A fraternal organization of young people's societies in Baptist churches, which does not insist upon any one particular constitution or uniformity of name in the local organizations. It was organized in Chicago, Ill., in July, 1891, and was incorporated under the laws of Illinois in September of the same year. The organization is international in its scope and has auxiliary organizations in all the states of the Union, in all the provinces of Canada, and in Brazil, while its work is followed by many individuals in foreign countries as well. The membership of the union consists of accredited delegates from young people's societies in Baptist churches and from
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The Junior Union, with the same object as the senior society, was called into existence to serve those of younger age, and is supposed to be made up of those between twelve and sixteen years old. The Advanced Department is for those who, having completed the regular courses, wish to pursue further study in any of the same lines. The courses of study in the Junior and Senior Departments are followed by annual examinations, and diplomas are issued to successful students. While only a small proportion of those taking the studies undergo examination, it is conservatively estimated that not less than 1,500,000 young people have taken one or more of these courses during the past sixteen years.
In the first years of the movement the enthusiasm was phenomenal, and though the interest is not now so vigorous, it is far more satisfactory and significant. The most recent statistics would indicate that there are 600,000 persons connected with the societies of the Union in the United States and Canada.
The organs of the movement are two, Service, a monthly illustrated magazine which is the successor of The Baptist Union, the original organ; and Our Juniors, a monthly sixteen-page paper devoted to the interests of the Junior work. These organs carry the text of the study work and general information of the movement, and are now published by the American Baptist Publication Society in Philadelphia, the denominational publishing-house. The Rev. E. Y. Mullins (q.v.), of Louisville, Ky., is president of the union, and the Rev. George T. Webb is the general secretary.
An order of women in the Protestant Episcopal Church, having as its object the spread of Christ's kingdom among women and the strengthening of parish life. It had its origin in the senior Bible class for women in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, New York City, which had chosen as its class name "Daughters of the King." The teacher of the class, Mrs. M. J. Franklin, who also became the founder of the order, called a meeting on Easter Eve, 1885, and, the rector's consent for the formation of an association being obtained, a committee was appointed to select a badge and a motto for the order. The badge chosen was a Greek cross fleury of silver, charged on the horizontal with the words Magnanimiter crucem sustine, which became the motto of the order, and at the base of the perpendicular were the initials of the watchword, F. H.. S. (" For His Sake "). It was neither intended nor expected that the order would in any way supersede the old-established aid societies, women's gilds, or other parochial activities, since it was organized as a semi-religious order, standing for the ratification of the confirmation vow. Only communicants of the Episcopal Church are eligible to membership. They are admitted with a solemn service before the altar, invested with the cross—the emblem of their faith—and pledged by a vow to prayer and service.
The order works through parochial chapters, and has a central council, composed of fifteen members elected at the triennial convention, these members themselves meeting twice annually. Local assemblies have been formed in nearly every diocese in the United States, and the order is also well established in Canada, England, China, Haiti, the Danish West Indies, Honolulu, and Australia. The order is distinctively churchly in character, loyal to the rector of the parish, and intended to give the best expression to the Christian life. Its aim is quality rather than quantity. There are at present nearly 900 chapters and about 15,000 members on the roll of the order. It supports a Daughter in the foreign field, and its office is in the Church Missions House, New York City. The official organ of the order, The Royal Cross, has been issued since 1891, and serves as a medium for the free exchange of views and as a record of chapter work for the spread of Christ's kingdom among women.
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In the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, unassociated local societies existed for years until a commission appointed by the general conference, in 1890, organized a connectional society for young people similar in plan to that recently formed in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and to this new organization they also gave the name of Epworth League. In the same year the Methodist Church of Canada provided a similar organization with the same name, and these two denominations each gave their organization an official paper called, in both instances, The Epworth Era. The movement thus rapidly established in the three great Methodist denominations of the continent grew amazingly in numbers and enthusiasm, spreading throughout the Methodist churches and into the mission fields, and became the leading denominational young people's society.
In each denomination the Epworth League is under the oversight of a board, with a general secretary. A representative international committee manages all interdenominational interests, and eight great international conventions have been held. The local chapters are grouped for administration chiefly by districts and conferences following the denominational organization; and the local chapters of the league are, according to the age of the membership, organized as junior, intermediate, and senior, with adaptations to the needs of those served. The distinctive work is done under four departments, among which are distributed the oversight and promotion of the devotional and evangelistic activities, study and training in the Bible, the missionary and cognate movements, Christian citizenship, temperance and other reforms, social service and Christian philanthropy, and the general literary and social activities required by young life. The avowed purpose of the Epworth League is to win, to save, and to train the young people for Jesus Christ, and thereby to create a world-conquering Church. For this purpose it is marshaling the Christian young people and adding their splendid capabilities to the resources of the Church in the winning, saving, and training of their associates. The heart of the work is in its weekly devotional meeting, and it is developing a mighty leavening power through study classes in the Bible missions, evangelism, Christian stewardship, and Christian experience.
The enthusiasm of the early days of the Epworth League has been succeeded by a policy of practical and systematic achievement, and the organization is now accomplishing a service of greater value than ever before, while its future is believed to contain possibilities yet unmeasured. Of late years the intensive forms of work have rapidly increased, and this fact has radically changed the character of the conventions, and has given rise to summer institutes for instruction and training in the Christian life and in practical service. Out of these have come hundreds of volunteers for the ministry, the mission fields, and other forms of service. The Epworth League has profoundly influenced the life of the Methodist churches through the effect of these methods upon the younger ministry, the later missionary recruits, and the young laymen promoted from chapter cabinets to official boards. It is developing a spirit of liberality that promises well for the future Church. From small incomes the young people contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to the official benevolences, in addition to their contributions for local support. In the Methodist Episcopal Church there are now Epworth League secretaries under appointment for India and Mexico, and money has been provided for the publication in the native languages of literature for the systematic religious culture of the young people. The practical ideal of a world encircling army of trained Christian young people of all nations, united to win the world, is rapidly coming into view. The Epworth League is still increasing in numbers, though approaching the limit fixed by the denominational strength. The statistics given by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, are: chapters 4,067, members 145,091; by the Methodist Episcopal Church: senior chapters 13,427, members 573,317, junior chapters 6,127, members 235,646—a total of 19,554 chapters and 808,963 members. These numbers are, however, inadequate, for official statistics have been required but recently, and these figures do not include about thirty unreported conferences and missions. Statistics for the Methodist Church of Canada are not at command. The general secretaries and headquarters of the Epworth Leagues for the three leading denominations given above are as follows: for the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the Rev. F. S. Parker, Nashville, Tenn.; for the Methodist Church of Canada, the Rev. S. T. Bartlett, Toronto, Ont.; and for the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Edwin M. Randall, Chicago, Ill.
