holy Catholic Church known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and only by the approval and under the leadership of the clergy. " But within these limitations, it aims with great sincerity and earnestness at "the spread of Christ's kingdom among young men;" and by the very fact of its vigorous growth in its own soil and within its own pale, it has much to contribute, by example and suggestion, to the work of all such societies, throughout the whole Church. In the later chapters of this Hand-book, devoted to details of practical work, few pages will be found of greater interest and value than those which describe the methods of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. The headquarters of the Brotherhood in the United States are at the Church Missions House, No. 281 Fourth avenue, New York. Its President is Mr. James L. Houghteling, Chicago. Its Gen- eral Secretary is Mr. John W. Wood, New York. The official organ is "Saint Andrew's Cross," pub- lished monthly. In the Appendix will be found a Declaration of Its Essential Principles, put forth at Washington, D, C., in 1894, to serve as a basis YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 47 of union for like Orders that had sprung up in Canada, Scotland and Australia. The membership is 13,000. II. The Daughters of the King. The Protestant Episcopal "Brotherhood of St. Andrew" has its field of work exclusively among young men. Naturally, it required to be supple- mented by an Order organized among women for the benefit of women. Such an Order took its origin in 1885, in a young women's Bible class in a New York church, that had taken to itself the fanciful name of "Daughters of the King." This was in 1885. Closely similar to the Brotherhood of St. Andrew in its methods and in its double rule of prayer and service, it undertook "that each mem- ber should make an earnest effort each week to bring at least one woman within the hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." The example was imi- tated elsewhere. At the end of ten years, in 1896, it numbered upwards of 500 Chapters and 11,697 members. "Members are admitted with a solemn service before the altar, invested with the cross, and pledged by a vow to prayer and service. The sole object of the Order is the spread of Christ's king- dom among women and the strengthening of parish life." A Bible-class is "the corner-stone of all Chap- ters." The Order holds its annual National Con- vention, and publishes the "The Royal Cross" as its official organ. The "Daughters of the King" is not to be con- 4§ YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. founded with the Order of "The King's Daugh- ters," which is elsewhere described, The "Daugh- ters of the King" is rigorously limited by the lines of the Protestant Episcopal denomination. "The King's Daughters" is organized on a basis of more catholic fellowship. In this country there are chapters of the former in every diocese and a large proportion of parishes. An effort is made to keep all social features of every sort in abeyance ; also to exalt the personal element and minimize ecclesiasti- cal corporate life. It has recently been introduced into England. The Secretary of the American Branch is Miss E. L. Ryerson, 520 East Eighty- seventh street, New York. III. Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip. The Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip is an adaptation to a wider fellowship of the organiza- tion and methods of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. The Rev. Rufus W. Miller, associate pastor of the Second Reformed Church, of Reading, Pa., felt the need of some organization for the young men of his own congregation. The Two Rules, of Prayer and Service, adopted by the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, seemed to him a good foundation to build on. In May, 1888, he organized in his own church the first Chapter of the Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip. The organization attracted favorable attention in his own denomination ; Chapters mul- tiplied ; conventions were held; a monthly journal was instituted. At the convention of 1890, "be- cause of the favorable attitude of congregations YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 49 outside of the Reformed Church, it was decided to recommend the formation of Brotherhood Chap- ters in each denomination, subject to the control of the particular denomination, and the union of these denominational organizations in a Federation of Brotherhoods. This action was taken in the in- terest of surer progress, greater denominational control, and true Church unity." The first Federal Convention of the Order was held in New York, November, 1893, and gave increased publicity and impetus to the movement. In 1895, it was officially announced : "The following denominations — the two Branches of the Reformed Church, the Presby- terian, North and South, the Canadian and the United Presbyterian, the Congregational, the Methodist Protestant, Methodist Episcopal, Bap- tist, English Lutheran, United Brethren — are now represented in some two hundred and ninety en- rolled Chapters, with* a membership of 7,000. An equally large number have been organized, but have not applied for enrolment. The latest obtainable statistics show, in 1898, 431 Chapters, in 19 de- nominations and 32 States, with a membership estimated from 10,000 to 14,000. The organ of the Fraternity, "The Brotherhood Star/ 5 has grown from four pages to a monthly magazine of 32 pages octavo. In its organization (excepting the Federa- tion of Denominations) and in its methods, the Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip is patterned in close imitation of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, from which its name also is taken. It is a high tribute to the excellence of that organization. 50 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. Its principles and methods of work have found place in other Orders, through the work of Brother- hood committees made a part of their organiza- tion. This interaction is especially noticeable with reference to the Christian Endeavor Societies. Its advantages over similar Brotherhoods lie in its "catholicity and its simplicity." It holds bien- nial Federal Conventions and annual Denomina- tional Conventions. IV. Brotherhood of St. Paul We learn from a statement made on behalf of its Advisory Board, that the Brotherhood of St. Paul is an organization of Methodist men, having for its object systematic Christian work by and for men under the direction of the Church, and the exer- cise of fraternal offices on the part of members for each other. It admits moral "men of any age over fifteen to an initiatory degree, and provides other degrees for Church members in full connection, with ritual services to be used as desired. It has three departments of work, with duties plainly speci- fied, many of which are not covered by any other existing church society. It is not secret ; it is thor- oughly spiritual and easily adaptable to local con- ditions. Its flexibility is shown in the fact that all its forms and services may be used or not by local chapters, provided Christian and brotherly duties are undertaken. It does not claim to be a young men's organiza- tion, but a Fraternity for Methodist men of all YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 5 I ages. In its ritual and regalia it is adapted "to satisfy a craving that now finds expression in all sorts of non-Christian societies ranging in character from good to bad. Of all the societies in the Church so far, no Protestant society has this feature so well developed/' The membership is divided into three divisions : 1. An Order of Jerusalem — For all new members and those not Christians. 2. An Order of Damascus — For Christian men, members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 3. An Order of Rome — For advanced and ad- vancing Christians. The Order is non-secret, non-political. It emphasizes the spiritual and social lines of work. It has mutual benefit insurance features. It is loyal to the Pastor and the local church and seeks to supplement the work of the Epworth League. "It has the cordial approbation of prominent mem- bers of the League." It has quadrupled its mem- bership within the past year, and is now represented in more than twenty States. Its annual convention for 1899 was held in Syracuse, N. Y., in which State it started about four years ago. Its object and principles are thus set "forth in its Constitution : OBJECT. The purpose of the Brotherhood of St. Paul is'to effect the mutual improvement and entertainment of its members by religious, social, physical and literary culture, to pro- mote the spirit and practice of Christian brotherhood, to 52 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. build up the church with which we are connected, and especially to extend Christ's cause in the world by winning our brothers to a Christian faith. PRINCIPLES. We accept Christ as our Great Commander, Example and Saviour, and St. Paul as the leader of our division of Christ's army. They are our types of manly character. We declare loyalty to the Methodist Episcopal Church, to its laws, its pastors and its lay officiary, and to the Scrip- ture doctrines upon which it is founded. The high aims of its members are thus declared in words frequently repeated at the opening or closing of its meetings : We will seek daily the noblest Christian manhood. We will devote our lives to the cause of Jesus on earth. We will be loyal to the Church, and will keep her rules. We will know more of the Bible, and be proud to carry and use it. We will be educated churchmen, making good use of our church papers and of the publications of our Methodist Book Concern. We will esteem them that are over us in the Church very highly in love for their work's sake. We will be true brothers, seeking to protect each other's reputation and to advance each other's interests. We will be Christians everywhere, and in all the relations of life, social, business, political, religious. We will take an all-round interest in every good cause, and especially in missions, church-building, education, and the care of veterans and the sick. We will pray daily, and will labor to save lost men, and to increase the numbers of them who shall be under the influence of our Church. YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. S3 The scope of its work is seen in the following synopsis taken from its Ritual and Constitution: Christian Work. Attendance at means of grace. Men's devotional services. Welcoming at church doors. Systematic personal work. Invitations to devotional services. Neighborhood and cottage meetings. Religious census. Revival assistance. Bible Study Club for men. Attendance at men's Sunday-school classes. Knights of St. Paul, where organized. Temperance, Missions, Christian Citizenship, Personal Purity, and all benevolent and moral causes. Training classes in Christian methods. Increasing circulation of religious papers and books. Social. Invitations to Brotherhood meetings. Looking up and introduction of strangers. Debates and discussions of practical, religious and literary character. Parliamentary clubs and programs. Programs under "Good of the Order" at Chapter Meetings. Lectures and entertainments. Welcome and social care of new members. Outings and receptions. Promote brotherly spirit everywhere in the Church. Membership. Securing new members. Visitation of the sick. Night-watchers, if needed. 54 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. Care of regalia and other property of the Chapter. Inspection and oversight of membership roll. Initiations and preparation for the same. It provides for work among boys by declaring that "a Junior Branch of boys under fifteen years of age may be organized, as desired, and they shall be called Knights of St. Paul." Its influence has been for good. It is stated as "a remarkable fact that almost all churches where the Brotherhood of St. Paul exists had a good re- vival last year," that "the drift of men to secular societies has been turned to the Church," and many pastors hail it as a suggestion of that full, true fra- ternity which the Gospel stands for, and which is but feebly and imperfectly expressed by the various fraternities outside the Church of Christ. The work of the several Chapters is carried on largely through the regular church meetings. The Brotherhood "provides a body of helpers, who can be called on as desired, and who are constantly ready to make Church brotherhood a fact as well as a name." Its founder and general organizer is the Rev. F. D. Leete, Rochester, N. Y. Its literature is issued from the publishing house of Eaton & Mains, Syracuse, N. Y. Its motto is "Faithful Brethren in Christ," Col. i : 2. St. Paul is its patron saint, because, "he was essentially a 'men's man.' His life and distin- guished services are full inspiration and example to men. There is great incentive to Bible study, YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 55 missions, personal work, evangelization, and high striving after noble character and attainments under the spell of such a name. He especially taught brotherhood and its offices as no other man has since Jesus. Almost every experience of his life is full of symbolical meaning, and is akin to what men of to-day must meet." 56 young people's societies. PART II, PRACTICAL. CHAPTER VI. TYPES of constitution. In preparing for the organization of a young people's society in any community, one of the first points to be considered will be the question, which one, if any, of the prevailing types of Constitution shall be followed? and with which, if any, of the confederacies of such associations shall the new so- ciety be allied? These questions will be decided in part by the purpose in view in the minds of those who are planning the new society. It is most de- sirable that these should know their own minds on this point with entire distinctness. If the primary and governing purpose is to com- bine the young people for unselfish service to others "In His Name," this is the distinctive character of the "Ten-Times-One Clubs/' "Lend-a-Hand Clubs," and whatever other associations are combined in a loose confederation or correspondence through the Ten Times One Corporation. If any are scru- pulous to avoid association in works of charity with those of whose theological views they dis- approve, they may find it necessary to avoid affiliation with these clubs, which are quite YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 57 careless on this point, and have been known to unite in doing good works in the Name of Christ with people of all kinds of faith, or sometimes of very little faith of any kind. Such scrupulous persons will like better such a society as "The King's Daughters and Sons/' which, although inspired by the principles and lit- erature of the "Ten Times One," invites co-opera- tion only on an Evangelical basis, and aims to asso- ciate with charitable effort for others, methods of spiritual self-culture and of worship. If now the primary purpose of the Society is the good of its own members, if it is desired to identify it with the church-congregation to which they be- long, and especially if it is desired to profit by the enthusiasm and momentum of vast numbers mov- ing in the same general direction, then the Society should be formed on the lines of the Christian Endeavor Society, either in its original form or in some one of the forms in which it has been special- ized for the service of the various Christian sects. A work even more narrowly specialized is that proposed by the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, which not only limits itself to a single sect, but to one class of persons, the young men ; while "The Daughters of the King" (not to be confounded with "The King's Daughters") undertakes a correspond- ingly limited work among young women. The methods of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew are adapted to more catholic use by the Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip. The Brotherhood of St. Paul is a Methodist Epis- 58 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. copal Order of similar meaning and of recent date. Still further specialized are the organizations that limit their work to some one department of benefi- cent work. Of these the most extensive and effi- cient is the Young Women's Christian Temperance Union, which, however, does not so narrowly in- terpret its title as to debar itself from usefulness on neighboring and parallel lines of service. The organization of Boys' Clubs into fraternities on a continental scale has made comparatively little progress. The Boys' Brigade, an importation from Great Britain, has been in some measure acclimated in America; but has encountered two objections from opposite quarters : the Peace Society objects to it as promoting a military spirit ; and those inter- ested in the militia service oppose it on the ground that with its drills and parades the boys become satiated with martial glory and will not join the militia when they get to be young men. An or- ganization of a different character is "The Knights of King Arthur/' "an Order of knighthood for boys based upon a long and careful study of the problem of helping boys to become worthy men." It seems to be successful. "Although the second Castle was only organized in the Fall of 1893, the Order is now (Spring of 1898) found in ten religious denomi- nations, in half the American States, and has spread to Canada and England." It is distinguished by an elaborate system of titles, degrees and rituals. "The Girls' Friendly Society" is an organization bearing so many marks of its British origin as to YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 59 suggest grave doubts of its effective usefulness in American communities, without considerable modi- fication. Its function for girls, especially for work- ing girls, is similar to that undertaken for boys by the Boys' Clubs of various names. In recognizing thus the distinctive characters of the various young people's organizations, we are not to suppose these distinctions to be of an ex- clusive sort. The Ten-Times-One Clubs are de- voted to practical benevolence ; but they are founded on these evangelical principles, so strikingly illus- trated in Dr. Hale's writings, that the way to pro- mote the good of one's own soul is not to seek for it — that he that will save his own soul shall lose it — that one who self- forgetting seeks to promote God's reign and His justice will find all things added unto him ; and that the highest act of spiritual worship consists in kindness to the afflicted, and keeping one's self unspotted from the world. Thus, the development of the Ten-Times-One Clubs into the Order of the King's Daughters and Sons is a perfectly natural evolution. On the other hand, the Christian Endeavor So- cieties start from the converse but equally evan- gelical principle that good deeds should spring from a pure and good heart, and the fundamental rules of the Order are addressed to the object of bringing the heart right before God, with the assurance that out of a heart thus conformed to Christ must flow forth streams of good and loving service towards men. There is nothing mutually antagonistic in these 60 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. two different views; they indicate nothing more than differences in proportion and emphasis and the order of thinking. But the varying adjustment of these mutually complementary principles gives rise to wide diversities of details in method. On the question of such details we shall have much to say in later pages. At present let us give attention to those matters in which the various young people's organizations have a common concern. Standing related to the rules and activities of the societies are inseparable dangers, against which it is well to be forewarned and forearmed. CHAPTER VII. PLEDGE, COVENANT OR VOW. The mutual engagement that holds individuals together in any such organization may be informal and implied rather than explicit, as in the loosest of the Lend-a-Hand Clubs ; or it may be a solemn and specific formality, as in the Christian Endeavor Societies. In either case, it is constitutive, and gives character to the association which it creates. We can not better set forth the things that need to be said concerning it, than by citing the best known form of pledge — that of the Christian Endeavor So- cities — which has been taken by millions of young persons in this and other countries, and hangs dis- played in large characters on the walls of thousands of chapels and Sunday-school rooms. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 6l ACTIVE MEMBER'S PLEDGE. Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I prom- ise Him that I will strive to do whatever He would like to have me do; that I will make it the rule of my life to pray and to read the Bible every day, and to support my own Church in every way, especially by attending all the regular Sunday and mid-week services, unless prevented by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Saviour, and that just so far as I know how, throughout my whole life, I will endeavor to lead a Christian life. As an active member, I promise to be true to all my duties, to be present at and to take some part, aside from singing, in every Christian Endeavor prayer-meeting, un- less hindered by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Lord and Master. If obliged to be absent from the monthly consecration meeting of the Society, I will, if possible, send at least a verse of Scripture to be read in response to my name at the roll-call. The first remark to be made upon this form is the obvious one that it is essentially an oath. The solemn nature of it ought not in the slightest degree to be veiled from those who are invited to take upon themselves the obligation of it. It is so very easy to draw the young in a popular current to take pledges ; and so easy for them, as soon as the prom- ised duties become irksome, to fail of fulfilling them. It was a wise man who said, "It is better not to vow, than to vow and not pay/' The danger is not a trifling one, it is most serious, that young hearts, obeying a generous impulse and an indis- criminate invitation, will enter "lightly and unad- visedly" into engagements from which they by and by come forth bearing in their hearts the demoraliz- 62 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. ing consciousness of broken vows. It is far better that they should be discouraged from assuming the obligation, even though the society should thereby be diminished or frustrated, than that they should be drawn into the obligations incon- siderately. This danger is diminished just in proportion as the pledge is restricted to such duties as without the pledge are of recognized and constant obliga- tion on the conscience. The soul which, trusting in the Lord, is resolved to "do whatever He would like/' and to "endeavor to live a Christian life/' can take no harm, may take great spiritual good, from joining with others in putting on record a solemn vow to that effect. The vow does no more than re- inforce an obligation from which, vow or no vow, the soul can not withdraw itself. On the other hand, the spiritual life may lose its freedom in the bonds of Jesus Christ, and grow sickly under constraints imposed by another. That clause, for example, in the pledge of the Epworth League which reads, "I will abstain from all those forms of worldly amusement forbidden by the dis- cipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, " has caused many to stumble. It would be much better if, as some Methodist leaders are now arguing, the law of one's own Christian conscience were appealed to here, rather than the discipline of a particular sect. As to such points in any form of pledge that may be devised, as are not, in themselves, of constant and universal obligation, it is demanded by good YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 63 morals that they should not be fixed by a perpetual, irrevocable vow ; the pledge must be made distinctly terminable, otherwise it becomes a spiritual snare. It has been one of the shrewd and just criticisms of Roman Catholic theologians on the vows de- vised for certain Protestant "sisterhoods" organized in imitation of the Catholic conventual system, that they provide for no "dispensing power" that may release from the vows when duty demands such re- lease. However willing, or even eager, young people may be to bind themselves forever to cer- tain arbitrary rules of conduct, provision ought to be made for their honorably withdrawing from that part of the compact. It is not enough that they may be "dropped from the list" as unfaithful ; or that saving clauses are inserted into the formula, that may be used as loopholes to creep out by. It really has a tendency to invigorate the vitality of the pledge, if it is seen that, instead of neglecting it for private reasons satisfactory to the private con- science, men hold it a duty distinctly to withdraw from it, when the conduct required seems no longer to be a duty in itself. But it is important that pro- vision for such withdrawal should be "nominated in the bond" at the beginning. Finally, it must be evident to every intelligent person that a pledge such as that which has been quoted is a full and unreserved testimony of Chris- tian faith and discipleship. It is nothing short of a "sacramentum," or oath of allegiance, by which one is mustered into the army of the Lord, and vowed to be "his faithful servant and soldier till 64 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. life's end." Few, indeed, would be the Christian churches (if such could be reckoned worthy of the name of churches) that would fail to claim those making such a pledge as entitled to full fellowship. But, though entitled to full fellowship, there are some young people who "believe themselves to be Christians," who, for various reasons, either because of a natural shrinking from making confession of their faith before the Church, or because of the ad- vice or wishes of their elders, are not yet in a situ- ation to join the Church, but are glad to join the Society. These may be regarded as in the King- dom, but not in the Church. For them the taking of the active member's pledge affords the oppor- tunity to acknowledge Christ and to begin work for Him, while at the same time "it bridges the dangerous gap between conversion and Church membership, which is often a long one in the case of young disciples, an interval when many stray away and are lost forever to the Church and the cause of Christ." With the coming in of Junior and Intermediate Societies to meet the needs and aspirations of the younger people, it may be wise to restrict active membership in the young people's society to those who are already members of the Church. The best and most effective societies are doing it. And it is still an open question, after all that has been said about it, whether the laxer interpretation has not weakened the spiritual power of the societies, as well as unduly, though unintentionally, widened the dangerous gap above referred to, and led many YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 65 young Christians to be content with membership in the Society. Some liberty in the matter should be granted, especially where there is but one Endeavor Society in the church, and which will probably contain many who are quite young, but it is believed that if the Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor would follow the interpretation of active member- ship given in the Baptist Union and the Christian Union of the United Brethren, it would be a dis- tinct gain. CHAPTER VIII. SAVING ONE'S OWN SOUL. It is possible that the pursuit of the interests of the soul, which is commonly one of the objects proposed in a Young People's Society, may become a peril and a snare. It is not only possible, but it is a danger so grave as to have been made by our great Master and Teacher the occasion of a warn- ing to which w T e shall do well to take heed. So little disposed are people, whether young or old, to accept His teaching on this point, that not only is it neglected or mistaken, but the very lan- guage of it is systematically garbled in the common English translations, in such a way as to convey a sense contrary to that which the words intend. We read, in the "Authorized Version," the words of our Lord in Matthew xvi, 25, 26*, and seem to learn *" Whosoever shall save his life shall lose it; and whoso- ever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what 66 young people's societies. from them of two human possessions, one of which, the life, we are willingly to risk for the cause of Christ; the other, the soul, is too precious to be risked, but is rather to be cherished and saved by us as being of more worth than all the world. The lesson commonly derived from this saying of Christ is this : that we ought bravely to venture our lives in the service of God's kingdom ; but that we ought studiously to avoid imperiling the soul, but rather to make the saving of it the main end of our life. The true meaning of our Lord's teaching is made to appear when we recognize that the text speaks, not of two different things, but of one and the same thing. The supremely precious thing, for which the world were well lost, is the very thing which we are warned against trying to save, under peril thus of losing it. So contrasted is the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ with the preaching of m&ny of his representatives in later times. We do well to go back to the original words of the Gospel, in their recovered real meaning, and be warned of the dan- is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul." The mistranslation of this passage has persisted through successive English versions from the days of Wiclif down to the beginning of the Westminster revision, which reads: "Whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?" YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 67 ger of making ourselves the object of our religious services. Perhaps there is no danger of the immediate re- turn of that habit of unwholesome introspection and self-analysis which has prevailed like an epi- demic in earlier generations and down to a recent time. The reaction from this is strong, possibly excessive. The best security against the tendency to a wrong direction of the religious thoughts and activities, is to give them ample exercise in the right direction. The two principles that should be studied in the talking and working of a Young People's Society are objective truth and altru- istic service : objective truth, as distinguished from the contemplation of inward emotions and experi- ences; and altruistic service, as distinguished from that sort of charity which "seeketh her own/' The exhortation and instruction that are intent mainly on getting our own soul saved ; the charitable activ- ity that is directed to the advantage of our society, our congregation, or our sect, are apt not to be clear of selfishness ; and this is a thing that taints the* very fountain-heads of spiritual life. If the re- ligion that is in us is selfishness, how great is that selfishness ! In a Young People's Meeting on a Sunday even- ing, one may find the great part of the time used in a running fire of Scripture verses on the assigned theme. If in a critical mood, one will find the quotations hackneyed, or inapt; they will prove, perhaps, the narrow range of most people's Bible reading, or that they have been taken by catch- 68 young people's societies. words from a concordance. But after all deduc- tions, they will have brought to all teachable minds solid nuggets of divine truth from outside of their own experience and imagination and meditation. The sharers in the meeting, young or old, will have helped each other to rise, for the time, out of them- selves, and to contemplate eternal verities, things that cannot be moved, the love and the holiness of God, and the salvation of Jesus Christ. Such in- struction as this is edifying — it builds up the charac- ter ; and those who have spent the Sunday afternoon in preparing it, in a score of families, albeit with no very wide or deep study, have been led into some fresh fields of divine instruction. CHAPTER IX. PRAYER. One of the negative causes working in the mind of the founder of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor toward the organizing of that wonderful Order, was the felt decay of the Church prayer-meeting. In the big history by Dr. F. E. Clark, entitled "World-wide Endeavor" is a descrip- tion of "the prayer-meeting of old," which is offered as "in no sense a caricature." When the "usual hour" arrived, a sparse congregation of from six to twenty-six would spread themselves out over the vestry, occupying as much as possible of the floor space, that the poverty of attendance might not be too evident. The pastor would give out a long hymn, YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 69 the organist would play the tune all through, chorus and all, upon an asthmatic organ; the scattered congregation would pipe through five or six verses of the hymn; then would come a long prayer from the pastor and an abbrevi- ated sermon of from twenty to thirty minutes in length; the venerable deacon (God bless him!), who for years had borne the burden and heat of the day, would offer a long, long prayer, not forgetting the Jews, even though he sometimes did forget the commonplace members of the Sunday-school connected with his own church. Another long hymn and prayer, and the time to close would come, much to the relief of the majority of the audience. . . . The so-called young people's prayer-meeting was scarce- ly more attractive. The attendance was still smaller, and, though the average age was somewhat younger than in the other prayer-meeting of the church, yet it required a great stretch of courtesy and an extensive winking at gray hairs and wrinkles to consider the majority of those present any longer younger people, except by brevet. The only warm place in the room was often found in the air- tight stove. One of the more elderly young men usually occupied the chair. By no possibility was it a young woman, and there were many most excruciating pauses which could only be filled up by a frequent resort to the over-worked hymn-book. Very evidently there was a fault somewhere, and I do not hesitate to say that this fault was a radical one, lying at the very basis of the prayer-meeting idea in many churches. It was a service for instruction rather than for inspiration. The fault, as we conceive, is even deeper and more radical than this. It lies in the decay of faith. The Christian doctrine of prayer comes to be held with feeble and uncertain grasp. It is that principle of the teaching of Christ which is declared with the most unmistakable plainness, and sustained by the 70 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. strongest reason, and at the same time, attended with the most formidable difficulties and exposed to the most unanswerable objections. This is not the place in which to discuss the reasons on either side and strike the balance. It is sufficient for the present purpose to emphasize the statement that where the simple and sincere acceptance of the teaching of Christ concerning prayer is lacking, there will inevitably come in false pretenses of prayer, such as cannot be acceptable to the God of truth, and such as must tend to the demoralizing of those who offer them. i. There is the use of prayer as a health-lift. It is quite frankly argued, sometimes, in apology for prayer, that even if it avails nothing in gaining the blessing asked for, it has great value for its reaction on the petitioner himself. It brings him into right relations with God. When it brings no direct answer, it puts the praying soul into the atti- tude of submission and resignation to the divine will. The man in a boat who pulls hand over hand on the rope that is fastened to the dock does not stir the dock to draw it nearer to himself, but he draws himself nearer to the dock, and this amounts practically to the same thing. So, when faith fails, we are advised to go through the forms of petition, for the good we may do ourselves by the effort. 2. There is the use -of the forms of prayer as a rhetorical device intended to take effect on some human listener. Ostensibly it is addressed to the Most High. Actually, it is a vehicle for expressing to some finite person who may hear it, or hear of YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 71 it, some important religious truths, or impressing him with the earnest feelings of Christian people. In times of religious revival, the expedient of pray- ing publicly by name for individuals is often much relied on as an effective instrument of evangeliza- tion. But, perhaps the most remarkable instance of the use of it is the case of the "Women's Cru- sade/' in which earnest women, finding little result from their prayers in secret for the abatement of the enormous mischiefs of the dram-shop, deter- mined to carry their prayers into the very presence of the enemy, and went in companies to the saloons, resolved that if they were not heard in heaven, they should be heard in a lower sphere ; in the spirit of an ancient maxim : Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.* The earnestness and sincerity of those who use this method of appeal to the spectator or auditor is, in many instances, far beyond question. But the form of a petition to the heavenly Father becomes almost inevitably, more or less consciously, a rhetorical apostrophe, in which an earnest appeal to the feelings of a fellow mortal is couched in the form of a prayer to God. This perversion of prayer cometh of evil, and has a perilously evil tendency. It is especially becoming to those who are direct- ing the religious exercises and habits of the young to beware of anything that may sophisticate the simplicity of their approaches to God, or weaken *If I cannot bend the powers above, I will move the powers below. 7 2 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. their straightforward faith in Him as the hearer of prayer. 3. An even worse perversion of social prayer is when it becomes a vehicle for the display of pathos or eloquence. How easily besetting is the tempta- tion in this direction, few can be ignorant, to whose duty it has fallen to lead the devotions of others at any tinre of deeply excited feeling. The stirrings of natural human sympathy at such a time find ready utterance in forms of petition, and draw forth responses in sighs and tears. To use the occasion of prayer as the opportunity of displaying the ten- derness and verbal felicity of the leader of prayer is a temptation of the adversary — for we are not ignorant of his devices. Even the humble and halt- ing in speech may not be wholly secure against the love of men's approval for a touching, a beautiful, an appropriate, an ^eloquent prayer. But to the young man of quick sympathy and naturally facile speech, the temptation is a perilous one indeed. Against all these perversions of prayer, the best security is to be found in a clear and "reasonable religious faith" in Him that heareth prayer. When those who are gathered together in the Lord's name agree as touching what they shall ask, and ask for it in simplicity and directness, and as seeing Him who is invisible, then the greatness of the thought of God, and the incoming of the Infinite One into the hearts of all, exclude all meaner and unworthy thoughts. It is only the heart that is preoccupied with right, true and holy thoughts, that is safe from the intrusion of others. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 73 4. It is with a most reasonable apprehension of the dangers thuo indicated, that the founders and or- ganizers of some societies and orders have thought to provide against them by prescribing the form, order and language of the devotions to be used in the Young People's meetings. It is not to be denied that by this means some grave dangers are in a measure averted. It is equally obvious that some others are incurred. In reading the forms of devotion printed for use in such meetings, we may admire the decorum and dignity of the language prescribed, and the wise and devout judgment with which the subjects and objects of prayer are ordered and arranged ; but it is obvious that in avoiding one class of dangers we expose ourselves to another class. It is no imaginary peril that the forms of devotion may degenerate (to borrow a phrase from the venerable Bishop Westcott, of Durham) into nothing more than "solemn music," and the mind be taken up with the sense of appropriateness and dignity and verbal felicity, when it should be intent on the real business of prayer. The studious culti- vation of propriety and good taste may be as fatal to the spirit of prayer as the neglect of them. Altogether the one law that ought to dominate this whole subject of the Young People's Meeting considered as a prayer-meeting is this : to put out the false by bringing in the true. Let the minds of the young people be intelligently instructed and convinced in the Christian doctrine of prayer, and let them be well impressed with a sense of need, and then, whatever the forms and methods adopted, 74 young people's societies. the "effectual, fervent prayer" will be offered up, and will be divinely answered. CHAPTER X, SINGING IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE S MEETING. There are other uses of music, and other religious uses, than the use of it for worship. The neglect of this consideration vitiates not a little of the rea- soning that is largely bestowed on the subject of church music. It has been held that the fact that a hymn or song is ill adapted for use in worship was enough to exclude it from the church and from religious meetings in general — which is a mistake. Song is the natural language of emotion, es- pecially of the common emotion of an assembly of people. Any Christian emotion may be fitly uttered in Christian song. There is use for songs of fellowship, as well as of songs of worship ; and nowhere is the use of them more right and reason- able than in the meetings of a Young People's Society. There may well be more of them, and better. We need not deny, even, that there may be found place in such meetings for songs for the mere pleasure of the singing, in which the mere charms of melody and harmony and responsive imitation among the parts shall contribute to the enjoyment of those present, and to the attractive- ness of the meeting to outsiders. If this object is to be aimed at, by all means let it be with distinct, YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 75 conscious intention. If music is the thing sought for, let it be good music — that is, good for the use to which it is to be applied — and let all requisite attention be given, by personal practice and by social rehearsal, to music for music's sake. It will be a good and pleasant thing in itself, for individuals and for the Society; and it will have this conse- quence more important than itself, that it will familiarize with the use of singing in divine worship, which is serious business. It is well to repeat this : singing in the worship of God is serious business. It is often dealt with and talked about as if it was amusement, or "pre- liminary" to something, or a convenient padding between talks. To those who take most interest in it, the interest is prone to become a merely musical interest. "Good" singing at a Young People's Meeting is apt to mean the singing of a "pretty" tune, in a brisk movement, with a good volume of voices moving in time and tune, each stanza ending with a rattling chorus. There is no harm in these musical conditions, if only the company enjoying them does not delude itself with the notion that thereby it is worshiping God: The use of solemn ascriptions of praise in such a way, is a common form of "taking the name of the Lord our God in vain." It is habitually practised by many who are shocked by the coarse "cuss-words" that garnish the talk of the street corners. That singing in worship is "good singing," which unites the thoughts, feelings and voices of the par- ticipants in sincere ascriptions of praise to God. j6 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. Whatever tends away from this is bad. Worship may be hindered by unmusical or other anti-estheti- cal conditions. If there are cacophonies and mis- pronunciations — if the organ breaks down, or the voices fall from the key, if the tune is a senseless jingle, or the hymn is ungrammatical or grotesque, some minds are likely to be distracted thereby from the act of worship. It is the presence of a divine power in the soul that can hold it steadfast to the act of praise against such distractions as these. But there is another class of distractions not less fatal to the spirit of worship, of which we are less apt to complain. The charm of individual voices, ex- quisite forms of melody or progressions of har- mony, strikingly poetic lines in the hymn, even the dignity or pathos of historical association in hymn or music, or the harmony of a multitude of voices, moving us to say, How grand ! or How touching ! or How thrilling! — these may just as effectually dissipate the attention from the simplicity of wor- ship as the opposite conditions. A sort of effort that is much in vogue to fix at- tention on the hymn, instead of letting it be diverted to the singing, is really no help to worship, if it is not even a hindrance. Many volumes have been written on the history and authorship of hymns, and recommended to the use of pastors conducting a "praise service/' to enable them to emphasize the poetic features of the hymn, or the incidents in its history. It is hardly possible thus to fix the mind on the medium of worship, without withdrawing the mind ; in some measure, from the Object of YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 77 worship. The words of George Herbert have close application to this point : "A man that looks on glasse, On it may stay his eye; . Or, if he pleaseth, through it passe, And so the heav'n espie." These studies of the hymn, and of the tune, and of the singing, are all of the nature of a scrutiny of the glass, and may easily become an actual hindrance to one's communion with heaven. This is the conclusion of the matter : In the uses of singing for instruction, for fellowship, for musi- cal enjoyment, there is room for art and skill and rhetorical effect. In the act of worship, let these things be forgotten, as the parsing of the sentences is forgotten in a prayer ; and let the mind be directed with simplicity and godly sincerity toward the su- preme Object of worship. CHAPTER XI SERVICE. In the matter of service, also, are dangers to the Young People's Society, which may be indicated by these two cautions: I, it must not be selfish; 2, it must not be priggish. 