Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-07-18
DONE In HIS NAME
Work Of the Christian En-
deavor Society.
ID ITS REMARKABLE GROWTH
The Rev. w. ]. Russell Discourses the
Society and In Place in the
Work Of the Church.

The Rev. w. J. RUSSELL of the Church
of Christ gave his congregation . half
hours talk last evening on the growth
Of the Young Peoples Society Of
Christian Eudeavor. The thoughts
which he expressed were suggested by
the recent national convention OF
tina: body in New York. He said he
presumed his hearers had heard OF that
great convention as the whole
world had heard Of 1t. Even kings
and potentates were astonished by the
news of such al immense gathering Of
christian workers.:
The people of the world should be
kept informed OF the progress, methods
and growth of the society, thought
Mr.. Russell. The speaker was OF the
opinion that the church as general
thing does not accord the society the
amount of sympathy that 1t demands,
and 10 entitled to. Many members of
the church stop to inquire II II Is IN
harmony with the church. the church
has long been looking for some means
to increase the interest in church work,
something that will infuse new life and
energy into it.
Must work In Sympathy.
Mr.. Russell thought the society under
his notice is the means by winch this
aid can be furnished. and the church
should work in sympathy and In har-
mOny with il. The times demand
change in the method OF church work,
and now that these new methods have
been presented by the society the
churches should adapt themselves to
them. The time for q church to sit IN
q contemplating mood Is passed. The
hearts of the young people are throb.
blng with devotion to the cause OF
Christ. There never was more work to
do for the Lord than at the present
time, and this society possesses the
reapers that are ready and willing to
work.
The demand for . readjustment in
pastoral and evangelical methods Is
great. There is . great demand
also for change in the
pulpit. The people demand good,
plain, practical sermons, something
that can be applied to every day life.
The church must be brought out of
this contemplating mood and aroused
to the demands of the times. The
church forces are becoming latent and
are not centralized. The churches are
not doing what they can to Iescue
young men and women who have
fallen from society and have become
adberents to the slums of city life. The
large congregations in our churches
are in q chaotic condition, and one half
of the membership il not acquainted
with the other half.
Concentration 10 Necessary.
II the IL. 000, 900 protestant christians
would concentrate their forces they
could wage . more successful warfare
against sin. They should have jeal-
Gus guard and determination in their
methods of work. The speaker
thought the Young Peoples societies
possess all of these requirements. Its
machinery is simple, its discipline per-
| feet, its principles are in harmony with
the church and its methods are along
the right line. Its members are per.
fectly drilled, and when they are taken
into the church they add strength to it.
The prayer meeting is the breathing
machinery of the church, and it is too
often neglected and becomes impaired.
The Young Peoples society pledges
itself to keep up the prayer meetings,
which is one of the beauties
of its organization. It pledges
itself to loyalty to the church
and this pledge WAS verified
by the 10000 people that gathered i'll
the auditorium of Madison Square
garden last week. They surprised the
people by their immense numbera and
their enthusiasm. This society was Or
ganized . few years ago In . little
church in Lewiston, Me-, and it has
grown from that one society until to-
day there are % 900 societies.