The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-08

WM~
REV. THOMAS BELL.
Of Scranton. Chairman of the Evangellstio
Committee.
II. 8. Rice. Northampton County union;
II. b. Hogeland. Bucks county.
Mr.. Philputt remarked that out of
sixty-seven counties but twenty-eight
are organized for good citizenship and
not more than half of these have report
ed. The work should be more agrees
sive. There should be a handbook Of
plans and suggestions for carrying on
the work and he hoped his successor
would devise such q book. The work
has advanced. but 1t is of nature that
cannot be now tabulated.
ed to meet on October20
The report Of the secretary Of cor
respondence. Thomas Patton, Of Phila-
delphia, was as follows:
CORRESPONDENCE REPORT.
Mr.; President and fellow workers:-At
the beginning OF our report let us ex-
plain that every county union In Pennsyl-
vania is expected to form a Correspond
ence Committee. consisting Of a chairman
and representative In each society In
said union The chairmen Of such COM
mittees compose the state committee. The
members Of the county union committees
correspond with each other whenever pos
sible, but send names to the state chair
man to be forwarded when the person re-
moving goes to some other state. for our
committee Is one Of about fifteen state
committees which are In close touch with
each other and who are working to have
every state union In our country organized
in the work.
In some respects our committee Is in
very much better shape than 1t was at our
last report. Those who have had any ex-
n nroo nj 81 ION
to accomplish good results through the
medium OF correspondence Is slow and
difficult, and so'it has taken some time
to get our local committees actively In
touch with each other. Even yet We have
not reached the full limit of our growth
and will not until every union in the state
has part in the work, therefore, We can
not boast of large increase in the mum.
ber of committees. for last year We had
twenty five and now we have twenty-nine,
but we rejoice in the fact that the COM
mittees have been more earnest and syste-
matte In their efforts to promote the cause
OF Christ by more careful oversight or
those who remove from their societies to
other places, and certainly good quality II
something not by any means to be de-
spised. The increase In the number Of COM
mittees should have been much larger and
SO We urge upon you the Importance OF
the work and trust you will endeavor to
show your union the necessity Of the
appointment Of a committee which should
taries Of the societies without imposing
much additional labor upon them. AL
though incidental, yet not the least OF the
advantages Of our work, IL the promotion
of fellowship amongst the societies.
MUCH LABOR INVOLVED.
During the year we have forwarded the
names Of 81 persons representing many
places in every part Of the country and
also to Canada. A much larger number
than was reported last year. 1t Is easy to
write the figures down but much more dif-
ficult to have you appreciate what this
represents. We cannot begin to tell you
how much labor is involved in forwarding
these names to their destinations, calling
upon them and endeavoring to get them
interested In Christian work In their new
homes.
We cannot enumerate to you the cases
of strangers in hospitals who have been
visited and cheered by the kind words and
floral remembrances of our workers. OF
the homesick young people whose sojourn
among strangers has been turned into q
permanent residence among friends. or
young men and women who have become
active workers in societies and unions be-
cause their capabilities became known
through the work OF our committee and
were availed Of at once instead Of being
allowed to go to waste as so often happens
because no one at the home society takes
an interest In them, or perhaps, don't
know that 1t Is SO easy for them to look
after their friends through our commit
tee. We cannot even give you glimpse
of the broadening effect such work has
had upon the members OF our committee
and their assistants who endeavor to full
fill Christ's command and care for the
strangers among them.
Many young people who remove TO our
cities and towns. especially, would drift
around for q long time without connecting
themselves either with q church or Chris
tian Endeavor society and some would be
lost 70 hn fnrnvpr narhDnC
1t not for the timely call of some. repre-
sentative Of our committee who makes the
entrance upon Christian service in a new
place an easy thing by introducing the
stranger to those who will be truer friends
to him than any he would be likely to find
by chance acquaintance.
LOOKOUT COMMITTEE.
The duty Of the Lookout Committee Of
every society Is to "bring new members
into the society, to introduce them to the
work, and to the other members, and to
affectionately look after and reclaim any
that seem Indifferent to their duties" That
watchfulness should not cease as soon as
n member resigns and removes to some
other place but should express itself
through the Corresponding Committee and
show the member that not only the pray
ers of the society but their work also is
manifest in an endeavor to procure for
his Christian friends that he may be made
to feel at home as speedily as possible. The
was settled long ago and we don't believe
you will question 1t but are you doing your
duty in looking after those with whom you
come in contact. or are you allowing
them TO come and go with no thought
that you are responsible for the welfare
of their souls.
The large cities, yes, and the small
towns and villages, contain many temp
tations calculated tN catch the unwary
and lead them to destruction. Sin Is ev-
erywhere, but while sin abounds. grace
does much more abound' and the ennis
saries of Satan who are so quick to extend
an invitation and who are such adopts In
presenting so-called pleasures to the hui
man mtnd and heart which are already pre-
disposed to do evil. must be forestalled.
We must act quickly and Systematically,
and the grace of God which is In all and
through all, will guide and help us in our
efforts. But 1t requires watchfulness, It
means faith. Remember Christ's what
soever ye would that men should do to
you, do ye even so to them" and you are
on the right path. You will obtain from
this the stimulus to do that which is plain
ly your duty. Respectfully submitted.
Thomas r. Patton, jr.,