An interdenominational young people's society, founded Jan. 13, 1886, by Mrs. Margaret Bottoms (q.v.). Its real origin was in a New York circle of the type of the Lend-a-Hand Clubs (see VII.), which took the name of "The King's Daughters," and, after its reorganization as a club of ten members, adopted the four mottoes of the older society, with the watchword, "In His Name," and the badge of a silver Maltese cross, bearing the initials "I. H. N." and the date " 1886." This circle soon formed the model for others, the distinction between the King's Daughters and the Lend-a-Hand Clubs lying in the former's firm Trinitarianism and in its declaration that "ours is distinctly a spiritual organization, based on strictly
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The purpose of the society is to influence "first, the heart, next the home, then the Church, and after that the great outside." The constitution provides for circles and chapters of circles with state secretaries, a general supervision being exercised by a central council, though the greatest latitude is allowed individual circles in aims and methods. The official organ is the weekly Silver Cross, published in New York City.
An interdenominational society for the promotion of the Christian life of its members and the extension of the kingdom of God. Since the last quarter of the nineteenth century a large number of young people's societies have grown up in churches of different communions, with a desire, on the part of those who formed them, to enter into the missionary and philanthropic work of the world. In many instances these societies are affiliated with one another, so that they keep up a mutual acquaintance by correspondence and by meetings through local organizations and at national congresses. As early as the year 1874 Miss Mary A. Lathbury, then directing the children's department of The Christian Advocate, founded the Look-up Legion, based upon what are generally known among the societies as the " four mottoes,"
Such societies were formed generally among the older children of Sunday-schools, each with its own officers, under the direction, however, of some older person. The Look-up Legion spread so far that it was divided into several groups, and its membership, extended to perhaps 100,000 persons. Each of the members wore a Maltese cross with a rising sun behind it.
The earliest society formed under the "four mottoes" was established by Miss Ella Russell in the city of New York in the year 1871. The boys who formed it were members of a mission-school in which she was a teacher. They took the name of the "Harry Wadsworth Helpers" from the hero of E. E. Hales (q.v.) story of Ten Times One is Ten (Boston, 1870), in which the "four mottoes" first appeared. Various other Harry Wadsworth Clubs, Ten-Times-One Clubs, Lend-a-Hand Clubs, Look out Clubs, etc., exist in various parts of the world. The United Society of these clubs, at Boston, receives communications from Japan, from China, from the countries on the east of the Mediterranean, from various island groups of the Pacific, from South America, and from every part of the United States. All these societies, while they attempt to maintain mutual good-fellowship, and while members are pledged to help each other in sympathy and Christian union, have at the same time some duty each in bringing in the kingdom of God. It is understood in their organization that the members must not live for themselves alone, but must bear each other's burdens. The greater part of the clubs are formed among young people, although some clubs are in existence which were formed in 1871, in which the adult members are still personally interested. The Lend a Hand Record is a monthly journal, published in Boston, and forming the medium of communication between the members of the different societies.
The young people's society of the Lutheran Church in America, organized at Pittsburg, Pa., Oct. 30-31, 1895. It unites, in a common cause and for a common purpose, the Lutheran young people's societies in the Lutheran Church, regardless of synodical affiliation or linguistic difference. They aclmowledged, as the bond of their union, the Word of God as the only infallible rule of faith and practise, and the unaltered Augsburg Confession as the correct exponent of that Word. The foundation upon which this organization is built is that of the church itself, and any society, no matter what its name, connected with a Lutheran congregation or institution of learning, is entitled to membership by conforming to and subscribing the constitution of the Luther League of America. It insists that each society cooperating with the League should be connected with either a Lutheran church or Lutheran institution of learning, and that its active members should be composed of communicants of the Lutheran Church, so that it embraces to-day, upon consistent grounds, Young People's Associations, Luther Alliances, Christian Endeavor Societies, King's Sons and King's Daughters, Young Men's and Young Women's Societies, gilds, and kindred organizations. Wherever these societies exist in Lutheran churches, it is presumed, and rightly so, that they are established in the interest and for the upbuilding of the Lutheran Church. The purpose of these leagues is to encourage the formation of young people's societies in the Lutheran congregations, to stimulate the various young people's societies to greater Christian activity, and to foster the spirit of loyalty to the church. It develops clear Christian faith by encouraging Bible study and imparting a knowledge of the Lutheran Church, historical and doctrinal, and of its usages. It trains the church's youth for active service; and it insists that care be exercised in the assignment of work. To the individual member of the league it proposes to quicken a clearer consciousness of
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Christian faith, and it seeks to produce in each member fidelity to his own church by promoting his usefulness as one of its workers, and to help each member to be a true witness for Christ and an efficient teacher of the Gospel.
Four classes of members are recognized, active members, associate members, cooperating members, that is, those who for any reason can not accept the duties of full membership, but who are willing to render either financial or other valuable services to the league, and finally, in view of
z. Organ- the relation of the league to the church, ization and the pastor and members of the church
Principles. council, who are ex-officio honorary members of the league. The principles of the league are federation, which is the governmen tal principle, and cooperation, which is the economic principle, seeking to avoid waste in the development and utilization of the energies of the young people of the church. The league presents to the young people of the Lutheran Church the opportunity for self-culture. As an organization it means to aid young people in the Christian life, and it proposes doctrinal intelligence as the highest form of seculture for the Lutheran youth. The Lutheran Church follows up baptism by catechization and confirmation, and the preparation of Lutheran Christians for the work of Christ and his Church is to know their own work and way of working best of all. The league does not offer the Lutheran young people a system of study entirely colorless of doctrine, but it proposes to give the great truths of the Gospel to its members, as received by the Lutheran Church, by a systematic Bible study.
