Our unions, a manual of methods for...Christian endeavour unions

Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. Organizing a Union 5

II. The Constitution 9

Chapter I. Organizing A Union

The Value of Christian Endeavor Unions.-— The

useful purposes to which the church of Christ can put Christian Endeavor unions, and the useful results that spring from their work, may better be judged from the perusal of this book than from any preliminary statement. It may, however, be said in brief, first, that it is in the work of the city, county and State unions that Christian Endeavor interdenominational fellowship is especially shown. This fellowship is of course conspicuously manifested in the great International Conventions, but those crowded conventions, though their attendance number fifty thousand, reach few indeed of the vast Christian Endeavor host, while the work of the local union concerns all of the millions of young people banded together ** for Christ and the church."

It is in the Christian Endeavor unions that the chief power of Christian Endeavor combination and 5

6 OUR UXIOXS.

co-operation is manifested. The unions are the organizations through which chiefly the best Christian Endeavor methods and the most advanced ideas of the organization can be spread. In the great gatherings of the State unions as well as in the crowded rallies of the local unions, the enthusiasm of large numbers is brought to the smallest and most struggling society.

Through the machinery of the local union the strength of the better equipped societies is communicated to the weaker ones, with no loss to the former. These unions are provocative of emulation to noble deeds. By wise use of them, the Christian ministers and the strong laymen of every community are enabled to influence far more than they otherwise would. As shown in many sections of this book, the practical working of State and local unions binds together the young people of any denomination for denominational purposes. These unions are training schools in co-operation and practical organization, and give the young people an education along these important lines that will prove invaluable to the church of a decade hence.

The social uses of these Christian Endeavor unions are manifold. Further, they unify the religious forces of a city for moral ends, since in not a few communities they afl"ord the only working platform that draws together all the Protestant elements of a town or district.

All of these gains are to be obtained, of course, only in proportion as the union is carried on wisely,

ORGANIZING A UNION. 7

and in accordance with the results of the best experience. To give this, so far as my observation and acquaintance with many unions and union workers will permit me, is the purpose of this book.

Organizing a Union. — In localities where no local union exists and where the societies are too few, or think they are too few, to form a union, a good step toward it is an informal meeting called for the purpose of discussing Christian Endeavor means and methods. Such meetings may be made profitable even if no more than two societies exist in a community, and they will soon grow- into local unions. Indeed, it is my belief that a regularly organized local union of no more than two societies can do admirable work, so admirable that the union will soon come to consist of more societies.

The First Conferences. — The steps to be taken in the organization of a Christian Endeavor union are very simple. Let those interested in the movement consult the pastors at the outset and obtain their co-operation, consulting also the leaders of the societies and getting an informal expression of opinion.

If this is, on the whole, favorable, appoint a time and place where the pastors and the presidents of the societies that would be expected to join the proposed union may meet, and form a plan for the initial gathering. To this gathering should be invited all the societies. The first thing after a temporary organization, the appointment of president and secretary, should come a brief address explain-

8 OUR UNIOXS.

ing the advantages to be gained from a Christian Endeavor union. Following this the matter should be put to vote, whether the societies there present desire to form a Christian Endeavor union. Brief remarks upon this topic may be made by the pastors and prominent Endeavorers, and as soon as an affirmative vote has been taken, a committee on constitution should be appointed.

The Constitution. — This committee should have before it a constitution already prepared by representatives from the societies. The constitution of a union at its starting out should be exceedingly simple, and it will not take long for the committee to agree upon its fundamental articles. A caution is in place against the adoption of too much machiner}* at the start. Let it all come as a natural growth, and then it will be effective. While the committee is deliberating, the mass meeting should be listening to addresses on important Christian Endeavor matters.

At the close of the meeting the committee on constitution will make its report, the election of officers should be held, and a time and place fixed, if possible, for the next mass meeting, or the union may leave that to be determined by the executive committee.

THE CONSTITUTION.

Chapter II. The Constitution

I GIVE below the forms of constitution recommended for State and local unions. It will be understood, of course, that these are mere outlines, to be filled out and modified as local needs may require.

