YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

[s. 818] : Organizations of of religious,, ’ ’ , ’ young men for and for more or le have probably existed in Christian mutual improvement, activity, almost every age of the Church. historical record of such societies There is in Great Britain and Ireland as early as the reign of Charles They maintained a continuous existence for I. nearly one hundred years, through the revolutions under Cromwell and King William, attaining highest prosperity the reign of the societies was the promotion of personal piety among their members, but they gave rise in 1691 to the “Societies for the Reformation of Manners,” which had for their aim the suppre ion of vice through legal means. These were called into being by the low state of public morals, which, notwithstanding the better attitude of the court of William and Mary, had little mended since The early the di olute reign of Charles II. efforts of these reform societies were favored civil courts, and flourished for by the they about forty years. They had become extinct, however, in 1757, and an effort to revive them by members of Wesley’s and White field’s their most important 800 latter. in The chief object of these congregations was defeated through the indifference if not actual hostility of the authorities. In the 19th century, between 1823 and 1838, David Nasmith, of Glasgow, formed about seventy Young Men’s Societies in as many cities of the United Kingdom, France, and America. In Germany, as early as 1832, similar a ociations of young men were formed, closely connected with the established churches and their pastors. But while all these were societies for young men, with a distinctively Christian purpose and activity, they did not seek broadly to promote the physical intellectual and social as well as the spiritual welfare of young men; develop or train a special cla of < 801 executive officers or acquire property in the form of buildings which made them locally permanent. They did not band themselves together m district, national, international and world s conferences, altho some of them, notably those of Germany, are now part of the brotherhood forming the World’s Conference of the A ociations. The present Glasgow and Cincinnati A ociations claim to have originated quite independently of suggestion from London; but it seems beyond dispute that the movement which has resulted in the present world-wide brotherhood can be traced to the parent English-speaking a ociation which was organized in London by George Williams, June 6, 1844. But while the origin and early growth of the movement took place in Great Britain, the development and expansion of the work has been wrought out by the American A ociaA knowledge of the London A ociation tions. and its work led to the formation of A ociations in Montreal, Canada, December 9, 1851, and in Boston the 29th of the same month, neither city having any knowledge of the Other cities followed, till some other’s action. larger twenty-five similar organizations were known to be in exist ance at the date of the first convention, which met in Buffalo, June 7, 1854, followed by the first World’s Conference in Paris, August 19, 1855. Here the following declaration, since known as the Paris Basis, or the Basis of 1855, was adopted: “The Young Men’s Christian A ociation seeks to unite those young men, who, regarding Jesus Christ as their God and Savior, according to the Holy Scriptures, desire to be His disciples in their doctrine and in their life, and to a ociate their Yin^-clian-fu Youngr IMen’H beginning of that unparalleled growth which has marked the past three decades. The formal adoption of the evangelical test the secured the active sympathy of the churches; a clearer conception of the work, as distinctively and by young men, focalized thought and and rapidly developed both methods and men; this called for better facilities, which for effort, were readily furnished as the practical character of the work was recognized; the work demanded systematic supervision, and the paid secretaryship was developed; the A ociations increased in number, spread over the country, and grew multiplex in their departments of work, and State organization and a comprehensive general supervision became a nece ity; broadened methods and appliances in the local work asked for larger, better adapted and permanent quarters, and buildings sprang up by the score, till to-day the A ociations are a universally acknowledged force in the religious, educational, and social life of the country. In government the individual A ociations are independent, except as to the single item of the active-membership test, each society conducting its busine affairs through a board of directors as the corporate management, and with a paid executive officer styled a general secretary; but they are united in a thorough system of general organization, embracing delegated conventions, executive committees, and visiting agents, the