Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-27

at the strange looking animal. He
concluded to kill it. He struck at its
head with his axe, the turtle drew in
his head out of sight and Pat thought
he had cut it off. The next day walk
ing along the same place he saw the
turtle moving along as usual with his
head out Of sight and said: Faith and
the creature is dead, but he does not
seem to be aware of it." There are
many people in our churches today
that are dead spiritually, but they do
not seem to be aware of it. l do not
want our beloved union to be in that
condition. So tonight let us face the
question manfully, and answer it truth
fully. AS union are we growing in
numbers? Yes, l believe we should
grow in numbers altho numbers are
not essential, but Christ said: 81, if
be lifted up, will draw all men unto
me-" So if we are Christlike, men will
be drawn unto our standard and
growth in numbers will enable us to
determine our growth along other
lines. Are we growing in power, mark
/ say power, not influence, the apostles
did not have influence, but they tarried
until they were imbued with power,
And dear friends if we follow the ex-
ample of Christ and his apostles in con-
demning sin, and rebuliing evil wher-
ever found in high places as well as
low, we will not have influence today,
we will not be popular in modern So
ciety, we will be treated as they were
treated then, even after all these years
of nominal Christianity. But it is our
privilege to have power with God, and
be instrumental in fastening His king
dom, even tho it leads in measure to
social ostracism, and scorn and sub
ject to being called fanatics and re-
ligious cranks. And we are growing
in ability to reach and save lost hui
mainly? If not we are dead as an or
ganization, if not why not? Can we
remove this cause, resurrect our
Union and proclaim to the world that
Christian Endeavor in Iowa lives, and
in proof of the fact show growth along
these lines, thus conforming to our
great law of life. Candidly, l believe
we live and can show some growth but
not enough to be proud of. How is it
with our local societies, do they live?
Have they grown in numbers and in
pOWS DO yOul SOiAAlliIISCo wv wv
ter work along old lines and are they
taking up new lines of effort as sug-
gested to us by the United Society?
Do your prayer meetings have a
deeper spiritual tone? Do they have
deeper hold on the lives of the mem,
bers, as society are we more loyal tel
pastor and church? Do we attend the
Lords day and midweek meetings bet
ter? AS society do we use our So
cial powers to reach the unchurched?
Do we throw our weight in favor of
all moral, educational, political and
social reforms? There is boundless
room for growth aong these lines and
the organization that lives in the fu-
ture must be leader in this work.
There never was a time when an or
ganization had the door of opportunity
opened so wide and such a power push
ing it into it as Christian Endeavor
has now along these lines. There is no
hindrance, no one to object. In our
earliest days some of us can remem-
Der when some churches and some
church members objected to the en-
thusiasm, life, energy and enterprise
of Christian Endeayor. 1t was SO I'M
like what the church had done in the
past, it was an innovation, they thought
everything should be done just as it
always had been, forgot that the
| world was forging ahead at tremen-
dous rate and that the church must
keep step or drop out of the process
sion. They remind me of a story OF
man and his chicken house. He had
chicken house, it was old and de-
lapidated, the roof was off and the
stills were rotten, the door was off the
hinges and the wind whistled through
its cracks, it was half full of filth and
Accommodations of years and was full
of vermin and foul doors. The far
mer built new hen house on the mod
ern plan, it had mansard roof, pan
eled doors, bay windows. He painted
| it within and without, made stone
approach to it and put in patent nests
and most approved roosts, on one side
he hung a large pastoral picture of
1 the denizens of the barn yard going
out to breakfast just as the sun rose.
On the other side water scene,
where the web-footed fowls were 60
| ing down into beautiful lake" and
over the door a brilliant motto, that
read welcome" and just opposite one
God bless our home" and took the
fowls in and told them to enjoy it..
The next morning, full of pride, he
went out to see how they liked the new
dwelling. He was surprised, there
was not single fowl in the house; he
looked for them everywhere. and at
last found them all congregated on
the filth and refuse of the old home.
They were roosting on the memories
of the past. So some churches
and church, members did. They were
dwelling in the good old days" al
ways telling how they used to do
things, but they have passed away.
| You cannot find a church nor an in
dividual that faults the object or meth
DDS of the Christian Endeavor, unless
they are opposed to the church itself.
| Our pastors are more and more will
ing to aid us and give us word OF
cheer. We have patent on the best
methods of saving lost men and wom-
en- and accomplishing the mission of
the church in the world, but unless
we push it we will fail and God will
4 4 L.