The San Francisco call., 1897-04-17
COUNTY UNION
At PALO ALTO
Convention of the Santa
Clara Christian En-
deaVOrerS.
Strong Address on ."ChriStian
Commences" by Rev. DR..
MintOn.
Church and Hall Occupied by the
Biennial MeetIng-An Inter-
estlng Programme.

PAL0 ALTO, CAL, April 16.-The six
teenth biennial convention of the Santa
Clara County Christian Endeavor Union
was held here to-day, the sessions being
divided between Nortree Hall and the
Presby terian church. Following is the
programme:
Afternoon meetings: TO 3:45, Nortree
Hall, junior session, conducted by Mrs. Genie
Salisbury-Opening praise service, Palo Alto
Juniors; selections, Mountain View, Santa
Clara ana San Jose juniors; report OF county
officers address, Rev. V. &. A Tressler; col
lection.
3:45 to 80. Nortree Hall, intermediate
sion-Conference of intermediate superintend-
ents and workers, conducted by William G.
Alexander; paper, Lookout c. mltteeW OK,
Miss Mum, san Jose; paper, "Prayer-meeung
Committee Work" Miss Ella Taylor. san Jose.
paper, Social Committee Work. Miss FioE-
ence Hammond, East San Jose; paper,
''Pledge," Miss Edith Wilson, Palo Alto; ques-
tion box, conducted by W. G. Alexander;
4 4:00-Presbyterian Church, conference of
Lords day committees, conducted by Rev. I.
S. Young; 4 Observation-Disclosures Church,
missionary conference. conducted by Miss NJ.
J.. Berry, State C. E., superintendent of mis-
sions; 5:30-Nortree Hail, county executive
committee meeting; :30-7 '00-Lunch, Nor
tree Hall
Praise service, led by +. NJ Palmer, Palo Alto;
address, Rev. T. S. Young, san Jose; address,
Rev j. X. Compton, santa Cara; address, ID.
Z. Minton, u. D., San Anselmo.
The address of Dr. Minton was one of
the principal ones. His topic was Chris
tian Genuineness." He began by making
pleasant reference to his personal interest
in Santa Clara County, in which he had
made his home for several years. he
spoke OF Bayard Taylor as calling their
valley one of the three most beautiful in
the world, ranking 1t with the ancient
valley OF Damascus and the famous plain
OF Mexico. lie said:
The Y. P. S. C. E. has come TO be a recognized
fact and force IN the world OF religion. The
approaching convention in san Francisco viii
be great event. The movement has its crit
les. 1t needs them; any movement does.
Sometimes popularity kills. Everything of
the kind here must show its stamped ticket or
1t will not be allowed TO pass. But the law
counts man an infant till he is q, and, ac-
cording to that, this organization, great as il
Is, is only an infant
Your society emphasizes action, work, effort
but only Christian effort That means cer-
tam kind of motives. aims and principles
The endeavor without the Christian is like
the galvanized frog, without life. At the bot
tom OF Christian genufneness lies genuine
Christianity.
You have asked one to speak to you tonight
who is not in a pastors position. Froude says
God gave the gospel, but theology came
from the other direction. If he had confined
his remark to some theology We might let il
pass unchallenged. You believe in Christian
endeavor; but what is Christian endeavor
Your answer Is, Lesson in theology SINGER
1ty IS not Christianity; nor yet is honesty of
builds on Christ Christian endeavor is en-
deavor in Christ's name and for Chrisrs sake.
But who is Christ or what is Christ? Here
again we fetch up in the midst OF theology.
L heard young in san Francisco say,
in an address upon Chris tian endeayor:
Practical Christianity is the only thing the
world has use for to-day" With no sort OF de-
probation OF practical good work and with all
respect for the young man. he was wrong.
The world needs praying Christians to-day.
1t needs thoughtful Christians; Christians fed
on Bible and the catechisms, because there
never was time when the world was in
greater need OF thoroughly well grounded, in
teliectually ana spiritually well developed
Christian men and women than now.
want TO name three points which, in my
judgment, the endeavor movement must
guard with the utmost care, or its tenure of
lie and thrift viii be uncertain.
First-Loyalty TO Holy Scripture as the word
OF God. This is no dead issue. This is no
fossil bone dug out from the dark caves OF
theology. The Bible is under hot, fierce fire
to-day. Open foe and protesting friend are
turning unfriendly forces against the good old
Bible OF our fathers. The artilleries of elo-
quence, the shafts OF satire, the thrusts of
rIdicule and the arrows of keen criticism are
being used to storm the fortress OF our faith.
Nobody believes more than do in tuI ming ON
ell the lights. Let nothing be hid Not the
Christian but the coward.turns his back on a
fact which, If he would but face, might dis
prove his religious faith You cannot study
the Bible too closely. But don't let somebody
else put his opinion i'll the place nj your own
conclusions. Ii you have not time or brains
10 study it thoroughly then take it as it Is.
Scholarship has no magic power to prove the
Bible false. If you do not believe the Bible
you have no business in the Christian En-
deavor. The church to which l belong has
more endeavor societies than any other
church, but all the evangelical churches stand
together on this point.
Ii your association even takes doubtful
position on this question you are gone. If you
allow your representatives to misrepresent
you on this point of vital importance. then
the choice viii be forced between your organi-
cation and the Bible, and the answer would
be as unmistab bablc as it would be quick, You
cannot afford to trihe with the word OF God.
i stands unphased in the midst of the battle
smoke and above the fogs of philosophy, and no
work that calls itself Christian can endure
long which does not plant itself solidly upon
what MI Gladstone calls the "Impregnable
Rock of Holy Scripture
Second-Loyalty to the church OF Cod I
know how you emphasize this, but you can lot
emphasize 1t too strongly. The church is the
bride OF Christ. If you want to please the
bridegroom, honor his bride. Let no rivalry
grow up between your society and the church.
Value her ordinances, honor her sacraments
and reverence her holy ministratons.
Third-Lovalty TO Christ himself not as
against loyalty to the Bible end the church,
but through them and BY means of them.
Christ is not all of Christianity. The sun
shine comes from the sun. but IL is not the snp
itself Christ is the oenter, the inspira ton
and the goal of Christianity. A certain bridge
In the great city of Toxic is said to be at the
geographical center OF Japan. If you ever
walked along High street In Edinburgh lust
by old ST. Giles Cathedral, you have seen set
IN the brick pavement stone IN the shape of
heart, and that is the Heart OF Midlothian"
Jesus Christ is the heart of Christianity Let
his heart-beats pulsate in all your endeavors
You RENE mber the famous definition of q crab,
namely, "a red fish that crawIs backward 4"
1t has been said that this was correct, except
that crab is not red, 1t is not fish and does
not crawl backward. Any movement aiming
10 raise the moral level of mankind, and TAX
ing the name of "Christian,' which is not
loyal to the word of God, the church of God
and the son of God is about much entitled
to the name ii bears as that definition is to be
regarded as the true description of a crab.
do not understand such to be the spirit
and temper of your association. Whenever
you are ready TO throw off any one of these
loyalties, thousands of your best friends will
be ready 10 throw off your society.
Be clear; be strongl Speak out, live out.
work out your faith. Don't put yourself, nor
be put. into false position. Be genuine.
Let everybody know that Christian Endeavor
fsfilled with the shining warm tn of Christian
genu1neness, and with the warming light of
genuine Christianity.
The Attatross hetmrns to Santa Crux.
SANTA CRUZ, CAL, April 16.-The AL
Ln4