Union work : a manual for local, county, district, and state Christian endeavor unions

Preface

This book takes the place of " Our Unions " in the list of publications of the United Society of Christian Endeavor, but it is not a revision of that volume. " Union Work " is a new book from beginning to end, every sentence appearing here for the first time. Since " Our Unions " was written, twenty years ago, Christian Endeavor unions have obtained a remarkable development, calling for an entirely new manual. An indication of this development is the present volume, which, though strictly condensed, is three times as large as " Our Unions," and treats many important subjects which are not even mentioned in the former manual because they had not yet been introduced in union work.

It is hoped that many unions will form their officers and leading workers into classes for the study of this book under enthusiastic leaders. To facilitate this class work each chapter is followed by a set of questions upon it, with subjects for talks, essays, and debates.

It is the aim of this book to present a picture of Christian Endeavor unions in their manifold presentday activities, to set forth the methods of work that have been found most useful, and to make manifest the value of our unions to the societies, the churches, and the community. They train the Endeavorers in many modes of co-operation and in the management of large affairs, thus furnishing to the churches for their widest interests a splendid body of skilled workers. In most

4 PEEFACE

communities they are the only interdenominational agencies at work along many important lines, thus drawing the churches together and doing much for the uplift of their towns and cities. This book is dedicated to the thousands of Christian Endeavor union officers throughout the world, whose deep devotion and fine ability are doing so much for the kingdom of God. May they find in these pages not only practical directions for their tasks, but the inspiration for new zeal and larger endeavors.

Amos E. Wells.

Boston, Massachusetts,

Contents

How to Organize a Christian Endeavor Union

Chapter I

II. The Union Constitution

III. The Union President .

IV. The Union Vice-President V. The Union Secretary .

VI. The Field Secretary .

VII. Union Finances

VIII. TnE Union Executive Committee

IX. The Union Strengthening the So

cieties

X. Union Work for the Churches

XI. Union Work for Missions .

XII. Union Work for Soul-Saving

XIII. Union Bible Study

XIV. Union Civic and Temperance Work XV. The Union Socials . . • .

XVI. The Union Music ....

XVII. Union Publicity ....

XVIII. The Union Literature Committee

XIX. Union Work for Juniors and Inter mediates . .

XX. The Introduction Committee

XXI. Union Work for Prisoners .

7 16 29 42 48 57 66 75

208 214

CONTENTS

XXII. Union Work for Hospitals . . 223

XXIII. Other Work That Unions May Do . 231

XXIV. Union Committee Conferences . 235

XXV. Preparing for and Utilizing a Contention 245

XXVI. The Management of a Convention . 264

XXVII. Union Programmes .... 278

XXVIII. An Efficient Union .... 291

CHAPTER I

HOW TO ORGANIZE A CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR UNION

Where May Unions Be Organized ? — It is often said, and said truly, that wherever there are two Christian Endeavor societies a Christian Endeavor union should be formed. Two societies, when co-operating in a union, can do far more than they could do separately. They will inspire each other to better work. They will teach each other all that each has learned about the best methods. They will be able to do much for the community, for their churches, and for the world that they could not do separately.

The union should include all the Christian Endeavor societies of the town or city, with the societies in the country round about that can attend meetings with the town societies, or that cannot more readily reach the meetings of any other union. Sometimes a country society may be nearer a city union belonging to another county than to the nearest city union of its own county, and it should join the union in the neighboring county. The new union will reach out as far as it can without trenching upon the proper territory of the nearest union. What this territory is should be determined by friendly consultation as soon as there is the least danger of overlapping.

Shall Any but Christian Endeavor Societies Be Admitted to the Union ? — This question is sure to arise at some time, if not immediately. The answer depends upon the local circumstances. It must be remembered that the fundamental purpose of the union is to promote Christian Endeavor work ; it is not to promote Christian fellowship in general, though that is an inevitable result of Christian Endeavor work, nor is it merely for social enjoyment. Therefore it must not take any societies whose aims are not harmonious with those of Christian Endeavor.

The new union must not include any society that is likely to prevent its being a Christian Endeavor union and promoting Christian Endeavor work. At the beginning of my own public Christian Endeavor work I was called to address a union in a city of considerable size. On my arrival I was told that I must not say anything about the Christian Endeavor pledge or anything else distinctively Christian Endeavor, for fear of offending a single society in the union which was not a Christian Endeavor society and whose denomination had its own separate young people's society. As was to have been expected, that union soon failed and ceased to exist. After some years it was revived as a Christian Endeavor union with none but Christian Endeavor societies, and has ever since been most prosperous, entertaining the State convention and carrying on a splendid work for Christ and the Church. This experience illustrates the conditions under which no society that is not Christian Endeavor in name as well as spirit should be allowed to join a Christian Endeavor union.