The Luther League has an organization in almost every state of the union where a Lutheran congre gation is to be found. Since its organization as a national body in 1895, its work has extended around the world. At the national convention in Chicago in 1908, the Luther League of Porto Rico and the Luther League of Canada were received into membership. Immediately following the Chi cago convention, Rev. Luther M. Kuhns, the gen eral secretary of the Luther League of America, by action of the convention, visited the 3. Exten- Lutheran missions throughout the sion and world. Steps were taken for the or- Adminis- ganization of the Luther League in the tration. Lutheran missions in Japan, China, Federated Malay States, and India; and the character of the work of the organization has been brought to the attention of the pastors and Christian workers in Germany. The official organ of the society is The Luther League Reuiew, founded and edited by E. F. Eilert, of New York City, and it also publishes The Luther League Topics and Junior Topics. The organization of the Sullin League consists of the National as the thinking, suggesting, directing head, and the local societies as the active, operating factor. The locals compose the district, and the district organizations the state. Local, district, and state societies are represented in the National conventions by duly elected and ac credited delegates. Since the Cincinnati convention of 1900 the President of the Luther League has been Wm. C. Stoever, a Philadelphia layman, and the RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Young People's Societiesother officers are as follows: general secretary, Rev. Luther M. Kuhns, Omaha, Neb.; assistant general secretary, Harry Hodges, Philadelphia, Pa.; treasurer, C. T. A. Anderson, Chicago, Ill.; statistical secretary, Rev. C. K. Hunton, Salem, Va.; literature secretary, Rev. Paul H. Roth, Beloit, Wis.; topic secretary, Rev. George H. Schnur, St. Paul, Minn. Besides these, an executive committee of ten members has entire charge of the work of the league. LUTHER M. KUHNS.
IX. Young Men's, Apprentices', and Working Men's Associations in Germany: The young men's associations in Germany had their origin in the desire of young men to associate with persons of equal position and age, as well as in the anxiety of parents and pastors to protect young men, living away from home, against temptation, an additional factor being the desire of those interested in the welfare
of society to keep them from the danr. Origin gers of the spirit of the time in its pe-
of Young culiar forms of revolutionary ideas,Men's As- social democracy, and estrangement sociations in from the Church. The oldest of these
Germany. societies date from the middle of theeighteenth century; and though there were at first only vague ideas of such associations and some sporadic germs, the second stage of their development clearly showed the beginnings of systematic activity and of federation, as well as a realization of the importance of such societies for larger classes, while in the third stage the work has advanced so far, through the enlargements of its unions and their international connections, that it has become an important factor in Christian social life.
The first small associations had an essentially Pietistic character, and the one founded at Basel by Pastor Meyenrock in 1758 is usually considered the earliest. Among the rules of this society we find the injunction to remain faithful to the word of God and to the Apostles' Creed, and to consider it one's right, and even duty, to admonish one's neighbor.
About fifty years later this society was z. History. dissolved, although it was soon revived, and shortly afterward, in 1817, a similar association grew up in Stuttgart under the leadership of an official named Engelmann, who established it chiefly as a gathering for prayer. Another society, established at Elberfeld in 1816 by Pastor K. A. D6ring (1783-1844) for the purpose of fostering zeal for missions, was even more successful. An association very similar to that of Basel was founded in 1834 by F. L. Mallet (q.v.) in Bremen, the rules of which became the basis of the West German associations. From Bremen the cause of these societies received a vigorous impulse and entered larger circles, owing chiefly to the services of a merchant, C. F. Klein, while J. H. Wichern (q.v.) and his activity in the field of home missions also contributed to the general spread of, publicity. Thus far the work had been carried on chiefly by laymen, but now theological and other trained workers were employed. About this same time, moreover, federations were formed, as, for example, the Rhenish-Westphalian federation of young men (1848), the East German federation (1856), the
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South German (1869), the Saxon (1878), the North German (1880), the federation of Alsace-Lorraine (1884), the Silesian (1887), and the Thuringian (1890). At the head of all was placed, in 1896, a general federation representing all smaller unions under the leadership of Superintendent K. Krummacher in Elberfeld. Since 1855 international conferences have been held triennially, and in 1878 an international committee with two agents was instituted at Geneva. In this way the German associations have been influenced by foreign ones, especially by English and American societies of the same kind.
The principal difference between the AngloAmerican and German unions consists in the fact that the former lay the chief stress upon the missionary activity of their members in regard to outsiders, while the latter do not. Another difference is the equal recognition of all denominations on the part of Anglo-American societies, while the German and Scandinavian societies consider themselves as belonging to their respective state churches. Of about 1,800 German young men's associations some 1,400 belong to the federations already mentioned, which have 14 newspapers, 40 buildings of their own, and 25 secretaries and agents. The life of the societies in their inward aspect is de3. Methods, veloped by devotional exercises, in-
Aims, and struction, and entertainment. AccordResults. ing to their motto, Ps. cxix. 9, God's word is the basis, center, and rule of the associations. In their headquarters special Bible hours are held, and discussions of the Bible take place even on evenings which are devoted to other purposes. Yet religion is only one phase of the life of these societies, although it is their allpermeating spirit. Education is also a very important factor; there are libraries in the different houses of the societies; courses are given in the branches of the public schools, as well as in bookkeeping, drawing, French, and English; exercises in debates and recitations take place; and popular lectures are delivered on history and natural science. Instruction in the strict sense, however, is the weakest point in these associations, since the available funds very rarely enable them to secure teaching forces which can compete with those of better-endowed institutions. The social side shows more satisfactory results; vocal and instrumental music are especially fostered, as are gymnastics, games, and theatricals. It is inevitable that such strenuous activity within the associations must have some influence upon the outside world. Although proselyting is prohibited, sermons and tracts are distributed, aid is given to the teaching forces of Sunday-schools, and destitute young men are cared for even though they may not belong to the association, special assistance being given young men coming to Berlin and other large cities. Since 1891 there has also been a mission for soldiers, and similar missions have been formed for waiters, bakers, and other working men who can not attend church on Sunday. The associations have likewise been active in charitable work by creating employment bureaus, provisions for lodgings, saving-banks, sick funds, and burial funds.
