The Portland daily press., 1899-09-07
Junior Meeting in Afternoon ADJ
dressed by Mrs. Clark
Good Citizenship Meeting ian Evening
Addressed by Dr. GOOdspeed.

The review of the past may take for its
key-word the word Z" Reoord,'s a wor d
suggested by the reports of our secretaries
and committees. What is our record, re-
ported or unrsported, partially writ
ten on paper, far more broadly written
in our fields of service? Is II simply the
history of another years trial of a certain
experiments in Christian work. Is it
merely the account Of the successes and
failures Of certain Methods an account
whichsshn Indicate the value of thUse
methods, which may cause one TO say,
christian EnneaVOr IL a success" or
another to say, "Christian Endeavor is
failure while neither admits the vi
| tai Importance of the account in the up-
building of the kingdom Of God in our
Statep
Our record means vastly more than
this. Christian Endsayor is no longer an
experiment.. Our young peoples socie-
ties are not q site issue in the work of
the church. Our record speaks of the
vital interest of our young people In the
church of Christ of their active relation
| to the kingdom OF God, of their contribu-
tlon to the worlds. moral and spiritual
needs.
hear someone say, "Chyistian En-
deavor has proved failure in our
church," and the very tone is pitched to
| the key, 81 told you so." Let me ask
IOl Qt6Hbtulls AId bHd FOQHK DEODlc
of your church a spiritual successs Your
Christian Endeavor society has failedS
Has your church succeeded in lenlisting
tho interests of the young poeplep Does
it give them plenty 60 dor Does the pas
tor lave the corporation of the young
men aud young womenp So thoroughly
Is our young peoples movement identi-
fed with the welfare of the church. thai
believe the Indicator of steam engine
! no more truly declares the amount of
| steam pressure than does the condition Of
the Christian EndeHvor society Indicate
| the spiritual pressure of the church.
| Where Is the church that has risen in
| spiritual power while its Christian En-
deavor society has declinedp Where Is
the church that had declined in proper
Jion TO the Increasing zeal OF it's Chris
tian Endeavor societys Visit the local
statistics, inquire of the field secretaries,
and everywhere you will learn the lesson
of Identification.
| Now to US who regard this convention
as marking the advent of new and bet
| ter year of service for Christ and the
church, tina word "Record'' 10 not the
choice word. We hava another, Copper
tunity." This ia the key-word which
shall unlock the cave of the winds of our
enthusiasm, which shall lift the food
gates OF our zeal. Others may be content
to be historians; today we are prophets
/ OAuOib may Jury bntAubckN6n IN tnA req
ords of the past; this is to us another
| Easter day, as We rise to the call of the
future. Our record may be misinter-
preted; 1t may cause us to be enthusiastic
where we ought to be humiliatsd. It
may cause us to be discouraged. when, IL
we could but unlock the secrets OF Its
interpretation, we should find abundant
reason for encouragement.
But Opportunity" is written In large,
IintelliRibie letters across the future. We
must not, we cannot, misinterpret that.
Our opportunity, like our record, is not
OF limited application. 1t Is not for
meagre opportunity of continuing doubts,
Experiments and applying certain plans
of work. IL is the opportunity for our
young people. TO. dedicate themselves to
the kingdom of God, to contribute, and
to contribute themselves to the crying
needs of humanity about them.
At one international convention our
honored President gave US as motto
those words written of David, who event
| going and growing" and he ohesred our
hearts with the declaration that Chris
tian Endeayor In foreign lands, as we'll
as at home, is splendidly going and grow
ing. .+,..
\ Your own delegates, at the closing SEES
sion of that convention, declared through
your president that 1t was the purpose OF
Maine, the mother OF Endeavor, to fol-
low her well grown child and keep on.
| KOluk RIoWAnSs Auls 10 ouE puT-
pose today. This, our motto inscribed,
not only on yonder arsh, but on the
hearts of the loyal, hopeful. determined
EndeavoTers of Maine.
But while we gladly welcome this mot
to and adopt 1T as our own, we feel that
our circumstances demand another. This
catch from the pen of the Apostle Paul
who, recognizing the need of supreme
effort declared: 81 press toward the mari
I or the prize of the high calling OF God
In Christ Jesus." At this time, which
some havo called the crisis of Christian
Endeayor work in Maine, we need more
than motto; we must have pressure.
From the first plan of COMMITTEES work tc
the last suggestion of "uniforin topics
for local convention" we have a very
dictionary of plans and methods. But
these are as dead as q dictionary II i'm.
bedded in Indifference. Every plan de-
} mands pressure. Our leaders have been
wisely guided In introducing new move.
ments; they might have advocated some
Wild enterprise that would have shaken
the confidence Of the church In the wis.
dom of their leadership. but every move
} ment suggested has bean toward our evil
] dent oppdftunity-a- plaip call Of tbs
times. Every one of these movements
, demands pressure; they suggest, not q
stream to float iazliy down. but current
, to stem.
Press the missionary movement
: What binders the evangelizAtion Of ths
lworlds The fields are open, the workers