1. "Alas, for the rarity of Christian charity, under the sun !" Christian charity "seeketh not her own." The other sort, which we may call Christianoid 78 young people's societies. charity, seeketh some incidental advantages for her- self or for hers — her society, her party, her sect, her business or her fad. There is a favorite New Testament word to characterize right giving, which gets variously translated in the common version, sometimes liberality, sometimes bountifulness, but which means exactly simplicity — that which is not manifold, nor even two-fold, but absolutely with no fold at all. This, we are taught, is God's way of service, and it ought to be ours. It seems to us sometimes like shrewd, clever stewardship for the Lord, when we so contrive our benefactions that one good deed shall incidentally effect two or three other good results. But subtle temptations are apt to creep in, in the folds of multiple charity; and after all the divine way of simple charity is the best. Let thine eye be single. It does seem like a wise economy of charity so to clothe the poor child as at the same time to get him into our Sunday-school ; but, according to the New Testament, the single aim is better than the double one. Help the poor child for the love of him and for the delight of doing the Lord's work by him. And then if ulterior good consequences come (as inevitably they will), let them come, and be thankful. Only, "let thine eye be single." It is the one condition exacted for constituting any club a "Lend-a-Hand Club," that "it should have for one, at least, of its objects, the uplifting of some person, neighborhood, or institution out- side the Club itself." 2. The service of the Young People's Society YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 79 must not be priggish. The temptation that besets immature age, to take on "grown-up" airs, will need to be tactfully discouraged, with the least pos- sible of snubbing or irritation. Boys and girls will have the ambition to make believe that they are men and women, when they are not. In their efforts to do good, they will find a dangerous at- traction in lines of work which carry an agreeable consciousness of superior wisdom, knowledge, vir- tue, or dignity, and thus expose really good and honest intentions to be evil spoken of. The teach- ing and reproving and rebuking functions may or- dinarily be remitted by the young person to the older person* There are certain maxims of divine wisdom that may not get due attention in Sunday- schools and Young People's meetings, which, never- theless, ought not to be lost sight of. "Be not many teachers," is one of them; and "Rebuke not an elder" is another. The admonition, "Let no man despise thy youth," may often be best observed by a scrupulous refraining from airs and assump- tions which, in the young, tend to excite contempt or ridicule. The pictures and sermons that invite our admiration of the boy Jesus in the temple, not as modestly "hearing and asking questions," and answering when He was spoken to, but as taking the rabbis in hand to teach them a thing or two — representing Him, in short, as a prig, have much to answer for in their perversion of the plain Gospel. Let not the praiseworthy desire to train the young to active usefulness be allowed to impair the mod- esty and humility proper to the young. There 8o YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. is room here for wise caution, as well as for zeal. It should be said, however,, that in the practical working of Young People's Societies there has been a remarkable absence of that self-assertion which is so likely to characterize young people when left to themselves, working mostly apart from others. The forwardness of youth appears to be taken up into the organization, and either neutralized or con- verted into a holy boldness. Another point, nearly related to this of a proper care for the due modesty and humility and teach- ableness of childhood and youth, has often been neglected, or treated with a censurable lightness, although it is one that engaged the solicitous at- tention of the Apostle Paul. I refer to the special care that needs to be exercised against any infring- ing or disparaging of the modesty of girlhood and young womanhood. In the earlier days of the Young People's So- cieties, the avowed purpose that widely prevailed, and gave character, in many instances, to the rules and methods of the organization, to encourage and even urge girls and young women to an equally active and equally public share with the young men in the proceedings of the Societies, with the ex- press intention of training up a generation of adult church members, in which the active functions of teaching and governing in the church should be exercised indifferently by both sexes, naturally ex- cited the prejudice and even the honest alarm of cautious and conservative people. The warning YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 8 1 given by the Apostle Paul in the First Epistle to the Corinthians (xiv : 34) was repeatedly and urgently quoted in reprobation of the methods of the Soci- eties : "Let your women keep silence in the churches ; for it is not permitted unto them to speak ; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. " The official historian of the Christian Endeavor move- ment speaks of this verse as "the palladium of the opponents of the Society," "the last refuge into which they have often retreated/' and declares that "by no friendly hand" it has often "been thrown triumphantly" at the Society.* Surely there is a better and more profitable way of meeting objections and difficulties founded on such seemingly obvious and grave instructions of Holy Scripture, than to meet them with sneers and imputations of evil motive. But the better way is certainly not that of the ignorant trick of interpreta- tion, by which, with much ostentation of deference to the Apostle's authority, it has been attempted to evade his apparent meaning. The distinguished author who has just been quoted would explain the text by saying that "Paul has been grossly mis- interpreted ;" that "there were noisy, turbulent, half- civilized women, who chattered and brawled even during the conduct of public worship." And he * "World-Wide Endeavor," by Dr. Francis E. Clark, p. 226. 82 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. quotes with admiration the exegesis of this text as given in the "brilliant paper" of another : Paul says: "Let the women keep silence in the churches.'' Yes, Paul does say that, and if I believed that Paul meant what is understood by many as the common interpretation of his meaning, I would submit to the Apostle; I would not say that the world has outgrown the Apostle. I be- lieve in implicit and accurate and abundant submission to inspired authority; but because I am sure that the usual interpretation of that Scripture has been a huge miscon- ception and blunder, I declare that the new prayer-meet- ing of Christian Endeavor is in close accord with the old typical prayer-meeting of the New Testament, because it gives to women holy speech; for do you know what the meaning of the words "keep silence" is? Paul says, "Do not let the women lall, lall, lall." Don't you see what he means? This is the Greek word, lalein, which means to chatter, make a disturbance and a contention. Paul says, "Never let women do that." The men had better take that to themselves as well. . . . These 'miserable pad- locks on the gracious lips of women ought to be unlocked and broken oft and flung away forever.* How groundless is this attempt to evade the meaning of the apostolic precept, is made plain in an editorial comment in "The Expository Times" : Of course, it is needless to appraise the value of this -philological discovery in speaking with any- serious student of the Greek Testament; but it is easy for any one with a Greek concordance to prove it, and find out how much of it to hold fast. Beginning with Matthew, how must we read? "While Jesus was chattering these things;" "be not anxious how or what ye shall chatter; for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall chatter. For it is not ye *Ibid., pp. 227, 228. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. &3 that chatter, but the Spirit of your Father that chattereth in you." So through all the Gospels and the Acts. In this very epistle, we should have "we chatter wisdom among the perfect;" "we make a disturbance with the wis- dom of God;" "which things we chatter and brawl . . . in the words which the Spirit teacheth." Would it not be far better for the "Y. P. S. C. E." (for which we have sin- cere respect) to say simply that they do not like the Apostle's instructions, and do not mean to regard it, rather than to be taught by great rabbis to wriggle around it by such tricks of interpretation as this? Happily, they are not shut up to this alternative. Coming back to the warning of the Apostle, we find, at the outset that he was seriously concerned that the modesty of women in the church should suf- fer no detriment. He was desirjus not only that there should be no infringement of the proper modest dignity of womanhood, but that there should be no semblance or suspicion of it, bringing reproach on the -meetings of the Christians. He quotes from the Scriptures as throwing light on the subject, but at the same time he refers the matter to the sense of propriety of the people themselves, and appeals to generally accepted principles of good taste and good usage. Furthermore, the intelligent reading of this very epistle (the First to the Corinthians) shows that he was not disposed to determine all questions by a hard and fast formula. His general rule, that women are to keep silence in the churches, is accompanied, in this same epistle, w r ith instruc- tions that when they are not keeping silence, but are taking audible part in the church services, it should be with such decorum of dress and de- 84 young people's societies. meanor as the etiquette of that time and that region prescribed. Missing the spirit of the apostolic instructions, people have fallen into two opposite mistakes. Some have applied the general rule as if there could be no exceptions to it. Others (and this is the mis- take of which our generation is in danger) have seemed to talk as if the exceptions constituted the rule. Through whatever changes of fashion and of public sentiment, the general principle is likely to abide, that leadership in government and teaching will belong to men and not to women ; and that the gentler and more retiring virtues will continue to be cherished and admired as characteristic virtues of womanhood. It is not less likely that there will continue to be exceptions to the general principle, as there were in the Church of Corinth. And no doubt, in the changed conditions of society, the exceptions will be vastly more numerous ; but they will be the exceptions still, and the rule will be the rule. But just because the exceptions are common, the general cautions of the Apostle against the in- fringement of feminine modesty and customary decorum become all the more important. Large allowance must be made for change of social usage, not only since the days of Paul, but since forty years ago. The use of the veil enjoined in Corinth has gone out. But modesty and deference, which were signified by the veil, are still in fashion. In a matter of this kind, the question what is right or wrong is seriously affected by the question what is cus- tomary. Some things that are harmless and right YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 85 for American girls, would not only be considered wrong, but would be wrong for girls in France. At the present day it is customary for women to address mixed public assemblies. Fifty years ago, being most unusual, it was proof either of some exceptional call of duty, or of some exceptional boldness, or even effrontery on the part of the speaker. The apostolic injunctions seem, by pretty clear implication, to recognize the authority of existing usage in such questions of duty. The danger of falling into a complete disregard of the Apostle's cautions to safeguard the modesty and deference of women, in religious meetings, is a real danger which peculiarly besets the conduct of Young People's Societies. Just so far as it may be attempted to make-believe that there is no differ- ence, and should be no distinction, between a young man's duties and a young woman's, there will be danger of precipitating the disorders and the scan- dals that imperiled the Church of Corinth. How the danger is to be met, is, as we have seen, not to be determined by formulas of universal application. Much must be left to the discretion and tact of older counselors, guiding the zeal and enthusiasm of youth. Rules must vary with the varying conditions and environment of different Societies, in city, vil- lage or country. Whether or not there is need, as in Corinth, to repress a too great forwardness and eagerness to lead on the part of young women, must be left to the judgment of those who are in a posi- tion to guide or influence. But there is one point on which it is safe to advise. We ought to beware 86 young people's societies. of the unwisdom, not to say the cruelty, of applying a moral coercion to break down the natural, blame- less and becoming shrinking of maidenhood from publicity. It is quite too common, in dealing with young disciples, to assume that public speaking and the making of public prayers are duties of universal obligation. There are diversities of gifts; and among them the talking gifts are not of necessity the most excellent. Many a young Christian is endowed with a gift of holding his tongue, if only he would cultivate and exercise it. It may well be a study, in the organization of a Young People's Society, to see to it that the non-talking gifts have as ample function and as high honor as the gifts which more readily take the general attention. It may not be necessary to enforce that Pauline rule which Paul himself did not enforce with rigorous uniformity, "Let your women keep silence ;" but certainly it is not unreasonable to claim for some Christian young women the privilege of sometimes keeping silence, if they are so inclined, without the slightest implication of a reflection on the fidelity of their discipleship. . Those organizations, like the "Guild of St. An- drew" and the "Daughters of the King," which separate young men from young women in different societies, are thereby relieved of the difficulties in- cident to the present question. But they miss some great advantages, and even miss, in small communi- ties, in which all the available young people to- gether are not more than enough for one active and effective society, the possibility of existing at all. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 87 Happily, these small communities are those in which ordinarily the mingling of all in one society is at- tended with the most advantages and the fewest drawbacks. CHAPTER XII, THE CONSTITUTING OF A YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETY. Whatever variations of detail there may be, inci- dental to local* or temporary circumstances, or to the methods of the general fraternities with one or another of which it may be desired to affiliate, there are some principles and rules on which the success- ful organizers in all the more important Orders seem to be well agreed. Foremost among these is the principle that it is better to begin with few than with many. Dr. Francis E. Clark, who speaks from a longer and more successful experience than any other man, is very emphatic on this point. He says : Do not be anxious for numbers. Think more of quality than of quantity. Half a score of those who are earnest and consecrated are worth, in this work, ten-score of half-hearted ones. A very few young people of the right sort can make a strong Society of Christian Endeavor. If the Society begins right, it is sure to grow. Do not lower the standard or cater to the worldly laxness of the aver- age Christian by making the way easy. The great danger is just in this line — that many will rush in at first who have no proper conception of their obligations, and who will prove a positive source of weakness to the Society. Make sure that every one who joins fully understands his duties and obligations, and is willing in Christ's strength to 88 young people's societies. undertake them. Call together the earnest young Chris- tians who are thus willing to pledge themselves to this work; let them adopt and sign the constitution, which act pledges them to a performance of these duties; let them choose their officers and committees, and the Society- is formed ready to go forward with its work. It may very well be a question, in the mind of one who contemplates the forming of such a So- ciety, whether, even in a congregation or other com- munity in which a considerable number of suitable persons might be gathered at once, it would not be preferable to begin the organization with the Scriptural "two or three/' In the nature of the case, the preliminary work must be in the way of consultation between individuals. Just at what point it is best to widen out the little group of those who join in these earliest counsels, is worthy of serious consideration. If the two or three whose zeal has impelled them to lead off in the matter, proceed by themselves to complete the framework of or- ganization, they keep in their hands the power of starting the nascent Society with the right mo- mentum and direction. On the other hand, if the many are brought into council and co-operation in the earliest stages of the enterprise, they will be the more likely to have the feeling, so desirable to culti- vate, that the Society is their own affair, for which they are all of them responsible from the start, to carry it forward to useful success. There is an open question here. But on the other point, that the original initiative has got to be with two or three, and most commonly with one, there is no room for question. YOUNG PEOPLE^ SOCIETIES. 89 A second point of counsel, near akin to the first, is commended to our consideration by the experi- ence of some successful organizers. Not only is there no need of large numbers, to begin with, there is also no need of hurry. The "Hand-book of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew" recommends great de- liberation in the steps preliminary to starting a "Chapter" of that Order: Ask a few picked men, three or four if no more are available, to meet and consider the matter. By picked men are not necessarily meant men of large gifts or ex- ceptional ability, but men of purpose and determination, who will bring to the work of the Brotherhood the same energy, tact and common sense they would apply to any business venture. To these business qualities must be added faith and prayerfulness. First, look over the field for work — that is, the local parish and neighborhood — for what needs to be done, and decide whether you will try to do it. Then take up this Brotherhood Hand-book and "Points on Brotherhood Work." Read them over carefully, discussing and obtain- ing information on any points that may not be perfectly clear. If a man who has already had experience in Brotherhood work can be secured to attend this meeting to answer questions, so much the better. Having now looked over the field and examined the in- strument which other men have used to work it, send the men home to think and pray about their duty in the matter. At the end of a week or more call the same men together again, and let those who acknowledge that it is their duty and privilege to work for the spread of Christ's kingdom among men, and who propose to do it faithfully and systematically, proceed to organize by the adoption of such by-laws and the election of such officers as may seem best. Two men are sufficient to effect organization. The members of the provisional Chapter thus formed 90 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. can begin work at once in fulfilment of the Rule of Prayer and the Rule of Service, without formally pledging them- selves. Work on this basis for four or five months, to give the men opportunity to test themselves and the Brotherhood. If at the end of that time they are willing to continue their work, and feel that the Brotherhood of St. Andrew offers them the most available means for doing it, they may proceed to the formal organization of a Chapter by ratifying the constitution of the Brotherhood and pledging themselves in the admission office suggested by the Council, to work faithfully for the one object under the two rules. Any men who are not willing to take this step may drop out quietly. A report of these proceed- ings, duly attested by the officers and approved by the rector, should be forwarded to the General Secretary on a blank furnished for the purpose, accompanied by the proper amount for the quota of the Chapter. A charter will then be issued. This probationary period for a new Chapter is not, at present, absolutely required by the constitution, but expe- rience has proved its wisdom. Many Chapters have held membership in the Brotherhood so highly that they have proved themselves by six months' or a year's service be- fore asking to be enrolled. To-day they are among the strongest in the Brotherhood. This Brotherhood work is not a matter of fancy, to be taken up or dropped as the mood may be upon one; it is not an enlistment for six months or a year, or ten years even, but for life or the war. It is important, therefore, that haste should be made slowly, and that only those men should be selected who, while they may be raw re- cruits, are not faint hearts who will turn cowards at the first onset, but men of grit who will endure. The advice thus quoted is, in some details, of limited application. It relates to the methods fol- lowed in an association of men only, constituted with a considerable strictness of form and rule with- YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 91 in the limits of a single denomination and operating on rigorously sectarian lines. But these counsels to deliberation and delay come from leaders who have had notable success in organizing, and are worthy of being pondered by any who contemplate the founding of a Young People's Society. The story of the purging of Gideon's army may be found to have an instructive application to this enterprise. This may easily prove to be one of the occasions when the part is greater than the whole. CHAPTER XIII. THE FORM OF CONSTITUTION. Readers of "Ten Times One Is Ten" will re- member that when the little strangely assorted Ten of Harry Wadsworth's friends, coming from his funeral, full of the inspiration of his generous life, had begun to talk about organizing a club, with some little form of a constitution, just enough to hold them together, the trains came along and they were whirled away in different directions without any constitution at all, but only the memory of a noble life, and four mottoes, equivalent to Faith, Hope and Charity; and that, with no more of an equipment than this, the Ten