decisions and advice of which, tho in the main only advisory, are very generally accepted and followed. With the A ociations of the United States and Canada this system embraces: 1. A Biennial Convention (annual previous to 1878), composed of delegates from all the A ociations, representation being based upon the active membership. The ad interim powers of this convention are vested in an executive board, the members of which are elected by Since 1866 the cla es at the biennial se ions. the extension of His kingdom among Upon this rests the affiliation of the A ociations of all lands, represented since 1855 by a triennial World’s Convention, and since 1878 by a Central International Committee, with headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland. This declaration was ratified by the American International Convention at Montreal in 1856, and at Detroit in 1868 was added what is known as the”active membership test,” by which in the American A ociations only those in full communion with an evangelical church are admitted to voting and office-bearing membership. At the Portland Convention the following year this action was unanimously reaffirmed, the meaning of the term “evangelical” was defined, and representation at the International Convention, from all A ociations thereafter organized, made conditional upon this test being embodied in their constitutions. In April, 1860, the A ociations of North America had about 25,000 members. At the breaking out of the civil war large numbers of their young men entered the armies on both sides, and the A ociations naturally followed them with efforts for their welfare and that of their comrades. At the instance of the New York A ociation a special convention was training, and recommending general secretaries; (c) advising and a isting regarding the plans, location, and methods of building and the management of property; (d) securing funds for its own work and aiding State and local A ociations in raising money for State work, for new buildings, to place secretaries in new fields, and in special financial emergencies; (e) arranging for the International meetings, a isting in planning many State and special conventions, and called November 14, 1861, which resulted in the organization of the United States Christian Commi ion, the work of which largely absorbed the energies of the Northern A ociations during the remainder of the war. With the return of peace, however, the A ociations took up their old Work with renewed zeal, advanced ideas, and better methods. From about this time dates sending official representatives to all; (/) conducting an extensive correspondence; (?) a publication list of tracts and books, several annuals and periodicals, including the “YearBook;” (A) through the systematic efforts of the committee, the American A ociations have observed annually, since 1866, a day and week of prayer in November, and since 1875, efforts for young men.” 51 headquarters and a working quorum of this body have been located in New York, and in 1883 it was incorporated as the International Committee, a name by which it had for years been known. The scope of the committee’s work is broad, including (a) supervision and extension generally of all the work, in fuli when there is no State organization, and very largely of such special departments as the college, railroad, German, and foreign work; the State organizations owe their existence and early nurture to the act and care of the International Convention and its committee; (6) — securing, TTonns Men’s by act of the World’s Conference, the A ociations of other lands have j oined in this observance (i) in times of overwhelming calamity by fire, flood, fever, or disaster, the A ociations have rendered communities effective help often through this committee, as their agent, in gathering and distributing such relief. 2. State Organizations: modeled after the international, and doing a like work, so far as needed, in their respective fields. The organization and work of the typical American A ociation may be thus described: (a) A dual membership: (1) Active —men who are members of evangelical churches, and who constitute its voting, ofBce-bearing, and working young men of good moral force; (2) A ociate character, who join usually for the secular privileges. The total membership of the 1,736 A ociations reporting in 1903 is 350,455. (6) A busine organization, with constitution, legal incorporation, officers, board of management, and well-ordered system of committees, (c) A paid secretary, to supervise and direct, under the local board, and to develop workers, rather than to attempt too much detail work himself, leaving that mostly to a istants. The total number of general secretaries, physical directors, and a istants in the various departments of the local work is 1,729. A school devoted chiefly to the training of young men as general secretaries and gymnasium instructors, opened in Springfield, Ma ., in 1885, has (1903) an enrollment of about 100, while a school of like character organized in 1891 at Chicago has about 150 students, and there are several well-constituted summer schools, notably those at Lake Geneva, Wis., and at Silver Bay, Lake George, N. Y. (d) A building of its own, usually comprising reading-room, library, parlors, recreation-room, offices for secretaries and directors, large and small lecture-rooms, cla -rooms, gymnasium, including bowling-alley, baths, and dre ing rooms; a kitchen and janitors’ quarters. There are 460 such buildings, valued at $24,016,415— a good index of the estimate put upon the work by Christian busine men, and a strong guarantee — of (1) its permanency, Religious (e) An — consisting organized work: Bible-cla es, of evangelistic and for Christian young men; evangelistic workers’ training-cla es; and devotional; meetings for young men; special work in the interests of personal purity, temper systematic invitation work; the ance, etc.; distribution of religious literature; and a directly personal work, which is specially emphasized. Educational reading-rooms; circulating (2) evening cla es in and reference libraries; practical and liberal branches, book-keeping, penmanship, stenography, mathematics, drawing, languages, history, literature, political science, music, etc.; literary societies, and educational — — lecturers. Social attractive rooms for (3) resort, with companionable supervision, music, recreative games, and a variety of social gatherings and entertainments. Physical (4) facilities for artificial exercise of every description, and under instructors competent, from both a scientific and practical training, to make ‘physical examinations and prescribe safe and helpful work; baths and open athletic grounds for field-sports, and clubs for boating, swimming, — rambling, etc. Economics employment (5) bureau, boarding-house register, savings-bank, medical club, visitation of the sick, and similar 802 service. (6) Junior department, in which, under special supervision and with separate rooms, a more or le full line of work is carried out for boys, and from which they graduate into the senior departments. The International Committee, with headquarters at 3 W. 29th St., New York City, has 43 members aside from the officers, and 15 advisory members, besides Board of Trustees of 15 members. Most of the members live in New York or vicinity, but there are representatives from different parts of the United States and Canada. There are also 52 corresponding members representing different States and foreign countries. For active work the staff is divided into 14 departments: The Office, Publication, and Busine Departments have charge of the general correspondence, literature, and financial management. The Field Department, occupied with the extension, development, equipment and trained leadership of the A ociation work in the cities and towns, and also the strengthening of the work of the State and provincial organizations. There are 7 secretaries, 1 in New York the others in other parts of the country. The Railroad Department organizes A ociations among railroad men, provides rooms, libraries, buildings, and all the usual features of an A ociation. For a time it was rather, frowned upon by railroad authorities, but of years they have come to recognize its value and have aided materially in its development, contributing liberally in the erection of buildings and a isting in many ways to late make it easy for men to attend the meetings, etc. An illustration is the Mi ouri Pacific system, 13 well-equipped A ociations were organized within four years. There were in 1903, 198 A ociations, with a membership of 63,000, an increase of 50 per cent, in two years. There are 79 buildings, valued at A ociations, 8 under ll, 129, 050, owned by construction valued at $159,500, and 35 others set apart by the cempanies for their use, valued at $541,000. Work among street employes is being organized and plans are under consideration for extending the system into the countries of Europe. The Industrial Department is the most recently organized (1902) and resulted from a study of A ociation work among the 4,500,000 men employed in the various industrial enterprises of the continent. It looks forward to the erection of buildings or the equipment of rooms in connection with the great factories. The Students’ Department has (1903) 635 (exclusive of A ociations among students colored and Indian departments); of these, 48 are in the theological seminaries, 72 in the medical and other profe ional schools, and the remainder in universities, colleges, and normal and preparatory schools. Special emphasis is placed on Bible study, and in 1902 there were 16,042 enrolled in the Student Bible Cla es, while the secretary in charge was in correspondence with 1,808 Bible cla leaders. Student Conferences for the training of leaders are held at North field, Ma .’; Lake Geneva, Wis.; Asheville, N. C.r, Pacific Grove, Cal.5 