The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 9, 1897, Page 2

T HE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1897 ¥ The Speakers at the Morning Session in the Mechanics ! [T\NDRI \ SPEAKS -FOR TENNESSEE = = s O % D FADS HIS ANnuA REPORT Pavilion. their complexions maw’s coeek d manhoo alists, by Friends of the state churches on of any eloquent der Christian Endenve eloquent indorseme and universal method advocate. o much furthe: WO ¢ vel, you wou! ¢ ad- y 1 couid vi but because o which & com stian servi find the ould hear Mr. L in an_citizenship his fellow Chime s of civic u a, whera the the Gadarene swine 1 wou'd hear Africander E ting themselves to world-wide You woud see Japanese Endexv- eking, 8s vou seck, the life that is hid Christ 1n God; aud Malagassy Endeav- orers looking up through their tears for n de- piscopalians und | | then we were sixteen years azo | chine ) Third—A world-encircling movement must | be a pervasive force. You have sh n the | sign of universal adaptability, Chris Eu: deavorers, by entering into prisons and as lums, lighthou: and life-saving siatio men-of-war and merchant vessels, sold barracks and factory lofts. as well asinto the netivities of chu iife. There is another piace very nearhome where your power and | yrinciples are felt, and where they should be felt sti 1 more, and thatis the weekly church meeting. Iknow of no way so good of g this suggestion ctical as by m- ing senior societies, whose chief distin on | | be'that without increasing cburch m y ‘they apply the Christian Endeavor covenant pledge to the weekly meeting of tae church. | Already these senior societies, which form | the veteran and the permanent cohort of | Christian Endeavor, have been formed not | ouly in America, but in Australia, Indis, | Great Britain and South Africs, and’ always | with biessedly beneficial results. Remember the lesson, so hard for some of | us to learn, that we are all sixteen years oider | that the re- sponsibilities of the young p:ople’s society must some time be transierred to rounger | snoulders, and that our effort should be as we | grow older to develop younger workers and to apply our own energies directly to the church | meeting and all church activities. Thus, in | the sevior society, we are noless part of the | | Christian Endeavor movement, but both the | feated and degraded nation to the God of na- tious; snd menian Endeavorers groaning | as y think of their downtrodden and g country, “Hew long, O Lord, how long Could you have the invisible cap and cloak, you would see Christian Endeavor sailor lads on the briny b, fulfil their pledge un- der the eyes of ng ars; and prisoner En- deavorers denying themselves their one ions weekly letter that they might give to m the 2-Cent postage stamp, the only possession | the: could turn into ready money. We would see faithful little Junlors &s true to their vows as the hoary seint, and & multitude ot obscu Endeay évery land, whoso honest, conscienti! no IMAN Treco! but whom God hath writ in his Book ot Life. Only one denomination the increase of Christian and t illseks to prevent udeavor socicties, at has introauced Ch ne ples, and though we regre of fuil fellowship we are glad of the extension of the idens for which we stand—in that we rejoice, ye, and will rejoice. Our society, then, h:s these signs of a uni versal movement. ‘1t was born in obscurity and wenkness. It hasnot owed its extension to hum+n advocacy or ecclesiastical author- ity. It hasspread to every land. It has been iound adapted to every evangelical creed, and to every form of church government, aud to every race and class ana language and condi- tion of people. * It has failed only where the prineiples involved in our covenant pledge have been ignored, or where it has been crusned out by denominatioral authority. This evident blessing ot God, o vast, 80 un- expected, so undeserved, so-far as human agencies go, should lead us %0 ask every year, with increasing humility and eagerness, what 18 God’s world-wide design for the soclety? What wor.d mission has he for it to perform? Our responsibility to fulfill God’s purpose fncreases with our growth. Tpe larger the movement the more We conserve by our faith- fuluess, the more we wreck by our blindness end unfaithfulness to God’s design. Let us then try to answer this vital question. How’ spail v encircling Christian Endeavor fulfill Goc desi First—A world le movement must be true to i's fundamentsl idea, for it is evidently to propagate tuat idea that God has estabiished it. The fundamental purpose of Christian En- deavor is to ruise the standard