FEANCIS E. CLARK 127 detached societies were formed in schools, colleges, on battle- ships, in army regiments, and even in prisons. Eighty thou- sand societies now enroll 4,000,000 members. This marvelons growth to interdenominational and international proportions marks Christian Endeavor a movement in harmony with the best religions convictions of the age, and its founder a prophet of present day religion. Dr. Clark presents the foundation principles of the move- ment as follows : *
- First — Deep religious devotion. There is no such com-
pelling and attractive power as this. 'For Christ and the church' has always been the motto of the society.
- Second — Service for all and all for service. *No impres-
sion without expression,' the latest word of the psychologist, relating to adolescent youth, has been practically wrought out in Christian Endeavor methods.
- ' Third — Fellowship with Fidelity. * Brotherhood with all,
loyalty to one's own;' these are the watchwords which are heard in Christian Endeavor circles all over the world, and which incarnated in deed have given the society its power. ' ' In furtherance of the first aim the Christian Endeavorer pledged himself to pray and read the Bible every day. These practices developed young people of sterling character de- voted to the highest ideals. Through them came the devo- tional spirit which swept the entire church into a reverent study of the Scriptures. The religious world was ripe for this development. It had passed through a period of doctrinal con- troversy and crystallization before the rise of the Christian Endeavor. Now within the church correct doctrine became less the goal, and more the means of reaching that goal — life, warm, abounding life, with its intellectual achievements and its emotional experiences. The message of the old He- brew prophets was a message of life, the same warm, abound- ing life ; and that message brought the soul, in its reach to the higher self, into contemplation of God and communion with Him. So in the awakening of the last quarter of the nine- teenth century the church sought closer communion with God. By its devotional ideals and practices the Christian Endeavor s A Quarter Century of Christian Endeavor. OuilooJc 82 : 80-86.
