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THE KING’S BUSINESS UNIQUE FISHERMEN’S CLUB By A. M. ROW
The unique character, steadfastness and efficiency o f the Fishermen’s Club, stands out like a beacon in the history o f the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles. Its one purpose and one business is stated to be “winning souls for Christ,” and to this every member pledges himself. It is interesting to note the part per formed by the Fishermen’s Club in this great work. It was. the inspiration that led up to the organization of the great religi ous institution; has constantly k held a prominent place in its activities, and has steadfastly assumed its full share’ in the i evangelistic work among young people. Before there was a Bible Institute o f Los Angeles, T. C. Horton, now its gen eral superintendent, had gathered about him a body o f 150 young men, who took to themselves the name o f Fishermen’ s Club. As a whole they consecrated themselves to the Master’s service and became personal workers among men in every available direction. Coming from every Protestant denomination, . many o f them became teachers in Sunday Schools, leaders of young people’s meetings, missionaries and preachers. So, active and successful was their work, that they naturally became the inspiration o f their leader in his first determination to form a dominant religious institution to educate and equip workers on a greater scale. The result has been nothing short o f miraculous. When the Bible Institute came into its own, with a magnificent plant and a faculty o f Bible experts, it was already represented in the missionary field by a number o f conse crated workers from the Fishermen’s Club, which is more verile today, under the same resourceful leader, than at any time in the ten years o f its history, and in all that time it has never once failed to hold its Monday-night meeting, holidays and vaca tion time making no exceptions. In these ten years, seventy men have gone out from the Club into definite Chris tian work. Eighteen, are missionaries in foreign fields, under the various evangelical
denominations—one a. medical missionary. They are in China, Japan, Africa and South Anfrerica. Eight are occupying pas torates, and sixteen are in theological schools preparing for the ministry; seven more have volunteered for foreign mis sions and twenty others are engaged as evangelists, Sunday school missionaries, city missionaries and in seamen’s work. Their work among young people has aroused great interest throughout the State, and to save its name from losing its significance the Club has been incorporated under the laws o f California and its unique distinguishing button has been copyrighted. Every member receiving a button, pledges himself to keep it in his possession, to return it on demand and receive the price he paid for it. No scheme o f any kind has ever been used to increase its membership, but on the contrary, applicants are sub jected to a rigid examination, and the mem bership has continued steadily at 150, the age limit being from 16 to 35 years. As they arrive at their 35th birthday, they are, retired to honorary membership at the first meeting thereafter. It has never had a secular lecture, social or entertainment. Its only leader and teacher has been Mr. Horton. Its evening programme is exceed ingly simple. The young men come from shop, office and school, and following a 15- . cent supper, there is a song service and Bible study—always with a strong evange listic tendency. Every Sunday night they hold meetings for young people, in various churches,, which have resulted in hundreds o f con versions and in stimulating the faith of Christians. During summer vacations they hold meetings in churches- and tents. The all-night prayer meetings o f the Club, held as the spirit inspires, have been sources of great power. In short, the history o f the Fishermen’s Club' has fully demonstarted that the Bible alone is sufficient to hold young men together, if faithfully and vigorously taught. '?
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