The San Francisco call., 1897-07-09
Influenced and in way transformed his whole

influenced and in way transformed his whole
life
The world does not yet know what God can
do through a fully consecrated organization.
0 Endeavorers, hear that, and realize It's vas t
importl II is for you to show what God can
do through movement dedicated unse .fishly
to him. We have the infinite might OF the
infinite God 10 use. We have omnipotence 10
draw upon.
Ask and ye shall receive
Men lived for nsrations on the lld OF the
worlds greatest diamond vault in South
Africa, and never knew the priceless gems be-
meath their feet
The gold fields of the Rand have been ready
Tor centuries to yield up the key OF their un-
told treasure to the intelligent discoyerer.
Electricity has been mighty but dormant
power in this world since Adam first walk
in Paradise but, until Franklin flew his kite,
no man realized that there was II subtle, un-
seen power sufficient to turn every wheel and
drive every car and light every city in the
wide wor d. But so it Waa.
Christian Endeavorers, there is niue OF
undiscovered wealth on whose edge you are
treadingi There is a might inconceivable
which you may have for the asking. 1t is the
treasure OF the Spirits abiding presence; 1t Is
the might OF Gods power, which he offers to
the humble and contrlte heart VIII you
take it? VIII you use it for the coming OF the
kingdom
The seventeenth year of Christian Endeavor,
whose white, unwritten page we now turn
with the opening day of this convention, will
show how you have answered the question.
az the ClOSe Oh MS duuTeSS FdtueT CldTh
brought forward the hammer used by
William Carey in cobbling shoes, and with
1t called the convention to order and for
maliy announced the opening OF the sew
enteenth annual convention of the United
Societies of Christian Endeavor.
Mayor Phelan was introduced and m ade
lew remarks, after which Secretary Baer
read his annual report as follows:
SECRETARY BAER'S REPORT.
There is a river the streams whereof shall make
glad the city OF God.-Psalms xlvi:4.
side and or that side, shall grow all trees for meat,
whose leaf shall not fade. neither shall the fruit
thereof be consumed it shall bring forth fruit
according TO his months because their waters they
issued out OF the sanctuary.-Ezekiel xlvii:12.
And Christian Endeavor is such river.
Reverently the figure is borrowed from God 5
Word, TO make palmer to you and to me what
God really intends TO do with this river which
he caused to spring up in Portland, Me-. six
teen years ago, and the overflow of which he
has directed until its waters now extend
through the uttermost parts OF the earth.
Careful observers of the onward sweep OF this
river OF Christian Endeavor have not that it
has widened during the past year. Since last
we met this great current has been swelled by
joy, for the worldwide enrolment is now
5O747 local societies. What a swift and
mighty flood! In 1881 one society and fifty
seven members. In 1897 50.7SO societies an d
9total mem bership of 3, 100000.
VI this large tributary Stale and proyin cial
streams in this country that have over 1000
local societies Pennsylvania still leads with
3443 New York 3O49, Ohio 1883, Illinois has
now passed to the fourth place with 2Ol3. On
tario 1888, Indiana 1887, Iowa 1886, and
Michigaa with 1911 for the first time.i en-
titled to a place in this class. These fgu ei
DO not include the Junior societies, with their
boys and girls; the intermediate societies,
with their lads and lassies; the Senior and
Mothers societies for The fathers and mothers
and those who in years are no longer consid-
cred young.
Now we ere reminded that Christian En-
deavor has flowed into many and unlocked
Tor fields, for there are Christian EndeavOr
societies in colleges, in pubic institutions OF
various kinds, in prisons and schools of re-
the blind, etc., on board ships, men-oi- war, at
navy-yards, in life stations and among life
savers, among the boys in blue in United
States army and navy, in large factories,
among car-drivers and policemen, in the Trav-
elers Union, ETC., to the total number of 231.