Gearhart, Oregon, and Lakeside, Ohio. The spiritual effect of the work is seen in the conversion Ten of over 3,000 young men in the year. student secretaries are employed by the In where ternational Committee, some in office and 808 superintendence work and others in visiting colleges, etc. The Army and Navy Department received a special impulse during the war with Spain and has been developed steadily. It has received the most cordial support of officials, and the, membership of enlisted men steadily increases. A Soldiers’ Bible and Prayer League and a Temperance Union have added over 1,000 names in a single year. There are 1 50 traveling libraries in constant circulation, and 75 tons of stationery, reading matter, games, etc., were shipped from the office in New York for the different posts. There are 31 buildings in the U. S., 14 in Cuba, 1 in Porto Rico, 4 in the Philippines, 1 in China, and 4 in Alaska. Bible cla es, religious meetings, and entertainments are held at 269 different points. In the Naval Department branches are open Brooklyn, N. Y. Norfolk, Va. Newport, R. I.’; San Juan, Porto Rico, and at Manila, Cavite, and Olongapo, in the Philippines. Over 1,000 sailors and marines are members. A striking feature is the savings department, which in six months handled nearly $150,000 for the men. Over 1,600 men joined the Naval Temperance League during the year (1903). The Colored Department: Of the 103 A ociations in this department 69 are in educational institutions and 34 in cities, with a membership of over 7,000. Two Conferences at Danville, Va., Ala., were and Montgomery, well attended. Seventeen secretaries give their entire time, 2 in New York and 15 in the in;; A ociations. Boys’ Department: The growth in this department has been very great. The 576 A ociations report 45,000 members, or if those holding There senior tickets were included, 80,000. are over 100 boys’ work specialists, 1,500 rooms used, 120,000 in attendance on Bible cla es, while between 3,000 and 4,000 are admitted evening cla es. Indian Department: This reports 47 A ociations, with a membership of over 2,000, in Manitoba, Ind. Ter., Kansas, Nebraska, Nortli Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. Work Department: In this the Religious special effort has been to secure quality rather than quantity, yet 8,016 volunteer workers have been registered in the year, while 31,300 have attended the 1,711 Bible cla es, and the total attendance at religious meetings of all kinds was 3,230,000. In 1903, 18,613 conversions were reported. The Educational Department: In the different schools, clubs and lectures, 30,600 students were enrolled, while 1,200 more men reached This, too, has had the Physical Department. great succe , 634 A ociations reporting attention to it, 93,983 men making use of the gymnastic and athletic features. There are 545 gymnasmms, while 464 A ociations report out-door games and sports. This organization rep Foreign Department: mi ionary interests of resents the foreign It arose as a the American A ociations. result of investigations begun by Mr. Luther D. Wishard, who, in 1889, began a three years tour of mi ion lands with the purpose of studying the conditions of young manhood in nonAs a result of that tour Christian countries. and of the subsequent study and experience to the The YonnK Men’s of Mr. John R. Mott and others, work has been established in India, Japan, China and Hong kong, Ceylon, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Korea. A total of 31 secretaries, most of them with families, are laboring in the countries named. These men have organized or aided in the organization of some 300 A ociations in those fields, about one-half of which are what are known as Student A ociations in institutions of higher learning. Tliey have a total membership of 14,000, of whom 3,600 are active. Eiglit periodicals are published in their interest abroad, and they have 14 buildings, valued at $400,000. The reasons which have led to the inauguration and prosecution of this enterprise are as follows: In non-Christian lands, where (1) moral ideals are largely wanting and where temptations are omnipresent, there is no cla which so mucli needs the oversight and religious incentives of Christianity as the young men. (2) In some of these countries, notably Japan and India, young manhood holds a strategic relation (3) and to tlie progre their of countries. Most of the young men reached are educated proce of education has alienated superstitions of their fathers, thus leaving tliem a prey to the skepticism of the West and to the materialism of a semi foreign environment. (4) Tlie achievements of the A ociation in Christian countries have led mi ionaries in all the lands where the foreign A ociations are doing their work to strongly appeal to the initiation of tlie enterprise. They have done so because they believe that an A ociation fosters Christian unity, deals with a difficult cla in a most effective way, and