But, of Thy gifts, the sweetest,

The dearest is that we, Our selfish needs forgetting,

May work and give like Thee. The world and all its sorrows

Our hearts, like Thine, can feel; And we, as Thy co-workers,

Can teach and lift and heal!

Then to this holy mission

We pledge ourselves anew: We give our minds to seeking, Our hearts to love, the true. And, grateful for Thy goodness, We join with Thee to bring The day when, as in heaven, Thou on the earth art King!

M. J. SAVAGE.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETIES.

The rise and progress of young people's societies, among the various religious denominations, is one of the peculiar signs of the times. Already these societies have reached an extraordinary stage of develop ment and have called forth a special literature, special methods of solving the problems of church life, and of treating all their attendant and ramifying influences. The observer who has failed to mark the won. derful growth of these societies to the present time, and the rapidity with which their numbers are swelling into a vast army of young people, has missed one of the most striking phases of religious life.

While it is possible to trace historically the origin of many of these societies, it is probable that the seed which fructified and grew into these great organizations had its origin long before under quite different conditions. The Chautauqua idea, for instance, which looked more to the intellectual development of young and old, has, undoubtedly, been the cause of inaugurating many widely differing societies of self-improvement. Ideas, like floating seed-vessels, are wafted through the air and find strange lodgments: they come together under varied conditions and produce unexpected results.

Perhaps no society of modern times has shown such marvelous growth and prosperity or attained such numbers as what is known as the "Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor." This society has found a home in many churches, and has been accorded as warm a reception and adoption as in the denomination in which

it originated. It is given to few young men to originate a society which in ten years' time shall number half a million members. Such can be said, however, of Rev. F. E. Clark, who in 1881, in the Williston Church, of Portland, Me., gave the first impetus to this superb organization. In his work as pastor he discovered that his youthful church members did not seem to enter into the life and spiritual activities of the church as he thought they ought to. To him occurred the idea that they ought to be trained and set to work. Burdened with this thought, he held a confererce with them at his house, having previously prepared the constitution for a society, which he submitted to them. That constitution, with scarcely an alteration, is in vogue to-day. It recognizes (1) Active Members, or those who are acknowledged church members; (2) Associate Members, or those whose general sympathies lead them to unite in the work of the society and who sooner or later may be expected to become Active Members; (3) Affiliated or Honorary Members, being persons of more advanced years, who will give moral and financial support to the interests of the society. The following extract from the "Platform of Principles" will give in a condensed form the real motive and animating principle of this society :—

"The purely religious features of the organization shall always be paramount. The Society of Christian Endeavor centres about the prayer-meeting. The strict 'prayermeeting pledge' honestly interpreted, as experience has proved, is essential to its continued success.'

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The fertile mind of the founder, supplemented by other keen intellects, has developed not a little machinery in this society. It may readily be imagined that the young people will find ample employment if they are members of the committees designated as the Lookout, Prayer-meeting, Executive, Sunday-school, Calling, Music, Missionary, Flower, Temperance, Relief, and Good Literature Committees. The titles indicate sufficiently the duties of the members of these various committees. The literature explaining the work of these committees and other features of the society is constantly increasing. The society itself is reaching out into other lands and to the

islands of the sea. Its national anniversaries are huge affairs, brimful of enthusiasm, and are held in various parts of the country, bringing together much able talent. The founder, while he has every reason to be proud of his work and of its far-reaching influence, acknowledges his indebtedness to the labors of others. Indeed, the germ of the whole idea is said to come from the Methodist class-meeting, a weekly affair coming down from the time of John Wesley, where church members met for helpful consultation, and where the joys, the trials, and the aspirations of the week were recounted in a series of personal experiences, and encouragement was received for future efforts. While in a general sense the society is undenominational, or, in the words of its founder, is interdenominational, it is unquestionably true that the exigencies of each denomination will sooner or later demand a special society with usages of its own, where there will be no danger that its autonomy can in any sense be invaded. Already the Presbyterians have moved in the matter, the Baptists have agitated the subject, while the Methodists have organized a truly formidable society known as the Epworth League,—a society now numbering more than a quarter of a million of members, and growing with great rapidity. No one who is at all familiar with the work of the Methodist church will expect any lack of energy or enthusiasm in what it attempts. Untrammelled by precedent and unrestrained by any iron-clad rules, there are freedom and play for ingenuity, and for an adaptation of resources which cannot fail of interesting results. It may be said, in general, that the cause for the formation of the Society of Christian Endeavor was the discovery of a low spiritual condition in the church, and the aim to raise it out of that condition. It may also be made as a general statement, subject to some little quali fication, that this peculiar need was not felt to the same extent in Methodist churches, not because of any natural superiority, of course, but because the methods already in vogue in that church, which found a reduplication to some extent in the society first mentioned, were proved to be a good deal of a safeguard against that danger.