among young people of outspoken devotion and cozsecrated service. This idea is embodied in our covemant nd this idea makes our covenant im- perative in a Christian Endeavor soclety. This movement is not a conzlomeration o! ¢ kind of young people’s society; it is & which God has owned and blessed. Its whole nistory shows the supreme honer which God bestows upon uncompromising, uinbashed, out-and-out service Ob, Endeavorers, be tFue ever to this basal thought of Chru En- deavor! for uvpon if, on every page of our historv, God hus set the seal of his approval. Second—A world-eacireling movement must necessari a unifying movement. This pArt of its mission is 100 plain to argue has brought forty denominations togeiher, so far as ecclesiastical authority has not {nter- fered, and - bound their young people in biessed bonds they heve not before known; later, it has forged & liuk beiween forty na- tions that xpeak iorly langusges; more than 2ll, it has woven new strauds of Christian concord between the four grea: English-speak- ing sectfons of the world—the United States, Great Britain, , Canada, Anustrahia. Thess bords aré made of many strands of commion method and common name. The misstonary colonies, foe, of the Eaglish-speaking ruce, 1f 1 may so cati them, dre estabiisned in‘ every ciimé, nidi a new connecting filameni iween them eil is found in Chrisuan deavo Arbitretion treaties may ve amended or ac- epied or rejectud. The worldewide Christian desvor movement is a new treaty of love and good-witl between milijons of those who epeak the same language and who work by the same methods for the snme Lord. ivery year sime of our British brethren come 10 our American convention. In 1900 1 hope that 10,000 of you will accept the mvita- tion of British Endeavorers to London 10 ratify and seal the international treaty of Christian Eudeavor. Ep- i for the spread of deruite ideas, | It | | s much as this, to have vour foreign repre- | 1 | 1 | Africa’s. church and this movementof the cnurch are infinitely strengthened. I hope tosee the se- | nior societies multiplied tenfold the coming | year. ¥Fourth—A universsl movement must be & | ecriticisl movement; in 11s very essence a | missionary movement, Let us make more determined individual effort this next year to otey our Lord’s last command to evangelize the world. GO ye— make it singularand personal, g0 you—go you. Chinw's, India’s unsaved millions plead; God commands. Go you. It is no ex se 10 say that you live in America, and hav. 2mily, business, social ties that imperativel keep you here. You may never leave yvour native shores, but the commeaxnd comes to you none the less. Go. Go vou. It now, if yon can give $25 a year, and few of you who can atiend & co.vention eannot glve sentative on the mission field. Of course you will give as much to home | | missions to saye your own country from the | | perds of civilized heathenism. This conveution, with its long preliminary jour- ney, i a lesson in patriotism and spelling patriotisr. Astudent in training, a catechist, a Bible woman, & pastor, a_teaclier, viliage school, # mission church at home or abroad—one or all of these is_Wwithin the giving power of al- most every Endeavorer to whom I speak. Have your representative at work while you sleep,” Work twenty-four hours a day for God. Have your personal representative, above all, <0 that your heert and interest and love may be in the extension of the kingdom of God the world around, for where your treasure is there will your hesrt be. “1know of no way 0 good for Endeayvorers to meke this thought & definite and tangible et of the new Endeavor year as by joining the Tenth Legion—the legion of ihose who | give at least a tenth of wll God gives them, whether it be 10 cents or $10,000,000, back to him ior the spread of his kingdom. Give this tarough yourown churchesand | your missionary boards; then will these ap- | palling clouds of debt which hang overso | many of our boards flee; and better than all. if Endeavorers generally adopt this princip e. | they can never again return to darken the missionary horizon. Fifth—A world-encircling movement must | listen to God’s voice and continuaily obey it. | It must not be led away by faddists or theor- | ists or selfish ax-grinders; but it must always, if it would prosper, keepan upen ear to God’s vorce, and never rest satistied with past acbievements. ! You have heard in other years, Christian Endeavorers, the voice of God, and you have aroused yourselves in your might to the inter- esis of Christian citizenship. _In_every land your banner hes been unturled besring this motto, “Our Country