trains them for Christian discipleship, as no other agency is able to do. (5) The achievements of the A ociation, tho not reducible to any large statistical exhibit, have more than justified the anticipations of the mi ionaries who have urged the foundation of these asylums for the tempted, and training schools for an active evangelical propaganda. The branches of the World’s Student Christian Federation established in India, China, and Japan owe their existence and effectivene Those in China, to the foreign A ociations. India, and Japan are a ociated as national organizations, under committees consisting of prominent mi ionaries and Christian workers long resident in those lands. The following is a general summary of Y. M. C. A. organizations in all lands: America: United States and Canada, 1,736; Mexico, 1; West Indies, 3; Bermuda, 2; Argentina, Guiana (Dutch), 2; Chile, 1; Brazil, 7; 1; the them from the Uruguay, 3. Europe: Austria, 87; Belgium, 34; Bulgaria, Denmark, 270; England, Ireland and Wales, 935 (including some church A ociations); Germany, 1,784 France, 103; Finland, 28; 3; (including 540 A ociated Unions); Greece, 1; Italy, 58; Luxe mIce land, 5; burg, 1; Netherlands, 314; Norway, 30; Portugal, Scotland, 243;; Spain, 10; Rumania,!; Ru ia, 11; Turkey Sweden, 125; Switzerland, 470; 5; Hungary, 27; (European), 6. Asia: Asia Minor, Syria and Palestine, 13; Ceylon, 14; China, 43; Dutch Archipelago, 1; India, 151, Japan, 54; Persia, 2; Tonkin, 2. Africa: Madagascar, 1; North, West and Central Africa, 11; South Africa, 8. Toons People’s Ocean i a: Australia and Tasmania, 15; New YOUNG PEOPLE’S SOCIETY OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR in Mi ion Fields: Immediately upon the founding of the Christian Endeavor society by Rev. Francis E. Clark, February 2, 1881, the mi ionary cause was placed in the forefront of its interests. Mi ionary com were organized, regular mi ionary meetings were held and books were written for planning for committees the use of the mi ionary meetings. Many societies established mi ionary libraries and organized mi ion study cla es. The mi ionary giving of the Endeavorers has largely increased. The two cents-a-week plan has added largely to the treasuries of the boards, and the Tenth Legion mittees Christian Endeavor organization for the promotion of tithe-paying) has enrolled more than twenty you sand members. The mi ionaiy se ions of Christian Endeavor conventions are always rich with instruction and emotion. Hundreds of Endeavorers have been led to give their lives to mi ionary service. The principle of the support of some definite mi ionary worker, in addition to the general gifts, has been widely adopted, societies and individuals adopting the plan being enrolled in what is kr own as the Maced on i an Phalanx. The various boards have, almost without exception, recognized the young people by applying their gifts to the support of certain mi ionaries, the building of certain churches, and the carrying on of other enterprises. Some denominations have thus built dozens of Christian Endeavor churches and sent out scores of Christian Endeavor mi ionaries. All these activities, when multiplied by the 64,380 societies now in existence (January, 1904), attain a very large and influential aggregate, more important in their promise for the future than even in their present accomplishment. The strongest mi ionary influence that has come to Christian Endeavor societies, however, is a result of their wide spread among all nations and races. Endeavor conventions are cosmopolitan, and Endeavorers have become familiar with the thought that all men are their brothers through the knowledge, brought to them in many ways, that their own society, its prayer-meeting subjects, its committees, its pledge, its constitution, is beloved by Japs and Germans, Hindus and Hottentots, Brazil i ans and Norwegians, New Zealand ers, Chinese, Armenians and Copts. In many ways this world-wide bond of Christian Endeavor has proved itself a very real tie, and the power it may exercise in coming years is illustrated by the following brief survey of Christian Endeavor around the globe: In the United States there are now 44,360 societies, and hundreds of these consist wholly of foreigners, including German, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Swedish, Bohemian, French, Italian, Armenian. Societies are found in many parts of Alaska, even at Point Barrow, where is the most northern society in the world, and some of them have served for months, before the arrival of mi ionaries, as the only religious centers for Indians and white miners in wide regions. In Canada there are 4,047 Indian, and here also many of the societies are formed of Endeavorers from other lands, especially, in the West, from China and Japan. societies, 111 societies, banded together national union, and po e ing a Spanish Christian Endeavor organ. El Esforzador Mexicano. The Mexicans are very earnest in the work; two