St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-07-23


tionalists, with 1916, lead the Baptists
by only six societies Then the Presby-
terians and Primitive Methodists follow.
Under the Southern Cross, in Australasia,
the Wesleyan Methodsts are the most
numerous.
A missionary roll Of honor" will be
unrolled in one of our meetings next
Monday. Upon it are the names OF
046S Christian Endeavor societies that
have given nearly 100000 to missions
through their own UNCONVENTIONAL mis-
sionary boards. And these same socie
ties have given an equal amount for
other benevolences. The largest gift to
missions reported by any one society is
the 81, 437O1 of the Clarendon Street
Baptist society of Boston. The Calvary
Presbyterian society of Buffalo is second,
with 81 016.85, and we must take off
our hats to a Chinese society here in San
Francisco, the one in the Chinese Con-
gregational mission; it stands third,
having given nearly $500 to its own de-
nominatonal missionary board, and is
supporting six missionaries in the field.
During the past year, in view OF the
unprecedented peril of the Sabbath,
especial activity has been put forth in
organizing in societies Lords Day COM
mittees, whose work should be to create
a public sentiment which will be men,
ace to all forms OF Sabbath dissertation.
1t is not within the scope of this report
to give detailed report OF this blessed
fruitage. California has secured the
Lords Day banner which was offered at
Washington by DR.. Crafts OF the Reform
Bureau. Please do not think that Cali
fornia secures this banner because she is
considered model for Sabbath obser-
vance.
Now let me bring our annualjourney
to close. We have been long way;
your eye has caught many things worthy
of mention that have not noted. The
waters OF our river have turned many
wheel of industry, borne upon their SUR
face many burden, mention of which
could be very worthily made; but let US
now rest and be still. Come close to the
banks. Is the river where you are clear
quite clear? Can you see Gods face
reflected there? It's Gods river, you
know. not ours. Its bed is the church,
the church of Christ. We won't forget
that. The river in many places has deep
ened the last year. God be praised. Did
the channel deepen in your vicinity !?
Listen During the last eleven months
1904 Of the Juniors have joined the
church. From the Young Peoples socie-
ties, 1877, 1875; in all, 213,3S9. What
ransomed host! What blessed testimony
to Gods grace and proof of fidelity to his
church
Once more say that, if Christian En-
deavor is the river, the church Of Jesus
Christ is its channel its bed and banks.
DR.. Henry Van Dyke has said: 1.-THE life
of a river, like that of human being,
consists in the union of soul and body,
the water and the banks. They belong
together. They act and react upon each
other. The stream moulds and makes
the shore; following out bay here and
building point there. The shore guides
and controls the stream; now OBTAINING
and now advancing it; now bending it
in hundred sinuous curves, and now
speeding it straight as wild bee on its
homeward fight. The personality of a
river is not to be found in its water, nor
in its bed, nor in it's shore. Either ofthese
elements, by itself, would be nothing.
Con6ne the fluid contents Of the noblest
stream in walled channel of stone, and
it ceases to be stream. But take away
the water from the most beautiful river
banks, and what is lett? An ugly road
with none to travel it; a long, CHASTITY
scar on the bosom of the EARTH" And is
it otherwise with Christian Endeavor
God speed the day when, in every com.
munity and in every land, the mutual re-
lationship of the church and it's subor-
dinate life. the Christian Endeavor
society, shall be as truthfully set forth by
mutual love and inseparable achieve
ments as the relationship of the river and
its banks is beautifully portrayed by the
lines which have quoted.
Verify, the river of Christian Endeavor
is one OF the streams that make glad the
city OF our God, for God himself is the
fountain from which it must flow. May
it be to this busy world "a pure river OF
water of life, clear as crystal, proceed.
ing out Of the throne of God and of the
Lamb"