for Christ.” You have heard again God’s cali to a Inrger devotion to missions, und you have unfurled another ban- ner with the grand device, “The World for Christ.”” The Endeavorers of Californis, our Lospitable hosts, have done valiant work, as have many others, for the rescue of the Sab- bath from the hands of the enemies. These banners we will always keep flying. No inch of ground once gaired will we careléssly, sur- render 1o the enemy. ] “My Country, 'Iis of Thee,” shall be our song under whatever flag we Jive. : Christ fo¥ the world we sing, Tife world to'Christ we briug, shall be coupled with it. Indeed, we will piess ever-adyancing columns and take new | redoubls. Sabobath-breaking, the saloon curse, the.gambl.ug den, the brothel shall receive no querter at the hands of Chri Endeavorers. “Qur Country for Ghrist,” “The Worid for Christ.” But is thatall? Ah! there i=_another. motto which is more important still, “Myself for Christ” Are you disap- pointed, Endeavorers? Did you expect some new and startling message of aggressive war- fare? Look closely, and perhaps you will find this weil-worn phrasc a greater advance siep than we have ever taken. Again and again we need 1o come back to this fundamental thougnt. The Chrisiian Endeayor movement can only prosper as Christ 1s in its members and its members are in Christ. “As the branch cannoi bear 18 possible | whole | 4 Lome | misions, and home missions is another way of | EPWORTH’S GREETING. To the Christian Endeavorers of the *97 Convention: Fellow-workers: It is with profound gratitude to God that we, the young people of Methodism, as the Epworth League Alliance of San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda, witness the advent of the Christian Endeavor hosts and' contemplate the silent forces for good that cannot but be set in operation by the magnificent showing of strength. To our fellow-workers in the vineyard we extend the most cordial greet- ing and say, ‘““Thrice welcome to our shores.”’ the Golden Gate,’” and our hope is sure and steadfast. We have all ‘‘sighted While we, as leaguers, ‘‘live to make our church a power in the land, we love every. other church that e | heartiest co-operation in the unity of the Spirit. calts our Christ,”” and for the future pledge the In his name, THE EPWORTH LEAGUE ALLIANCE, By M. V. DONALDSON, Sec. it abide in e abids the in fruit except more can ye excepi vine, no Me,” is as true of & movement as of an individaal, an only through its living members can a move- ment abide in Christ. < This is & world movement, thank God, away from materialism, formali-m and a barren ecclesiasticism back to God himself. It is like thg vast, vivifying current of the gulf stream, & mighty, resistless, continent-en- cireling torrent in the bosom of the ocean. It led by many names, out everywhere the ice 1S the same. It is the “spirit-filled life’”; the “life hid with Christin God; the life emptied of seif end surrendered to God. Everywuere and always it is life—life | abundantly. Of this movement Chrisiian En- | deavor isn vart, vitalized by 1ii,aud, on its part, contributing to it denvorers, let this be the motto, the pur- pose, the prayer of this our coming seve: teenth year; to come within the blessed reach of this current, to abide in Christ, to surrender elves Lo him, to let him use us, to think of our efforts ana more of his fullness, to seek a larger infilling from above, deeper draughts of nis life, more emptiness oi self, | more fullness of Christ. Tnus only will Christian Endeavor, and all for which it hias come to stand—Christian citi- zenship, Christian missions and a thousand forms of benevolence, receive ever fresh life and vigor, That no one may accuse meof dealing in glittering generalities let me be very vractical, and, if possible, suggestive. A life led with Christ in God does not come by chance. We must choose it, desire it, seek 1t. Let me, then, suggest two definite practical ways in which 1t may be promotea. First—In seeking tnis closer walk with God give more atiention to family religion. A multitude of Christian Endeavorers have, within the past sixteen years, been sct to- gether in families, As the years come and go other millions will enter these same relations. The Endeavorers of America can, withiudhe next decade, distinctiy raise the tone of the religious life of the fumiliesof the Nation. Why not carry our Endeavor priuciples into the family ? Promote family religion by muk- ing more of daily hcusehold worship und by heving at leastonce & we k family Christian Endeavor worship, in which every member, even to the lisping four-year-old, shall