of them, for instance, once walked more than 200 miles to attend an Endeavor convention. They are evangelistic in their temper always, and at one se ion of a Mexican Endeavor convention thirty Catholics were converted. Many islands of the West Indies have received the Christian Endeavor movement. Porto Rico, where the society was introduced by an American soldier, now has 4 societies; the Bermudas 7, Trinidad 10, the Barbados and Grenada 2 each, Cuba 11. An American soldier founded the flrst society in Cuba, leading, with two Cubans, the first meeting, which lasted two hours and three-quarters. In Jamaica the society was started through the influence of a copy of The Christian Endeavor World sent by a Boston lady to a sick sailor in a Jamaica hospital, and now there are 236 societies in the island, organized in flourishing unions, and conducting their own paper. The Christian Endeavor Gem. Guatemala formed in 1896 the first Christian Endeavor society in Central America the “Lone Star” society. There are now two others in the country, and Costa Rica has 10. One Spanish society in Guatemala City, with only thirty-five members, prints tracts on its own pre , has circulated many, and has sent into the home mi ion field seven of its own number. Half of the 43 societies in South America are in Brazil, where there is a National Christian Endeavor Union, which is rapidly growing, and a National Endeavor paper, O Esforco Christao. The meetings are conducted in Portuguese, and the native name for the society, translated, is “the Society of Christian Effort.” One Brazilian society meets in an old Catholic Inquisition hall, and one of its first fruits has entered Protestant ministry. Christian the Endeavor meetings often take an evangelistic turn, and these gatherings are often held in the open air where many Catholics can be reached with the Gospel. Elsewhere in South America the society is flourishing; in Chile, where a Christian Endeavor paper is published and where the Spanish Protestants have enjoyed the society for many years, tho at first they had much difficulty in finding any one who would rent them a room for their meetings, there are 6 societies, 11 in British Guiana, and 5 in Colombia. In Hawaii was organized the first Christian Endeavor society formed outside of the United Now there are States, the date being 1884. 28 societies, organized in a union which holds vigorous conventions and reaches out among the Chinese, Japanese, Hawaii ans, English, and Americans on the Island. In all parts of the Pacific the society has found a home. There are some 12 societies in the Loyalty Islands, where the organization was introduced in order to safeguard the results There are in the Marshall Islands of a revival. 21 societies, with 3,000 Endeavorers, who take the name “Imitators of Christ.” There is a notable society in the New He brides, established by Dr. Raton’s son. New Zealand has a strong Christian Endeavor union, which in three years sent out from their number 15 ministers and 39 foreign mi ionaries. The Gilbert Islands have Mexico has in a strong Zealand, 3. (the 804 — 805 4 societies, the Tokelaus 2, the Carolines 3, the EUice Islands 6, Samoa 19. The pioneer society in Samoa was a remarkable one, having established sixteen others. It has 250 corresponding members, and has sent out from its own number more than 100 mi ionaries, more than half of them to the deadly climate of New Guinea. Since the United States has gained po e ion of the Philippines, Christian Endeavor has been introduced, and already there are 6 societies on the islands. One society has 130 corresponding members among the soldiers. The first native society had 12 members at the start, and they all took part at the very first meeting. Christian Endeavor has also made a beginning in Guam, where the society consists wholly of converted Catholics. Australia po e es 3,960 Christian Endeavor societies, and has a very active union which supports two papers, The OoldenLink and The Roll Call. Its conventions are among the most important religious gatherings held in tlie southern hemisphere. The Australian Endeavorers are greatly interested in mi ions. Large numbers of the young people have become mi ionaries, and their money and time are spent with especial liberality on behalf of the aboriginals. The first Christian Endeavor society was formed in Japan in 1891, in the Girls’ School Two years later the National at Okayama. Christian Endeavor Union was formed, which now numbers 115 societies, and supports a national magazine and a paid secretary, who gives his whole time to the organizing of societies. The president of the Japanese Union, Rev. Tasuk^ Harada, renounced his hereditary privileges as a samurai and became a commoner, Japan has a the better to preach Christ. number of especially interesting societies, such as those in the navy, that among the employes of the Sendai post-office, those in the Okayama Orphan Asylum. At Nagasaki is an admirable