From these young men's associations have been developed the so-called Jugendvereine, or apprentices' associations, the Christian associations for young business people, the young men's Christian associations (formed in strict accordance with the American Y. M. C. A.), and the Christian Endeavor societies. The Jugendvereine naturally branched off from the young men's associations in the wider sense, and since young men under seventeen did not harmonize in all respects with their
4. Protes- older companions on account of thetant Off- difference in age, and since the journeyshoots from men (Gesellen) clung strictly to their
Young higher rank over against the apprenMen's As- tices, special associations for younger
sociations. people were formed. The fostering of this special branch of young men found its characteristic expression in Stuttgart, where a building was erected in 1867 with dormitories, dining-rooms, and assembly halls. The Christian associations for young business people owe their existence to the desire of these young men to maintain their interests as a separate class of people. They were founded in 1848, and consist of ten societies, which form a confederation. The young men's Christian associations, modeled on the American institution, were founded in Berlin in 1883 by the German-American Fritz Schliimbach. Here the distinction between the different Protestant denominations is wiped out, and efforts are made to attract outsiders to the associations. These societies have enjoyed aristocratic patronage and are provided with large sums of money; and they have been introduced in a number of German cities, where their stately buildings have gained them many members. Their work is divided among different committees according to the different talents of the individuals, and is directed especially to bakers, soldiers, waiters, gardeners, and street-railway men. The endeavor societies do not differ from the American societies of the same character. Their purpose is to further the religious life of their members by Christian fellowship.
The Roman Catholic associations of working men (Gesellenvereine) form the counterpart of the Protestant young men's associations, and were founded by A. Kolping (1813-65), who had himself been an artizan until he succeeded, after great toil and labor, in entering the priesthood. He knew his former associates and their wants, and possessed
g. Roman a talent for organization. The beginCatholic nings of these societies date back to Young 1845. Their president must be always Men's As- a priest, who is proposed to the bishop sociations. of the diocese in agreement with the general committee of the local union. These associations have been successfully incorporated within the Roman Church, the whole matter being treated from the very first as a diocesan affair. The chief purpose of these associations is the awakening and fostering of the religious life of their members. Cologne is their central seat, and their hospices for working men correspond to the Protestant homes of a similar character. On the evenings of Sundays and holidays there are lectures of an instructive and entertaining nature; in summer outings take
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%: Young Men's Christian Associations: These are interdenominational societies of young men, organized on an evangelical basis to promote the mental, moral, social, and physical welfare of young men. Active, voting membership is confined to church-members, but larger numbers unconnected with churches become associate members for the sake of physical, social, and educational privileges. The work is carried on by the Christian young men themselves, laboring individually in the sphere of their daily calling, and collectively on
z. General committees having charge of readingCharacter rooms, libraries, gymnasia, athletic and fields, educational classes, lecture-
Origin. . courses, religious meetings, and Bibleclasses, for young men exclusively, boarding-houses, dormitories, with which most modern city association buildings are equipped, employment bureaus, visitation of sick young men, etc. The associations also, as opportunity offers, hold interdenominational religious services in shops, in neglected neighborhoods, public institutions, theaters, halls, etc. The parent English-speaking association was organized at London by George Williams (q.v.), June 6, 1844. Societies earlier formed in Germany (see above, IX.) came into affiliation with the English-speaking associations and those of other lands in 1855. By suggestion from London, associations were formed in Montreal Nov. 25, 1851; in Boston Dec. 29, 1851; and in New York June 30, 1852. The first international convention of the associations of the United States and British Provinces met in Buffalo, N. Y., June 7, 1854, and the first world's conference convened in Paris Aug. 19, 1855. Here the following test of membership, since known as the "Paris Basis," was adopted:
In Apr., 1860, the 203 associations of North America had about 25,000 members. At the outbreak of the Civil War, many members entered the armies on both sides, and the associations
s. Rapid followed them with efforts for their Growth in welfare. At the instance of the NewAmerica. York Association, a special convention was called, Nov. 14, 1861, which resulted in the organization of the United States Christian Commission (q.v.); and during the war the associations were largely absorbed in army work. With the close of hostilities, a new season of growth and activity began. In 1866 the executive committee of the convention, which had been located from year to year in different cities, was situated for a term of years in New York City (where the XIL-31
RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Yount People's Societies|
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one-half the total membership of the world brotherhood, two-thirds of the employed officers, and threefourths of the property in buildings. When, in 1889, missionaries from all the Christian nations in the foreign mission field desired the establishment of associations on their fields, they sought and obtained from the International Committee American secretaries to plant associations of the American type. There are 8,472 associations in ten countries of America, twenty-two countries of Europe, nine of Asia, and five of Africa and Oceania, with 934,934 members, 1,697 employed general secretaries, and 1,325 buildings worth $68,699,150.
The affiliated associations of North America have organized, through their international committee, thirty-eight state and provincial conventions. Each of these appoints an executive committee on the plan of the international committee, and a so-called "County work" is promoting through county organizations a systematic and helpfurwork in rural districts. The state and provincial
4. General committees now employ 127 visiting Organiza- secretaries, whose efforts are essential tion. in the development of their work. The yearly expenditure of the international committee is $301,037 on its home field in North America and $225,919 on its foreign field. The state and provincial committees expend annually over $389,802, and 1,297 associations reported their annual current expenses as $9,351,113, while 1,794 associations reported an aggregate membership of 536,037; 713 reported the ownership of buildings and other real estate valued at $61,854,110; and 3,351 persons were employed as general secretaries or as agents of the local associations and of the international and state committees. The chief aim of the general secretary is to enlist and train volunteer workers, using his tact to discover the post of duty for which each member is specially fitted to serve on the various working committees, and over 72,938 members were, in 1911, enrolled as volunteers on such committees. Appropriate methods have been wrought out to meet with timely aid the stranger, the unemployed, the destitute, the sick, and the intemperate. The social, literary, and physical department appliances have been made more effective for good, and the various religious meetings have been largely increased in number and usefulness.
