Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-07-05
OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR INTEREST.

What Endeayor Means--Purpose of the
Ehdeavor Societies--AIore About the
Great Cleveland Convention,-Uo Coming
Christian Endeayor Events.
Endeavor means work. For this
purpose Endeavor societies exist. What
have you done? What are you doing ?
What, by the grace of God, do you
intend to dos These are questions of
vital Importance to every honest Chris.
tan Endeavoror.
But Christian Endeavor does not refer
simply to that kind of work in the
accomplishment of which we are reason
ably certain of success; it has to do also
with the attempt to do the seemingly
impossible, if it needs to be done. 1t
means to look at burden that seems
too heavy for us to carry, and to say,
"God helping me, will try to carry it. :"
Only such spirit can engage in an
aggressive Christian warfare. Only such
spirit will conduce toward the extern
sion of the masters kingdom in difficult
fields, and the undertaking. Of reforms
against great odds.
But "endeavor" has still more
subtle meaning. The word is primarily
made up of en- deyer, from the Latin,
dcbere, to be in debt; and as every man
i'll debt is supposed to be working to
pay his debt, the word carries with it
the suggestion of one working to pay
his debt. The endeayorer, like Paul, is in
debt to every man. In Romans 1, IA,
Paul says, 81 am debtor both to the
Greeks and to the barbarians; both to
the wise and to the unwise." This is
one Of the secrets of the true endeavor
spirit, that spirit which leads us to
recognize our Indebtedness to bring the
gospel to all men. The Greeks were the
people of culture, Barbarian" was
name sometimes applied to class that
are too often carelessly spoken of Il. the
rabble, the mob, the rug-tag. But to
these, as well us to the higher classes in
society, Paul considered himself in
debt; he was model endeavorer.
God gave something to Paul; and he
has given something to you and to me,
which we owe it to the other man to
| give. No matter whether the other
man belongs to the high or the low, the
wise or the unwise, the elite or the
rabble; you are in debt to him. in duty
bound TO bring him the gospel Like
Paul We should say: II am not doing
this man favor when | bring him
Gods message; | owe it to him; and If |
| fail to give it 10 him, | am a thief |
am debtor to every man that has not
| heard, or having heard, has not accepted
the gospel" This is true Christian En-
| deavOr.
In its primary sense, "endeavor" also
means duty, in duty Every Endeav-
orer, wherever he may be, should always
be in duty. But "Christian Endeayor"
| suggests another emphasis. Our en-
deayor should be along disIinctively
Christian lines. In Acts il, 26 we read,
And the disciples were called Chris
uans first in Antioch" The English
were called gives no idea Of the signiti.
canoe underlying the term "Christan. .
In the Greek the term were called" is
one word. 1t meant, originally, to
| transact business with, to have dealings
with. Later it acquired the meaning of
the business name by which one was
known as, Matthew, the publican, Alex
| ander, the coppersmith So we speak
of ones "calling" to denote his business
It is very likely that the disciples of
| Antioch made the preachingOf Christ SO
| much OF business that this may have
prompted the people Of that place to
| designate them as Christians. Every
kndeavoIer should be Christian. So
earnestly should we be engaged in this
work, in paying this debt, in doing this
duty, that it may truly be said that we
make it a business.
THE GREAT CLEVELAND CONVENTION.
Only days more, and then we will
| gather at Cleveland for our annual inter-
national convention. Cleveland Is ready,
the lalch string is out; ay, "strings''
enough for 10000 people. Come along
do not worry about there not being
room for you. From the very opening
night edncsday) we are planning to
make you comfortable, but / must not
stop now to tell you all about that. Let
me call your attention to 'the LATEST
about entertainment, though | know
usually there is not much to be learned
from the man who tells all he knows.
| This information comes direct from Mr.
N. Il. Hills, chairman Of the entertain
ment committee in Cleveland.
There will be three classes of enter.
| tainment, viz: Room with three meals
at an average rate Of S1.50p per day: room
with breakfast, at Is cents to Sl.UO. and
room only, at so to 70 cents a duy for
each person. These are average prices.
Exceptional cases will charge little
higher or a little lower, but the majority
Of delegates will get tAlir accommoda-
lions at the prices mentioned.
One of the most Interesting Of the
convention speakers will I've Jonas
Spotted Bear an Indian Christian En-.
deayorer, who will speak with force aud
eloqNence, and will be sure 10 interest
ali the Endeayorers.
COMING CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR EVENTS.
July 6th-Business meeting of the y.
7. S. g. L. Of Delaware Avenue Baptist
Church, at which the new officers will
take charge.