have some personal parlicipation. Lot the children | of Ciristian_parenis grow nup as confessing, outspoken disciples of Christ in the family; making their choice of him very early, and never remembering ine time wien they did Dot iove him. Older brothers and sisters, as well as parents, can do much in_introducing this, our fundas men:al principle of outspoken devotion to Christ into the fam:ly. Second—Remember the morning waich. Set apart, religiously and sacredly, at least fifteen minutes every morning to commun.cation with God. More imperative than any business engagement, more sacred than any matier of 1amily concern, more important than eating or sleeping, make this daily engagement with God. There look into the face of God. *Prac- tice the. presence of God'' for et least fifteen minutes every morning before the day’s cares distract your mind and you, like Moses, will be mxe 1o endure ‘‘as seeing him who s invis- P “Remember the morning watch” was the last cry of the departing missionaries to their ompanions ou the Liverpool pier, as the steamer which carriedsthem to Asia cast off | her bawser. “Remember the morning watch’ {1 wonld repeat as we cast hawsers from the old yesr of Christian Endeavor and move for- ward into the .future. Pechaps, within tue ranks of Christian Endeaver we inay iorm a band wiich we may eali “The Brothernood of tne Morning Wateh,” or “The Comrades of the Qui-t Hour.” Ou, if a miilion Eudeavorers every day for a year to come would remember the ‘quiét nour the power of Christian En- deavor with God and man would be multiplied ahundred foid. : The world for Christ. Tne Nation for Christ. The family for Christ. Myself for Christ. That fourfold Christian Endeavor cord can- not be broken. “The worid does ot yet know what God can do through a fully consecrsted man,” Ameris ca’s greatest evangelist heard a passer-by on the street remark 10 another. and ihat remark | now passed to the fourth 1nlfluem:ed and in a way transformed his whole life. The world does notyet know what God can do through a fully consecrated organizaion, O Endenvorers, hear that, and realize its vast import! Itis for you to show what God ean do through a movement dedicated uuse.fishly tohim. We have the infinite might of the infinite God to use. We have omnipotence 10 draw upon. Ask and ye shall receive. Men lLived for gen-rations on the lid of the world’s greatest ajasmond vault in South Africa, and never knew the priceless gems be- neath their feet. The gold fields of the Rand have been ready for centuries to yield up the key of their un- told treasure to the intelligent discoverer. Electricity has been a mighty but dormant power in this world since Adam first walk d in Paradise, but, until Franklin flew his kite, no man realized that tnere was a subtle, un- seen power suflicient to turn every wheel and drive every car and light every eity in the wide wor.d. But so it waa, O Christian Eudeavorers, there is a mine of undiscovered wealth on whose edge you are treading! There is a might inconceivable which you may have for the asking. Itisthe treasure of the Spiril’s abiding presence; it is the might ot God’s power, which he offers to the humble and contrite heart. Wil you take it? Will you use it for the coming of the kingdom ? The seventeenth year of Christian Endeavor, whose white, unwritten page we now. turn with the opening day of tnis convention, will show how you have answered the quesiion. At the close of his address Fatbner Clark brought iorward tbe hammer used by William €Carey in cobbling shoes, and with it called tbe convention to order and for- mally announced the opening of the sev- enteenth annual conveniion of the United Socteties of Christian Endeavor. Mayor Phelan was introduced and made o few remarks, after which Sezretary Baer read his annual report as fotlows: SECRETARY BAER’S REPORT. There is a river the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God. —Psalms Xivi:4. And by the r ver upon the banks thereof, on this side and or: thai side. shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, nelther shali the fruit thereof be consumed ; it shall bring forth new fruit accoraing to his monihs. because Lheir waters they issued out of the sanciuary.