the Christian Endeavor Seaman’s Home a Christian place of entertainment for sailors whose ships touch at that port. Christian Endeavor marines on board the U. S. S. Charleston established the home, and now it has become self-sustaining. In Korea the first Christian Endeavor society was formed in 1900, and now there are twelve of these societies, tho Korea, on account of the earnestne of the native Christians, has le need of the society than many mi ion lands, for, as Dr. Underwood declares, “Every church in Korea is a church of Christian endeavor.” After Hawaii, the first country to take up Christian Endeavor outside of the tjnited States was China, where the first society was formed in 1885, in Fu-chau. It was called the “Drum around-and-rouse-up Society.” Now there are in China 188 societies, organized in a national union, which holds conventions that have brought together as many as 1,000 native There are also local Christian Endeavorers. Just before unions, such as that of Canton. the Boxer ma acres the North China Union was formed, and during that terrible time it lost half of its members. In one society 53 out of 65 members were murdered. Many deeds of heroism are recorded of these brave Endeavorers. The World’s Christian Endeavor Union supports a traveling Christian Endeavor secRev. Geo. W. Hinman. retary for China In southern <Sia??i we know of only two societies, institution, — — YonnK People’s but among the Laos there are 29. These Laos Endeavorers hold rousing conventions, and publish a paper in the native language. Burma has 15 societies. It belongs to the India Christian body with 600 Endeavor Union — a vigorous There are sectional unions, such as those for South India and the Punjab. Large and enthusiastic conventions are held, and The India Endeavourer is published. societies. An organizing secretary is supported, with the aid of the World’s Christian Endeavor Union, and he gives all his time to the work, greatly aiding the mi ionaries of all the denominations. In India, as everywhere else, the mi ionaries find the Christian Endeavor society an invaluable auxiliary in their labors among the natives, as it furnishes precisely the training school needed for undeveloped Christians. Indeed, some of the mi ionaries in India have formed Endeavor societies (we cannot call them Christian Endeavor societies) among those that are still unbelievers in Christianity, but are being led by their Endeavor work into close acquaintance with our religion. Ceylon has many zealous Endeavorers. Christian Endeavor literature has been translated into all the great languages of India. Much evangelistic work is done by — the native Endeavorers outdoor preaching with the magic lantern, personal work on the railroad trains, going from coach to coach, outdoor services for beggars, and similar endeavors. Persia has 35 societies, most of them springing from a single earnest society in a boarding school, whose members carried the Christian Endeavor seed as they returned home. In 1902 a national union was formed, which held its first convention three days long. In one Hamadan society, Jews, Armenians, and Muslims are mingled. One Teheran society uses in its meetings English, Persian, Armenian, and Hebrew. During a terrible plague of cholera in 1893, when the Jewish and Muslim doctors fl’ed and 20,000 died in the city, the members of this society bravely aided the American mi ionaries in their hospital work, serving as nurses. ’ Turkey has 75 societies, in spite of Turkish oppre ion, which will not allow constitutions to be signed, badges to be worn, or even the word “society” to be used. The Caesarea Society was obliged at one time to burn its The members are all Armenians, records. and they suffered terribly during the Armenian The young men and young women ma acres. meet in separate societies, as everywhere throughout the Orient. Some of the most active In addition to are in Macedonia. Jeruthese 75 societies, there are 16 in Syria. salem itself has an active Christian Endeavor societies society. Of Africa’s 141 societies, Egypt has only 5, but they are decidedly cosmopolitan. One of them has among its members Italians, Syrians, Armenians, Copts, Hindus, Germans, English, and Americans. There are some societies on the west coast of Africa, especially a vigorous one in Yorubaland, which started out with five Most of the members and now numbers 200. African societies are in the south, where there is a strong South African union, publishing a Andrew paper. The South African Endeavourer. Murray is active in the work there. There are many Zulu societies, especially in Cape Colony YoniiR- People^s Zanzibar 808 and Natal. The Boers have entered heartily into Christian Endeavor activities. During the war there were 8 societies in the Boer prison by Hungary’s three societies. In Austria there are six societies, found in Bohemia and Moravia. Sweden has 70 societies, one of them fifty-five camp on St. miles within the Arctic Circle, with