CONSTITUTION FOR STATE 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 stimulate an interest in Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor and in local unions of the same in this State, and to promote their efficiency as factors in Christian life and church work by bringing them into closer relationship with one another through conferences, reports, and correspondence.

Article III. — Members.

Any society of Christian Endeavor, connected with an evangelical church in this State, whose constitution, in its aims and in its prayer-meeting obligations, conforms substantially in spirit to what is known as ** The Model ConlO OUR UNIONS.

stitntion," may join in this union on its own vote to do so, communicated in writing to the secretary of this union, and approved by its executive committee. The members of any society belonging to this union will be entitled to all its privileges-

Article IV. — Officers.

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

Article V. — Meetings,

{a) The executive committee shall arrange the time, place, and programrce f:r . r.-ual convention of this

union.

(Ji) The executive :: : : rt r: - 7 also provide for meetings of a part c: :ni umi-^ Lz^z^ti a call for a district convention at such place and time as they deem best.

{c) Hie object of these meetings shall be instruction, inspiration, and fellowship, but not legislation. As this union cannot be held responsible for the fellowship of young people outside of the ranks of the Christian Endeavor societies, and in order that the union may not be used for partisan purposes, no delegate shall be appointed to other bodies, nor received from other bodies.

THE CONSTITUTION. II

Article VI. — Fhiance.

The expenses of the union shall be met by the free-will offering of the societies, and no tax or assessment shall be levied upon the members.

Article VII . — Districts,

The executive committee may divide the State into districts, and appoint over each a district secretary, whose duties shall be to assist in organizing new societies when called upon, to report such new societies to the State secretary, and do what he can to arouse and increase the interest in Christian Endeavor work.

Article VIII. — Amendments,

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote at any meeting of this union, provided notice of the proposed amendment was inserted in the call for that meeting, or was given at the previous meeting.

FORM OF CONSTITUTION FOR A LOCAL UNION.

Article I. — N'ame,

This Union shall be called the Christian

Endeavor Union.

Article II. — Object.

The object of the Union shall be to stimulate the interest in societies of Christian Endeavor in

and vicinity, to increase their mutual acquaintance, and to make them more useful in the service of God.

OUR UNIONS.

Article III. — Members,

Any society of Christian Endeavor connected with an

evangeHcal church 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 by the executive committee.

Article IV. — Officers,

The officers shall be a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. The president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer shall be selected from active members, and shall serve one year, remaining in office until their successors are elected. All the presidents of the Christian Endeavor societies forming this union shall be vice-presidents of this union. The president, vice-presidents, secretary, and treasurer shall constitute an executive committee to provide for the general interests of the union.

Article V. — 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 rs opportunity offers.

Article VI. — Meetings,

This society shall hold meetings at such times and places as may be determined by the executive committee. The president may call special meetings of the executive committee when he may deem it necessary.

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Article VII. — Duties of Officers.

The duties of the president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer shall be the duties usually pertaining to these offices.

Article VIII. — Finance,

The expenses of the union shall be met by the free-will offerings of the societies, and no tax or assessment shall be levied upon the members.

Article IX. — Aniendments.

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all the active members present at any regular meeting, the amendment having been submitted in writing, and notice having been given at least two weeks before action is taken.

Local Changes. — Two important features of the above constitutions are urged upon all unions, namely, the restrictions as to membership, which alone can make the unions homogeneous and eifective, and the mode by which the expenses of the union are to be met, i.e.^ by free-will offerings. Only one local union committee is provided for ; similar articles should be added for the other committees desired. The composition of the executive committee, both of local and State unions, varies greatly, and several modes of formation are suggested in this manual.

Union Divisions. — Our large city unions have found it necessary in almost every case to form subdivisions which hold frequent gatherings, the entire union coming together only once or twice a year. The obvious mode of subdivision is by localities, such as the North Side, South Side, and West Side divisions of Chicago, and the district divisions of New York. In addition, it may be necessary, as in Philadelphia, which has its German Christian Endeavor Union, to make divisions based upon language. These divisions have their own sets of officers, closely affiliated, of course, with the central officers of the union.

Get a Supply. — In a good many local unions, very few members have a printed copy of the constitution. The mistake is usually made of not getting enough .of these printed at the beginning to last for a series of years. There are many savings that do not pay, and this is one of them.

