The record-union., 1897-07-09
CHRISTIAN ENDBAVOR
CONVENTION OPENED.

tContinued from First Page.)
and home missions is another way of
spelling patriotism.
"A student in training, catechist,
Bible woman, a pastor, teacher, a VII
lage school, a mission church at home
or abroad-one or all of these is with
in the giving power of almost every
Endeavorer to whom speak. Have
your representative at work while you
sleeD- Work twenty-four hours a day
for God. Have your personal repre-
sentative, above all, so that your heart
and interest and love may be in the
extension of the kingdom of God the
world around; for where your treasure
is, there will your heart be.
L know of no way so good for En-
deavorers to make this thought def
mite and tangible part of the new En-
deavor year, as by joining the Tenth
Legion-the legion of those who give at
least a tenth of all God gives them,
whether it be ten cents or ten million
dollars, back to Him for the spread OF
His kingdom.
Give this through your own
churches and your own missionary
boards; then will these appalling clouds
OF debt, which hang over SO many of
our boards, flee; and better than all, if
Endeavorers generally adopt this prin-
ciple, they can never again return to
darken the missionary horizon.
"Fifth-A world-encircling movement
must listen to Gods voice, and contin-
ually obey it. 1t must not be led away
by faddists or theorists or selfish axe
- ,1xx
would prosper, keep an open ear to
Gods voice, and will never rest salts
fed with past achievements.
You have heard in other years.
Christian Endeavorers, the voice of
God, and you have aroused yourselves
in your might to the interests of Chris
tian citizenship. In every land your
banner has been unfurled. bearing this
motto, Our Country for Christ. You
have heard again Gods call to a larg-
er devotion to missions, and you have
unfurled another banner with the
grand device. The World for Christ
The Endeavorers of California, our hos
pitable hosts, have done valiant work,
as have many others for the rescue of
the Sabbath from the hands of the en-
emies. These banners we will always
keep flying. No inch of ground once
gained will we carelessIy surrender to
the enemy.
"Endeavorers, let this be the motto,
the purpose, the prayer of this our
coming seventeenth year; to come
within the blessed reach Of this cur
rent, to abide in Christ, to surrender
ourselves to Him, to let Him use US,
TO think less of our efforts and more of
His fullness, to seek a larger ,infilling
from above, deeper draughts Of His
life, more emptiness of self, more full
ness of Christ.
Thus only win Christian Endeavor,
and all for which it has come to stand
Christian citizenship, Christian mi sions
and a thousand forms of benevolence-
receive ever fresh life and vigor
THAT no one may accuse me Of deal
ing in glittering generalities, let me be
very practical and, if possible, sugges-
tive A life led with Christ in God
does not come by chance. We must
choose it, desire it, seek it. Let me,
suggest two definite practical ways in
which it may be promoted:
''First-In seeking this closer walk
with God, give more attention to fam
lily religion. A multitude of Christian
Endeavorers have, within the past six
teen years been set together in fami-
lies. As the years come and go, other
millions will enter these same relations
The Endeavorers of America can, with
in the next decade, distinctly raise the
tone of the religious life of the fam
lies of the nation. Why not carry
our Endeavor principles into the fam
nj. "a 1icrio NV, Il
ing more of daily household worship,
and by having, at least once a week,
family Christian Endeavor worship, in
which every member, even to the lisp
ing four-year-old, shall have some per-
sOnal participation. Let the children
of Christian parents grow up as con-
Tossing, outspoken disciples of Christ
in the family; making their choice of
Him very early, and never remembering
The time when they did not love Him.
Older brothers and sisters, as well as
parents, can do much in introducing
this our fundamental principle of out
spoken devotion to Christ into the fam
lily.
''Second-Remember the morning
watch Set apart, religiously and sa-
credly, at least fifteen minutes every
u.
imperative than any business engage
ment. more sacred than any matter of
family concern, more important than
eating or sleeping, make this daily en-
gagement with God. There look into
the face of God. Practice the pres
ence of Cod for at least fifteen minutes
every morning before the days cares
distract your mind. and you, like Moses,
viii be able to endure as seeking Him
who is invisible
20, Christian Endeavorers, there is a
mine OF undiscovered wealth on whose
edge you are treadingi There is a
might inconceivable which you may
have for the asking. Tt is the treasure
of the Spirits abiding presence; it is
the might of Gods power, which He
offers to the humble and contrite heart.