an evening, once a year, fourteen days long in which to hold a meeting. Norway has 5 societies, Denmark 4 and Belgium and Holland each have 3. Ru ia also has 3, the first society having been formed by a young Scotch dry goods clerk in St. Petersburg who went home on a visit, and on his return brought Christian Endeavor with him. Finland has 7 societies. When Dr. Clark visited that land, expecting to find it virgin soil, to his amazement he learned that 4 societies already existed there. In Great Britain the first society was formed in August, 1887, being inspired by the account Helena, with 800 members; 700 Endeavorers in 8 societies in the Ceylon camp, 600 in the Bermudas, and others in the Portugal camp. After their return from prison, 200 Boer Endeavorers took up active service as mi ionaries. In 1892, 30 Christian Endeavor societies reported to Christian Endeavor headquarters from Madagascar, tho previous to that time it was not known in America that a single society existed. When last heard from, the Madagascar societies numbered 93. Christian Endeavor has also got a start in the Island of Mauritius. Pa ing to Europe, we find Christian Endeavor, at least in its initial stages, in all European countries, while in some of them it is very flourishing. Portugal po e es only 3 societies, for the movement is a new one there. The pioneer society is in Lisbon, the capital. One of its endeavors was the opening of a mi ion in the slums. In Spain the first society was founded in 1888 in the American Girls’ School conducted by Rev. and Mrs. W. H. Gulick, and as the girls returned home, new societies were started in many places, until now Spain has 47 societies, and more Mothers’ Christian Endeavor Societies than any other country. The Spanish Christian Endeavor paper, Esfuerzo Cristiano, is published in Madrid. It has been a ailed by much Catholic persecution. The first Spanish national convention was held in 1900 in Madrid in spite of persecution. There were 200 delegates. There are 96 societies in France, most of were them in Paris and its vicinity and in Southern France. Paris has a large and flourishing Christian Endeavor union. The French societies are found chiefly in the Reformed churches and the McAU mi ions. Switzerland has 13 societies, chiefly in the western or French-speaking cantons. These Endeavorers publish an attractive Christian Endeavor paper, L’ Activite Chretienne. Geneva has a Christian Endeavor union. The beginning of Christian Endeavor interest in Germany was Dr. Clark’s visit in 1894. The first societies were refused the churches as meeting places, and compelled to meet in barns and inns. Now there are 252 societies, largely in the national, or Luther an, churches. There is a national union, which supports two secretaries, each German Endeavorer contributing half a mark (12 cents) a year. There are 6 provincial unions, and admirable conventions are held. There is an able Christian Endeavor organ. Die Jugend-Hilfe. The United Society of Christian Endeavor helped the work by annual grants of money for years, but now the German Endeavorers are independent and contribute to the work in newer countries. They are also supporting German mi ionary work in the Caroline Islands. The German name for the Christian Endeavor Society, translated, is “The Society for Decided Christianity.” There are seven Italian societies, with a regular Christian Endeavor department in a leading paper, L’ltalia Evangelic a. There are societies in Rome, Florence, and other famous cities. Bulgaria, with its five societies, has already formed a union. The same step has been taken of a young English man who had visited Dr. Clark’s society in Portland. Now Great Britain has a national union next in strength to that of the United States, and numbering 9,716 Branch unions with vigorous conventions are found in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Three able Christian Endeavor papers are published the national organ, The Christian Endeavour Times, with The Irish Endeavourer (printed patriotically on green paper), and The Church of England Endeavourer, which represents the rapidly growing societies of the Anglican Church. The largest city Christian Endeavor union in the world is that of London, with its more than 700 societies. Philadelphia comes next, with 625 societies. In the majority of the lands thus pa ed in review, Christian Endeavor is young, the society having been established only four or five years. Everywhere, howerer, it is full of energy and enthusiasism, and it is certain that this great international brotherhood, laboring together “for Christ and the Church,” will prove year after year a constantly growing power for the upbuilding of Christ’s Kingdom. societies. — YO-YANG A town in Shan-si, China, situated 35 miles N. E. of Ping-yang-fu. Station of the CIM (1896), with (1903) 2 mi ionaries, 4 native workers, 1 outstation, 2 places of worship and 51 profe ed Christians. Some write the name: Yoh-yang. 824