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Chapter III. The President

It is important that the president of the Christian Endeavor local union should be a good speaker, but it is far more important that he be a good executive. Fortunate indeed the local union whose presiding officer combines these powers.

If I were asked to name the two qualities most useful for the president of a local union, I should say, good sense and good humor. With these, he will be master of the situation. Of course I am taking it for granted that he is a person of deep consecration, whose life, with all his powers and possessions, time, energies, thoughts, and plans, are wholly given up to his Master. He will need quickness of decision, ingenuity, industry, force. He should be fertile in expedients, and persistent in carrying them out. But above everything, he should be consecrated, and in the school of consecration he will learn what else he needs.

A Work of Oversight. — The most important work of the local union president is not what is very often held to be the most important, namely, the presidino; at the public meetings, together with the preparation for them ; it is the visiting of the local l6 OUR UNIONS.

societies. Each one of them should be visited in turn, and as frequently as possible. Modestly let the president of the union come in, and take part in the meetings briefly, as any other Endeavorer, telling the society, however, who he is, and bidding them God speed in their work.

On these visits the president should use his eyes. Let him note every good feature in the conduct of the society. Let him observe, also, all the defects. In fine, let him get as clear an idea of the society as he can, in order to help the. society.

This help is to be given in the meetings of the executive committee, before whom the president should present the result of this systematic visitation of the societies. He may discover a general lack in the matter of prayer, or of cordiality toward strangers, or of interest in the Junior work. Whatever it is that he sees the societies to lack, he and the local presidents, gathered together in the executive committee, should set themselves to remedying.

Nor should he forget to praise ; and perhaps his most valuable contribution to the executive committee meeting will be the account of helpful plans with which he has become acquainted in the course of -his pilgrimage. These, through the presidents met together in the executive committee, he is enabled to spread through the entire union.

A Friend. — The president's visits should put him in close contact with all the workers. He should meet them socially. He should take time to talk with them both before and after the meetings. They

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should come to know him as their friend, and should go to him for help and wise suggestions.

Above all, of course, he should avail himself of these visits to become a friend of the pastors. Let him learn from them whether their societies are doing all they could be expected to do, and let him make it plain to the pastors that the local union is their agency, seeking to be used of them along whatever lines of Christlike work they may wish to turn their Endeavorers to. Until the union president has put himself in this relation to the pastors, he cannot hope for success.

The vice-president should often accompany the president on his rounds, but more often he should lessen the presidents work by going alone and reporting to him all incidents and observations.

Visiting Committees. — Just as one of the chief duties of the president of a local society is to visit the meetings of the committees of his society, — not so frequently as to make them think that he does not dare trust them alone, and yet often enough so that they will feel his continued interest in them, and so that he will keep in complete touch with the work of the whole society, — so one of the chief duties of the president of a local union is to visit the meetings of the union committees, especially the lookout committee, of which he should be a member ex officio, as the president of a local society is a member, ex officio, of his lookout committee. He should work closely with the president of the Junior union of the town, and should be ex officio member of the executive committee of that union.

l8 OUR UNIONS.

State Presidents. — Similar suggestions may be made to the presidents of State unions. In every way these should seek to put themselves in close touch with the Endeavorers of the State, and especially with the pastors. The county unions need the help and inspiration of the State president. He should visit as many of these as possible. It will help the cause greatly if he can, once in a while, cross the State line and attend the Christian Endeavor gatherings of other States, carrying to them fresh enthusiasm in his every word, and bringing home again almost the zest of a trip abroad. Too few State presidents make interstate Christian Endeavor journeys.

By a correspondence as wide as his time and strength and other duties will permit, the State president will make himself the trusted friend and confidant of the State and county officers in all their Christian Endeavor perplexities and triumphs. The pastors throughout the State will come to know him as one that has deeply at heart the interests of Christ's kingdom, and is seeking to be their ser\'ant and the servant of the churches.

Well Informed. — Both State and local union presidents, in order to be worthy of the great trust confided to them, must keep up to date on the movement at large, must know how^ societies are being formed in lands across the sea, and what new methods have been tried and proved by the societies of our own land. They should read the best Christian Endeavor publications with much care. They should

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correspond with other union presidents, or, if time is lacking for that, they should get their union secretaries to correspond with the secretaries of other unions, and get from them full accounts of the plans found most helpful in other communities.