—Ezekiel xIvii:12. And Christian Endeavor is such a river. Reverently ihe figure is borroweda from God’s word, to make plainer to you and to me what God really intends to do with this river whicn he caused to spring up in Portland, Me., six- teen years ago, and the overflow of which he hes “directed until its waters now extend through the uttermost parts of the earth. Careful observers of the on ‘d sweep of this river of Christian Endeavor have not d that it has widened during the pastyear. Since last we met this great current has been swelled by 5000 new societies. Rejoice with exceeding %‘6 for the world-wide enrollment is now 47 local socicties. What a swift. and mighty flood! In 1881 one society and fifty- seven members. In 1897.50,780 socletiesand wtotal membership of 3,000,000 % Of this large tributary Siaie an d provincial streams in this country that have over 1000 | loeal societies Penpsylvania still leads wirh 3443. New York 3049, Ohio 2383, 1lli"ois hi's lace with 2013, 0n- tario 1788, Indiane 1387, lowa 1336, ‘and Micniga. with 1071 for the first time.is en- titled to a place jw this:cluss. These figu es do not include the Junior societies, with their boys and girls; the Intermediate societie; with their lads and lassies; the Senior an, Mothers’ societies for the fathers and mothers and those who in years are no.longer consid- ered young. : Now we are reminded that Christian En- deavor has flowed into many and unlooked- for flelds, for there are Christian Endeavor societies in colleges, in public institutions of various kinds, in prisons snd schools of re- form, in almshouses, asylums, institutions for the bling, ete,, on bosrd ships, men-of-war, at navy-yaras, in life stations and among life- savers, among the boys in blue in United Siates army and navy, in large factories, among car-drivers and policemen, in the Trav- ers’ Unlon, elc., to the total number of 231. The Juniors now claim our attention—the springs that teed this mighty river. The K stone State, Pennsylvania, still leads with 1397; New York only a little hehind with 1288; Ilinois 993; Ohio 970; Caiitornia has made n mighty leap and passed intofifth with 551; Indiana 549, Town 518, Massachu- setts 517, this ending the list of States with more than 500 Juvior socieiies enrolled. The Junfor budge banner, ziven has made the largest zain in during the year, wus first pr Junier soeieties sented at'Mon treal to. New. York, and at toe threc annual | conventions since that time Pennsylvania has proudly earried it away; but this year our £00d “pig iron'’ {r.ends must pass that banner over to the “buckeyes” of Ohio. The other Junior badge banner, first given to the District of Columbia at Montreal for the greatest proportionate inerease in nunrber of Junior societies, and held successiveiy by Delaware, Assiniboia and Mexico, must now pass from Mexico to Spain. A Chr En- deavor banner to travel from Mexico t0 Spain! Sirange history we are writing! O that it might be carried by the shortest route, by way of Guba, and tnat to bleeding Cuba it might be an emblem of liberty, peace and prosperity. The Intermediate socicties next cJaim atte tion. Tne first society was organized a few years &go by Rev. A. Z. Conrad, D.D., of Worcester, Mass. There are now 366 Inte:- mediate societies enrolled. California leads the States with 51; Illinois has 44; Ohio, 32; Pennsylyania, 27. ' As busy pastors, especially in large chutches, are bexinning 1o see the wisdom of banding the older boys and girls into separate societies, preparatory to gradua- tion into the regular Young People’s society, the growth of Intermediate socicties the com- ing year is iikely to be large. Make way new applications of Christian Endesvor prin- ciples. Aiready the Mothers’ societies num- ber 70, ILiinois having 30; Pennsyivania, 20; Kansas, 11; and the rest scatiered here aud there. California, New Hampshire and Penasyl vania each have (hree and Connecticut two senfor societies. As far as we know, Rev. H. N. Kinney, at the time a resident ot Con- necticut, and yow of Syracuse, N. Y., was the first pastor to reporta sepior soclety. In all they have organized their regular midweek prayer-meeting into senior societies by app!: ing the Christian Endeayor iden. Engisnd’s Grand O!d Man has well sa “Precept freezes, whiie example warnis: cept addresses us, example lays ho.d of us; precept 18 & marble statue, example glows with life.” There is at least one kind of ex- change between nations which hostile tariffs can hardly checi—tne exchange of high per- sonal example. Qur river is inlernational and interracial and bears upon its bosom this ex- change of high personal example. England bas 3925 socteties; Australia, 2124 ; gcot'and, 433; Wales, 311; Indis, 250; Ire- land, 169; Madasasear, 93; Frauce, 658; Mex co, 100; Japan, 66; West [ndies, 63; Turkey, 415 China, 53; Africa, 52; Germany, 32, and 0 0n through a long list, with a total of 7919 socicties, In addition, all Canada has 3390 socieles. The badge banner for the