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Show Page 69<br><br>Fully 225 delegates were in attendance. Secretary H. N. Tolles's report showed an enrollment of 51 societies, and a total membership of 1383. Seven societies were formed. The slight increase in membership was due to the stress at the last convention upon the dropping of all non-attending members, thus giving a stronger working nucleus. President Robert J. Caskey and Secretary Harry N. Tolles were re-elected for the ensuing year. Red, white and blue were adopted as State colors, "Utah for Christ," as a State motto and the sego lily was made the Utah emblem. President Caskey, Mr. J. B. Caldwell and Secretary Tolles were appointed a committee to take steps toward advocating and securing a western sectional convention. From the resolutions, this demands particular mention: "That we respectfully and earnestly petition the Constitutional Convention, now assembled in Salt Lake City, to submit as a separate article to the vote of the people, the question of prohibiting the manufacture and sale of all intoxicating liquors as a beverage." The resolution committee recommended the following amendment to the constitution of the Union: "That the voting in the Territorial convention be apportioned as follows: One delegate from each society and for every twenty-five active members, or fraction over one-half that number, one delegate additional." The Salt Lake City Local C. E. Union presented a banner to the First Presbyterian Y. P. S. C. E. of their Union for sending to the convention the largest proportion of its membership. They sent 35 out of an enrollment of 91. The climax of the seven conventions was certainly reached at this convention. All the delegates attended faithfully every session and applied the prayer-meeting pledge to each. In this article but little can or has been said of the Union's work farther than what the convention records show. It has been the aim of the officers of the Union to visit all the societies each year and to organize new ones when it was permissible. May this glorious work go forward in the future as it has in the past seven years, until all of Utah's young people are Christ's young loyalists. <br><br>The Junior Society of Christian Endeavor.<br><br> By Charles T. Hawkes.<br><br> IN this progressive age much attention is being paid to child-life. Many new and ingenious devices are in vogue designed to aid his physica1 and mental development, but the re1igious side of the [PHOTO: C. T. HAWKES.] child's nature is too often neglected. However, an attempt has been made to meet this want by a comparatively new children's organization, and already the Junior Society of Christian Endeavor stands prominent among the moral agencies of the period. At the age of three years the child is now-a-days sent to the kindergarten. There he receives those grand developing influences which bring out the full powers of his three-fold nature. Body, mind and soul alike are awakened to activity, and he dwells in a veritable fairy land of joyous existence. Then comes the time when he must be sent to the public school. The parents dread this period, for it means association with children of all classes and conditions, and often the beginning of a stuffing process which pays but little attention to his physical well being, and absolutely none to his spiritual life. There is no Bible there. Nothing but the hard, cold facts of the school-room and the harmful fancies of the playground. Right here comes in the mission of the Junior society. The boys and girls, as we are now pleased to call them, find in this organization scope for all of the genius and activity of youth, while the spiritual nature is trained and developed until habits are formed and true character is builded for time and for eternity. This movement was started by Rev. J. W. Cowan at Tabor, Iowa, in 1887, and has now over 340,000 members in the 8859 societies throughout the United States. Sixteen of these societies claim Utah as their home, and because of the good work they have done and are doing merit a place in this historical edition of the CHURCH REVIEW. The Presbyterians have seven societies; the Congregationalists, six; the Baptist, two, and the Disciples, one. Nine of these are in Salt Lake City. Ogden boasts of two lively societies. At Park City, Rev. W. S. Hunt looks after what has been the largest society in the Territory, numbering ninety-two members at one time. Mrs. Dr. Wilson and Mrs. F. W. Hayt were formerly in charge. Each of these societies has a system of committees similar to the Young People's, through which they carry on the work for the Master with much enthusiasm, and in a manner worthy of their elders. The Lookout Committee does the usual work of that committee in looking up absentees, and is ever on the lookout for new members. The Social Committee looks after the frequent socials, oftentimes making the entire preparations for one, including a program and refreshments, without any outside aid. The Flower and Sunshine Committees furnish flowers for the church, carry them to the hospitals, and visit the sick. These are the usual committees, although many societies have also Prayer-Meeting, Missionary, Temperance and Book committees. The number depends upon the local needs, and the providing of a place and a work for every boy and girl. A superintendent who has general oversight of the society's work is chosen from among the older young people by the church or pastor, but the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer are chosen by the Juniors from among their own number, and as a rule perform their duties most faithfully. The two sets of members, active and trial or associate, are used to distinguish between those who acknowledge themselves Christians and those who do not, for child conversion is most thoroughly believed in. The prayer-meeting is, of course, the central idea, and on this everything else hinges. The Juniors very often lead these meetings themselves, and they are participated in very generally by all present. The memorizing of Bible passages is a prominent feature. The consecration meeting occurs the last Sunday in each month, as in the other society, and furnishes an occasion for bringing home the truth very forcibly to the minds of the unconverted, for the reception of new members and the strengthening of the resolves already made to serve the Master. The gifts of the society deserve especial mention. Money is often raised by an entertainment, social or in some novel way, but also, and more appropriately we think, by contributions from the individual earnings of the members. This money is usually sent to aid some missionary cause, and the prayers of the entire society follow it. These methods and plans when prayerfully carried out, give us a hold upon the youth equal to that which has so long been the boast of the Catholic priest over his proteges. And thus it is that through consecrated and self-sacrificing workers the youth are established in right ways of living and thinking; the pastor is aided, and precious souls are saved and put to work "for Christ and the Church." It is not too much to believe that the whole Christian Church will yet feel the effects of these humble endeavors for and by the youth of the land in an enlarged and more active membership, while there is no doubt whatever that the Church throughout Utah will have great cause in the next generation to thank God for the J. S. C. E. <br><br>THE SALT LAKE CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR UNION.<br><br> February 2, 1891 was Christian Endeavor day in a double sense. It was the tenth anniversary of the founding of the first C. E. Society at Portland, Me., and also the birthday of the Salt Lake Christian Endeavor Union. Sixty-five delegates, representing six societies, gathered in Hammond Hall on that day and perfected an organization for their common welfare, by drawing up a constitution and electing officers. Mr. John T. Axton, who had represented Utah at the St. Louis convention the year before, gave an address and was e1ected the first president of the union. [PHOTO: J. B. CALDWELL.] Miss M. Knowles was the first secretary, although Mr. H. N. Tolles performed the duties of the office pro tem. Preparation for the coming convention at Ogden was the first work undertaken. This consisted of a union meeting at the First Presbyterian church, March 28th, and was quickly followed up a union social in the nature of a reception given by the members of the First Baptist society, April 10th. The next year changes were made in the constitution as suggested by Mr. |