It followed, therefore, in the establishment of the Epworth League, that, while it

was to be mainly spiritual in its working, there could be naturally more elasticity and a somewhat wider latitude in its methods than are permitted in the Christian Endeavor movement. Investigation and comparison show this to be precisely the case. This is further confirmed by the fact that the League includes in its organization all the various societies formerly existent in the Methodist church, under different names and for special purposes, previous to the formation of the League. These are now blended into and unified with that organization.

The society as it now stands was organized at Cleveland, Ohio, in May, 1889. It takes its name, of course, from Epworth, England, where the rectory of the Wesleys was situated. It takes for its motto "Look Up and Lift Up," and flies the legend of John Wesley: "I desire to form a league offensive and defensive with every soldier of Jesus Christ." The second article of its constitution gives in substance the design of the League. It reads:

"The object of the League is to promote intelligent and loyal piety in the young members and friends of the church, to aid them in the attainment of purity of heart and in constant growth in grace, and to train them in works of mercy and help."

The League is divided into the departments of (1) Christian Work, (2) Mercy and Help, (3) Literary Work, (4) Entertainment, (5) Correspondence, (6) Finance. These committees have a wider range of work than their mere titles would indicate. While the strictly church work in prayer-meeting and other service is not by any means neglected, and while the traditions of the church for many years in that kind of work are faithfully maintained, the "pledge," which is the distinctive feature of the Endeavor movement, while quite as comprehensive as the former, is not insisted on to the same extent. The work, too, is endowed with a great variety of methods to enrich and enlarge the social life of the church. With all kinds of benevolent work there is a grand development of literary activity, and abundant plans for interesting the young people in the study of the whole field of literature,- Scriptural, scientific, classical, and historical. Without entering upon the field of controversy, it may be said

that a careful study of the present and prospective plans of the Epworth League develops the idea that it would be difficult to devise a society where the young could find a broader or a more symmetrical development of the whole nature than in this rapidly growing organization, which now reaches into many foreign countries as well as our own.

The Unitarian church provides in its Unity Clubs and in its Guilds various avenues of usefulness for its members. The polity of the Unitarian church permits the widest possible latitude among the different societies, but there is an evident tendency now to a concentration on some general plan of occupation for its members. Great attention is paid in these societies to church hospitality and to a uniting of interests in the old and young. They have developed, also, some excellent work in the line of literary study, and in a wide range of charitable and philanthropic plans. Its ministers are pure, self-reliant men, who are sincerely desirous that their people shall be instant in all good work. The object of one of these organizations is stated to be "to promote intellectual and social activity among its members in the community at large." Its committees seem to be variable and to be determined by each church according to the seeming exigencies of that church and of the community.

The growth of purely spiritual life in the Universalist church has not escaped attention. In no one denomination has this tendency been more marked than in this church. For some years the Christian Endeavor movement has been espoused by them, and numerous societies exist. The Young People's Missionary Association was initiated in 1884, and has been one of the leading young people's societies in that church. It recognizes: (1) a Missionary Box Committee, for collections for special church purposes; (2) a Prayer-meeting Committee; (3) a Committee on Benevolence; (4) an Auditing Committee; (5) a Tract Committee. The object is stated to be "the religious and intellectual improve ment of its members, the promotion of the interests of the Universalist church through more systematic and efficient effort, and the rendering of such other Christian service as may be found desirable and expedient."

Systematic efforts have long been making to unite all the young people's societies of this church, of which there have been several, into one general society, which shall be distinctive of the denomination, and which shall have a special tendency in the direction of religious work and to the upbuilding of a religious life among the rising generation. There is a desire, also, to create a greater solidarity in the denomination. These objects received a considerable impetus in the recent General Conference at Rochester, N.Y., resulting in a general organization, known as the Young People's Christian Union.

