The San Francisco call., 1897-07-09

their compilations The shade of tan on
mans cneek does not make or unmake his
msnhood; the shade of his creed does not
make or unmake his christianity.
BY MethGdlsts and Baptists, by Presby-
terlans and CongregauonNllsts, by Friends
and Disciples OF Christ, by Episcopalians and
Lntherans, by adherents of the state churches
of Germany and Sweden and Holland and
Scotland and England, as well as by repre-
sentatives OF every Tree church, have been
kindly received III the name OF Christian En-
deavor. and by every missionary society at
work in India or Africa.
Why? Not by reason of any eloquent ad-
vocacy / could render Christian Endeavor,
but because OF the eloquent Endorsement
which a common and universal method of
Christian service renders TO its advocate.
Moreover, should you go much further afield
than the months between TWO conventions
have allowed me 10 travel, you would find the
same thing true. You would hear Mr.. Ling
peading for Christian citizenship in Foo
chow, and urging his fellow Chinese Endeav-
orers 10 drive the devils of civic uuTighteous-
ness into the Eastern Sea, where they would
be swallowed up like the Gadarene swine in
the waters. You would hear Africander En-
deavorers deyOting themselves TO world wide
missions. You wou see japanese Endenv-
Orers seeking, as you seek. the life that is hid
with Christ In God; and Malagassy Endeav-
orers looking up through their tears for de-
feated and degraded nation TO the God of ma
lions; and Armenian Endeavorers groaning
as they think of their downtrodden and
bleeding country, How long, o Lord how
long!'
Gould you have the invisible cap and cloak,
you would see Christian Endeavor sailor lads
on the briny bnlows fulfill their pledge un-
der the eyes OF ieering tars; and prisoner En-
deaverers denying themselves their one
weekly letter that they might give to missions
the 2-eent postage stamp, the only possession
thev could turn into ready m oney. We would
see faithful little Juniors as true to their vows
as the hoary saint, and a multitude OF obscure
Endeavorers in every land, whose honest,
conscientious service no man records but
W n n ri
Only one denomination still seeks to prevent
the increase OF Christian Eudeavor socie ties,
and that has introduced Christian Endeavor
prime pes, and though we regret the absence
of full fellowship we are glad of the extension
of the ideas Ior which we stand-in that we
rejoice, yea, and viii rejoice.
Our society, then, has these signs OF q uni
verSal movement II was born In obscurity
and weakness. 1t has not owed its extension
TO humsn advocacy or ecclesiastical author
tty. 1t has spread 10 every land. II has been
found adapted TO every evangelical creed, and
TO every form of church government, aud to
every race and class ana language and condi-
tion OF people. 1t mas failed only where the
principles involved In our covenant pledge
have been ignored, or where it has been
crushed out by denominatiocal authority.
This evident blessing OF God, so vast, so un-
expec ted, SO undeserved, so far as human
agencies go, should lead US 20 ask every year
with increasing humility and eagerness, WIN at
is Gods worldwide design for the society
What or i MISSION has he for it to perform ?
Our responsibility to fulfill Gods purpose
increases with our growth. The larger the
movement the more we conserve by our faith
tulness, the more we wreck by our blindness
nnd unIalthfuInesS to GODS design. Let us
then try to answer this vital question. How
shall world-encircling Christian Endeayor
fulfil Gods design?
First-A worldwide movement must be true
TO lis iund amental idea, for it is evidently to
propagate tnat idea that God has established
1t The fundamental purpose of Christian En-
deavor is 10 raise the standard among young
DeOOle o OntgnOken devotion nd n Tor
service.
This idea is embodied in our covenant
pledge, and this idea makes our covenant i'm
perative in Christian Endeavor society
This movement is not a conglomeration OF
every kind OF young peoples society; it is a
movement for the spread OF definite id eas,
which God has owned and blessed. It's " hole
history shows the supreme honor which God
bestows upon uncom promising, uuabashed +,
ou'-and-out service On, Endeayorers, be true
ever to this basal thought OF Christian En-
deavor! Tor upon ii, on every page of our
history, God has set the seal OF his approval.
Second-A world-eac!rcling movement must
necessarily be unifying movement. This
part OF Its mission IS too plain to argue 1t
has brought forty denominations toge lher so
far ecclesiastical authority has not IN ler-
fered, and bound their young people in
blessed bonds they have not before known;
later, it has forged a link between forty ma
tions hatspeak forty languages; more than
all, it has woven new strands OF Christian
concord between the four grea; Embellishments
ing sections OF the world-the United States,
Great Britain, Canada, Australia. These
bonds are made OF many strands OF opmon
method and common name. The missionary
colonies, toe, of the English-speaking race, If
! may SO cah them, are established in every
cline, and new connecting hlament be-
tween them all is found in Christian En-
deavor.
Arbitration treaties may De amended or ac-
cepted or rejected. The worldwide Christian
Endeavor movement is a new treaty of love
and goodwill between millions of those who
speak the same language and who work by
The same methods for the same Lord.
Every year me of our British brethren
come TO our American convention. In 1900 L
hope that 10000 OF you will accept the invita-
tiOn of British Endeavcrers to London 10 ratify
and seal the international treaty OF Christian
EndeaYor.