The international committee has over 100 employed secretaries on its home field in North America and the Philippines, some of these being occupied with the work of supervision at the office, and others with work on the field. Twelve secretaries supervise the railroad asociations organized at 235 railroadterminal points with 90,000 members,
g. Sub- supported by the railroad companies, divisions of which contribute $400,000 annually,
Activity. and by the members, who give $600,000 yearly. Twelve secretaries labor among college students, and 669 student associations have been organized with a membership of 58,696 stu dents, of whom 25,000 are members of Bible classes. An outgrowth of this American student work is the World's Student Christian Federation, organized in 1895, and now having a membership of 150,000 482students in 2,200 universities or colleges in thirtyone countries. The student general secretary of the international committee is also the federation's general secretary. Another outgrowth is "the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions," beginning in 1887, which has enrolled many thousand students as volunteers for the foreign-mission field. Of these over 4,700 have already been sent out as foreign missionaries by the foreign-mission boards of the various churches, the average number sent out being 250. Twenty-five secretaries supervise and extend association work among soldiers and sailors at United States military posts and naval stations in America, the Philippines, and China, and $2,000,000 have already been invested in the buildings which accommodate the work at some of these posts and stations. Five colored secretaries supervise and extend the work of 132 colored associations with 12,000 members. Three secretaries supervise and extend the physical, educational, and religious work of the associations, and twelve are at work among employees in the Panama Canal Zone. In their physical department the associations own and administer 648 gymnasia with 172 athletic fields, manned by 284,842 gymnasium and athletic members under the training of 418 expert physical directors, assisted by a corps of 8,920 gymnasium-class leaders. The educational department of the association contains 61,904 pupils, paying $527,346 in tuition fees. In the religious work the Bible-class attendance in 1,360 associations numbers 101,546 members, and the aggregate annual attendance of the religious meetings in 1,500 associations numbers 6,400,000. Seventeen secretaries give attention to the work in small towns and country neighborhoods among miners, mill operatives, and various industrial classes,. and among boys, and they are also specially occupied with the problems of city, state, and provincial organizations, and of the training, transfer, and locating of employed officers, who number 2,954, including physical, educational, religious, social, membership, employment, boys, railroad, and industrial secretaries. Thirteen secretaries, including the general secretary and his two associates, administer the work as a whole, caring for the office and publication and business departments. Training-schools for secretaries, physical directors, and other employed officers have been established in Springfield, Mass., and in Chicago.
The International Committee upon its foreign field-in China, Japan, Korea, India, Ceylon, Syria, and South America, where 365 associations have already been organized-employs 105 secretaries and expends on this field $225,919. The World's Committee, with headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland, has given its principal attention to the associations of continental Europe. It employs eight secretaries with an annual expenditure of $15,000, cooperating with the national committees of Europe
6. Work in supervision and extension of asso- Outside ciation work, and keeping in corre- America. spondence and communication with other members of the world's brother hood. The strongest association groups in Europe are those of Great Britain and Germany; the former with 1,241 associations, 146,871 members, and 119|
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secretaries, and the latter with 2,310 associations, 127,835 members, and over 169 secretaries. In Great Britain there are 191 association buildings valued at $5,577,600, and in Germany, 154 buildings worth $2,380,000. The general statistics of the remaining foreign field for 1911 may be summarized as follows:
Associ Mem- Secre- Build- Value. ations hers. taries. ings. In France 143 5,700 17 13 $290,000 " Holland 469 12,019 3 39 " Denmark 312 12,300 14 16 426,500 " Norway 514 15,834 18 92 438,000 " Russia 13 2,012 1 2 112,000 " Sweden 113 10,890 21 13 577,000 " Switzerland 519 9,820 12 10 290,000 " India-Ceylon- Burma . 158 11,430 61 .23 576,000 " China-Korea- Hongkong 89 9,080 79 4 258,200 " Japan 72 6,475 12 23 281,500 " South Africa 8 2,743 11 3 338,000 " Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania 19 9,907 40 13 824,000 " South America and Mexico 14 4,058 28 5 475,000%I. Young People's Christian Endeavor Union of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ: A young people's society of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, organized by a called convention of 200 pastors and young people's society workers at Dayton, O., June 4-5, 1890. The organization then effected was called the Young People's Christian Union, and included all young people's societies, of -whatever name, connected with United Brethren churches. Previous to the organization a number of Young People's Christian Endeavor Societies, Young People's Christian Associations, and local societies of other names existed, and the Young People's Christian Union included all these. Constitutions for local Christian Union Societies and Christian Endeavor Societies were provided, leaving to each congregation the choice as to form and name. In addition to the general union, each annual conference is organized as a branch union, there being forty of these. General conventions axe held biennially, and branch conventions are held annually. The conventions are mass gatherings, but executive business is transacted by delegates properly constituted by the branch unions and by the local societies. For twenty years the direction of the organization was in the hands of an executive council of seven members, including the president and secretary, three of whom were elected by the General Conference, to which the union reported quadrennially. In 1909 the General Conference placed the management of the Christian Endeavor under a board which has oversight of the Sunday-school, brotherhood, and Young People's work. Each local society pays annual dues of one dollar, half of which goes to the treasury of the general union and half to the branch union treasuries. The first Sunday in May is observed as "anniversary day," when offerings are made to missionary enterprises at home and in foreign fields. These offerings have aided in establishing churches in Los Angeles, Chicago, Porto Rico, and Japan, and schools in Freetown and Shenge, Africa, and mission work among foreigners in kmerica. They are now used in promoting Christian Endeavor work.
RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Young People's SocietiesAt the biennial convention held in June, 1908, the name of the general union was changed to Young People's Christian Endeavor Union, and all branch unions and local societies were recommended to adopt the Christian Endeavor name, which was done. In 1893 the general conference of the United Brethren Church formally constituted the Young People's Christian Union as a department of the denomination, and established The Watchword as the organ of the department, electing Rev. H. F. Shupe as editor. This paper is a sixteen-page illustrated weekly, with a circulation of 42,000, published by the United Brethren Publishing House, at Dayton, O. The first president was Prof. J. P. Landis, who served twelve years, when Rev. J. G. Huber was elected to succeed him. The organization numbers: Young People's Societies, 1,574, with 63,358 members; Junior Societies, 562, with 22,155 members; total, 2,136 societies, with 85,513 members. These societies pay annually to special missionary objects about $10,000. H. F. SatrrE.