On the other hand, I myself as a union officer once advocated and voted for the inclusion in a union of a

HOW TO ORGANIZE A UNION 9

society which had been a thorough-going Christian Endeavor society, but, through the mistaken denominationalism of its pastor, had been transformed into a young people's society of the separatist type. The young people wished to remain in the union, and were thoroughly in sympathy with Christian Endeavor, as they had proved by years of fine service. They remained, and the union was none the less Christian Endeavor because of their presence. This illustrates conditions under which we may safely admit into our Christian Endeavor unions societies of other names. In every such instance, however, the union leaders may well talk earnestly with the pastor of the society, and show him how his society can be just as loyal to its denomination if it has the interdenominational name as if it shut itself up with the denominational one. Urge upon him the duty of strengthening a great movement which has done more perhaps than any other to promote real Christian union ; and it could never have done it with a multiplicity of names and a lot of separate organizations.

Who Should Organize the Union? — The near-by Christian Endeavor union may well discover a chance for service in forming a new union. Its officers can speak from their own experience of the advantages of a union and the work it can do. Or, the union may be suggested by any officer or member of a local Christian Endeavor society. This Endeavorer will talk up the matter, especially among the Christian Endeavor leaders and the pastors, and he may himself call the preliminary meeting. Some one Christian Endeavor society may start the union, calling upon the other societies to join in forming it. Some pastor, understanding the value of Christian Endeavor unions, maytake the lead in forming one. Any one of these agencies, or all of them together, may make the move for a new Christian Endeavor union.

Consultations. — Whoever sets the ball to rolling, the new union should not be started without much consultation. All the presidents and other leading officers of the societies should be consulted, and all the Christian Endeavor pastors. Every one thus consulted is made to feel his importance, which is a pleasant feeling, and will henceforth be more interested in the union and realize a little better his responsibility for it. In this wide consultation you will probably meet with some objections, but it is far better to meet them at first and answer them than it is to allow them to come up later and clog the workings of the new union.

The Preliminary Meeting. — Having obtained the hearty approval of all these whom you have consulted, or at least of the large majority of them, you will call a preliminary meeting, which will include every Christian Endeavor pastor and all the officers of the Christian Endeavor societies of the community, counting in every society which you wish to have in the union, rural societies as well as town societies. Give them all a chance to become charter members.

At this meeting some one will describe fully the advantages to be gained from a Christian Endeavor union, and will answer questions about the workings of a union. After full discussion, the presiding officer will put the question, " How many are in favor of the formation of a Christian Endeavor union in this town ? " The question being carried, the first step will

HOW TO OKGANIZE A UNION 11

be the appointing of two committees, one to draw up a temporary constitution, and the other to nominate a set of officers such as the temporary constitution calls for. These two committees will be appointed with great care. A committee will be chosen to nominate them, and this committee should be large and representative. After their report has been adopted by the meeting, it may adjourn.

The Tentative Constitution. — Of course the committee on the tentative constitution will do what it can to make it so good that it will become the permanent constitution, though, even if it does its best, circumstances are likely to arise making it necessary to change the constitution. But the committee will examine the constitutions of other unions, especially unions of about the size of the one to be formed, and in about the same circumstances. In general, simplicity is to be sought in a tentative constitution. Do not establish many departments at first. It is better to take up a few lines of work only, just the most important ones, and let the others develop slowly, as the workers become interested. Thus, for instance, if you have among the societies some one who is already interested in prison work and likely to become a good union leader in it, you might establish at once a prison-work committee ; but otherwise you would not. You will, however, want all the usual officers, not forgetting the pastoral counsellor, and you will want a lookout committee, a conference committee, a social committee, a music committee, and a finance committee. Consult the officers of near-by unions as to the excellencies and defects of their constitutions, and try to profit by their advice.

The First Officers. — Much depends upon the nominations for the first set of officers. Indeed, if you cannot find a strong set of workers ready to take office in the new union, you would better not form it, but wait for a more propitious time. A union that has been long at work can endure poor leaders, though with difficulty ; they would kill a new union at the very outset.