multiplied itself into other Tens, until it filled the world. Which things are an allegory. This extraordinary book had its seed in itself after its kind. A large but indefinite number of associa- 92 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. tions have sprung from it, some of which are in cor- respondence with a bureau in Boston ; and the sole condition exacted for this recognition • and fellow- ship is that the Society shall have., for at least part of its work, the doing of some helpful thing for some outside of its own circle. This brings organi- zation and regulation down to the minimum, but leaves each particular Club free to do its own or- ganizing and regulating as elaborately as it may choose. It is a fair question whether, in this instance, or- ganization was not brought down belozv the mini- mum — whether much would not have been gained in stability and sustained and combined effective- ness, without any considerable loss, if the steam generated by Dr. Hale's inspiring apologue had been more confined in cylinders, and not blown off so recklessly into the air. Certainly later move- ments seem to show immense results accruing from the imposing of some fixed rules, and from a certain amount of gearing by which the local and individual associations are brought into co-ordination with a general system. But nearly all experienced or- ganizers will agree in advising the local association not to cumber itself with machinery beyond what it practically needs. How much or how little must vary with circumstances. A numerous society, with diverse lines of labor, needs more of an. equipment of officers and committees and rules, than a society of three or four members intent on a single object. Preliminary to the question of the form of con- stitution is the question whether the Society is to YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 93 be organized within the lines of some religious con- gregation, and in connection with the Church. If it is to be quite free of such lines, being intended to include persons of different religious congrega- tions, or of none at all, then the few paragraphs can be easily drawn which shall define (i) the name of the Society; (2) the object of it; (3) conditions of membership ; (4) the officers, how and when to be chosen, and for how long. Besides these articles, it , may be necessary to agree upon some rules or by- laws, fixing (1) time and place for regular meet- ings ; and (2) in a general way the order of business at each meeting. This preliminary question as to whether the So- ciety is to be attached to some Church organization, or to be free of such attachment, may often be a difficult question to decide, with weighty reasons on each side of it. Not only the generous sentiment of Christian fellowship among those habitually sepa- rated into different worshiping assemblies, but the nature of much of the charitable work that would ordinarily fall to the hand of the Society, and the prosperity of the Society itself, which, in a small and much-divided community can not well flourish with a less constituency than the whole of the willing youth of the place — these are reasons in favor of a completely independent organization. On the other side are such reasons as these: (1) the parochial organization, with its building, its funds, its pastor and officers, furnishes a solid base of operations for the Young People's Society ; (2) if the members are taken from within sectarian lines, there is less dan- 94 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. ger of friction between different parties and opin- ions ; (3) it is painful and humiliating to recognize that among American Christians it will be admitted as an argument in favor of organization within sec- tarian lines, that "competition is the life of busi- ness/' and that the mutual emulations of rival so- cieties will conduce to the activity of each and so to the advancement of the common cause. In the mind of Paul, emulations were reckoned among "the works of the flesh ;" this seems hardly to be ac- cepted as popular American doctrine ; but for all that, it is Christian doctrine. If it is found in the individual case, that the rea- sons preponderate in favor of organizing inde- pendently of relations to congregation or sect, the Society, nevertheless, need not be without affilia- tions. If its aim is mainly that of service in chari- table work, to which social worship and spiritual self-culture are incidental, it will be likely to enroll itself among the "Lend-a-Hand Clubs" or "Ten- Times-One Clubs" that find a common centre of cor- respondence in "The Lend-a-Hand Office," 1 Bea- con street, Boston, Mass., and a common organ in "The Lend-a-Hand Record," published monthly at that office. It is the principle of this general or- ganization to permit and even encourage the largest liberty and the widest "diversity of operation" among its constituent or affiliated clubs. "A Club may organize as it will. Each Club may choose its own name, make its own constitution, and select its own work." But those contemplating a local organization may get from the central office sug- YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 95 gested drafts of constitution, and proposed rituals, and schemes of practical service, which will be found helpful in the initiation and direction of the new Club. And the monthly "Lend-a-Hand Record/' in every issue of which are marks of the genius of Dr. Edward Everett Hale, will keep each indi- vidual club in communication with others and with interesting objects of common effort, and will keep suggesting fresh methods and fresh objects of beneficence. If, on the other hand, the idea of spiritual edifi- cation and worship among its own members is a leading idea, instead of an incidental one, the Club will find its natural affiliation with "The Interna- tional Order of the King's Daughters and Sons," the objects of which are defined in its constitution to be "to develop spiritual life and to stimulate Christian activities." The "Central Council" of this confederation of local circles has its headquarters at 156 Fifth avenue, New York. Its organ is "The Silver Cross," a weekly, journal, of which the "objects are, first, the promotion of the glory of God by the extension of the kingdom of Christ; second, to develop, by direct communication with headquarters and with each other, closer union and greater interest than now exists, among the many thousands of local Circles, in order that the weak may be made strong, and the strong stronger ; third, to spread information and instruction on all points affecting the work and welfare of the Order, and to stimulate individual and united service by sug- gestion and example." The projectors of a Society 96 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. that is to be neither parochial nor sectarian, but is to be predominantly religious and distinctly Chris- tian, not only in spirit, but also in profession, would do well to address "The Silver Cross'' as above, for practical suggestions and convenient forms. It ought not to be understood that Circles dis- tinctively attached to local churches are unwelcome in the fellowship of these two confederations of Clubs. On the contrary, such Circles are cordially received ; and it may fairly be questioned, in the organization of a local church society, whether it may not find its best affiliation with one of these confederations. But the great Orders about to be named are identified with parish life, and some of them are organized on a frankly and quite exclu- sively sectarian basis. The greatest of them all — the "Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor" — seeks, according to its own favorite phrase, to be not undenominational but interdenominational. "It is as distinctly denominational as any Society pos- sibly can be. Each Society, under normal conditions, belongs to some one church. It works for that church, seeks to upbuild it, aids its pastor, helps the Sun- day-school, fills the missionary treasury, circulates the denominational literature, does just what the church and pastor demand, and only that. But it exists in a multitude of churches and in many de- nominations, to do the same service loyally and heartily for each church and denomination in which it finds a home."* So far from abating sectarian zeal and emulation, in the local Societies, the gen- EWorld- Wide Endeavor," 261, YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 97 eral Society unreservedly commends itself to the approval of earnest sectarians in the several com- peting denominations, as tending to encourage and stimulate, in each local Society, the liveliest zeal for the sect to which the church in which it exists is attached. Then it seeks to bring together on terms of kindly fraternization and fellowship, in provin- cial, national and ecumenical conventions, these strongly differentiated Circles. The foregoing historical pages show that this sin- cere acceptance and promotion of the sectarian prin- ciple has failed, nevertheless, permanently to con- ciliate the most eager and zealous partisans. There is no important evangelical denomination, indeed, which is not still represented in the organization of the general Society of Christian Endeavor. But those denominations in which the partisan spirit exists in largest ratio to the spirit of catholic fellow- ship show a growing tendency to consolidate the fellowship of their Young People's Societies within denominational boundary lines. The Methodist Episcopal, Protestant Episcopal and Baptist de- nominations, in particular, show an increasing tendency to a more closely drawn fellowship of Young People's Societies within their respective sectarian boundaries, with greater isolation from the world-wide "interdenominational" fellowship. So, then, if a Society is to be organized in connec- tion with some church, there is a wide choice open before it, in the matter of affiliation. i. It can stand by itself without affiliation — a course which may, perhaps, have its advantages in 98 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. some circumstances, but which would involve grave and inevitable loss of the interest, incitement and delight of a larger fellowship. 2. It can connect itself, on the easiest terms of correspondence, with either of the great undenomi- national Societies, of which we have already spoken —the Lend-a-Hand Club, or the King's Daughters and Sons. 3. It can organize itself as a Young People's So- ciety of Christian Endeavor, using a large liberty in adapting the organization to local requirements or to denominational interests, and gaining the im- mense cheer and encouragement and resource in- cidental to association in that vast fellowship, with its immense resources of experience at home, and of correspondence with all quarters of the earth. 4. In some denominations, it can organize itself in connection with an organization which maintains terms of special correspondence among Societies within the denomination, and looks out for denomi- national interests, while cultivating fraternal rela- tions with Young People's Societies of all sects and nations through the United Society of Christian Endeavor. Such is the method, among others, of the Westminster League in the Presbyterian Church, and of the Epworth League of Christian Endeavor, a favorite form of organization among the Methodists of Canada. 5. In some other denominations the local Society can organize itself within the lines of a rigorously sectarian league, like the Epworth League, or the Baptist Young People's Union. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 99 Now the course to be taken in the starting of the local Society in any church will depend on the choice among these alternatives. In the first case, or in the second, the general suggestions that have been already made (see pp. 87-91) and those that will be promptly received on application (stamp inclosed) at the headquarters of the Lend-a-Hand Corporation or of the King's Daughters and Sons, will furnish all needful indica- tions of the best way to get to work. But the prac- tical hints that are contained in the small publica- tions of all the different organizations will be in- teresting and useful even to those who are outside of the range for which they are specially intended. In one connection and another, there has been not a little bright and sensible writing on the subject. d % — CHAPTER XIV. THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR CONSTITUTION. "The Beginnings of a Society of Christian En- deavor" is the title of a sketch by the Rev. S. W. Adriance, published ( at three cents a copy) by the United Society of Christian Endeavor, Tremont Temple, Boston, Taking this as a type of such instructions, we find that the church Society is to begin, if not with the pastor of the church, at least with his cordial approval and co-operation. With- out these it is not hopeful to begin at all. In this IOO YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. sketch, the pastor, studying his list of communi- cants and parishioners, writes a card of invitation to each one of his ten young church members ; also to each of three young people, members of sister churches, but worshiping for the time in his con- gregation ; also to each of three young persons not yet members of the church, but in w T hose Christian principle he has good hope. Fifteen out of the six- teen come to his house on a Wednesday evening to talk over his plan. He explains the methods of the Society, and reads the Constitution with a running conversational comment on it by the com- pany. So they wind up with "chocolate and cake" and a good talk all around, and agree to think it over for two weeks, and then meet to form the Society. At the end of the two weeks they come together in spite of a storm, and adopt a Constitution by vote, and appoint a nominating committee, and fix upon an evening for the weekly prayer-meeting. With the choice of President, Secretary, Prayer- meeting Committee and Look-out Committee, there is sufficient organization to begin business. How the .work grows from this beginning, is told in a few pleasantly written pages. The "Hints," with which this sketch concludes, contain much that is ap- plicable to the starting of any Young People's Society. i. Get the pastor to start it, or at least be with it at the start. 2. Arrange for the first meeting in some small room, and invite those who are particularly interested. YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. IOI 3. Talk the matter earnestly over, read the Constitution carefully, and organize. Let every one mean business. 4. Elect the President, the Secretary, and at least the Prayer-meeting and Lookout Committees the first night. 5. Let the Lookout Committee make out at once a list of all the young people in the community. 6. Appoint a public meeting to present the matter to others. 7. Obtain copies of the Constitution, and blank pledges for Active and Associate Members, and place these, to- gether with a printed invitation to the public meeting, in envelopes. 8. Let the Lookout Committee divide the list of young people, and either mail or carry an envelope to every young person in the place. 9. Make every effort to get a large number out. 10. Have some one appointed to set the new move- ment briefly and clearly before all. Insist that no one shall join who is not willing to live up to the pledge. It is far better to lose some than to gain those who will be burden- some. 11. Ask all who desire to join to sign their names to the blank for Active or Associate Membership, and let these cards be collected and handed to the Lookout Com- mittee, already organized, as under Hint No. 4. .12. At the next business meeting let the Lookout Com- mittee read such names as are to be presented, and let them be elected. All names should first be presented to the Lookout Committee. 13. Let the Prayer-meeting Committee appoint leaders and subjects and begin at once, and in earnest, in the prayer-meeting. 14. Immediately after organizing, have a meeting of all the committees with the pastor to consider the work of each committee, and assign it to the proper committee to be done. 15. Begin at the very first meeting to take part; and take part at every meeting. 102 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 16. It will bring the Society into line with the great host to adopt the uniform topics. Samples of these may be obtained from the United Society. Comments on these topics are printed every week in "The Christian Endeavor World," Tremont Temple, Boston, and in scores of re- ligious papers throughout the country. 17. Appoint a permanent correspondent and send notice of the formation, with date and numbers, to the United Society of Christian Endeavor, Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass. None will fail to recognize that the organization of the "Y. P. S. C. E." conforms to its dominant idea. That idea is the religious idea of spiritual edification through common worship and mutual counsel. The structural necessities to this are few and simple. A President, a Secretary, the pledge, the Lookout Committee, the Prayer-meeting Com- mittee, and the consecration meeting — this brief list comprises the essentials. From this, the organi- zation can be widened out as local or denomina- tional exigencies may require. Detailed advice, ex- tending to the minutest particulars of organization and management, can be obtained from the United Society of Christian Endeavor, Tremont Temple, Boston, Mass. Further information bearing upon the special adaptation of the Christian Endeavor organization to the needs and interests of the several sects in which it is naturalized, may be got by applying at the publication offices of the various denominations. Here follows the draft of Constitution and By- laws recommended by the United Society of Chris- tian Endeavor. YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 103 MODEL CONSTITUTION.* Article I: — Name. This Society shall be called the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor. Article II. — Object. Its object shall be to promote an earnest Christian life among its members, to increase their mutual acquaintance, and to make them more useful in the service of God. Article III. — Membership. 1. The members shall consist of three classes: Active, Associate, and Affiliated or Honorary. *This Constitution, which, in its important features, is substantially the same as that adopted by the first Society in Portland, February 2, 1881, has been prepared with great care, and met with the very hearty indorsement of the Fourth National Convention, to which it was pre- sented. It has been revised and approved by the Trustees of the United Society, at a meeting held October, 1887. It is not necessarily binding upon any local Society, but is to be regarded in the light of a recommendation, es- pecially for the guidance of new organizations and those unacquainted with the work of the Society of Christian Endeavor. It is hoped, however, for the sake of uni- formity, that the Constitution, which deals only with main principles, may be generally adopted, and that such changes as may be needed to adapt the Society to local needs will be made in the By-Laws. Even if the language of the Constitution of some local Societies should vary from this Model Constitution, it should be borne in mind that only those societies that adhere to the prayer-meeting idea as embodied in Article VII, and the main features of committee work, can properly claim the name of Chris- tian Endeavor Societies. The specimen By-Laws which are here appended embrace suggestions for the govern- ment of the Society which have been found successful in many places. Each one is approved by experience, 104 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 2. Active Members. The active members of this Society shall consist of all young persons who believe themselves to be Christians, and who sincerely desire to accomplish the objects above specified. Voting power shall be vested only in the active members. 3. Associate Members. All young persons of worthy character, who are not at present willing to be considered decided Christians, may become associate members of this Society. They shall have the special prayers and sympathy of the active members, but shall be excused from taking part in the prayer-meeting. It is expected that all associ- ate members will habitually attend the prayer-meetings, and that they will in time become active members, and the Society will work to this end. 4. Affiliated or Honorary Members* All persons who, though no longer young, are still interested in the Society, and wish to have some connection with it, though they cannot regularly attend the meetings, may become honor- ary members. Their names shall be kept upon the list under the appropriate heading, but shall not be called at the roll-call meeting. It is understood that the Society may look to the honorary members for financial and moral support in all worthy efforts. (For special class of honor- ary members, see Article XL) 5. These different persons shall become members, upon being elected by the Society, after carefully examining the Constitution and By-Laws and upon signing their names to them, thereby pledging themselves to live up to their requirements. *This class of membership is provided *for Christians of mature years, especially for those who have been active members, and who desire to remain throughout their lives connected with the Society. Young persons who can be either active or associate members should in no case be affiliated members. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 105 Article IV. — Officers. 1. The officers of this Society shall be a President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Sec- retary, and Treasurer, who shall be chosen from among the active members of the Society. 2. There shall also be a Lookout Committee, a Prayer- meeting Committee, a Social Committee, and such other committees as the local needs of each Society may require, each consisting of five active members. There shall also be an Executive Committee, as provided in Article VI. Article V. — Duties of Officers. 1. President. The President of the Society shall per- form the duties usually pertaining to that office. He shall have especial watch over the interests of the Society, and it shall be his care to see that the different committees perform the duties devolving upon them. He shall be Chairman of the Executive Committee. 2. Vice-President. The Vice-President shall assist the President, and perform his duties in his absence.* 3. Corresponding Secretary. It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to keep the local Society in communication with the State and local Christian En- deavor Unions and with the United Society, and to pre- sent to his own Society such matters of interest as may come from the United Society, from other local Societies, and from other authorized sources of Christian Endeavor information. This office shall be held permanently by the same person, as long as he is able to perform its duties satisfactorily, and his name should be forwarded to the United Society immediately after election. 4. Recording Secretary. It shall be the duty of the Re- cording Secretary to keep a record of the members, to correct it from time to time, as may be necessary, and to *It is suggested that the Vice-President shall also be Secretary of the Executive Committee. 