%H. Young People's Christian Union of the Universalist Church: A denominational young people's society organized at Lynn, Mass., Oct. 22, 1889, and incorporated under Massachusetts laws on Mar. 10, 1898, its object being to promote the religious and spiritual life of its members, to train the young people of the church in missionary work, and to prepare them for efficient service in the larger work of the church. Since its organization the union has held twenty-three annual conventions, the last one being held at Portland, Me., in July, 1911. The union has built four churches in various parts of the country, and in addition to paying for the buildings it has assisted materially in paying the salaries of pastors of several churches, reducing the contribution from year to year as the members of the individual organizations have been able to increase their income. In its post-office mission department thousands of pieces of Universalist literature bearing upon all phases of Universalism have been distributed through the agency of the United States mail to people in isolated places throughout the country. In its Christian citizenship work the union has endeavored to train its members to grow up as Christian men and women, loyal to the highest ideals of their country, and examples of the beat type of manhood and womanhood. The national union comprises sixteen sttyte unions and 225 local unions, while its total membership is about 7,000. The officers consist of a president, secretary, treasurer, and four others who, with the officers, comprise the executive board, which governs the union between conventions. The state unions hold annual conventions, composed of delegates from the local unions. Financially, the union is in a very good condition, its annual report for the past year showing a satisfactory surplus in every department. Its running expenses, including salaries, supplies, etc., are met by an annual per-capita tax levied upon the state unions on the basis of their membership. The expenses of the mission department are met by receipts from convention pledges, which annually amount into the thousands, and from the two-cents-a-week system, in which every member who is able contributes two cents a week to the
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XIII. Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor: The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor is an interdenominational organization founded by Rev. Francis E. Clark (q.v.) on Feb. 2, 1881, in the Williston Congregational Church, Portland, Me., of which he was then pastor. This church was well fitted to be the birthplace of such a society, for it was a young church, filled with young people, and presided over by a young pastor, not out of his twenties, and neither pastor nor people were afraid to try new plans. In fact, they had made a number of experiments before the method which proved successful was adopted, these running largely to de-
I. Origin bating, musical, or amusement soci and eties, which, though very well in their Primary way, had not enough of the strenu-Character- ously religious element to attract and istics. permanently hold the enthusiasm of the best young people. This new society, however, was distinctively a religious organization. It did not despise other attractions, but it did recognize the fact that religion is the most interesting thing in the world to old and young, and it put the emphasis upon the word "Christian" in its title. Another word in the title which was underscored in practise was the word "Endeavor." It did not boast overmuch as a society of Christian accomplishment, but more modestly it claimed to be a company of triers, who were willing to make an attempt, even though it might fail. This characteristic of the new society was made evident by the constitution which was adopted at the pastor's house on the evening of organization. By signing their names to that constitution the members promised to try to attend and to take some little part in each weekly meeting, and also to try to do their duty on whatever committee they might be placed. None of them were speechmakers, and none of them were expert in Christian work, but they could try to do their best, and so they became the first society of Christian Endeavor. This pledge to try to do these
484things proved to be the strength of the society, as well as of all the tens of thousands formed upon this model in subsequent years, for the constitution then adopted is the same one, in its essential features, as that which now, for three decades, has been adopted in all parts of the world. It has been translated into at least a hundred languages, and has been subscribed by at least 10,000,000 of young people, many of whom are now no longer young, and who have gone on to other forms of Christian work. Most of the failures that have occurred may be ascribed to a lack of adherence to these simple principles of putting religion first, and of making an attempt to speak some word and do some service, however small, in the Master's name and in his strength. In a word, outspoken devotion to Christ, constant service for him, and loyalty to his Church were the characteristics of this first society and of those that succeeded it. As the movement developed in all denominations and in all lands, universal fellowship with all Christians became a prominent and ever-enlarging feature of the organization.
The second society was formed eight months after the first in the North Congregational Church of Newburyport, Mass., under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. Charles Perry Mills, who, until the time of his death, was a warm advocate of this form of work for young people. Then the
a. Rapid societies, some accounts of which had Growth. appeared in The Congregationalist of Boston and The Sunday School Times of Philadelphia, began to multiply, at first slowly, but with rapidly increasing momentum. They broke through boundaries of state and denominational lines, and were taken up with eagerness and enthu siasm by young people in city and country, East and West, and in all walks and conditions of life. The following figures will show the accelerated rate of growth of the movement in the earlier years: 1882, 7 1886 850 1890, 11,013 1894, 33,720 1883, 56 1887, 2,314 1891, 16,274 1895, 41,229 1884, 156 1888, 4,879 1892, 21,080 1896, 46,125 1885, 253 1889, 7,672 ~1 1893, 26,284 1897, 48,000The society was not long confined to America, and it was scarcely four years old before it was introduced by a missionary, Miss Margaret Leitch, to India by way of Ceylon. About the same time, Rev. George H. Hubbard, a young missionary from Connecticut, started a little society in Fu-chau, China, which soon multiplied itself over and over again, until now 150 societies exist in the Fu-kien province of China alone, and hundreds more throughout that great empire. In 1888 the founder of the society was first invited to go to England to tell about Christian Endeavor, which had already become a movement of some importance in America, at the May meeting of the Sunday School Union in London. There was then one society in Great Britain, in the Hightown Church of Crewe. At first the growth was slow, but soon it gathered force, and now more than 10,000 societies are found in the United Kingdom, numbering something like 500,000 members. In Australia the society took root about the same time as in Great Britain, introduced by a young sailor who belonged to the second society in Newburyport, and the movement has spread into
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But the society was not destined to make progress unchallenged or unhindered, for many opposed it and predicted its early demise. After a few years, its rapid growth alarmed the stricter sectarians, who feared some weakening of denominational loyalty on the part of the young people if they were allowed to mingle too freely with other
When the societies began to grow numerous in other lands, similar unions sprang up there, until now there is scarcely a Christian country in the world that does not have its National Christian Endeavor Union, while in India, China, and Japan these unions are equally flourishing and influential.