Very likely the nominating committee itself may contain much material for the first set of officers. If that is so, let no false modesty prevent the nomination of such persons, though they may well present to the meeting voting upon them a disclaimer of self-pushing. The union must be founded upon the spirit of selfsacrifice, if it is to endure.

The First Mass Meeting. — When these two committees are ready to report, you will summon all the members of all the Christian Endeavor societies in a mass meeting. Carefully fix upon an evening when they can all be there. Advertise it long in advance, so that you will have the evening clear. Make sure that all the Christian Endeavor pastors are present, if possible. Include all of them, if they are not too many, in the programme of the meeting for very brief speeches. It would be well to ask them to speak for one minute each on the advantages of a Christian Endeavor union, each dealing with only one advantage. The main address of the evening may be by some well-known Endeavorer, perhaps an officer of a prominent Christian Endeavor union. He will naturally tell about the various phases of union work as he has seen them developed, and will try to implant in the Endeavorers present a strong enthusiasm for co-operative Christian activity. Music will be provided in some

HOW TO OKGANIZE A UNION 13

variety, not by any means forgetting genuine Christian Endeavor congregational singing.

The chief object of the evening, however, for which plenty of time will be reserved, is the reading of the constitution and its full explanation, with answers of all questions that may be asked. You will vote upon it section by section, and then adopt the constitution as a whole. Following this you will present the nominations for the offices, and they will be voted upon. It will be as well under the circumstances to instruct the secretary of the meeting to cast one vote for the nominees. The meeting will close with the presentation of the president-elect and a few words by him, and with a brief prayer service asking for God's blessing upon the new undertaking.

The Importance of the First Months. — The first few months of a Christian Endeavor union do much to determine at least its first years. If it is started wisely and with zeal, it is sure to do splendid work. If it is started sluggishly and with poor plans, it will give the Endeavorers a distaste for union work that will be overcome with great difficulty. All concerned should therefore labor with much fervor and with constant prayer during the opening period of the union, and should determine that, so far as they are concerned, co-operative Christian Endeavor shall be firmly established in their community.

Where You May Make Mistakes. — The president of the new union will make a great mistake if he seeks to do it all, and does not work in all his officers. Failure to consult all who should be consulted, especially the pastoral counsellor, is another great mistake. Do not rely upon brilliant speakers in your first meetings, but, while you get as good speakers as you can, bring into every meeting many of the local workers. Do not rely for success upon the public meetings of the union, but make the union practically helpful to the societies in the conducting of their local work. Do not fail to advertise everything well — only be sure that you have something worth advertising. Begin and end all meetings sharply on time. Do not allow any plan to fail. Undertake few things — only what you are sure you can push through to complete success. If you do make failures — and you can hardly expect not to make any — learn from them all the lessons they have to teach you, and so organize successes out of them.

How to Insure Success.— Above all things, keep the union work upon the highest level of consecration. Carry on the union not to please yourself, but to please your divine Master. Form the most exalted ideals of union work, that it is to lead the societies to the fullest measure of Christian achievement possible for them. Keep these ideals always before yourself and before the societies, and allow no substitution of lower ideals. In other words, make it actually a Christian Endeavor union, a co-operative effort to do the will of Jesus Christ, and He will conduct it to a glorious and entire success.

HOW TO OEGANIZE A UNION 15

Class Work on Chapter I

The Leader's Questions Where may a Christian Endeavor union be profitably

formed ?

Should a Christian Endeavor union contain any but

Christian Endeavor societies ?

Who should organize a Christian Endeavor union ? Who should be consulted before a new union is formed ? What should be done at the preliminary meeting ? What sort of constitution should be formed at first ? Why should the first officers be chosen with great

care?

How should the first meeting of the union be managed ? What are some of the mistakes to be guarded against

in the first months of the new union ? How can union success be insured ?

Topic for a Talk or Essay The Advantages of Christian Endeavor Unions.

Subject for a Class Debate Resolved, that Christian Endeavor unions should contain only Christian Endeavor societies.

Chapter II The Union Constitution

Begin Simply. — When starting a Christian Endeavor union it is best not to frame an elaborate constitution containing probably much for which the union will have at first no use whatever, but to make the constitution very simple and add to it as the need for additions develops. Provide at first for only the ordinary officers and committees, unless you know that you will take up immediately some unusual line of work. Ordinarily at the start you will have enough to do merely to set going the customary union activities.

