The Monitor-register., 1896-09-11
LETTER BOX.
Christian EBdeaVOrers on TO Fries.
burg. The Great Annual Gathering
TO Take Place NexU Tuesday.

burg. Great Annual Gathering
TO Take Place Next Tuesday.
The scenes and surroundings of our
| birthplace and childhood never lose their
charm for us. The other day | was
| showing a city gentleman, of culture ard
| refinement, some of our number one farms
and farmers homes. and, after expressing
| his wonder and admiration over and over
again at what he saw, he turned to me
suddenly and said in a sad, dreamy tone.
with pathetic accent "Friend, do you
know that one who was born and reared
on a farm can never lose that innate love
| and ~hankering after country life ?" He
was such a one. His experience differs
none from the experience of our much
loved Pittsgrove Local Union of Christian
Eudeavorers. For al individuals exper-
| fence can differ little from the experience
| Of a society of individuals, where the
| circumstance in the case are so nearly
| identical. AS a Union we were once a
| babe. We, too, have our birthplace, and
| to many of US thels is non more dear in
| our Unions territory.
We we're born at Friesburg in the de.
| clining days of the summer of 1892 1t
was a delightful evening. A rejoicing
| heaven seemed to have sent its choicest
| representatives to welcome the new born
| babe with kisses suoh as only angels give.
We could not see their bending forms,
but we felt the influence of their benign
visit. Their love and good will were
contagious, and the more experienced OF
| our number declared that the Spirit of
God was present. The younger and less
| experienced of us could not say then what
it was but we felt a strange love for one
| another kindled within our hearts, and
to-day we weep for joy when we recall
those blessed moments and see that our
brethren we're right. The Spirit of the
God of Love indeed was there, and hun
dreds OF the young people of our Unions
1 district have since learned to love and
/ esteem one another in Christ.
We are now only four years old, and
ard vet nave grown from foe societies to
tDentv. In these brief years Of our history
we nave never missed an annual visit to
our home. Each September or October
we are called home to review the scenes
of our youth, and renew the memories
and acuuaintances whose influence upon
our spiritual growth earth cannot calcu-
late. We all count on attending that
meeting OF our Union if compelled to
miss every other. Our Shirley brother,
Mr.. Robert Summerill, expressed the
universal feeling among us, in regard to
this reunion, so well at our late Execu-
tive Committee meeting, that L am con
strained to quote his words: 'Im SO
thankful for the invitation to come to
Friesburg next time. l want TO come
home again, That was our birthplace,
and | love it. Oh, | love it."
1t may not be generally known that we
have so far outgrown our clothing as a
Union, that our leaders and watchmen
saw we don't look we'll any more. SO. at
this coming meeting, we will be asked to
Law off our short clothing beside our dear
old cradle, and don ourselves Ia new, long
dresses, Here we are to give up our old
name for the new one Salem County
Local Union" How fitting that we
should 90 back home to our birthplace
to make this wonderful change. Let us
ask God that the same heavenly presence
of four years ago may again greet and
guide us in our transformation
Here. too, l understand, we are to select
our new leaders, who, Under Jesus the
Head of the Church, are to lead Us in this
new. enlarged aud more responsible
period of our history. | am told that
these new leaders are to be an advisory
board and active assistants to the officers
of our Union; that through these Sec
tiops they are to thoroughly canvass the
entire county. aud invite to active mem
bership in the Union, all societies already
formed. and help organize and bring in
the young people of every neglected
What magnificent plans!
But, oh, what labor they involve! What
what wisdom and tact will be re-
ouired in u new president. Who can
select him Where is he to be found?
God alone, who looketh upon the heart,
can here act for us without danger of
a fatal mistake. Let US, the
present members OF the Union, unite as
dear children that love the cause OF
righteousness, in asking Hin. to guide
by His Holy Spirit in making this
great choice.
And now, that God may grant us a
delightful evening on the 18th, that He
may watch over all the interests of the
that He may renew
strength in renewing our organization for
us, is the desire of one who expects to
be there,