106 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. obtain the signature of each newly elected member to the Constitution; also to correspond with absent members, and to inform them of their standing in the Society; also to keep correct minutes of all business meetings of the Society; also to notify all persons elected to office or to committees, and to do so in writing, if necessary. 5. Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep safely all moneys belonging to the Society, and to pay out only such sums as shall be voted by the Society. Article VI. — Duties of Committees. 1. Lookout Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- mittee to bring new members into the Society, to intro- duce them to the work and to the other members, and affectionately to look after and reclaim any that seem in- different to their duties, as outlined in the pledge. This committee shall also, by personal investigation, satisfy itself of the fitness of young persons to become members of this Society, and shall propose their names at least one week before their election to membership. 2. Prayer-meeting Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to have in charge the prayer-meeting, and to see that a topic is assigned and a leader appointed for every meeting, and to do what it can to secure faithfulness to the prayer-meeting pledge. 3. Social Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- mittee to promote the social interests of the Society by welcoming strangers to the meetings, and by providing for the mutual acquaintance of the members by occasional sociables, for which any appropriate entertainment, of which the Church approves, may be provided. 4. Executive Committee* This committee shall consist of the Pastor of the church, the officers of the Society, and *The object of this committee is to prevent waste of time in the regular meetings of the Society by useless debate and unnecessary parliamentary practice, which are always harmful to the spirit of a prayer-meeting. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 107 the Chairmen of the various committees. All matters of business requiring debate shall be brought first before this committee, and by it reported to the Society either favor- ably or adversely. All discussion of proposed measures shall take place before this committee, and not before the Society. Recommendations concerning the finances of the Society shall also originate with this committee. 5. Each committee, except the Executive, shall make a report in writing to the Society, at the monthly business meetings, concerning the work of the past month. Article VII. — The Prayer-meeting. All the active members shall be present at every meet- ing, unless detained by some absolute necessity, and each active member shall take some part, however slight, in every meeting. To the above all the active members shall pledge themselves, understanding by "absolute necessity" some reason for absence which can conscientiously be given to their Master, Jesus Christ. Article VIII. — The Pledge* All persons on becoming Active members of the Society shall sign the following pledge: Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I prom- ise Him that I will strive to do whatever He would like to have me do; that I will make it the rule of my life to pray and to read the Bible every day, and to support my own Church in every way, especially by attending all her regular Sunday and mid-week services, unless prevented by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Saviour; and that, just so far as I know how, throughout my whole life, I will endeavor to lead a Christian life. • *If this exact form of words is not adopted, it is earnest- ly hoped that it will not be weakened or toned down, but that a pledge embracing the ideas of private devotion, loyalty to the Church, and outspoken confession of Christ in the weekly meeting will be adopted. 108 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. As an active member, I promise to be true to all my duties, to be present at, and to take some part, aside from singing, in every Christian Endeavor prayer-meeting, unless hindered by some reason which I can conscien- tiously give to my Lord and Master. If obliged to be absent from the monthly consecration meeting of the So- ciety, I will, if possible, send at least a verse of Scripture to be read in response to my name at the roll-call. Signed Article IX. — The Consecration Meeting. 1. Once each month a consecration or covenant meet- ing shall be held, at which each active member shall renew his vows of consecration. If any one chooses, he can express his feelings by an appropriate verse of Scripture or other quotation. 2. At each consecration meeting the roll shall be called (or some equally thorough method of making the record may be adopted), and-the responses of the active members shall be considered as renewed expressions of allegiance to Christ. It is expected that if any one is obliged to be absent from this meeting, he will send a message, or at least a verse of Scripture, to be read in response to his name at the roll-call. 3. If any active member of this Society is absent from this monthly meeting, and fails to send a message, the Lookout Committee is expected to take the name of such a one, and in a kind and brotherly spirit ascertain the rea- son for the absence. If any active member of the Society is absent and unexcused from three consecutive monthly meetings, such a one ceases to be a member of the Society, and his name, on vote of the Lookout Committee and the Pastor, shall be stricken from the list of members. 4. Any associate member who, without good reason, is regularly absent from the prayer-meetings, and shows no interest whatever in the work of the Society, may upon vote of the Lookout Committee and Pastor, be dropped from the roll of members. YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 109 Article X. — Business Meetings and Elections. 1. Business meetings may be held in connection with the prayer-meeting, or at any other time in accordance with the call of the President. 2. An election of the officers and committees shall be held once in six months.* Names may be proposed by a Nominating Committee appointed by the President, of which the Pastor shall be- a member ex-oiJicio. Article XL — Relation to the Church. This Society, being a part of the church, owes allegiance only and altogether to the church with which it is con- nected. The Pastors, Deacons, Elders or Stewards, and Sunday-school Superintendent, if not active members, shall be, ex-ofliciis, honorary members. Any difficult question shall be laid before them for advice, and their decision shall be final. It shall be understood that the nomination of officers or other action taken by the Society shall be subject to revision or veto by the church; that in every way the Society shall put itself under the con- trol of the official board of the church, and shall make a report to the church monthly, quarterly, or annually as the church may direct. Article XII. — Relation of the Junior Society. The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor and the Junior Society being united by ties of closest sym- pathy and common effort, monthly (or at least annual) reports should be read to the Young People's Society b^ the Junior Superintendent. When the boys and girls reach the age of fourteen, they shall be transferred to the older society. Special pains shall be taken to see that a share of the duties and responsibilities of the prayer-meet- ings and of the general work of the Society shall be borne by the younger members. * Once a year, if preferred. HO YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. Article XIII. — Fellowship. This Society, while owing allegiance only to its own church, is united by ties of spiritual fellowship with other Christian Endeavor societies the world around. This fel- lowship is based upon a common love to Christ, is cemented by a common pledge and common methods of work, and is guaranteed by a common name, "Christian Endeavor," used either alone or in connection with some denominational name. This fellowship is that of an interdenominational, not an undenominational, organization. It is promoted by local-union meetings, State and national conventions, and still further by the work of the Information Committtee, which it is hoped will be adopted by each society. (See By-Laws, Article X.) Article XIV. — Withdrawals. Any member who may wish to withdraw from the So- ciety shall state the reasons to the Lookout Committee and Pastor, and if these reasons seem sufficient, he may be allowed to withdraw. Article XV. — Miscellaneous. Any other committee may be added and duties assumed by this Society which in the future may seem best. Article XVI. — Transfer of Members. Since it would in the end defeat the very object of our organization if the older active members, who have been trained in the Society for usefulness in the church, should remain content with fulfilling their pledge to the Society only, therefore it is expected that the older members, when it shall become impossible for them to attend two weekly prayer-meetings, shall be transferred to the honor- ary membership of the Society, if previously faithful to their vows as active members. This transfer, however, YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. HI shall be made with the understanding that the obligation to faithful service shall still be binding upon them in the regular church prayer-meeting. It shall be left to the Lookout Committee, in conjunction with the Pastor, to see that this transfer of membership is made as occasion requires. Article XVII. — Amendment. ,This Constitution may be amended at any regular busi- ness meeting, by a two-thirds vote of the entire active membership of the Society, provided that a written state- ment of the proposed amendment shall have been read to the Society and deposited with the Secretary at the regular business meeting next preceding. SPECIMEN BY-LAWS.* Article I. This Society shall hold a prayer-meeting on evening of each week. The regular prayer- meeting of the month shall be a consecration meeting, at which the roll shall be called. Article II. Method of Conducting the Consecration Meeting. At this meeting the roll may be called by the Leader during the meeting or at its close. After the opening exercises, the names of five or more may be called, and then a hymn sung or a prayer offered. The committees may be called by themselves, or other variations of the roll-call introduced. Thus varied, with singing and prayer interspersed, the entire roll shall be called. * If it is thought that these rules and regulations are un- necessarily long, it should be borne distinctly in mind that these specimen By-Laws are simply given as suggestions. 112 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. Article III. This Society shall hold its regular business* meeting in connection with the regular prayer-meeting in the month. Special business meetings may be held at the call of the President. Article IV. The election of officers and committees shall be held at the first business meeting in A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President at least two weeks previous to the time for electing new officers. Of this committee the Pastor shall be a member ex-ofhcio. It is understood that these officers are chosen subject to the approval of the church. If there is no objection on the part of the church, the election stands. The following clause of the By-Laws may be read to the Society before each semi-annual election of offi- cers: — While membership on the board of officers or commit- tees of this Society should be distributed as evenly as the best good of the Society will warrant, among the different members, the offices should not be considered places of honor to be striven for, but simply opportunities for in- creased usefulness, and any ill feeling or jealousy spring- ing from this cause shall be deemed unworthy a member of the Society of Christian Endeavor. When, however, a member has been fairly elected, it is expected that he will consider his office a sacred trust, to be conscientiously ac- cepted, and never to be declined except for most urgent and valid reasons. Article V. Applications for membership may be made on printed * This business meeting will usually be simply for the hearing of reports from the committees, or for such mat- ters as will not detract from the spiritual tone of. the meeting. All matters requiring discussion, it will be re- membered, are to be brought before the Executive Com- mittee, and not before the Society. YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. H3 forms, which shall be supplied by the Lookout Committee and returned to them for consideration. Names may be proposed for membership one week be- fore the business meeting, and shall be voted on by the Society at that meeting. The Lookout Committee may, in order to satisfy itself of the Christian character of the candidate, present to all candidates for active or associate membership one of the following cards to be signed: — ACTIVE MEMBERS PLEDGE. Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I promise Him that I will strive to do whatever He would like to have me do; that I will make it the rule of my life to pray and to read the Bible every day, and to support my own church in every way, especially by attending all her regular Sunday and midweek services, unless pre- vented by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Saviour; and that, just so far as^ I know how, throughout my whole life, I will endeavor to lead a Chris- tian life. As an active member, I promise to be true to all my duties, to be present at, and to take some part, aside from singing, in every Christian Endeavor prayer-meeting, un- less hindered by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Lord and Master. If obliged to be absent from the monthly consecration meeting of the Society, I will, if possible, send at least a verse of Scripture to be read in response to my name at the roll-call. Signed ASSOCIATE MEMBERS PLEDGE. As an associate member, I promise to attend the prayer- meetings of the Society habitually and declare my willing- ness to do what I may be called upon to do as an associate member to advance the interests of the Society. Signed , 114 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. Article VI. Persons who have forfeited their membership may be re-admitted on recommendation of the Lookout Commit- tee and Pastor and by vote of the members present at any regular business meeting. Article VII. New members shall sign the Constitution, which shall contain the pledge, within four weeks from their election, to confirm the vote of the Society. Article VIII. Any one who cannot accept the office to which he may be elected shall notify the President before the next busi- ness meeting, at which the vacancy shall be filled. In the meantime, the former officer holds the position. Article IX. Letters of Introduction to other Christian Endeavor societies shall be given to members in good standing who apply to be released from their obligations to the Society, this release to take effect when they shall become mem- bers of another Society; until then, their names shall be kept on the Absent List. Members removing to other places, or desiring to join other Christian Endeavor So- cieties in the same city or town, are requested to obtain Letters of Introduction within six months from the time of their leaving, unless they shall give satisfactory reasons to the Society for their further delay. Article X. Other committees may be added, according to the needs of local societies, whose duties may be defined as follows: Information Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- mittee to gather information concerning Endeavorers or Endeavor work, in all parts of the world, and to report the same. For this purpose, five minutes shall be set aside at the beginning of each meeting. YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. US Sunday-school Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to endeavor to bring into the Sunday-school those who do not attend elsewhere, and to co-operate with the Superintendent and officers of th*e school in any ways which they may suggest for the benefit of the Sunday- school. Calling Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to have a special care for those among the young people who do not feel at home in the church, to call on them, and to remind others where ells should be made. Music Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to provide for the singing at the young people's meeting, and also to turn the musical ability of the Society to ac- count, when necessary, at public religious meetings. Missionary Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- mittee to provide for regular missionary meetings, to in- terest the members of the Society in all ways in missionary topics, and to aid, in any manner which may seem prac- ticable, the cause of Home and Foreign Missions. Flower Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- mittee to provide flowers for the pulpit, and to distribute them to the sick at the close of the Sabbath services. Temperance Committee. It shall be the duty of this com- mittee to do what may be deemed best to promote tem- perance principles and sentiment among the members of the Society. Relief Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to do what it can to cheer and aid, by material comforts if possible and necessary, the sick and destitute among the young people- of the church and Sunday-school. Good-Literature Committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to do its utmost to promote the reading of good books and papers. To this end it shall do what it can to circulate the religious newspaper representing the So- ciety among its members, also to obtain subscribers for the denominational papers or magazines among the families of the congregation as the pastor and church may direct. It may, if deemed best, distribute tracts and religious IIO YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. leaflets, and in any other suitable way which may be de- sired introduce good reading matter wherever practicable. Other committees not here found may be added as oc- casion may demand and the church may desire. Article XL Members who cannot meet with this Society for a time are requested to obtain leave of absence, which shall be granted by the Lookout Committee and Pastor and with- drawn at any time by the same, and their names shall be placed on the Absent List. Article XII. members shall constitute a quorum. Article XIII. These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any regular meeting, provided that notice of such amendment is given in writing and is recorded by the Secretary at least one week before the amendment is acted upon. CHAPTER XV. THE EPWORTH LEAGUE CONSTITUTION. As might have been expected, the Young People's Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church is char- acterized by elaborated organization, geared into the system of operations which is so firmly knit to- gether in the Methodist denomination, "by that which every joint supplieth." Another trait which is equally characteristic of Methodism is that the League is organized from YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 117 above downward. The Christian Endeavor So- cieties began by spontaneous organization in in- dividual congregations ; the United Society, and the provincial organizations, larger and smaller, exist by combination of these units, and use such author- ity or render such service as these units may wish to have them. The like is true of the Lend-a-Hand Societies, and of the King's Daughters and Sons. This sort of organization is distinctly American, and illustrative of the principle of E plaribus unutn. In the Epworth League, on the other hand, the in- dividual societies exist by virtue of a charter from the central authority, or "Board of Control," pre- sided over by one of the bishops of the Church, and consisting of five ministers and nine laymen appointed by the bishops, and of fourteen other members, elected each by one of the General Con- ference Districts. The bishop presiding over the Board of Control has his "Cabinet" of nine per- sons : 1, a General Secretary, and 2, 3, Assistant Secretaries, one for the German work, one for the work among the Colored Conferences ; 4, the edi- tor of "The Epworth Herald;" 5, a General Treasurer; 6, 7, 8, 9, four Vice-Presidents, having in charge four several departments of the League's work. The First Vice-President is in charge of the Spiritual Department; the Second Vice-President, of the "Mercy and Help" Department; the Third Vice-President, of the Literary Department, and the Fourth Vice-President is in charge of the Social Department. This organization of the general League is the Il8 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. norm or pattern according to which each local League is expected to organize itself. The form of Constitution provided for local Chapters of the League is as follows : Article I. Name. This organization shall be known as the Ep- worth League of the Methodist Episcopal Church of , and shall be subordinate to the Quarterly Conference of said church, and a Chapter of the Epworth League of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Article II. Object. The object of the League is to promote intelli- gent and vital piety in the young members and friends of the Church; to aid them in the attainment of purity of heart and in constant growth in grace, and to train them in works of mercy and help. Article III. Membership. I. Members shall be constituted by election of the Chapter, on nomination of the President, after ap- proval by the Cabinet. 2. The pastor shall be ex-oMcio a a member of the Chapter and the Cabinet.* *Wherever a Chapter so decides there shall be two classes of members, active and associate. Active mem- bers shall, in addition to election as provided in section 1, subscribe to the following pledge: I will earnest seek for myself, and do what I can to help others attain, the highest New Testament standard of experience and life. I will abstain from all those forms of worldly amusement forbidden by the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church. And I will attend, so far as possible, the religious meetings of the Chapter and the Church, and take some active part in them. In such cases active members only shall be eligible to election as officers of the Chapter. Associate members shall be entitled to all other privileges of membership. YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 119 Article IV. Departments. — The work of the League shall be car- ried out through six departments, as follows: 1. Depart- ment of Spiritual Work. 2. Department of Mercy and Help. 3. Department of Literary Work. 4. Department of Social Work. 5. Department of Correspondence. 