The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-10
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Topic For the Week Beginning March H.
Comment by Rev. >. III. Doyle.

Topic For the Week Beginning March IL
Comment by Rev. 3. III. Doyle.
TopIc-How the Christian Endeavor pledge
streng thens the Christian iife.-u Kings XIII.
Ia. 2l-25
The opposition to a religious pledge,
such as the Endeavor pledge, is unrea-
sonable and unjust. There is no impor-
tant relation in life where pledges are
not prominent. In the business world
men take solemn vows and obligations
upon themselves. In the political world
men in being conducted into public office
take most solemn oaths that they VIII
faithfully discharge the duties OF their
Office. The pledge forms an important
part in the most sacred Of all our social
relations, that of matrimony.
This opposition is also unscriptural.
The most devout servants of God in the
Bible took solemn vows upon them
selves. Josiah was a good king and
faithful servant of God. No one ques-
tions these facts. Yet he took pledge
upon himself and had all judah do the
same. This pledge was taken at the
time of the finding of the lost book OF
the law of Hilkiah, the priest. 1t con-
sisted in renewing the covenant which
had originally been made between God
and his people at Mount Horeb. This
pledge had for the time at least two
good effects upon the people, and these
| illustrate how the Christian Endeavor
pledge strengthens the Christian life.
1. The Christian Endeavor pledge
strengthens the Christian life by keep
ing us more faithfully in the path OF
Christian duty. This was the first effect
upon the people of judah when they
renewed the covenant with God. They
took the covenant upon them, and it
kept them faithful A pledge helps us
to be faithful to God and to Christian
duties. 1t places an additional opllga-
ton upon us to be faithful. In being
faithless we not only sin in this way
against God, but also in the breaking OF
the pledge Human nature is weak. We
need about us every incentive to right
living and right doing A solemn pledge
is such an incentive. No one can ques-
ton this fact. The drunkard who takes
the temperance pledge makes more de-
termined effort to resist the temptation
TO drink than if he had not taken the
pledge, and in the vast majority of cases
with greater success. A pledge strength
ems our purpose to do right, aud IN SO
doing helps us to do right.
} 2. The Christian Endeavor pledge
strengthens us in our Christian life by
restraining us from evil. Josiah because
; of his covenant not only kept faithful
to God, but also put away evil from the
i people He did away with all things
: that were denominations to God Pledges
d help us to be faithful i'll duty and re-
Q strain us from evil, the two necessities
{ to a strong Christian life. We must MOI
!. only learn to do well, but also cease tt
- do evil. The Christian Endeavor pledg'
Y helps us to do both, and in so doins
strengthens our lives.
d Bible Readings Gen. xviii, 2O-22
70 Deut. xii, 81; xiii, 2l-23; Mum. XXI
Vt I-3; l Sam. j, 9-2S; Job xxi, 81; rs
II xii, %; |, IA, 10; lvi, IL; Xxi, 5'e
u Xvi, 1920; cxvi, Ia; Prov. vii, Ia, 10
60 Eccl. v, l-5; Acts xviii, Is.