Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-02-23
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVORERS.
Paper Read at Riverview Local Union
In Lamoine.
[ Printed by request of Union. /

Saviour pronounced the work of redemp-
ton completed. During the centuries
that have passed since then, earnest souls,
imbued with the spirit of their Master,
have labored and prayed, to influence
men to accept OF that purchased redemp-
| ton.
| Realizing that "in union there is
strength, and that a systematic, we'll
defined plan of steady work is more eff
| fectual than haptazard and spasmodic eff
forts, there have been various Christian
| organizations and associations whose aim
has been the extension of Chrst's king
dom on earth. By no means the least
among these is the Christian Endeavor
| society with whose origin and su bsequent
history we are all more or less familiar
| But towering high above all these hui
name institutions stands the Christian
church, divnely instituted, Jesus Christ
i Himself being the head. And the rules
and methods OF all other bands OF Chris
tian workers are modelled after the prin-
ciples OF this divine institution.
The question on our programme is:
fought church mem bership to re the
basis OF mem bershp in the Christian
Endeavor society,""
To answer the question very briefly we
say No. But this one short word does
not express all that we think about the
subject. Full mem bership in a society of
any Importance implies the subscrib bling
to certain rules, the adoption OF certain
| principles, or the assent to Il solemn pledge
or obligation, solemn because taken as in
| the presence of God, with Him Ms our
witness. And he who voluntarily as
sumes these obligations and conscien-
tiously strives to keep them is good
member OF any society.
DR.. Clark, the orig inutor of the Chris
tian Endeavor movement, organized the
society for the purpose OF strengthening
the religious life of the young people of
his church, by giving them definite rules
OF Christian living, as included i'll the
pledge, and specific work as designated by
the different committees. The movement
originated in the church, as child of the
church, and this, as rule, has been the
relation existing between the Christia
Endeavor society and the church, ever
since the birth of the former. Yet We
doubt if every Christian Endeavor society
has not had at some time, on its roll of
active membership, names OF those who
were not church members.
The reasons for this are Obvious. FIRST,
there Is nothing in the constitution or
by-iaas that forbids it. Again, many
persons hesitate about uniting with the
church Immediately after conversion, or,
for various reasons, it may not be con-
venlent for hem To do 50. But the door
to active mem er-hip' in the Christian
Eadeavor society is thrown wide open,
and Within It's portals the young Cnris-
taa finds opportunity for work and the
consequent means of Christian growth,
until such a time as he can enter the
church door by the diyiney appointed
way.
There are many rural communities
where there Is no church organization.
Perhaps there are two or three members
of distant churches of slightly d fferent
creeds who have become residents OF such
a community. By some one or more of
the various agencies which the Holy
Spirit knows so we'll how to use, one or
two Others are brought into the light.
Hardly sufficient number as yet to form
a church, since they are not of one mind
on some minor points, yet they can
agree on the fundamental truths of
Christian doctrine and Christian living,
and united in an Endeavor society they
are able to hold regular services, enjoy
Christian sympathy in their daily lives,
and, by Gods grace, in time their mum
bers are increased, until there are enough
of one belief to form a church body.
Our own lay missionary, Dea. W. II.
Rice, has frequently made use of the
Christian Endeavor society in his work
as a sort of training or preparatory
school, until such q time a. its students
could be admitted to The higher institu-
tion. And then it has its Office as An aux
iiiary of this divne.y appointed iu.tjtu-
ton.
Now, " hat has the pledge 10 -ay about
church membership? We fn1 direct ref
erence TO the rhurch but ONCE: 81 prom
j-e to support my 5Wn church
ia every way, especially by attending all
her regular sunday and mtd-ve-l ser
vices, unless prevented hy -=H- reason
tG4t3 can cansaientjou-lY eiee TO nay
saviour" Tine phrase my oNn church"
may be capable IF slightly different inter-
rreR.ion.. My own" menus possession,
and when employed in reference to any
object, it imp!le, very tender regard and
affection for that object. We can not