It is the duty of the president to circulate Christian Endeavor information in all wise ways. Of course, whatever Christian Endeavor literature is sent to the 'societies should be sent with the consent of the pastors.

All depends on w^hether the president tries to do it all himself, or remembers that he is simply to preside over the doings of others. If he confines himself to inspiring and directing the labors of those under his charge, he will not only do far more good to the cause, but he will do it far more easily and happily.

All this without mentioning what many people think the main business of the union president — the making of a convention programme and the presiding over the convention. And yet I would not convey the impression that I consider of slight importance these meetings in which so much lasting good is done, and from which so many thousands of noble young people get impulses toward the eternal life. Indeed, an entire section of this book is devoted to this subject, and little need be said about it here.

Planning the Convention. — To be a success, a convention — whether local union or State union — must be planned out carefully, and long before it comes off. Conventions are helpful in proportion as they are prayed over and thought over beforehand.

Have method in your convention. Know what you want and expect it to teach. Have derinite results you count on to come from it.

Introduce as many strong features as you c:;n, taking care, however, to avoid confusion, and to leave upon the Endeavorers a clear and abiding impression. In particular, make all your arrangements long before the convention, so as to avoid, as far as possible, that bustling around the platform that mars so many gatherings, and takes the point from so many noble addresses.

Managing a Convention. — A few words about conducting a convention. Think over the programme beforehand. Taking the topics and speakers one by one, plan the points you wiU make in introducing each speaker and in closing each discussion. Half of an address or debate or open parliament is in the introduction, and good introductions do not come impromptu. In this part of the presiding officer's work the chief necessity is good humor. No, there is one thing more important still, and that is brevity. A good president wOI occasionally sum up and emphasize a good address, and clinch it so tightly in the memory that everybody will carry away its main points ; and he will do it in a sentence.

Keep order. Keep order. Do not for a moment allow a few ill-bred chatterers or restless aisle-trotters to cheat half the assembly of the good they have come for. Be a regular autocrat. The best presiding officer I ever saw out-czared the czar. Between the addresses he gave ample opportunity for getting

THE PRESIDENT. 2 1

Up and going out, but if there was the least disturbance during an address, his threatening gavel ^Yas shaken at the offender, and, if necessary, the speaker was stopped and a public rebuke administered, followed by the delighted applause of the audience. All this was done with a rare good humor that speedily won the hearts of the great assembly — the largest body of teachers convened up to that time in the history of the world.

Minimize business. Get your committees ready beforehand if possible. Keep on time. If a speaker is not there when he should be, do not wait for him, but shift the programme so as to keep things moving, and quietly send a picked force of able-bodied Endeavorers after the delinquent.

And finally — for some end must be made of a really interminable matter — never forget that you stand toward your speakers in the relation of host. It is yours to make them feel at home. Put them at the start on good terms with their audience. Win for them a warm reception. At the close of their address, say a few words of honest appreciation, and show that you mean them. This is only the reward that is their due.

Union Mottoes. — The president of the union will impart a good deal of inspiration to the year's work by proposing for it a definite motto such as the three set before Pennsylvania societies one year. They were: *' One thousand new societies this year;" " One soul saved for every member;" ** More spiritual power in conventions and societies." These mottoes should usually be briefer than the foregoing, and they should always express some definite purpose.

The Ex-Presidents. — ]\Iany local and State unions fail to utilize after the close of their term of office the experience of the past presidents. They should always be brought into definite and close connection with the w^ork of their successors. An advisory board might be formed, consisting of the ex-presidents of the union, but it is probably a better plan for the ex-presidents to be members of the executive committee for three years after the close of their terms of office.

Overlapping. — Care should be taken that the secretaries of the various districts into which the State may be divided are appointed some time before the election of a new State president. This is in order that the State officers may begin their w^ork with the advantage of local assistants and correspondents who have had some experience and training.