The following forms of constitution for the various unions, city, district, and State, are therefore only the outlines of constitutions, to be filled in by each union as its own growth suggests and requires. In many directions, however, the outlines here given hint at the enlargements that will later inevitably be made if the union progresses.

Suggested Constitution of a City or Local Christian Endeavor Union

Article I. — Name

This union shall be called the Christian

Endeavor Union. [Note. — Local unions are generally named from the city or region which is their home, as the Chicago Christian Endeavor Union, the Merrimac

Valley Christian Endeavor Union ; but other names may be used, such as the Clark Christian Endeavor Union, the Williston Christian Endeavor Union, the Golden Rule Christian Endeavor Union of such a city or region.]

Article II. — Object The object of the union shall be to stimulate interest

in societies of Christian Endeavor in and

vicinity, to increase their number, to develop the mutual acquaintance of their members, to introduce the best methods of work, to serve the churches and the community in appropriate ways, and thus to make the Endeavorers more useful in the service of God.

Article III. — Members Any society of Christian Endeavor connected with an evangelical church, mission, or public institution

in and vicinity, whose constitution in its

aims and prayer-meeting obligations conforms generally in spirit to the " Model Constitution," may join this union by notifying the secretary and upon approval of the executive committee.

Article IV. — Officers The officers shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer, chosen from the active members of the societies composing the union. Their duties shall be those usually appertaining to these offices. [Note. — The pastoral counsellor, if the union has one, should be regarded as an officer of the union in the fullest sense. Other officers may be added as the union develops, such as a librarian, an assistant treasurer, an editor.]

Article V. — Executive Committee The executive committee shall consist of the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and the chairmen of the various standing committees of the union. This committee shall meet as a rule on the first

of each month, and at other times at the

call of the president, and shall plan for the best interests of the union, and as far as possible see that these plans are executed. Between the meetings of the congress the executive committee shall be empowered to transact business that requires immediate attention. [Note. — The pastoral counsellor and other officers that may be appointed by the union should be specified here. If the plan of a congress is not adopted, the presidents of the societies may be added to the executive committee, whose meetings will thus become essentially congress meetings.]

Article VI. — The Congress

1. A congress shall be constituted, consisting of the executive committee of the union and the president of each society in the union, with, if it is thought best, one other duly elected representative of each society. The congress shall discuss and transact the business of the union, and shall do its utmost to secure in every way the success of the union and of the individual societies.

2. Meetings of the congress shall be held once a month (or once in two months), and simple refreshments may be served if it is deemed best. [Note. — This section will be omitted, of course, if the functions of the congress devolve upon the executive committee; but in that case the executive committee should be enlarged as suggested above.]

Article VII. — Lookout Committee A lookout committee shall be appointed, whose duty shall be to organize new societies wherever possible, to bring new societies into the union and introduce them to the work, and to encourage and help the weaker societies.

Article YIII. — Pastors' Advisory Committee A pastors' advisory committee representing the different denominations in the union shall be appointed, before which all questions of importance which affect the life and work of the churches shall be laid. One of the pastors shall be selected as pastoral counsellor and elected for three years, and his name forwarded to the United Society of Christian Endeavor. [Note. — The pastoral counsellor may serve as a pastors* advisory committee of one, if it is thought best, with the proper changes in this section.]

Article IX. — Other Committees Other committees shall be appointed, according to the needs of the union. They shall correspond, as far as is possible and wise, to the committees of the societies composing the union, and they shall, in every way possible, promote throughout the union the interests of the causes and committees which they represent. [Note. — Some unions prefer to designate these different lines of work as departments, and their heads as superintendents — missionary superintendent, citizenship superintendent, etc. In that case the suitable changes should be made throughout this constitution. After the union is well established, it will be best to give a section to each committee or department, defining its work, so that the constitution shall present a conspectus of the union activities.]

Aeticle X. — Reports

Each committee shall report in writing at every regular meeting of the congress [or of the executive committee, if the union has no congress]. These reports shall be placed on file and preserved by the recording secretary in the archives of the union, thereby securing a history of its work. Once each year a summary of the work of all the committees shall be presented by the recording secretary to the union mass meeting. [Note. — It may be best for the chairmen of the committees to give reports to the union at the mass meetings.]

Aeticle XI. — Visitation

As far as may be deemed necessary, and as often as is wise, each society of the union shall be visited by some member of the congress for encouragement and mutual help, and intervisitation among the societies shall be encouraged. [Note. — A definite scheme of visitation should be formulated, but generally it is better not to incorporate this in the constitution, as it is subject to change.]