The conventions conducted by these 4. Christian national unions have been interesting,
Endeavor and in some respects phenomenalIn many unusual and unexpected places the society has found a place for itself, as on the ships of the United States Navy and on ships of the merchant marine, where many "floating societies" exist. In many prisons societies have bin established among the converted prisoners after special evangelistic meetings, and, so far as is known, these
Endeavor prisoners, when once reg. Wide leased, have never gone back again.
Range of In soldiers' barracks, policemen's quar- Activity. ters, fire-engine stations, trolley-car barns, factories, department stores, and large hotels (among the employees) societies have been formed that have done great good. A very interesting development of the Boer War was the formation of societies in the prison camps of St. Helena, Ceylon, and the Bermudas, which resulted in the conversion of hundreds of young Boers, and in sending more than 200 of them into the mission fields of Africa on their release. The society has always striven to cultivate the missionary spirit among its members, and it has contributed thousands of its members and millions of dollars to the mission fields. Good citizenship has for many years been a leading plank in the platform of the society, and temperance, civic purity, national patriotism, and international peace have a large place in its literature and on its program.The scope and principles of the society have never been stated more succinctly than at the world's convention at Geneva, when the following 6. Scope, platform of principles was adopted by
Principles, the representatives of all the great and nations and Protestant denominations: Statistics. Christian Endeavor is a providential movement, and is promoted by societies composed largely of young people of both sexes found in every land and in every section of the Christian church. Its covenant for active members demands faith in Christ, open acknowledgment of Christ, service for Christ, and loyalty to Christ's church.
Its activities are as wide as the needs of mankind, are directed by the churches of which the societies are an integral
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Some of the chief journals of the society are The Christian Endeavor World, The Junior Christian Endeavor World, published in Boston; The Christian Endeavour Times, published in London; The Irish Eruleavourer, of Portadown; The India Christian Endeavour, of Allahabad; The South African Endeavourer, of Cape Town; Die Jugendhilfe, of Berlin; Esfuerzo Cristiano, of Madrid; The Australian Christian Endeavour Link, of Melbourne; The Roll Call,
of Sydney; and fifty or more other papers are published by national, state, or local unions.
The president of the United Society is Rev. Francis E. Clark, the general secretary is William Shaw, the treasurer is Hiram N. Lathrop, and the editorial secretary is Amos R. Wells; while the officers of the World Union are Rev. Francis E. Clark (president), John Willie Baer (secretary), W. Shaw (treasurer and office secretary), and George W. Coleman (auditor).
Bibliography: By F. E. Clark, Young People's Prayer Meetings, New York, 1887; World-Wide Endeavor, Boston, ton, 1895; Training the Church of the Future, New York, 1902; Christian Endeavor Manual, Boston, 1903; Christian Endeavor in All Lands, Philadelphia, 1906; and by A. R. Wells, Social Evenings, Boston, 1896; Junior Manual, ib. 1895; Prayer-Meeting Methods, ib. 1896; Our Unions, ib. 1896; Citizens in Training, ib. 1898; The M%as%onary Manual, ib. 1899; The Officer's Handbook, ib. 1900; The Young People's Pastor, ib. 1906; Expert Endeavor, ib. 1911.
RIV. Young Women's Christian Association of the United States of America: The organization known as the Young Women's Christian Asso ciation of the United States of America; with thou sands of members and over 875 local associations, had its beginning in 1858, in a small society formed in New York by Mrs. Marshall O. Roberts, and called at first a Union Prayer Circle. Later in the same year the name was changed to Ladies' Chris tian Association, its object being " ° to z. Origin labor for the temporal, moral, and re and ligious welfare of young self-supporting Purpose. women," and two years later this so ciety opened a boarding-home for such young women. In 1866 the name of the organiza tion was changed to Ladies' Christian Union, and its charter was secured, and in the same year the Young Women's Christian Association of Boston was organized, modeled more or less after the Young Men's Christian Association (q.v.). In 1872-73 a prayer group in Normal University, Normal, Ill., was formed and organized into a Young Ladies' Christian Association, which later took the name Young Women's Christian Association, and these organizations were duplicated in other city and student centers until the present large organization has been developed. The purpose of the association|
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Four general departments exist in a city association: physical, social, educational, and religious work. The physical department requires a gymnasium, where a girl may gain strength and vigor through careful drill exercise, watched over by a competent and trained director. A girl who has stood at a loom or who has been bending over a needle all day needs a general limbering up in the gymnasium before she is ready to go into a study class or a religious meeting and get the best out of it. Swimming-pools and bowling-alleys are provided in many associations. The social department makes provision for a young woman in a strange city, or even for one who in her own city is busy in an office all day long, and has no time a. City and or opportunity to make friends. For Student the enlarging of her life, parties and
The work of all associations is directed in general by a board of managers or a cabinet, which is elected from the membership, while standing committees have charge of the different departments. The general secretary and the other department secretaries are the executives of the board of directors. It is the duty of the general secretary to be in touch with all the departments, to make plans for the strengthening and enlarging of the association, to have knowledge of the latest methods employed elsewhere, and herself to originate
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Certain phases of work promoted by the specialists of the national board in suitable communities or in a general way are as follows: the provision for club houses for professional women students; the organizing of associations for Indian students and for those in colored schools; the linking-up of recent college graduates to volunteer work along such religious and philanthropic lines as they may indicate preference for; recognition of the recent "rural awakening" by the formation of county associations; and a system of meeting and protecting young immigrant women and equipping them, by instruction in English and other help, for life in a new country.
Besides the work in the United States the Young Women's Christian Association is strengthened by its international bonds. It is affiliated with the World's Young Women's Christian Association, which has branches on every continent and in almost every country, and with the World's Student Christian Federation. These world's associations have their own conferences, the last being the World's Young Women's Christian Association Conference in Berlin, in 1910; and the World's Student Christian Federation Convention in Constantinople, in 1911.
