Evening star., 1896-07-09

our counting branches twigs, and leaves.
and get to gathering the fruit from this
mighty paradox Of Gods planting. this
tree with mushroom rapidity Of growth and
the sturdfness and solidtty of the oak.
Work Done.
The fruits. what are some of them? Sys-
tematic Bible study; circulation of good
literature: denominational loyalty intensi-
fed: pastors encouraged: Sunday schools
enlarged; church services attended; pas
torless churches assisted; midweek prayer
meetings sustained; cottage prayer meet
ings tnaugurated; evangelistic services in
asylums. almshouses, prisons, reformator-
les, III factories, in street car stations, at
homes for the aged, the feeble-minded.
SOLDIERS homes and other public institu-
tions; open-air Gospel meetings at wharves
and coal docks. in parks and at street cor
ners: Gospel wagons employed; public
drinking fountains erected: poor children
and mothers given free river, ocean and
car rides; new churches built; old ones re-
paired; city missions revived; young men
preparing for the ministry; Endeavor vol
Gnteers for home and foreign missionary
nelds; more money than ever before given
to the cause Of home and foreign missions.
And that leads me to make mention of
the missionary roll Of honor which will be
unrolled in our meetings on Friday. Upon
1t are the names Of over $3.50 young peo-
pies societies and 1881 junior societies
from thirty-ftve states, seven territories.
seven provinces, four foreign lands. These
societies have given $154, ,O22.6S through
their own denominational boards to the
cause Of home and foreign missions. In
addition to this amount which has been
given by these $500 societies that we have
enrolled upon the roll Of honor. We find
that $2O6, 15O.21 has been given by these
same societies for Christ and the church
in other ways, making a total of $500. .172.s0,
the largest amounts given by any one
ciety being $1,107.01. by the Clarendon
Street Baptist Society Of Boston. and lit
tie over $1,000. by the Calvary Presbyterian
Society Of Buffalo. MY.
missionary Giving.
Let me make it plain that the s154. .O226S
given direct to mission boards by the
5000 societies, and their gifts of s2O6, 5O21
for other benevolences. represent only the
record of the societies that have asked to
be enrolled upon the missionary roll Of
honor"
open hostility to Sunday base ball playing
and Sunday excursions. whether by bicycle,
train or boat, and every violation Of the
Sabbath day Race track gambling and
lotteries antagonized: well planned Chris
tian citizenship battles fought at the
primaries: aggressive and organized voters
warfare against the saloon; increase or
hatred for the entire liquor traffic and Its
Ay. a more intelligent spirit Of patriotism
has been promoted everywhere. Christian
Endeavor believes Bishop Berkeley knew
what was needed when he said years ago,
ITO be a good patriot, man must con-
slider his countrymen as Gods creatures.
and himself as accountable for his acting
towards them"
Then another fruit. and blessed one has
been the growth of our Observation-Disclosures
fellowship. To have once tasted it is to
turn 1t like a sweet morsel on the tongue.
We want nothing to blight it. God has
continued to smile upon 1t. and each year
1t is expressing itself in new leaf and bios
som and bud. convention after conyen-
ton. local. district. state. provincial, ma
tonal and International, gathers. increases
in numbers and spiritual power. Brethren.
"forsake not the assembling Of yourselves
together"
Let US examine the interdenominationa
fruItage little more definitely.
Az to Denomf ations.
In the United States the deno,nina.ional
representation l. as follows: The Presbyte-
rians still lead with 545s Young PEOPLES
societies and l,533 Junior societies; the
Congregationalists have 4,109 Young Peo-
pies societies and 2.O77 Junior societies: the
Disciples Of Christ and Christians. 2,9f1
Young Peoples societies and 1,OS7 Junior
societies: the Baptists, 2,619 Young Peoples
societies and 927 Junior societies: Methodist
Protestants. 975 Young Peoples societies
and 392 Junior societies: Lutherans. S54
Young Peoples societies and 26S Junior So
cieties; Cumberland Presbyterians. S0J
Young Peoples societies and 80 Junior
societies. and so on through long list.
In the Dominion of Canada the Me;ho-
dists of Canada lead, with .041 Young Peo-
pies societies and 40 Junior societies
(most Of the societies known Epworth
Leagues Of Christian Endeavor): Canadian
Presbyterians are next, with 1.O26 Young
Peoples societies and l34 Junior societies;
BAptists next. with 173 Young Peoples So
cieties and "a Junior societies; Congrega-
tionalists next, with 1O3 Young Peoples So
cieties and 40 Junior societies. etc.
In the United Kingdom the Baptists lead,
with over 900: Congregationalists next.
with nearly as many: then the Methodists.
with over 100. and the Presbyterians Epis-
copalians, Moravians and Friends, In order
named.
lead. and CongIegationalists, Baptists.
Presbyterians follow.
A Prophecy Fulfilled.
Let me refer. in closing, to propnecy
made just ten years ago by DIR. J. e
Twitchell of New Haven. Conn:
Il am no prophet, the of a
prophet, but venture that the fifty thou
sand now composing the Christian En-
deavor Society in five years will become
five hundred thousand, and l would not be
at all surprised if in ten years it should
roll up a round million. 1t is Christian,
on the right basis, and breathes the true,
prophetic life God has a place for it,
and work for 1t and help for it, 1 am
sure. How patriarchal our brother. DR..
Clark. the founder, will feel ten years
hence. if he shall become the foster father
of million!' Well DIR. Twitchell, the
ten years have passed, and the round
million" has been rolled up and more. for
there is today in the 1925 societies
throughout the world a total membership
of 2,7JO,0OO. And the best of it all is that
from our juniors 21.5OO, and from our
young peoples societies 210, 200. have this
year joined the churches of America!
Praise God for that! In ALL 231.9OO have
from Christian Endeavor taken their place
in the church of the living God. What
blessed harvest for one year!
Assurance of Growth.
DR.. Charles F. Deems, that sainted friend
of our cause, said at the Saratoga Chris
tian Endeavor convention in 1887 that
''things that grow have more intrinsic
value than things that are made. Growth
is natural; manufacture is artificial. What
is manufactured is every moment going 20
decay. Whatever grows has in itself the
seed OF its own propagation. The first
acorn God made is growing now, nightly
multiplied and spread through millions of
its descendant oaks"