The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-09-18

the Junior Unions. These Junior Chris
tian Unions are at Huntertown, Muncie
and Pendleton.
Three of our Unions abserved Christian
Citizenship Sunday. Two Christian
Union IS observed Young Peoples Day At
our last State Convention resolution was
unanimously adopted requesting leach
minister in the state to observe Young
Peoples Day, devoting at least one SER
vice to the Y. P. c. u, explaining their
missionary endeavors and enterprises and
seeking TO arouse a deeper interest in our
loved Y P. c. u
If other observances of the day were
held they were not reported
Our local secretaries have been prompt
and faithful; not one Union failed to send
in it's annual reports, for the National
Christian Union in June, and for the State
Christian Union in August.
Three times within the year circular
letters have been sent out; once regarding
finances, once for the State Christian Union
convention. and fifty letters were sent to
as many isolated Universalists. Two OF our
Unions have held mass devotional. meet
ings twice within the year, BOTH Pendie-
ton and Muncie Unions visiting each otner
in body. From the helpful influence OF
these meetings it was decided in yester-
DAYS convention to district our Y. L. u.
US. in the state, so that during the.com-
ing year we may expect to hear OF many
mid-year meetings. Perhaps one OF the
best evidences of the activity of our state
Union is that we have held two Conven-
lions within this past year; one at Cal
weston, June 10th and nth, and the other
one, held here yesterday, September LIST
ssin connection with our State Conven-
tion.''
This is our regular, annual meeting
held in accordance with our constitution.
The June meeting was special conven-
tion, rather of an experimental nature, TO
see if more Importance would not be at
tached to the event, if our Christian
Union Convention were held separately
from our State Convention. The June
Convention was a very successful meet
ing.
The Indiana Union sent the largest rep
resentation, ever in its history to the last
July ia, 1897 Five of our ten Unions
were represented by eighteen persons.
And since this was the best we had ever
done we fancy that we were just as proud
of our delegation as either of our sister
states of Illinois or Ohio, with their dele
cations of 100 persons. We know that we
are not nearly as strong as we should be;
we know that we are not more than one
fifth the strength of either of our sister
states of Illinois or Ohio. Still we are
growing and we believe that the best way
to keep on growing is to turn bright
light on the life-germ so instead of being
discouraged or critical on account of our
comparative smallness we endeavor to
discover signs of growth, and to nourish
them with encouragement; for too much
farming kills the plant every time. We
know that our Indiana Union should rep
resent at least 1-24th the strength of the
National Union since there are twenty
four State Unions in the National Y. p.
G. o., whereas, in reality we represent
but 1-60th part of the national body. Still,
last year, we reported Indiana Union as
but 1-100 part of the National Union. So
in this evidence of growth we see only
cause for good cheer, not that cheer that
leads to satisfaction and inactivity; but
the cheer that gives courage, leads to re-
newed effort, -sees no failure, but sees
the way leading ever onward For
Christ and His Church,
ROSE B. STEWART, Secretary.