488The following statistics for 1910-11 show something of the growth of this organization in the course of a little over fifty years. Now thas
The student associations number 667, with an active membership of 54,369 out of 115,703 young women students in the institutions; the general secretaries number 47; the mission-study classes number 1,262, with 14,196 students (reported by 342 associations); the Bible-study classes number 1,485, with 18,957 students (reported by 345 associations); 16 associations have buildings, and 201 have libraries; 253 associations held special evangelistic meetings.
%V. Young Women's Christian Association of Great Britain and Ireland: An organization formed in 1855 in two sections by Lady Kinnaird (then Hon. Mrs. Arthur Mnnaird) in London, with the idea of establishing suitable Christian homes and institutes for young women; and by Miss Robarts in the country, who, believing in the
:. Origin power and influence of women," banded and together a union of women whose work
History. should be cemented by prayer," which was called the Prayer Union. These two sections, the one with its purely spiritual aim, and the other combining to meet both the spiritual and practical needs of young women at that time, grew side by side, until in 1877 both were united under the presidentship of Mrs. Tennefather (of the Prayer Union) and Lady Kinnaird, and called the Young Women's Christian Association; the work had already extended to Scotland and Ireland, thus making the association to consist of four divisions -London, provincial, Scotland, and Ireland. By 1884 it had become evident that the time was ripe for a more united constitution and regular organization in the work, and after much prayer and con sultation a united basis and constitution were agreed upon, still adhering strictly to the lines upon which the London and country branches had worked, and in harmony with the motto of the association, "Not by might, nor by pdwer, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zech, iv. 6). A united central coun-|
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cil under the presidentship of the earl of Shaftesbury was formed, the first meeting being held in London Jan. 22, 1885. At this meeting the affiliation of the Young Women's Christian Association with the kindred work carried on by the " Union des amies de la jeune fille"for the benefit of foreign girls in England was agreed to, and the consent of the council was gained for an office to be secured for this purpose. In the meanwhile branches of the association had been formed in America, India, and the continent of Europe, and in Apr., 1892, the first gathering of an international character was held in London, after careful consultation and with the Cooperation of leaders of the American Young Women's Christian Association. Representatives from India, America, France, Norway, and other countries were present, and the result of this meeting was the formation of the World's Young Women's Christian Association in 1894, as a center for all national associations, the first president being Mrs. J. H. Tritton. A general committee was formed, consisting of representatives of every country included in the union, and a constitution was drawn up. International conferences are held quadrennially, these having met in London in 1898, in Geneva in 1902, in Paris in 1906, and in Berlin in 1910. There are now nineteen national associations linked with the World's Young Women's Christian Association, with a membership of 512,000.
Corresponding to the united central council, which was formed to unify the British work of the Young Women's Christian Association, there now exists the British National Young Women's Christian Association, representing the five divisions of London, south of England, north of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and united under the name of British National Council. Nine representatives
from each division, together with other 2. General members representing various depart-
Organ- ments of work, form this council, which ization. is the responsible and legislative bodyof the whole association in Great Britain and Ireland. It appoints standing committees for special duties, e.g., general executive (on which are the representatives of the five divisions), finance, selection, and allocation of workers, editorial, and foreign, while there are also various departmental committees for nurses, teachers, etc. The five divisions are autonomous in their working, though all are linked together under the national council, which formulates the general policy of the association. The local associations work with local committees, and are in direct communication with the office of the division in which they are situated. The work of each division is carried on through its divisional council, to which all questions relating to the general work of the local associations are carried.
The membership in the local associations may be either general or special. General membership is divided into prayer union (active) and associate, the former class including those who wish to devote themselves to the service of Christ in daily life, and to work and pray for others; while associate members are all those who wish simply to enjoy the bene fits of a Christian asaociataon. Special members consist of juniors (girls under fourteen years of age),
RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Young Peoples societiesteachers, nurses, the gild of helpers (girls of leisure), and the blind, the latter division having a Braille library and a monthly letter to mem-
3. The bers, also published in Braille. The Local Asso- local association may consist of a home
ciations. and institute combined, or merely of club-rooms opened in the evenings. The homes, holiday and residential, meet a great need, especially the latter, of which there are thirty-five in London alone, accommodating women in business, teachers, students, etc.; while by means of its holiday homes (country and seaside) many thousands of association members are yearly en abled to enjoy restful and inexpensive holidays, re duced fares being often allowed by the railway com panies to Young Women's Christian Association members visiting homes. In several large towns, such as London, Edinburgh, Liverpool, etc., res taurants, noon rest-rooms, and lunch clubs have been opened for the benefit of girls in business, which provide good food at as cheap a rate as possible. In the institutes, besides the advantages to lonely girls of intercourse with others, and of the help and counsel to be had from the association secretary, educational.classes are held and lectures on various subjects are given.The home organization may be divided into religious, educational, and social service. The refgious work is carried on by meetings, Bible study, evangelistic services, etc.; and the educational by classes in institutes, provision being also made for home study and loan libraries. The department of social service is more complex, and in-
s. Home, eludes subdivisions for employment Social (with registries in different parts of the Service, country, as well as a registry for immiand grant girls), emigration (advising emiForeign De- grant girls and cooperating with the partments. British Women's Emigration Society), thrift, total abstinence, factory work (in affiliation with the Federation of Working Girls' Clubs), and the convalescent and holiday department. The Social Service Council has recently been formed, and .may be applied to for advice and information on the subject of factory laws, etc., should members be in difficulty and need help in this way. The foreign department of the association unites not only the foreign missionary work, which is largely supported by the local associations, but also Young Women's Christian Association work in other lands. Bides the large sums of money which are contributed annually by Young Women's Christian Association members to foreign missions, twentyeight workers are supported by this department, who carry on chiefly Young Women's Christian Association work among English-speaking girls in foreign lands. The number of branches in Great Britain and Ireland is 1,290, and the membership, 102,710. The president is Mrs. J. H. Tritton (previous presidents being Lords Kinnaaird and Overtoun), and the general secretary is Miss Thorold.
BImroGaAPHY: The most important literature is contained in the manuals of the various organizations, which usually afford not only statistics, but the history of the respective societies. Consult further: T. Chalmers, Juvenile Re vival; or, Philosophy of the Christian Endeavor Movement, St. Louis, 1895; Young Men's Christian Associations;|
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