greatest propor- tionate increase in number of societies, which Oklahoma first secured at the Minneapolis conveniion, which then was captured by Manitoba, New Mexico, Wes: Virginia, Assini- bota, and which is now held by Scotiand, will fall into the bands of the loyal Endeavorers on the Emerald Isle. The shamrock js ahead of the thistle this time. India, With her spiendid advance, wes very litile behind Ireland. And the other banner—the one given for the iargest absolate gain in total number of societies—is jor the fourth consecutive year held by England. Indeed, this is the year of jubilee. Ezekiel's description of his vision of the holy waters, from which I quoted in the beginning of this report, tells us: “By the river, upon tie bank thereof, on this sidé and on that side, shall grow ail trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shali the fruit thercof be consumed.” Our attention 1s now attracted to the trees that line the banks of the river Christian Eu- deavor. In the United Stutes the Presbyterian treés are more numerous than any other, there being 5531 Youug Pecple’s sociéties and 2934 Junior societies. The Congregational- isis wre next, witn 4156 Young Pcopic’s and 2407 Junior; the Disciples of Christ third, numbering 8208 Ycung Feovle’s societies and 1822 Junior; baptisis 2640, Young Peopie's socicties and 1080 Junior: Cumberiand J'res- byierian, 867 Young Peopie’s societies and 261 Junior; Methodist Protestants, 971 Young People’s societies and 251 Junior; Luthera: s, 869 Young People’s and 524 Juulor, and =0 on, until we have enumerated nearly forty differ- ent varieties. In Cauada the Methodists lead with 1062 Young People’s sceietits and 170 junior; Presbrterinus, 1056 Youngz Peopie’s societies and 146 Junior; B.piis s, 168 Young Peop.e’s societies and 35 Junior. In the United Kinzdom the Congregation- alists, with 1216, lead the Baptists by only 6 societies. Then ‘the Presbyteriaus and Primi tive Methodists foilow. Under the Southern Cross, in Australasia, the Westera Methodists are (Lie most numerous. Friends, you w:li please notice that all these trees on both sides of the r.ver have very much in common, their roots inierineing. gaining vigorous life as they stretch their great limbs and sturdy vunks heavenward, each and every one pointing 10 the one For- ester over all, uone other than the King of kingsand the Lord of lords. Look carefully and you will see that the fruit-laden tiecs are thosé whose Toots are the ciosest to deep water. And look agein; don’t you see that those same trees, the most prosperous and thrifty, in turn cast their protecting shade over the face of the to the Stote that | pames of 10,468 Christian Endeavor socfeties \ | river? Ismy figure toodense? Well,in plain lsnguage, this is what I mean: that the de- nomination that wisely fosters and _conserves its Christian Eudeavor societies insures its own vitality and inereases its own usefulness. But better than any theory the foliowing facts will prove my siatement: A ‘‘missionary roll of bonor” will be enrolied in one of our meetings nsxt Monday. Upon it are tie that have given hearly $200,000 to missions through their own denominational missionary boards. And these same societies iave given &n equal amount for other benevolences. The. largest glit to missions reported by Any one so- ciety is the 1437 01 of the Clarendon-street Baptist Socicty of Boston, The Calvary Pres- brierian Soclety of Buffalo is second, with 016 85, and we must take off our hais toa Chinese sociely here in San Francisco, the one | in the Chinese Congregaiiona. Mission; it stands third, having given nearly $700 to its own denominadonal missionary board, and is supporting six missionarics in the field. Thus the missionary roll of homor i3 em- phasizing the seventh rlnnk of the Christian Endeavor plaiform of principles, which is “‘that ail moneys gathered by the various so- cieties of Christiau Endeavor for the cause of missions be always sent to the missionary boards of the special denomination to whica the particular society belongs. “The Christian Endeavor officers and socfe- tles are sifectionately reminded that appea to them for money should come through the v stors and the officers of their churches ; and when such appeals are addressed 10 the soCie- ties directly, they should be referred to the pastors and church officers for their approval before being acted on by the societies. . , that the causesto which the socie- ties give should be thos: approved by the de- nominations to which the Societies belong. Thus the societies avoid recognition and su port of independent and irresponsible move- ments.” Yea, verily, “the fruit thereof shall be for ment, and the leaf thereof for medicine.” Let us taste of the fruit gsthered by some of our Iarge city unions. Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, at Weshington last year gave twenty-seven churches have announced ihat } Sp IfORIcIR e banIURIE gl in number of societies. This year v retura_the banner, for Phila- accomplished more than any crease Chicago m: delphia_h other cily union in pianting new societies, thus extending our biessed interdenomina- tional fellowship. May we all like Philadelphia by loyal allegi- ance snd energetic eudeavor reaffirm our increasing confidence in this interdenomin tional spiritual fellowship, through which we hope (not for orgenic umty, but to fulfill our Lord’s prayer “that they may all be one.” Our journeying down the river brings us'to Cleveland, the ““Forest City.” Weare immedi- ately attracted by her abundance of all kinds of frnit. Indeed, we have not furgotien how Dr. Tyser.and others from Cleveland proudly bore the citizenship banner at the head of the procession in Washington on the oceasion of Christian Endeavor’s memorable march from the steps of our National Capitol down Penn- sylvania avénue. where Christian Endeayor always stands for Christian citizenship. “It is forever opposed to the saloon, the gambling-den, 1he brothel and every like in- jquity. Itstands for temperance, for law, for order, for Sabbith-keeping, for & pure politi- ca! atmosphere—in a word, for rizhteousness. And this it does, not by organizing a new po- litical party, but by attempting ,through the quick conscience of its individual members, to permente and influence all parties and all communities.” Weil, Cleveland, gours has been another yearof splendid service. Toledo, Kalamazoo, Syracuse, Colorado Springs, Rochester, Chi- cago, orable mention. but as a reward for the best reports sent in to the United Society Cleveiand | will turn her banner over to Indianapolis. and other citles, too, are entitled to hon- During the past year, in view of the un prece- dented peril of the Sabbath, especial ac'ivity has been put forth in organizing in societies Lora’s Day committees, whose work should be to create & public sentiment which will be a menace to all jorms of Sabbath desecration. I: is not within the scope of this report to give a detailed report of this blessed fruitage. Caiifornia has secured the Lord’s Day banuner which was offered at Wasnington by Dr. Craits ol the Retorm Bureau. Please do not think that Calilornia secur s ihis banner because sheis considerad a model for Sabbath observ- ance. 1donoi know that any of our States could be considered models in that respect; but it does mean that California Christian En- deavorers, under the leadership « f their secre- tary, Franeis W. Reed, have mapped out & cimpsign which promises a better day for the Pacific Coast, and their aggressive methods i:hquld be a stimulus to every Staie in the niot:. In cur meanderings along the river's course we have reached New York, the birtnplace of the Tenth Legion. And waat is the Tenth Legion ? Simply an enroliment of Christians who promise to_give God not less than one- tenth of their income. You remember that the glory of Csar’s Tenth Legion lay in the unfaltering loyalty “with which in each emergency they were ready to aare or suffer at bis word. Tne United Society’s Tenth Le- gion believes to-day is a tim» of crisis for Christs army; thé missionary advance has been checked at home and abroa1. Our Leader calls for larger self-sacrifice and braver ser. vice, and so we have embinzoned on our ban- ner, not “render unto Cwsar the things that are Casar’s,” but “unto God the things that are God’s.” Will you enlist? It was the New York City Union that first conceived the plan of securing a revival of Christian beneficence, and it is the New York Union that transferred In .Clevelana and evers- | | Dyke has said: “The lile of a river, like thal its plan_to the United Society, with the hope it would rally thousands to its standard. Al- though the Tenth Legion Is but three moniog old it now numbers over 1600 member: With this spirit rife in New York it is nof surprising that she again secures the banner for the Iargest number of members who give proportionately not less than one-tenth of their income to God. Return with your ban- ner, New York, aud long may it_wave to in- spife usto a closer walk with God, and may it, a8 it waves, also extend & princivie whicli, when adopied more enthusiastically, will make a missionary boazd debt forever impos- sible. X Now let me bring our annusl journey to