The Church Guilds of the Episcopal church do not have the same publicity as in other denominations. Their labors seem to be limited to the work of their own church, and no record of their work or growth is readily obtainable. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is entitled to honorable mention for their zealous work in developing church life and of making generous additions to the church membership.

It was

The Lend a Hand Societies, which started in Boston in 1870, are indebted for their origin to a story of wonderful freshness and vitality, written by Rev. E. E. Hale, and entitled "Ten Times One is Ten." intended to show the possible extension of personal influence where people live faithfully, unselfishly, and hopefully. These societies really contain the germinal idea underlying all the other great organizations which have been mentioned, and, it is fair to assume, gave them their initial thought and impetus. The basis of all these societies is the motto found in the story mentioned: Look up and not down. Look forward and not back. Look out and not in. Lend a hand.

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They form a group of separate organizations of ten members or less, with no special executive head, no general constitution, and owing no allegiance to any central authority. A slight tenure of authority inures to the general secretary, to whom reports of the work of different clubs are made from time to time. An effort is made to enlist each member of each club in philanthropic work of some kind, and to carry out to the full the spirit of their noble motto. Starting as they did without special organization, the

clubs and their work have ramified and developed to an extent difficult to trace. There are, too, certain societies which have sprung up from these, and which, having more closely defined purposes, have out grown the parent organization.

Of these, the Society of King's Daughters and that of the King's Sons, especially the former, demand far more than a passing notice. The extreme length of this article precludes an extended notice of it. Originating in Boston, in 1886, and more fully organized in New York later, it has carried light and comfort into many a humble household, and it has touched into active life the kindly feelings in the breasts of many a one when they might otherwise have remained dormant. "In His Name" has been the rallying cry, and the society has overleaped the bounds of all creeds and organizations. It has cheered the lot and widened the boundaries of life for many a struggling soul, and the name of its founder, Mrs. Margaret Bottome, will be cherished by many hearts in humble and in palatial homes.

The lover of mankind will rejoice at the growth of all these societies, and will see in them the dawn of a brighter day for a humanity which finds itself surrounded by sin and temptation in its upward flight to a world of light and purity. They are an unanswerable argument to the pessimist who believes the world is deteriorating, and they are a cheering and an encouraging sight to those who love young people, and who rejoice to see them-the hope of the world zealous in good works. W. P. Adams, in the Boston Commonwealth.

THE GREAT EVENT OF 1890.

One always likes to ask how the particular year which he concludes is to stand out in history. If we had taken up the pretty practice of the twentieth century, and if we struck every year a handsome medal to keep in memory the greatest achievement of the year, what would we commemorate, and what should be the designs on the medal of 1890?

The answer often escapes the people of the time. The men of 1790 would hardly have struck a medal in honor of Samuel Slater, who in 1790 introduced the cotton

manufacture into Rhode Island. The men of 1890 have struck one; but all the same the people of the time try to tell what their achievements are, and New Year's Day is the day for the telling.

The Pan-American Congress of 1890 is the great event of the year, which will be considered a great event in history. I be lieve the daily press tried to boycott it, because it did not open its debates to reporters. But, as it published its debates, there were no secrets. And now that its decisions are, one by one, passing into diplomacy and into legislation, the importance of them to-day, and their large importance in the future, are more and more evident.

If, from the decisions of the Congress, there is born a railway line making close connections between Winnipeg and Patagonia, that achievement alone will mark the year in history. When, besides this, we have, between all the American States, the mutual protection of trade-marks and copyrights, reciprocal advantages in tariff, simpler and cheaper telegraphs, and simpler and better ocean travel, these things will be worth symbolizing on our medal.

Noblest and best of all will be peace among those States, and the prospect of peace for the world.

The Congress takes a great step in this direction by making arbitration a constant and sure element in international law. There have been, since the Treaty of Vienna, more than fifty important references of important questions between nations to the arbitration of a fit tribunal. But each of these has been determined on by a special agreement, and the tribunal has been temporary. The High Powers assembled at Washington have now made one permanent agreement, under which all such questions will be referred to arbitration, when it proves that they cannot be solved by the usual diplomatic methods. What is more, the rules for such arbitration are laid down, and the methods by which the Court of Appeals shall be chosen are decided in ad

vance.

This systematic and solemn addition to what may fairly be called the code of International Law is in itself important enough to be marked by the best symbol art can devise upon our medal. It will deserve such recognition even more if from it there