THE VICE-PRESIDENT. 23

Chapter IV. The Vice-president

The chief exhortation regarding the office of vice-president should be made to the president, who is urged to make constant use of this officer, who is too often permitted to remain a nonentity. He should aid the president in the matter of visiting the societies and in carrying out his plans, as is insisted on in the section regarding the president. He should know the president's work as well as the president himself, cind in fact, in the ideal union, the vice-president will be, during his entire term of office, in training for the presidency, and will be thought of as the president's natural and almost inevitable successor.

For this purpose let the president once in a w^hile get the vice-president to preside at the meetings of the executive committee and at the mass meetings, even though he himself may be present.

Denominational Vice-Presidents. — Every State union should recognize the denominations that compose it, and the best way to do this and promote the growth of Christian Endeavor in these denominations is by the appointing each year of one vice-president from each denomination.

These denominational vice-presidents should be well distributed over the State, and they will form a splendid cabinet of officers for the president. They will be the natural leaders of Christian Endeavor

work in their districts.

THE SECRETARY. 2^

Chapter V. The Secretary

Of course, the duty of the union secretary, as of all secretaries, is to keep a record of all business transacted by the union. He should also be the secretary of the executive committee. His reports of the union meetings should be far removed from the ordinary dull routine. They should have literary qualities. They should be bright and attractive, and make everybody that hears them wish he had been present at the meeting .described, if he was not.

Besides this, the union secretary should get returns from all the societies in the union, giving certain statistics. Those most commonly desired are the number of members of all classes, the number of accessions to each class during the year, the number of Endeavorers that have joined the church during the year, the societies' gifts to missions and in what direction they have given, the names of the regular committees of the societies, the average society attendance on the regular church services, as well as any special features of interest connected with the work of the societies.

It is the secretary's business to write to the speakers selected to address the union meeting, and obtain their consent. He will put through the printing of the programme. It should be his work to correspond with the secretaries of other unions, obtaining some account of their most important plans and methods.

The State Secretary. —The work of the State secretary is the same in its general outline as that of the local union secretary, except that, instead of corresponding with each society, he gets his statistics from the heads of county, district and city unions. His work during the convention is far from easy. He is often the timekeeper, and should accomplish his difficult task with tact yet with firmness, since the entire success of many a convention hinges upon the timekeeper. Then it is he that makes the announcements, and for this he must muster a voice like a fog-horn.

Suggestion Sheets. — These suggestion sheets should be prepared by the secretary of the union, and they will be equally valuable whether prepared by the State secretary to be sent among the secretaries of the district and county unions, or by the latter officers to be distributed among the local societies. These suggestion sheets are sent out with notices of conventions and State and district Christian Endeavor work. In each issue a request is made for new plans and ideas, to be given wider circulation in later suggestion sheets. Here is a sample suggestion sheet that came from Massachusetts : —

THE SECRETARY. 27

The missionary committee arranges a missionary meeting once a month. Africa is to be the subject of a series of talks. The first was geographical in its nature. A map drawn by one of the members was used. — North Church, New Bedford.

A society of New Bedford has a " glad-to-see-you committee." The name explains its object.

The Winslow Church, Taunton, is opened every Friday evening for the promotion of sociability. The social feature of two of these evenings in each month is in charge of the Y. P. S. C. E.

At one time our pastor and several young men of our society promised each other that we would sit at various places in the room upon prayer-meeting night, and when the leader called for prayers we would respond, allowing no waste time, The same was also pledged in regard to testimonies. — Middle Street Christia7t society. New Bedford,

A conundrum social, held by the Second Congregational Society of Attleboro, afforded much pleasure. One hundred conundrums pasted about the room kept all busy for an hour.

The Secretary's Letter. — When the secretary, whether of a county or a State union, has occasion to write to the societies, let him remember that the fewer words he uses, the more likely he is to be heeded. It is the long, tedious communications that are read carelessly and are not likely to be brought before the society.

If you do not use a typewriter, take care to write with great plainness, especially when you come to your own signature. If you do not use a letter-head, state what office you hold, and give your address. Enclose a stamped and self-directed envelope when you expect a reply, unless you are writing to some one who you know has the interests of the cause at heart as much as you.

When you write to speakers asking them to address the convention, be sure you tell them that their expenses will be paid.