6. Department of Finance. The distribution of work under each department shall be as follows: I. Department of Spiritual Work. — This department will arrange for the regular prayer-meetings of the Chapter. It may also plan special revival meetings and neighbor- hood outdoor and cottage services and the like. It shall look after the spiritual welfare of the members of the Chapter, inviting those who are interested to join the classes of the Church. It may conduct children's prayer- meetings or devotional meetings for special classes of per- sons, as sailors, railroad men, etc. It shall help the super- intendent in building up and strengthening the Sunday- school. It shall also endeavor to interest the young people in the missionary enterprises of the Church. To it shall be committed all the evangelistic and devotional activities of the Chapter. Where the work of the League is so di- vided that the different departments interweave their efforts, the Department of Spiritual Work shall arrange for the devotional services in sociables, lectures, and all such meetings. II. Department of Mercy and Help. — This department shall arrange for the systematic visitation of the members of the Chapter, the sick of the neighborhood, the aged, the newcomers in the community. It shall interest the League in the charities of the place, and plan to give aid when needed. It shall have charge of temperance work, social purity work, tract distribution^ Christian citizenship, and the like. All kinds of charitable work when undertaken by the Chapter, such as visiting hospitals, nursing, dis- tributing flowers, starting industrial schools, running em- 120 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. ployment bureaus, coffee-houses, day nurseries, etc., shall be -under its care. III. Department of Literary Work. — It shall be the aim of this department to encourage the study of the Scriptures, to instruct the membership of the Chapter in the doc- trines, polity, history and present activities of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church and the other denominations of the Church universal, and to give stimulus and direction to general Christian culture. It shall have charge of all courses of reading and study pursued by the Chapter. It may open, wherever practicable, libraries, reading rooms, art rooms, night schools and the like. It shall arrange for lectures and literary gatherings, when members of the Chapter and others shall present essays, papers, talks, de- bates, etc. It shall endeavor to extend the circulation of the books and papers of the Church, and do what it can to quicken the intellectual life of its members and the com- munity. IV. Department of Social Work. — This department shall be on the outlook for new members, and be ready to re- ceive them and introduce them at all meetings of the Chap- ter. It shall have charge of the social part of all gather- ings. The music of the Chapter and its entertainments, other than the literary programs, shall be under its care. It may provide flowers for the pulpit, ushers when needed, and attend to procuring badges, emblems, banners, decora- tions, etc., and be the custodian of all such effects belong- ing to the Chapter. Picnics, excursions, and the like shall be under its care. V. Department of Correspondence. — This department shall keep a complete record of the membership, of all the meetings, and of all courses of reading and study pursued by the Chapter. It is desirable that it send reports of its meetings to local papers. Also, that it keep copies of all programs, newspaper and other notices of its affairs, and all memorabilia relating to its doings. It may carry on correspondence with absent members and other Chap- YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 121 ters, and read the replies at the meetings of the Chapter as the Chapter may order. It shall conduct all corre- spondence with the central and district officers, and be the custodian of all the records of the Chapter. By it mem- bers in good standing shall be recommended to other Chapters. VI. Department of Finance. — This department shall present to the Chapter plans for meeting the financial needs of the Chapter. It shall collect all dues and receive all moneys, disbursing the same as the Chapter may direct. All matters involving an expenditure of money shall be referred to it for consideration before the final action of the Chapter. Article V. Officers, i. The officers shall be a President, First Vice- President, Second Vice-President, Third Vice-President, Fourth Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. 2. The President, who shall be a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, shall be elected by ballot on a majority vote. The other officers, who shall be members of the Methodist Episcopal or some other evangelical Church,* shall be elected in the same manner. 3. All officers must be approved by the Quarterly Con- ference or the Official Board. 4. After approval by the Quarterly Conference or Offi- cial Board the names of the officers, with their addresses, shall be promptly forwarded to the Central Office of the Epworth League. 5. The officers shall perform the duties usually assigned to such officers. They shall also, in the order named, beginning with the First Vice-President, represent, and have charge of, the Departments of Spiritual Work, Mercy and Help, Literary Work, Social Work, Correspondence, * In all those cases where the Chapter is divided into active and associate members this clause should read, "who shall be active members." 122 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. and Finance. They shall, together with the President and Pastor, constitute the Cabinet of the Chapter, aiding the President as he may request. 6. For the purpose of enlisting all in the work, and rendering it more effective, the Cabinet shall assign each member to at least one department of work. Each Cabinet officer shall name to the Chapter a committee of from three to five members for the management of his depart- ment, the officer being ex-oificio chairman. 7. It shall be the duty of the Cabinet to organize a Junior League, under the control of a Superintendent, to be appointed by the pastor. The Superintendent shall be a member, ex-ofhcio, of the Cabinet. Article VI. Meetings. The Chapter shall hold a devotional meeting on evening of each week, to be led by one of the members of the Chapter under the direction of the Com- mittee on Spiritual Work. Other meetings shall be held as the Cabinet may arrange for them. Article VII. By-Laws and Amendments. The Chapter may adopt such By-Laws consistent with the Constitution as may be need- ed. Amendments to Constitution or By-Laws must be submitted in writing to the Cabinet, and when approved by it may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of those present at any regular meeting; provided, however, the pledge be kept inviolate. The instructions given to the several officers in "The Epworth League Handbook for 1899" are full of suggestions that may profitably be studied by those concerned in a Young People's Society of any name. The traits of the Methodist discipline appear in it, indeed, but the distribution of labor and responsibility is admirable. We condense the language of the Handbook : YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 1 23 The President. He should have (1) experience in the working plans of the organization; (2) knowledge of local conditions and needs; (3) a sense of the dignity and im- portance of his office; (4) enthusiasm to face discourage- ments and win success. He should be carefully selected, not for the purpose of honoring any individual, however deserving. But the President alone cannot make the work a success. He must have a good cabinet, and the support and co-operation of all the members. Hints to the President: (1) Organize your Cabinet im- mediately after election, and have members assigned to department work at once. (2) In these assignments, con- sult the wishes of the Cabinet officers and the aptitudes of the several members. (3) Make each Cabinet officer feel that while you stand ready to help, the responsibility for the work of his department, lies with him. (4) Be prompt in attendance at all meetings of church and Chapter. (5) Be the right-hand man of the pastor. Notify him of the meetings of the Cabinet and of the various departments, and invite him to attend. (6) Always notify the Junior Superintendent of the Cabinet meetings, and call for her report. (7) Do not undertake so much other church work that you cannot give full attention to the Epworth League. (8) Urge each department to hold regular meet- ings; attend these meetings, and advise, but do not dictate. (9) Be systematic, prompt, cheerful, appreciative, sympa- thetic, helpful. The First Vice-President, in charge of the Spiritual Department. Devotional meetings are sensitive to very little things. It is easy to arouse them, but easier to dull and chill them. Hints to the Leader of the Prayer-Meeting: (1) Be punctual. Begin the meeting on time, if you have to begin it alone. (2) Be brief. Allow yourself not more than four or five minutes for your comments on the sub- ject. (3) Be prepared. Have hymns selected in advance, passages of Scripture to be read, looked up, thoughts to be touched on arranged in order in the mind. (4) Keep 124 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. the piano or organ subordinate to the singing. (5) Rarely take the devotional meeting to learn new hymns. A prayer-meeting should not be a singing school. (6) Do not always call on persons to pray. Leave some- thing to the voluntary service of those present. (7) Avoid stereotyped phrases in the lulls that sometimes come; better a little silence or a verse of a Lymn, than a hack- neyed formula. (8) Get a few persons pledged privately to assist in the meeting by speaking or praying. (9) Give the meeting liberty. Do not tie it up too tightly to the subject in hand, nor be too rigid with a time limit. (10) Notice the good points made during the meeting, and briefly touch them just before the close. (11) Have ready some incident or illustration bearing on the subject, for use in closing. (12) Close promptly. Take five minutes to gather the meeting together, make closing remarks, announce closing hymn, and finish the service. The Second Vice-President, in charge of the Mercy and Help Department. There is place for this Depart- ment in city, village and country alike. The work of this Department includes efforts to save society by vanquish- ing the sins that prey upon it. Hints to the Second Vice-President: (1) Have representa- tives of all ages and classes in the chapter, on the Mercy and Help Committee, so as to use and reach all classes. (2) Seek out the aged, sick and needy, and provide for sys- tematic visitation of them. (3) Keep a record of names and residences of those needing relief; this record will be useful to a new committee succeeding to the work. (4) Co-operate in arranging for temperance meetings and circulating temperance literature. The Third Vice-President, in charge of the Literary Department. Excellence in this department will come only as the result of patient, well-planned effort. The great essential to success is a real living, acting, thinking third vice-president. Hints for the Third Vice-President: (1) Let your work be just as religious as that of the Spiritual Department. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 1 25 (2) Pay no attention to the apology that people have no time for literature. Most young people do more reading than the League asks for, only it is not along the right lines. (3) In a friendly way, find out "what books, papers and magazines are already being read, and adopt all the literary work already being done. (4) Take the Reading Course yourself; get your pastor to take it; if you two read the books simultaneously, others will be induced to do it. (5) Forget not the Bible Study. It is more im- portant than anything else. (6) Work up the subscription list of the "Epworth Herald." (7) Do not get tangled up with the Social Department, but co-operate with it. (8) While doing the utmost to promote self-culture, remem- ber that in the case of many a college education is attain- able, even though it is at a sacrifice. The Fourth Vice-President, in charge of the Social Department. Select for this office one with special, defi- nite qualifications. Assign to this work a fair share of the more spiritually minded and conservative members of the chapter. Give the work a real place in its affairs. Make an honest effort to provide suitable recreation and suggest proper fields for social effort. Hints for the Fourth Vice-President : (1) Supply yourself with the literature devoted to your department, namely: The League at Work Booklets, Fifty Social Evenings, Nos. 1 and 2, and the Department Leaflets, the Social Department Catechism, and Some Kind Words Con- cerning Questionable Amusements. (2) Make a scrap- book of suggestions for your work. (3) Suggest some definite line of activity to each member. (4) Have a "new members" subcommittee to invite young people into the League. (5) Have a "reception" subcommittee on duty at social gatherings and before and after church services. (6) The "entertainment" subcommittee should provide entertainments at times approved by pastor and Cabinet. (7) Supply flowers for pulpit and League room, to be afterwards bestowed on the sick, through the Mercy and Help Department. (8) Provide good music, where 126 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. any is required. Organize an Epworth chorus, where practicable. (9) Supply ushers wherever they are wanted. (10) Encourage members of the church to open their homes to the young people of the League. Those interested in other forms of organization will make allowance, in reading the foregoing con- densed extracts, for what there is in them that is special to the Epworth League, and to its gearing into the machinery of the Methodist Episcopal Church. But after all such allowances, they will find much to admire and imitate in the classifica- tion and distribution of duties, and in the details of suggestion. A great variety of duties can be distributed among subcommittees; but there is obvious advantage in having them thus grouped in four main divisions. Inasmuch as it is intended that every member of the League shall be definitely assigned a place in some department, it is possible even in small societies to maintain this four-fold organization complete ; while it is capable of being expanded to comprehend all the activities of the largest societies. In the Christian Endeavor organizations, the same admirable object is kept in view, of assigning definite duties to every member. This object is sought by methods recommended in Dr. Francis E. Clark's booklet on "The Work of the Commit- tees. " Instead of imposing a rigid constitution, as under the Methodist system, the United Society of Christian Endeavor proceeds only by suggestion, encouraging the largest liberty of variation to adapt each organization to local needs. The advice con- YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 127 tained in this little manual is the result of practical and successful experience. It must needs lose something from further condensation, but the para- graphs that follow will not be useless, if they send the reader to the little pamphlet from which we freely quote. How Many Committees to Have. There are three that seem indispensable: the Lookout, the Prayer-meet- ing and the Social Committees. A good rule is to have just as many committees as can be set at work, and no more. There are usually five members on each committee. Young ladies and the younger members of the Society should be included in making up the committees. The committees are usually changed every six months, retain- ing some of the former members and bringing new mem- bers into service. Thus with nine or ten committees even a large society can be kept busy. Officers and committees should be selected by a nominating committee, and elected by the Society. Two Opposite Dangers are to be avoided: First, a dis- position to shirk the duties and responsibilities of office; and secondly, a disposition to feel aggrieved if not ap- pointed. In some societies a by-law has been adopted, to be read before each semi-annual election, warning against both these dangers. A Report in Writing should be made by each com- mittee every month, whether there is much to report or little. The Lookout Committee has for its duty to bring new members into the Society, to introduce them to the work and to the other members, to look after and reclaim the indifferent The Prayer-meeting Committee has in charge the prayer-meeting, sees that a topic is assigned and a leader appointed for each meeting, and promotes faithfulness to the prayer-meeting pledge. 128 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. The Social Committee welcomes strangers, provides for the mutual acquaintance of members by occasional socials. The Executive Committee consists of the pastor of the church, the officers of the Society and the chairmen of committees. All matters of business requiring debate come before this committee, to be reported to the Society. Recommendations concerning the finances of the Society originate with this committee. The Sunday-school Committee endeavors to bring non-attendants into the Sunday-school, and co-operates, in general, with the officers of the school. The Calling Committee cares for those among the young people who do not feel at home in the church, by calling on them, or reminding others to call. The Music Committee provides for singing at the Society's meetings, and wherever else the Society's musi- cal ability can be made useful. The Missionary Committee provides for an occasional missionary meeting, and promotes interest and activity for home and foreign missions. The Flower Committee provides flowers for the pul- pit, and afterwards distributes them to the sick. The Temperance Committee promotes temperance principles and sentiment among the members of the So- ciety. The Relief Committee is to cheer and aid the sick and destitute among the young people of the church and Sunday-school. The Good Literature Committee promotes the read- ing of good books and periodicals, and the circulation of religious papers in families. Undoubtedly, the several committees thus pro- vided for do cover the same ground that is covered by the four departments, with their subcommittees, in the Epworth League. But it is easy to recognize in these an improved system, and to expect that in YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 1 29 that process of mutual assimilation by which the various societies are learning from each other, the grouping of committees for combined and co-ordi- nated work will be adopted by the societies of the Christian Endeavor type. The appreciation and commendation of this characteristic of the Epworth Constitution that is manifested by the National Bap- tist Union, is creditable to both parties. Some further modification will probably have to be made in the grouping. The rising missionary enthusiasm has already led the Epworth League of Canada to raise the missionary work from a sub- title under the Department of Spiritual 'Work to a department by itself, while the Central League in the United States is even now seeking to have the Temperance and Good Citizenship Work advanced to the care of subcommittees. This process of ad- justment will be continued, as circumstances call for the unusual emphasizing of particular lines of work. THE EPWORTH LEAGUE CONSTITUTION OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH. The father of the Christian JEndeavor Societies seems to refer the origin and rapid growth of these organizations in part to the congelation of the prayer-meeting. (See page 68, above.) A like fact is the decay of the class-meeting from its early vigor in the days of the founders of American Methodism. In both cases, an earlier institution has had to be either reinvigorated, or partly super- seded by the new T er institution. In both cases, and 13° YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. throughout the whole American Church in all its divisions, there has been going on the ferment of a new vintage, and there was need of new bottles. The Epworth League, South, following the organi- zation of the Northern Church, was by no means a close and servile imitator. According to the Constitution officially prescribed for its local Chap- ters, each one of these is under the supervision of the pastor of the church, and the control of the Quarterly Conference. Its object is "the promo- tion of piety and loyalty to our Church among the young people, their education in the Bible and Christian literature, and their encouragement in works of grace and charity." Active members are all persons not under twelve years of age, who are elected to membership on nomination of the Coun- cil, and pledged to attend and take part in the meetings. Honorary members are constituted by the payment of one dollar. The work of the League is divided, not into six departments, as in the Northern Epworth Leagues, but into three, as follows: (i) The Department of Worship, having charge of all devotional services, missionary and temperance meetings, etc. (2) The Department of Charity and Help, providing for the systematic visitation of the sick, the needy and strangers, and assisting the pastor in charitable and church work. (3) The Department of Literary Work, to promote the study of the Bible and of Church history, doctrines and polity; to superin- tend the prescribed courses of reading and study ; to arrange for lectures, literary entertainments, etc. ; YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 131 and "to extend the circulation of the books, tracts and periodicals of our own Church, especially the organ of the League/' It would seem that this simplifying of the organi- zation, and reducing of the number of officers, is a wise expedient to adapt the Society to conditions more frequently to be encountered at the South — the sparseness of population and consequent diffi- culty of holding frequent meetings and sustaining large concerted operations. On these accounts, the rules have been left not only simple, but elastic. The number, time and place of meetings is left to be decided by each local League for itself. "It was thought best to leave all this matter to the League itself, as what would suit one might not suit an- other. Some Leagues will hold a prayer-meeting every week ; some, half a dozen prayer-meetings ; while some may not be able to hold more than one a month." In spite of all disadvantages, the Southern Ep- worth League has nobly prospered. And one good fruit of the common prosperity of these Leagues in the three latitudes, the South, the North and Can- ada, has been manifested in growing fellowship of the divided and sometimes alienated Methodist churches across the separating parallels. It is a happy millennial sign that among the Methodists and also among the Baptists, some of the earliest indications of the knitting together of sundered ties of fellowship across the ''bridge of war" should come from the combination of their Young People's Societies. As it is written, "a chil"3 shall lead them." 132 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. CHAPTER XVI. