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- Obituary:
Published Date: May 27, 1927 (Page 9)
Newspaper: Springfield Republican (Massachusetts)
Dr. F. E. Clark, Founder OF C. E., IS DEAD AT 75
Father of Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor Lived to See Movement International
Newton, May 26--(AP)--Dr. Francis E. Clark, founder and president of the World Christian Endeavor society, died at his home here today. Dr. Clark, who was 75, had been ill for three weeks at his Newton home.
Yesterday he sank into a coma from which he did not recover. His family was with him for the last few days of his illness. Death came at 10:55 this morning.
Endeavor Society Founded
When Rev Dr Francis S. Clark was a young minister in charge of the Williston Congregational church at Portland, Me., he called a meeting of the young people of his congregation to organize them into a socirty which would provide "the opportunity for self-expression by means of words and service for Christ and church."
The meeting held February 2, 1881, was attended by 40 young men and women. After they had signed the pledge presented to them, Dr. Clark called the new organization the Christian Endeavor society, thereby inaugurating what has proved one of the most successful religious movements among young people in church history.
It was an immediate success. The plan and name of the society were accepted by churches so rapidly that, in three years, it had spread over the United States and Canada and had reached China. Meanwhile, Dr. Clark had been called to South Boston as pastor of the Phillips Congregational church, but the demands for his presence at Christian Endeavor conventions and conferences became so numerous that he was obilged to resign his pastorate. From then on he devoted virtually his entire life to the Christian Endeavor society serving it without salary.
Dr. Clark supported himself by his writings, always refusing to accept salary for his work or fees for his addresses in behalf of the Christian Endeavor society. He always was a poor man, but happy in the thought that he had attained his life's purpose. He often said that his great gratification and satisfaction had been that "God has so signally used me to plant the seed that brought such fruitage in the lives of young Christians."
International Growth
The founder of Christian Endeavor lived to see it become international, interdenominational and interracial, and grew from the first 40 members to an organization with 80,000 individual societies with a membership of approximately 4,000,000 within 80 denominations. It is estimated that more than 25,000,000 women and men throughout the world have been members of the Christian Endeavor movement since its inception.
The Christian Endeavor society has been recognized by church leaders as one of the principal agencies for the enlistment of recruits for the ministry, both for pastorates and the missionary fields. It has been the forerunner of other young people's movements, including the Epworth league, the Luther league and Baptist Young People's union, all formed along lines laid down by Dr Clark for the first Christian Endeavor society.
Dr. Clark was a consistent supporter of the prohibition cause and inspired the Christian Endeavor movement throughout the world to fight liquor traffic. Although an ardent supporter of America in the World war, he always advocated human brotherhood and understanding as a means that would abolish the necessity of war. He had traveled in every land where Christian churches and missions are organized in behalf of Christian Endeavor. After the World war, he made two trips to Europe, visiting nearly all of the belligerent countries, his purpose being not only to promote the interests of the World's Christian Endeavor union, of which he was president, but to cement, as far as possible, international fellowship and good will. In 1910, on his second visit to Japan, he was granted an audience by the emperor, an honor never before extended to a representative from abroad of a distinctively Christian organization. He was the author of a large number of books and articles dealing with Christian Endeavor activities.
Took Name of Foster Father
Born at Aylmer, Quebec, September 12, 1851, Dr. Clark was the son of New England parents. His father, Charles Carey Symmes, a civil engineer and timber locator who had gone to Canada to seek his fortune, died when the son was three years old. Five years later, his mother, who was Lydia Fletcher Clark of Tewksbury, Mass., died and the boy was adopted by her brother, Rev Edward Warren Clark, by whose name he was afterward known.
Dr Clark was graduated from Dartmouth college in 1873, and from Andover Theological seminary three years later. When he assumed his first pastorate at the Williston church, it had only 50 members, but the church became known throughout the world later as the birthplace of the Christian Endeavor society.
In 1876, Dr. Clark married Harriet Elizabeth Abbott, daughter of a clergyman of Hampton Falls, N. H. They had five children.
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The H600 Project Genealogy DB
1851 - 1927 (75 years)