Aeticle XII. — Elections A committee shall be appointed at the first meeting of the congress in each new year to nominate officers and chairmen of committees, which nominations shall, if deemed wise, be approved at the next meeting of the congress, and the nominees shall be elected at the first mass meeting of the union held thereafter. If the congress shall not approve the nominations, others shall be made by the nominating committee. The executive committee shall appoint the other members of each committee. [Note. — Each union must, of course, be the judge as to the best time for the election of officers. If the societies are in the habit of omitting their meetings to any considerable extent during the summer, it will be best to elect the officers just before the beginning of summer, so that the union may start off fully equipped and promptly in the fall.]

Article XIII. — Mass Meetings Three or more mass meetings shall be held in the course of the year at convenient times. These shall be carefully planned by the congress, or a special committee of the congress, and such topics may be discussed within the scope of Christian Endeavor and such methods used to stimulate interest and attendance (such as banners, roll call, etc.) as may be deemed wise.

Article XIY. — Finance The expenses of the union shall be met by any plans deemed wise by the executive committee and approved by the congress, but it is understood that no unnecessary expense shall be incurred.

Article XY. — Conventions Interest in the State and national Christian Endeavor conventions shall be stimulated by the union. Information shall be given in advance, interest aroused, and when possible " echoes " of the convention shall be heard afterwards.

Article XYI. — Amendments This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all the active members of the societies present at any regular meeting of the union, the amendment having been submitted in writing and notice having been given at least two weeks before action is taken. [Note. — The constitution should specify in what way the notice is to be given, as by letters to the corresponding secretaries of the societies, notice at a union meeting, or notice in the union paper, etc.]

Union Divisions.— Large city unions find it necessary to divide into sectional unions named from their localities, as the North Side Union, or given serial numbers, as the First District Union. Sometimes language divisions are necessary, as the German Union. The constitutions of these subdivisions of the union are like the foregoing in all essentials, while the constitution of the main or city union deals with the interests of the union as a whole. In this case the city union usually meets only once or twice a year, the divisional unions meeting more frequently. The union committees are found in each divisional union, the chairmen of each kind of committee constituting the main union committee on that subject. Each division has its own set of officers, the whole working with the central officers of the union.

A Suggested Constitution for District or County Christian Endeavor Unions

Article I. — Name

The name of this union shall be The

Christian Endeavor Union.

Article II. — Object The object of the union shall be to increase the number of societies of Christian Endeavor in this district, and to promote their efficiency as factors in Christian life and church work by bringing them into closer relation with one another through conventions, reports, and correspondence.

Article III. — Members Any society of Christian Endeavor connected with an evangelical church or mission, or a public institution in this district, whose constitution, in its aims and in its prayer-meeting obligations, conforms substantially in spirit to what is known as " The Model Constitution," may join this union on its own vote to do so, communicated in writing to the secretary of this union, and approved by the executive committee of the union. The members of any society belonging to this union will be entitled to all its privileges.

Article IV. — Officers and Committees The officers of this union shall be a president, three or more vice-presidents, a secretary, and. a treasurer, whose duties shall be those usually belonging to such officers ; also six directors, who, with the above officers, and the chairmen of all standing committees, shall constitute an executive committee, having charge of all business not otherwise provided for. The officers and directors shall be chosen at each annual conference, and shall begin their terms of service at the close of the conference at which they are elected.

Advisory Committee The vice-presidents shall be pastors of different denominations, and shall constitute an advisory committee to which all difficult questions shall be submitted for advice.

Pastoral Counsellor

The union shall appoint a pastoral counsellor who

shall serve for three years and whose name shall be sent

to the United Society. [Note. — As the functions of

the pastoral counsellor are the same as those of the advisory committee, if you have the one you will not have the other. If the union has a pastoral counsellor, therefore, it may have only one vice-president, who will be chosen from the societies as is the president. The pastoral counsellor should be a member of the executive committee.]

Lookout Committee

There shall be a lookout committee of five members, whose duty it shall be to see that wherever it is possible a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor is established and brought into the union. This committee shall also seek to establish Junior societies and Intermediate societies wherever needed, and shall do its utmost to strengthen weaker societies as opportunity offers.

Other Committees

The union may establish other committees as the needs of the work suggest, and if these committees are permanent their chairmen shall be members of the union executive committee.

Article Y. — Meetings

1. The executive committee shall arrange the time, place, and programme for an annual convention or semi-annual conventions of this union each year.