a | close. We have been a long y; your eve has caught many things worthv of ‘mention that I.have not noted. The waters of our river have turned meny a wheel of industry, borne upon their surface many a burden, mention of which cculd ‘be very worthily made; but let us now rest and be still. Come close to the banks. Is the river where you are clear, quite clear? Can you see God’s face reflected there? IUs Goa's Tiver, you know, not ours. Iis bed is ‘the chureh, the churcn of Christ. We won't for- get that. The river in many places has deep: enea the last year. God be praised. Did the channel deepen in your vicinity? Listen] During the !ast eleven months 25,264 of the juniors have joined the chu From the Young People’s societies, 187,125 ; i ull, 213 389. What a ransomed hosi! Whata blessea testimony to '(icd's grace aud proof of fidelity is church ! m(;‘nce more I say that, if Christian Endeavor is the river, the churen of Jesus Christ is 18 channel, its bed and banks. Dr. Henry Van of a haman being, consists 1n the union of soul and body, the waler and the banks. They belong togeiner. They act and resct upon each other, The stream molds and makes the: shore; hoilowing out & bay here and building apoint there. The shore guides and ¢onirols the stream: now detaining and now advane- ingit; now beuding it in a hundred sinuous curves, and now speeding it straight as a wild bee on'its homeward flight. The personality of a river is not to be found fn 118 water, nor in :is bed, nor in its shore, Either of these eiements, by iiself, would be nothing. Confine the fluid contenls of the noblest streams in a walled channel of stone and it ceases to be a siream. But take away the water from the most beautiful river banks and what is left? An ugly road with none 1o travel it; a Jong. ghasily scar on the bosom of the earth. And is it otherwise with Christian, Endeavor? God speed the day when in eyery community and in eyery land the mutual relationship of the church and its subordinate life, the Chris- tian Eudeavor Society, shall be as truthiully set forth by mutual love and inseparable achievements as the relationship ol the river and 1is banks is beautifully portrayed by the lines which I have quoted. Verily, the river of Christiun Endeavor i one of the streams. that make glad the city of our God, for God himself is the lountaiu from which it must flow. May it be to this basy worid & “pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb!” BANNERS UNFURLED. At noon Dr. Dickinson vpresented the banner for the greatest proportionate in- crease in the number of societies during the past year, which has been held by Scotland. to Ireland. Mr. Dickinson said: Mr. Chairman, I am in a strait betwixt two just now. for on oneside of my family tree Inm a Scotchman and on ihe other an Irishe . man, and so there is a sortof internecine war- fare going on in me just now. Iconless that old Scotland seems o have gone buck some- What on her record, for she is a thrifiy coun- Iry; for she notoniy knows how to gain any- thing, but she knows a good deal better now 1o keep what she ge's. But the Irish part of me is in high feather to-day. Iam glad that Ireland, i1hough the swaliest of the nations, has got ahead of us in the race, and hope that she will stay there a Jong while. And while she is not geiting home rule in posities shie i§ certainly getting it in. the Christian Endeavor movement, I have been told of a ceriain son of Erin Wwho came over 10 America and when he had seen the sights wrote home 1o his brother as tollows: “Brother Micheel—Sure Amerioa is a big country. It is an awful big countrs., You could lose oid Scotland in one of Lier big woods, and you could drown old Eniaid it one of her iresh water ponds, and as for poor c1d Ires 1and you could roll ber through America from sea to sea and she would not makea dint in tbe ground.” 3 1i Ishould make a story of this along th line of tnristian Endeavor 1should say there isno danger of Seotiand getting lost in this ° movement, and s for England 1 think there is no danger'of her getting drowned, according - 10 the repori, and as ‘for Irelond it seems that she has been having what we boys used to call a walkover, and sbe has made an impression” that will lest atleasta year. Aud I hope that- Attention Christian Endeavorcrs—Yel- lowstone Park Trin. It has been reported that the Northern Pa. cific Railway have booked all the Yellowstone - Park business that they will be abl, 1 take this method of denying meen'z':nl:\.r"s:fd -will state that we are prepared gnnlu ll_m Cesire to mn‘k‘: me‘ir’:;!m;‘ek" tateler, General Agent, 638 Market si, &