The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-08
FOR CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Rev. T. n. Blenus' Address Before the
Society in Nova Scotia.


Society in Nova Scotia.
Rev. T. H. Blenus, pastor of the Chris
tian church in this city. recently deliv-
cred before the Young Peoples Christian
Endeavor Society at CORVALLIS, Nova
Scotia, an address which commanded
good deal of attention in that country 1t
is as follows:
The good which has been already &C
comphshed by means of this unostenta-
tious organization of the young people, is
beyond the power of the human mind
adequately to estimate; and 1t is not too
much to say; that this rapidly growing
Christian institution is advancing
steadily to an important place in the
great moral machinery by which the
world is to be regenerated. Its grand OBJ
ject being to Undue the minds of young
people with sCriptural knowledge, and
their hearts with evangelical feeling, it
ultimately must make them practical
Bible Christians. 1t has entirely too long
been a mistaken principle upon which not
only much of the instruction of the Sun
day school, but of the family as well, has
been conducted, that our young people
are incapable of being the subjects of an
understanding knowledge, and a practi-
cal faith and profession in Christianity.
A sounder doctrine on this subject is be-
ginning to prevail. In the Y. Z. S. c. e.
an opportunity presents itself for the
communication of evangelical instruction
and activity, with tender and solemn ap-
peals to the heart and conscience, form
ing in the morning of life a stable, active,
sympathetic Christian character.
There is a perpetual tendency in human
nature, in religion as in everything else,
to rush into extremes.
And perhaps there is nothing in which
this tendency is more strikingly mani
some part of Christian character, at the
expense of some other part. There are
those who make the whole of religion
consist in devotional fervor; and, by
keeping it constantly shut up in the
closet, they make 1t siCkly and inefficient.
And there are those who make it consist
entirely in the stir of public action; who
seem to regard the private duties of the
Christian as somewhat puritanical; which,
though they might have been well
enough in other days, yet in the present
age of action have become, in some meas
ure. outlawed. The result is that much
of the religion that exists in the world
is partial, and much of it for the same
reason spurious. A general Jealous awak-
ening on any line of Christian activity is
sometimes looked upon with suspicion,
and been Confounded with enthusiasm,
and the first appearance of II has been the
signal for alarm, as if the church were
falling into a fit of insanity.
Christian zeal is a warm and
sincere concern for the glory of
God, and the spiritual interests of
mankind. There is a zeal which ex-
hausts itself upon rites and ceremonies
and lives in the region of airy specula-
tions and doubtful enterprises. Christian
endeavor earnestness on the other hand
aims directly at the noblest objects and
interests IN the universe. 1t surveys a
world lying in youthful wickedness, ex-
posed to the curse of sin, IL sees on all
sides a multitude of souls enthralled by
the prince of darkness, and sinking under
his whitening fTown; and it stretches out
the hand of compassion to avert, If pos
sble, the threatening woes, to hedge up
the path of destruction and turn the foot
steps of the multitude into the path of
life.
The religion of the Lord Jesus has as
one of it's most interesting attributes, the
characteristic that 1t retains a perfect
identity of character in every variety of
circumstance. This is one of the grand
est features of the Endeavor Society. 1t
lays the foundation for community of
interest and feeling. 1t conforms the
character everywhere to the same stand
ard. You may bring together persons
from the most opposite walks of society,
and, if you please, from opposite sides of
the globe; persons whose feelings and
habits on other subjects have little or
nothing in common, and II tney speak
the same language, they will recognize
each other as brethren, and be able to re-
port common experience, and the same
spirit of love to Christ and the church.
The most cultivated and the most uncul-
tivated may be brought together, and
both being imbued with the same reli-
gious principles, they will feel at home in
the society of each other, and there will
be one point on which they can meet on
the same level and hold intelligent and de-
lightful communion.
| cannot think that this great and
worldwide movement is the result of a
mere casual emotion, and that 1t is to have
but a short life, but 1 am constrained to
believe that 1t is a deep, strong, and en-
during movement, pervading with its hea-
ven-born principles the operations OF
true souls and awakening the moral
sensibilities into lively Christian exer-
else Thousands of our young people have
not only an intellectual, but practical con-
viction, that the salvation of sinners, and
the interests of Christ's kingdom, are TO
them matters of the deepest moment and
with this conviction they are eranestly
DESTROYS that they should be promoted,
and sometimes cannot even rest, or
scarcely suffer others to rest, as long as
these objects are by any around them re-
garded with Indifference.
know that many of the careless world, |
and even some protesting Christians,
whose hearts are bound up in the |