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE BAPTIST YOUNG people's UNION. In the differentiation of the Christian Endeavor organization into various forms specially adapted to the requirements of the various denominations, are to be recognized two very helpful and hopeful tendencies : first, there is the tendency in each new order to emphasize new points, characterizing and distinguishing it from the others ; and then there is the countervailing tendency in each to adopt from the others any new method or expedient that may have been found to work well. As a happy consequence of such action and reaction, the char- acteristic differences that may be noted in the sev- eral organizations tend to become evened up and obscured. Nevertheless, the traits originally im- printed on each organization will to a certain ex- tent persist. As the Christian Endeavor Societies had empha- sized above everything religious consecration and worship, so the Baptist Young People's Union, while not losing sight of the primary purpose of the Christian Endeavor, was zealous, from the be- ginning, to "add to its faith knowledge." Borrow- ing something from the methods of "Chautauqua," it organized an elaborate system of studies, ex- aminations and graduations, including not only the study of the Holy Scriptures, but whatever other departments of knowledge are necessary to the YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 133 equipment of the Christian man or woman for ser- vice in the church and in society. It need not be added that in the planning of the various courses of study the distinctive tenets of the Baptist churches are not neglected. It is the purpose of the organization that its members shall become thoroughly trained and intelligently indoctrinated as members of Baptist churches. And the careful study of the courses of reading and methods of examination and conditions of the granting of cer- tificates will be full of good suggestions to those who in any Young People's Society may wish to pursue parallel lines of effort. Naturally, the characteristic aims of the Union have affected the form of its organization. The draft of a "local constitution" recommended by the national Young People's Union emphasizes "the object of the Union." It is "to secure the increased spirituality of our Baptist Young People; their stimulation in Christian service ; their edification in Scripture knowledge; their instruction in Baptist doctrine and history ; and their enlistment in all mis- sionary activity through existing denominational organizations." The deviations in this form of con- stitution from the type presented by the organiza- tion of the Christian Endeavor Societies are not considerable. But an alternative form is suggested which shows a wise disposition to copy some of the best features of the Epworth League Constitution. The Epworth League may well repay in this form the stimulus which the Baptist Union has given to the educational work of all the Orders. 134 young people's societies. The following is a copy of the local Constitution recommended by the Baptist Young People's Union of America, in which is shown, in the sub- stitute allowed for Article V, the influence of the de- partment idea of the Epworth League. Article I. Name. The name of this organization or department shall be The Baptist Young People's Union of the Church. Article II. Object. The object of this Union shall be to secure the increased spirituality of our Baptist Young People; their stimulation in Christian service; their edification in Scrip- ture knowledge; their instruction in Baptist doctrine and history; and their enlistment in all missionary activity through existing denominational organizations. Article III. Membership. Sec. i. The membership may consist of three classes: Active, Associate and Honorary. Sec. 2. The Active membership shall consist of persons who are members of a Baptist church, elected upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee, and who have signed the constitution, assenting to the following pledge: "Relying upon Divine help I hereby promise to strive to be true to Christ in all things, and at all times; to seek the New Testament standard of Christian ex- perience and life; to attend every meeting of the Union, unless hindered by reasons approved by a good con- science, and to take some part in the services, aside from singing, if it is possible to do so with sincerity and truth."* Sec. 3. The Associate membership shall consist of per- sons who, though not members of a Baptist church, are of good moral character; elected upon the recommenda- *The Pledge and also Associate Membership are op- tional features with each local Society. YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 135 tion of the Executive Committee. Such Associate mem- bers shall be welcome to all the privileges of the Society, except voting and holding office. Sec. 4. Honorary members may be elected at the pleas- ure of the Society. Article IV. Officers. The officers shall be a President, a Vice-Presi- dent, a Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary and a Treas- urer, all of whom shall be chosen annually or semi-an- nually, and shall perform the duties usually appertaining to such offices. Article V. Committees. — The Pastor and President are ex-oflicio members of all committees, and their approval should ac- company the plans and recommendations made by the committees. The committees and their duties shall be as follows: Membership. — To have charge of the distribution of in- vitation cards; to bring in new members; to introduce them; to encourage attendance upon all meetings, and to interest all young people of the church and congregation in the work of the Union. Devotional. — To arrange, in connection with the pastor and president, for all prayer-meetings; provide topics, sing- ing books, leaders and organist; and seek in every way to promote the interest of the meetings. Instruction. — To arrange for Bible study, lectures on re- ligious topics, courses of general denominational and mis- sionary reading and instruction; to develop and promote all that belongs to this feature of the work, and have charge of the library. Social. — To call upon and welcome strangers; to provide for sociables; to extend acquaintance among the members, and to increase the interest of all meetings of the Union. Tracts and Publications. — To provide for the circulation of the Scriptures, tracts and other current denominational and missionary literature. Missions. — To divide the territory of the church into dis- 136 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. tricts; secure visitors; seek new scholars for the Sunday- school; visit absent scholars; assist the pastor in securing contributions for missions and other objects; seek to in- spire in all the young people a desire to cultivate the grace of giving and a worthy zeal in all church, local, state, home and foreign mission work. Temperance. — To distribute literature on the subject, arrange for meetings in its interests, and do everything possible to promote temperance principles and sentiments in the members of the organization and in the community. Executive. — To consist of the pastor and officers, to meet once a month, also at the call of the pastor or president; to consider all matters of business and make recommenda- tions to the Union and to report to the church annually the progress of the work of the young people. The Ex- ecutive Committee may make recommendations at any regular meeting, and all other committees shall report their work to the Society at least every two months, at a regular weekly meeting to be designated by the Executive Committee. Article VI. Elections. The president shall be elected by the Union, subject to the approval of the church. All other officers and committees shall be nominated by a committee of five, and be elected by the Society. Article VII. Meetings. Devotional meetings shall be held weekly. Meetings for Bible study shall be held at such times as may be determined by the Union. The annual meeting shall occur at least one week before the annual meeting of the church. Business meetings shall be held at the call of the Executive Committee. Article VIII. Amendments. This Constitution may be amended at any regular business meeting by a two-thirds vote, pro- vided notice of the amendment shall have been given at a previous regular meeting. YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 137 The following article may be used by those who prefer it to Article V of the Constitution: Article V. Departments and Sections. Sec. i. There shall be three departments — Devotional, Educational and Social— each under the direction of a superintendent and two assistants. Sec. 2. The superintendent of each department and his assistants shall plan for the three orders of public meet- ings held by the Society. Sec. 3. The entire membership shall be divided into sections of members each, one of whom shall be leader. Sec. 4. Each section shall adopt some special work as its particular province, under the direction of the Execu- tive Committee. Sec. 5. The leader of each section shall have special supervision over the members of his group, urging them to attend and participate in the devotional' meetings of the church and Society, enlisting them in the Bible study meetings, and welcoming and introducing them to others at social gatherings. Sec. 6. The Executive Committee, consisting of the pastor and officers of this organization, shall appoint the superintendents and assistants of each department, and leaders of sections, subject always to the approval of the Society; they shall consider all matters of business, and make recommendations to the Union; they shall hold a conference once in two months with the superintendents of departments and their assistants and the leaders of the sections, to devise and assign new work, and to consider any changes of work that may be desirable among the sections; they shall report to the church annually the progress of the work of the young people. Sec. 7. The leaders of the sections shall, immediately following their appointment choose, in conference with the Executive Committee members to found their respective sections. The remaining positions to be filled by new members during the year, 138 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. Sec. 8. Superintendents of departments and leaders of sections shall report at least once in two months at the experience meeting. CHAPTER XVII. THE LUTHER LEAGUE CONSTITUTION. The model Constitution offered to individual Leagues is short and very general, consisting only of four articles each, in Constitution and By-laws. The object of the local League is "the improve- ment of its members, morally, socially, intellectually and spiritually, and to render to the Church such aid as may lie in its power/' Membership may be either Active, Associate or Honorary. Active members are those "who are members of an evangelical Lutheran church." As- sociate members are such as "have declared their intention of joining a Lutheran church. " Honorary members are those "who have rendered the League valuable service. " The pastor is ex-ofhcio an honor- ary member. The By-laws provide for monthly business meetings, initiation fees and monthly dues. There is no provision made for committee or de- partment work. The methods employed adapt themselves somewhat to the spirit and inclination of the young people, yet have much higher pur- poses in view. They seek to convert a "crowd" into "an organized and drilled company/' and free use is made of the committee and department ideas of other Young People's Societies. The YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 139 educational feature is made much of. The League says : "Young Lutheran, know thy Church." But after knowledge comes work. Starting with loyalty to their historic Church, the young Lutherans "have awakened to an appreciation of their Church's history ; are cultivating a desire to know her achievements, her doctrines and her mission. . . . . 'Labor/ the watchword of the last con- vention in New York, is only a natural reflection of that loyalty and knowledge which have already borne fruit in increased activity in both the local and general Church work/' — Luther League Hand- book. CHAPTER XVIII. THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN UNIONS. I. The Young People's Christian Union of the United Brethren in Christ works under a Constitu- tion bearing close resemblance to that of the Y. P. S. C. E. The Constitution provides for Active and Associate members, of whom the Active members are such as have professed their faith in Christ. The work is carried on through committees. Societies who desire it may adopt the Y. P. S. C. E. provisions for prayer-meeting pledge, and consecration meetings, and in such case are to be called Young People's Societies of Christian En- deavor. Provision is made for literary meetings "for the pursuit of some definite course of study or of some 140 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. program," to be held under the direction of the Literary Committee, "provided that nothing be given inconsistent with their position as a Christian Society." II. The Young People's Christian Union of the Universalist Church shows its indebtedness also to the Y. P. S. C. E. in the general character of its Recommended Constitution for local Unions. The object of the organization is declared to be "the religious culture of its members, the rendering of all possible Christian service, and to bring its mem- bers into closer relations with the Universalist Church." "Any person is eligible to membership in the Union who is in sympathy with its purposes, and who is willing to engage heartily in its work." T\ie members are pledged to attend and "take some part, however slight, in every devotional meeting." The following confession of duty is recommended for use in the consecration services : It is our duty to be obedient to the law and spirit of Jesus Christ our Master; to give some portion of each day to Christian study — the reading of the Bible, meditation^and prayer; to support the church with which we are related in every possible way, especially by attending its Sunday services, engag- ing earnestly in all its activities, and in every way, to the best of our ability, to lead a Christian life. May God help us to a faithful discharge of these and all duties which devolve ,upon us as moral and spiritual beings ! Its topics for Devotional Meetings for 1899 are grouped under heads, and are very suggestive and YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 141 worth a wider use. For example, in January the theme is Denominational ; In February, National, including Temperance, Town Improvements, Christian Citizenship, Inter- national Dealings ; In March, Personal; In April, Spiritual ; In May, The Past ; In October, Philanthropic, including Religion in the Market, the Post Office Mission, Prison Sun- day, Charity and Justice. CHAPTER XIX. THE WORKING OF A YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY. I. Its Meetings. Some Young People's Societies are organized on the basis of the maxim that Work is Worship — laborare est orare. Others emphasize the correla- tive maxim that Worship is Work. Each of these maxims has a good deal to say for itself ; but, after all, the healthiest and most vital of these associ- ations are those that recognize that both of the maxims are true, and that neither of them is the whole truth. The ideal Society provides, in one way or another, both for social worship and for useful and charitable work — in the language of the "Brotherhood of St. Andrew," its rule must be the double rule of Prayer and Service. Without exception, the wide-spreading and visibly flourish- ing Orders are those that are bound to a rule of fre- 14^ YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. quent meetings for spiritual devotion in which all the members actively and audibly take part. The methods of conducting these meetings for worship vary all the way from a fixed ritual with prescribed forms of prayer, to the studiously informal method which abhors a "rut," and will even invert the alpha- betical order of names in order to avoid the appear- ance of routine. The literature of this subject is fresh, copious and complete. Any local Society will naturally seek for suggestions and instructions at the headquar- ters of the General Society with which it is affili- ated. But there are general principles applying to all alike, some of which we do well to note. The rule of Prayer is flexible enough to cover both wor- ship and instruction. The rule of Service requires more than seeking to bring others to Christ. The working of the Young People's Society will concern (I) its Meetings and (II) its Activities. i. Meetings for Worship and Inspiration are vital to the continued life of any religious organization. The prayer-meeting must not and cannot give place to anything better. Here we get the best prepara- tion for life in society. Many hints and helpful suggestions have been put out during the past eighteen years about "How to Conduct a Prayer- meeting." We accept this copious literature as tes- timony to the place the prayer-meeting still holds in the thoughts and plans of the young people, without always finding it convenient and profitable to follow closely any specific directions. The order and method to be observed depend so much upon YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. I43 the genius of the denomination, the character of the company gathered together, the attending circum- stances, the personality of the leader, the immedi- ate object sought, that no one can tell another how to do it. The great danger is that it may be be- lieved that somebody can, and that somebody be relied upon to do for us what we ought to do for ourselves. The same thing may be said of the abundant helps to participation in the meetings with whose riches the newspaper organs of the vari- ous Orders embarrass the well-intentioned wor- shiper. The strong temptation they put before leaders and the participants to use what is set be- fore them, asking no questions for laziness' sake, makes us often query whether these Helps are for us or against us. For beginners and immature persons, these vari- ous prayer-meeting suggestions may be exceed- ingly useful, provided they are not much used, but undoubtedly the best prayer-meeting is that in which the leader comes to his task from much prayer and study of the already-announced sub- ject, prepared w T ith his own suggestions born of the immediate situation, and in which the members come to their task with intelligent delight, with hearts and minds full, ready to speak as opportunity offers. A good prayer-meeting is no haphazard thing. It does not generally follow a prescribed rule. The preparation for prayer and praise and testimony may vary, but if the Spirit is there, all of it is pertinent. Sometimes the prayer-meeting will be all prayer, sometimes all praise, sometimes all 144 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. testimony, from either the word or the heart, but always it will be purposeful. The leading thought will be, "Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee." This high standard should not be departed from. Every one called to lead a prayer-meeting is called to lead the best prayer-meeting; every participant ought to do better and better. The services of the prayer-meeting must aim at the best service of God we are capable of. The wide and inclusive useful- ness of the prayer-meeting will depend much upon the pledged attendance and participation. It is well known that the compulsory pledge marks the En- deavor type of Society. The Epworth League uses a like pledge where there are two classes of mem- bers, active and associate. Similarly, the United Brethren Christian Unions, while they do not use the Endeavor form, expect presence and participa- tion. The optional pledge belongs to the Baptist Union. For convenience of reference we place together the pertinent portions of these various pledges that their requirements may be seen at a glance. Christian Endeavor: "As an Active Member, I promise to be true to all my duties ; to be present at, and take some part, aside from singing, in every Christian En- deavor Prayer-meeting, unless hindered by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Lord and Master. ,, young people s societies. 145 Epworth League: "I will attend, as far as possible, the religious meetings of the Chapter and the Church and take some active part in them." Christian Union (United Brethren) : "All active members shall be present (at devo- tional meetings) and take some part, aside from singing, unless prevented by some reason accept- able to God/' Baptist Union : "Relying upon Divine help, I hereby promise to attend every meeting of the Union, unless hindered by reasons approved by a good conscience, and to take some part in the services, aside from singing, if it is possible to do so with sincerity and truth." Christian Union (Universalist Church) : "I promise to be obedient to the law and Spirit of Christ the Lord, and to give some portion of each day to Christian study, the reading of the Holy Scriptures, meditation and prayer ; that I will support my own Church in every way, especially by attending all her Sunday services as far as possible, and that, in so far as I know, I will endeavor to lead a Christian life. I promise to attend and take some part in every devotional meeting of the Society, by speaking, reading or reciting, unless prevented by some reason which I can offer out of a good con- science to my Teacher and Master." Under such blessed incitement the influence of the prayer-meeting upon the attendants must be great. The Endeavor Society adds its unique fea- 146 . YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. ture — the Consecration meeting — to swell the tide of spiritual growth and helpfulness in devotional meetings. "At this meeting in some way some ex- pression of renewed loyalty to Christ should be ob- tained from every active member." These expectations of Young People's Prayer- meetings, if met, mean most effective service. (a) That service must be intelligent service. The Young People's movement has done this among other things : it has taught the young people to think on life and duty. This pre-eminent service it has rendered to the prayer-meeting. By its prayer- meeting topics it has made a place for "mind and strength/' as well as for "heart and soul" in re- ligious worship, and is training a generation of Christians who have thought out some things for themselves, or, at least, thought on them. Before the rise of the modern Young People's Society, various young people's meetings had made use of prayer-meeting topics, but the prevailing usage was to have no topic for any prayer-meeting, and no definite preparation for participation by any- body but the leader. Now T , the list of topics pre- pared by the United Society of Christian Endeavor is used by two others of the great organizations — the Baptist Young People's Union and the Epworth League — while almost all the lesser Orders put a like premium upon thought. And, further, the system of rotation in leadership and pledged and expected participation in the meetings give to the Young People's Prayer-meeting variety and vigor in the chair, and brevity and breadth on the YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 147 floor. Everything is to some purpose. The pray- ers are to the point, the songs have a place and do not merely fill a gap, the Scripture verses can be selected, the talk and testimony cannot be repeti- tious nor commonplace. The Young People's Prayer-meeting stands for intentional, intelligent participation in religious worship. It has already affected the Church prayer- meetings by stimulating to a like use of topics, with beneficial results. Its graduates and undergradu- ates have, in many Churches, brought life from the dead. (b) The Young People's Prayer-meeting is also a school of humility. Where every member in turn bears a more or less conspicuous part in the meet- ing, the chances of a "fall" are frequent, and les- sons in humility are thrust upon us. There is no more uninviting atmosphere for the display of ora- tory or learning or juvenile uppishness than that of the actual Young People's Prayer-meeting. Where that meeting is at the front, the young people are pretty sure to escape many attacks of priggishness or self-assertion. Where the doorway to service leads through the place of worship, the youthful tendency to exaltation becomes so modified by in- spiration that it issues bearing the marks of that humility which rates its claims low, while at the same time it never underrates itself. In the En- deavor ranks it is steadied by the meditations of "The Quiet Hour" and by association with the members of "The World's Christian Endeavor Prayer Chain." 148 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 2. But the prayer-meeting is not the only meeting the young people have. They meet for Instruction as well as Worship. Even the worship, as we have seen, is not unreflecting, and the way is open through thoughtful worship and devotion to intelli- gent study on religious and social themes. (i) And first, the Bible is studied. The King's Daughters and Sons find in the "Sil- ver Cross" of current dates a series of studies on "The Life of the Christ/' based on those prepared by the American Institute of Sacred Literature. A Bible class for young men has always been a dis- tinctive feature of Chapter work in "The Brother- hood of St. Andrew/' and in the Boys' Department of the same. The place and power of Bible study have nowhere been set forth more sympathetically and spiritually than in the following, taken from "Points on Brotherhood Work" : BIBLE STUDY. An army cannot get along without its marching orders. No more can the Brotherhood. God has given us such orders in the Bible. How far are we trying to understand them and carry them out? Did you ever see a train-hand studying his time-table? He studies it till he can tell you just what time No. i or No. 7 or No. 5 is due at any sta- tion. We need to bring the same diligence and thorough- ness to the study of God's word. Yet this is often sadly neglected. If your Chapter has not a Bible class, start one right away. How? Select a layman as leader. The rector has enough to do. It is not necessary that the leader should know his Bible very much better than the others. If he can give two or three hours a week to the YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 149 preparation of the lesson, and can suggest lines of thought for the others to follow out and discuss, he has the necessary qualifications. Don't expect one man to do all the talking. Think over the lesson on your way to work and come prepared to say something. Hold the class on a week-night, rather than on Sunday. The Christian who gets but one spiritual meal a week is apt to be a thin one. If the class must be held on Sunday, try to hold it apart from the Sunday-school. Every stranger you meet should be invited to attend the class, but many will fail to attend if they think they are connect- ing themselves with a Sunday-school. You have not time, and probably not the ability, for an exhaustive, critical study of the Bible. Try rather to learn how its teachings apply to your daily life. The Bible is not a book; it is a library, the library of libraries. Try to enter into the spirit of the writers. They were busy men and they wrote for busy men. Bible study will make you a better business man. As you study, pray. In the early years of Christian Endeavor, Pro- fessor (now President) Harper prepared a series of Inductive Studies on the Life of Christ, for use by the members of that Society, and that study, wher- ever it was undertaken, proved in many a Society and many a young heart an open door to greater riches of truth. Nothing further in this line has been offered by the United Society save two recent courses of lessons on the life of Jesus for Juniors and a plan for reading the Bible through the current year, outlined and commented upon in the "Chris- tian Endeavor World/' Other Orders have seen the advantages of spe- cific Bible Study, and have embraced the oppor- tunity to promote careful searching of the Scrip- 150 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. tures by offering courses of Biblical study in the Regular and Junior Departments of their work. Besides the usual Bible readings, which are mod- erately useful, we find, since 1893, in the Baptist Young People's Union a Bible Readers' Course, intended to "build up a stronger faith in the power of the Word," and showing "how to use it for Chris- tian edification and in soul-winning, meeting ob- jections and difficulties with appropriate Bible texts." That was preceded, in 1891, by the Study Hour, a series of thirty lessons on the writers of the New Testament, and their books, by Professor Ernest D. Burton. The next year a series of thirty chapters on the life of Christ, by Rev. O. C. S. Wallace, was offered, upon which examinations were held. In 1893, a Junior Bible Course was in- augurated. The present Bible Readers' Course is a part of the general Christian Culture Course (C. C. C), begun in 1893, and consisting besides of a Sacred Literature Course (S. L. C) and a Conquest Mis- sionary Course (C. M. C), upon all of which yearly written examinations are held. The Epworth League has not been slow in realiz- ing the power of intelligent Bible study. Besides issuing a series of Bible Studies, to be followed in connection with and explanation of the weekly prayer-meeting topics, it has in use and advertises an Epworth English Bible Course, consisting of the Book of Job, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Wisdom of Solomon, edited, with introduction and notes, by Prof. Richard G. Moulton ; Bible YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. 151 Studies for Epworth League Juniors, seven series of Bible lesson leaflets, used much by the Juniors ; three or four series of Supplemental Lessons, and Graded Studies in seven grades, covering Cate- chism, Life of Christ, Church and Jewish History, and Christian Evidences. The Societies belonging to the Young People's Christian Union of the United Brethren have offered to them two courses in Progressive Bible Studies, originally prepared by Mr. Fred S. Good- man, Associate State Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. of the State of New York, for the use of Bible train- ing classes in Young Men's Christian Associations, and adapted to the purpose in hand, by Rev. H. F. Shupe, the Corresponding Secretary of the Union and editor of its paper, the "Watchword." "The fundamental aim of these studies is to lead the student into the use of, and personal familiarity with, the Bible, and to teach him how to study it by practical illustrations in the class." The second course is by the same authors, and is on the Life and Letters of Paul. This may be enough to show how varied and in- teresting the study of the Bible may be made and is made in the Young People's meetings for in- struction. (2) Still further instruction is along missionary lines. A missionary revival among students has been going on parallel with the development of Young People's Societies, and it would not be strange to find the young people becoming sharers in the movement, and their Societies fields for the 152 YOUNG PEOPLES SOCIETIES. securing and training of missionary recruits, as well as for instruction in missions. Somehow, it seemed as if when students in colleges and seminaries were studying missionary fields and problems, it was neither unnecessary nor childish for the young people of the churches to know something, to know much of the Church's missionary work. And so, very early, the Endeavor Societies were initiated into this most fruitful and thrilling field of knowledge, by their missionary committees, who laid hold upon the increasing stores of information that the United Society and the various missionary Boards were glad to lay before them. Without definite plans, at first, the Young People's Societies are now holding missionary meetings with prepared programs, originated or borrowed, meaning to find out wdiat God hath wrought for the extension of His kingdom, and to use that knowledge for a bet- ter understanding of the missionary situation. Newspaper and magazine articles, leaflets, booklets, books and study courses have appeared all along the years, till now, few local societies would dare or care to refuse this instruction, and no large Cen- tral Union or League would withhold the advocacy of such teaching on the ground that it was uninter- esting or unprofitable. Under the inspiration of thoughtfulness, which gives tone to the meetings for worship, the mission- ary meetings are more than prayer-meetings. They are inquiry meetings ; and facts, and figures, and manners, and customs, and men, and measures, at home and abroad, are sought out and set in order, YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 153 till bird's-eye views of the whole field are getting to be quite common in many local Societies, while the missionary reviews are brightening up at sight of these earnest young people and adjusting them- selves to their new constituency. The Epworth League, as might be expected, in- heriting the true spirit of that Epworth man who said : "The world is my parish/' has not been slow to meet the coming revival of missionary interest. It has contributed largely to it, through its recent use of the Students' Missionary Campaign, in in- troducing missionary literature into the local Chap- ters of the League. At the beginning of this pres- ent year (1899), "100 students had visited 1,000 churches and Chapters of the Epworth League, spoken to 100,000 young people, pledged 15,000 of them to systematic support of the benevolences of the Church, organized 600 missionary committees, visited 300 classes for missionary study, and sold 500 sets, 8,000 volumes of the missionary library." This educational missionary campaign has had its counterpart in other young people's organizations with phenomenal results. An excellent work from the inside is that of the Conquest Missionary Course of the Baptist Union, a personal inbreathing of the spirit of missions, seeking to deepen the interest of the local church (and pastor) in missions. The completeness of this study is shown by the following scheme : iS4 YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. CONQUEST MIS CHRISTIAN CULTURE COURSES A Progressive Study of Mis to the Pres First Year CONVICTIONS The New Testament Basis of Missions Church at Jerusalem a Working Model in Home Missions Antioch and the Inaugura- tion of Foreign Missions Post Apostolic Missions Africa, Post Apostolic Missions Europe Mediaeval Eclipse of Missions Second Year ORGANIZATIONS History Bible History The History The of the Transla- of the of the American tion American Physician American School Baptist Past and Baptist Baptist Mission- Present Publica- in Home in ary in tion Mission Union Missions Society Missions Society Missions Third Year FIELDS AND Africa the Dark Continent 192,500,000 Africans in America 7,000,000 India's Millions 250,500,000 Aborigines in America 250,000 China the Strong- hold of Paganism 400,000,000 Chinese in America 125,000 Fourth Year LEADERS AND In In New England and In In Mississippi In In Southern Japan Middle States China Valley India States YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. 155 SIONARY COURSE gions from Apostolic Times ent Day Motto— WE STUDY THAT WE MAY SERVE AND BEGINNINGS Monthly Topics Fore- The Early A Decade The The runners of Modern Carey Evangel- ism in of Missionary Judson Triennial Conven- tion and Its Missions Movement America Beginnings Movement Work AND METHODS Monthly Topics History of Women's History of the Women's History of the Sunday School and Chapel Car Work the Work Conven- Work Conven- Southern tion tion Baptist in Foreign of the in Home of Ontario Con- Maritime and vention Missions Provinces Missions Quebec OPERATIONS Monthly Topics Romanists Romanists Japan Europeans Mexico The - CO 00. <" u 2 u. 3 CQ <^ if? c3 5 Pi-h Ns 5°" s «•-» -=3 m 4) * £ •SI ■?fe 5 C« £ 3 O (J 258 YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. Besides printing Constitutions of its State, District, Local and Junior Organizations, it issues the usual va- riety of leaflets covering all phases of the work. Among which may be mentioned: "Results of B. Y. P. U. Work." "Special Methods to Win Young Men." "The Pledge: Its Scope, Power and Fulfilment." Rev. O. P. GifTord. "Winning the Associate Members — When?" "The Executive Committee and its Duties." "Practical Suggestions for the Conquest Missionary Course. V.— YOUNG PEOPLE'S CHRISTIAN UNION OF THE UNITED BRETHREN. Besides its "Progressive Bible Studies," this Society issues: "A Handbook of the United Brethren in Christ." E. L. Shuey. Dayton, O.: United Brethren Publishing House. 1885, rev. ed., 1899. Paper, 10 cents; cloth, 15 cents. "Life of Jesus for Children." Rev. C. J. Kephart. Dayton, O.: Shuey. 1894. i8mo, paper, 15 cents. "Handbook for Workers." M. R. Drury, D.D. Day- ton, O.: Shuey. 1888. 25 cents. And such supplies and leaflets as meet the wants of those desiring to organize or to learn how to do better. VI.— BROTHERHOOD OF SAINT ANDREW. The chief channel of information touching the Brother- hood of St. Andrew is "Saint Andrew's Cross," its monthly paper. The "Proceedings" of some of its con- ventions are published in pamphlet form and well repay reading. "St. Andrew's Cross" for November, 1897 and 1898, gave full accounts of the Buffalo and Baltimore conventions. The "Handbook for 1897" will be found very useful. YOUNG PEOPLE S SOCIETIES. 259 VII.— THE BROTHERHOOD OF ANDREW AND PHILIP. ' The work of this Order is known mostly through its official organ, "The Brotherhood Star." It issues from time to time prayer-meeting topics, manuals and similar helps, with a "Handbook of the Boys' and Junior Brother- hood." Handbooks and other equivalents are to be had setting forth the working of the other Orders. The "Luther League Handbook" and the numbers of the "Luther League Review" will give information con- cerning that organization. Valuable material on the Boys' Brigade may be found in Dr. Gladden's "Christian Pastor" (New York: Scrib- ner. 1898. 8vo, $2.50 net) and in Prof. George Adam Smith's "Life of Henry Drummond" (New York: Double- day & McClure. 1898. 8vo, $3.00 net). INDEX Activities, 142, 170, 171, 174-176, 199. Adriance, S. W., 99. Advanced Course, 160, 161. Agassiz Association, the, 183. American Institute of Sacred Literature, 148. Badges, 241-253. Baer, J. W., 174, 202, 248. Bands of Mercy, 183. Baptist Young People's Union of America, 36, 98, 132, 133, 134-138, 150, 163, 225, 245, 250, 256-258. Beckley, J. T., 203, 227. Berry, J. R, 37, 249, 253. Bible Readers' Course, 150. Bible Study; among King's Daughters, 148; in Y. P. S. C. E., 149; B. Y. P. U., 150; Epworth League, 150, 151; United Brethren, 151; expectations, 218. Bottome, Margaret, 23, 248, 256. Boys' Brigade, the, 58, 183-187, 259. Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip, 48, 194, 247, 252, 259. Brotherhood of St. Andrew, 45, 57, 89, 90, 148, 193, 216, 228, 229-233, 246, 252, 258. Brotherhood of St. Paul, 50, 51. ''Burlington Plan, The," 209. Burton, E. D., 150. Bushnell, Horace, 179. Business Meetings, 176. Cardall, A. J., 251. Carroll, H. K., 202. Chapman, J. H., 37, 250. Chautauqua, 18, 132. Chivers, E. E., 37, 202, 250. Christian Citizenship, 129, 165-167, 174-176. Christianoid Charity, 77. Christian Culture Courses (C. C. C), 159-161. Christian Endeavor, fruits, 215; principles and methods in other orders, 127, 128, 139, 140; in churches, 207-209. Church Temperance Legion, 187. City Union Work, 174-176. Clark, F. E., 28, 68, 81, 87, 126. 205, 244, 248, 240. Closs, W. J. L., 32. 261 262 INDEX Committee Work, hints on, 127, 128. Conquest Missionary Course, 154, 155. Consecration Meetings, 108, 140. Conventions, object, 189; State and International, 190; places of meeting, 190-195, 244-247; summer schools 196. Covenant, 216, 217. Crews, A. C, 250. Criticism, Boys' Brigade, 185, 186; Epworth League and Christian Endeavor, 210-214. Culture, 218. Cumberland Presbyterians, 36. "Daughters of The King," 47, 86. Davis, I. C, 22, 248, 253. "Declaration of Essential Principles" (Brotherhood of St. Andrew), 46, 228, 229. Department Work, 123-126. Dickinson, Mary Lowe, 253. Disciples, 2>7- Drummond, Henry, 184, 188, 259. Du Bose, H. M., 249. Eckhardt, Cornelius, 40. Education, emphasized by B. Y. P. U., 152. Eilert, E. F., 39, 202, 250. Epworth League, 55, 98, 118-122, 133, 150, 153, 161, 191, 214, 227, 238-244, 246; South, 129- 131, 249; in Canada, 38, 98, 129, 250. Evangelical Association, 36. "Expository Times, The," 82. Federation, the early co-operation, 197; the threatened competition, 198; the wider co-operation, 198, 199; something yet wider, 200; closer relations between the Epworth League and Y. P. S. C. E., 201; "The Inde- pendent's" Symposium, 202-204. Fellowship Features, 146, 193, 198, 200. Forbush, W. B., 183, 184. Fowler, H. M., 44, 251. Friends, 37. Free Baptists, 36. General Culture, 158. George Junior Republic Association, 183, Gideon's Army, 91. Girls' Friendly Societies, 58. Gladden, W., 259. Goodman, F. S., 151. Graham, Robert, 187. Grauer, A. C, 187. INDEX. 263 Hale, E. E., 18, 20, 92, 247, 253. Hand Books, quoted from: St. Andrew, 89, 90, 148, 216, 217; Epworth League, 153, 159; Luther League, 139. Harper, Pres., 149. Herbert, George, 77. Houghteling, J. L., 46,-252. Interdenominationalism, 198, 204. Intermediate Societies, 64, 181. International Order of The King's Daughters and Sons, 22, 25, 57, 95, 99, 148, 248, 253. Junior Societies, 178; relation to primary classes in the Sunday-school, 177, 180; objects, equipments, and re- lations 181; prayer-meeting topics, 181; pledges, 180. Knights of King Arthur, the, 58, 178, 183, 233-237. Knights of the Silver Cross, 182. Landis, J. P., 41, 202, 251. League for Social Service, 166. Lend-a-Hand Clubs, 20, 22, 56, 78, 94, 99, 182, 247-253. Literature, 253-259. Look Up Legion, 20. Loyal Temperance Legion, 182. Luther League, 36, 38-40, 138, 165, 280. "Manual of Boys' Clubs," 183. Mason, E. G., 44, 252. Meetings, business, 176; consecration, 146; for instruction, 148-165; in Bible, 148; missions, 151; temperance, 157; general culture, 158; Christian citizenship, 165; social, 168, 170; for worship, 142. Membership. 187, 248-253. Miller, R. W, 48, 252. Mission, study, of C. E., 152; Epworth League, 153; B. Y. P. U., 153, 156; revival, 151, 210; boards, 221; expecta- tions, 221. Moravians, 37. Moulton, R. G., 150. Mottoes, 173, 247-253. Mothers' Society, 181. Music, various uses of, 74. Ninde, W. X., 2>7, 202, 249. Official Information, 247-253. Parents' Society, 181. Park hurst, C. H., 176. Periodicals, 167, 187, 248-253. Platforms and Principles, 223-229. Post-Office Mission, 43. Pledge, 60; of Y. P. S. C. E., 61, 107, 113, 114; of Epworth League, 118, 145; B. Y. P. U., 134^ 145; Y. P. C. U. of 264 INDEX. Universalist Church, 140, 145; Boys' Brigade, 185; Church Temperance Legion, 188. Prayer-Meetings, pledges, 144, 145; topics used by the three, C. E., E. L., and B. Y. P. U., 146; some topics of Universalist societies, 141. Price, I. M., 161. Principles of Young People's Societies, the two, 67. Quiet Hour, the, 147, 206. Read ng Courses, of Epworth Lesgue, 159, 161, 162; Luther League, 165; United Brethren, 162, 163. Results, aimed at, 205, 206; achieved, 206-216; expected, 216-221. Ritual, 51, 178, 229-244. Rules of Prayer and Service, 48, 141. Ryerson, E. L., 48. Scott, O. W., 244. Senior Society, 181, 208. Service, 77-87. Sheldon, C. M., 253. Shupe, H. M., 41, 151, 251. Singing, 74~76. Socials, 168-170. Spreng, Pres., 202. Taylor, Graham, 166. Temperance Study, 129, 157, 158; some work accom- plished, 174-176; expected, 219, 220. Tenth Legion, 156. Tithing Bands, 157. Thirkield, W. P., 37, 249. Unions, local, 189; first local, 188; first State, 189. United Presbyterians, 37. United Society of Christian Endeavor, 31, 99. Veteran Knights, 187. Wallace, O. C. S., 150. Watson, B. R, 187. Wells, A. R., 249, 254. Westminster League, 98. Whitman, Mrs. Bernard, 22, 247. Wise, H. E., his method of conducting C. C. C, 163-165. Woman's Part in Meetings, 80-87. Wood, J. W., 46. (Ex-Secretary of Brotherhood of St. Andrew.) Work, suggestions for, 123, 126. Working of a Young People's Society, 141-178. World's C. E. Prayer Chain, 147. Wyckoff, C. E., 252. Young Crusaders, 187. INDEX. 265 Young Men's Christian Association, 18, 182. Young People's Christian Union (United Brethren), 36, 40, 139, 151, 162, 251, 258. Young People's Christian Union (Universalist Church), 41, 140, 195, 246, 251. Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, 28, 59, 60, 96, 103-116, 149, 190.. 214, 215, 223, 244, 248, 253. Younger People's Societies, the many forms, 182, 183; Forbush's "Manual of Boys' Clubs," 183; Boys' Brigade; 184-187; Church Temperance Legion, 187, 188. Young Women's Christian Temperance Union, 58, 182. Hand-Books for Practical Workers in Church and Philanthropy. ...Edited by SAMUEL MACAULEY JACKSON... Professor of Church History in the Hew York University. THE BIBLE-SCHOOL: A Manual for Sunday-school Workers. By A. H. McKinney, Ph.D., Sec. N. Y. State Sunday-school Association, formerly pastor of Olivet Church. Net, 50 cents. SOCIAL SETTLEMENTS. (Including College and University.) By Prof. C. R. Henderson, D.D., Prof. of Sociology, Unive r sity of Chicago, 111. Net, 50 cents. THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH. A Primer in Pastoral Theology. By Edward Judson, D.D., Pas- tor of the Memorial Baptist Chruch, New York City. With an introductory word by Bishop Potter. Net, 50 cents. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES. By Leonard Woolsey Bacon and Charles Addison Northrop, both of Norwich, Conn. TO FOLLOW REVIVALS AND MISSIONS. By J. Wilbur Chap- man, D.D., Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church, New York. Net, 50 cents. FACTORY PEOPLE AND THEIR EMPLOYERS. How Their Relations are Made Pleasant and Profita- ble. Illustrated. By Edwin L. Shuey, M.A., au- thor of "Industrial Education Necessary," etc. Net, 75 cents. THE COUNTRY CHURCH. By Rev. Austin B. Bas- sett, Ware, Mass. Net, 50 cents. CITY EVANGELIZATION. By Frank Mason North, D.D., New York City, Secretary Church Ex- tension and Missionary Society of the M. E. Church. THE PRACTICE OF CHARITY. Co-operative and Individual Attempts to Help Others. By Edward T. Devine, Ph.D., Gen. Secretary Charity Organiza- tion Society, New York. Net, 50 cents. WORKING PEOPLE'S CLUBS. By Robert Gra- ham, Secretary Church Temperance Society, New York. Net, 50 cents. RELATIONS OF RELIGION AND PHILAN- THROPY. By John Huston Finley, LL.D., Ex- President of Knox College, Galesburg, 111. Net, 50 cents. NEW YORK: LENTILHON & COMPANY, 150 Fifth Avenue. W /l f od