The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-14

Inc eighth anniversary OF the eS-
tablishment of the Epworth League
was appropriately observed last night
in the Elm Park church, when the
pastor, Rev. c. NJ. Giffin, ID. D..
preached a special sermon after the
president of the church chapter, James
G. Shepherd, had delivered brief ad-
dress.
Mr.. Shepherd pointed out that there
are at present 100000 active members
and the society is increa sing at
the rate of three chapters Il
day. This organization Is not
a fad" said he, sit is daily concreting
Christian doctrine into real service"
There are in attendance at the weekly
meetings of the Elm Park chapter, he
said. an average of over 200 members
This organization" said he in con-
clusion, "is shaping the theology Of
tomorrow. 1t teaches young men and
young women to be active, aggressive
and intensely spiritual. 1 desire to
say to my fellow members that we
must act with the same zeal and the
same earnestness as did our fore
fathers of old.
I'VE must be out on the firing line
at all times like the wounded soldier
whom Colonel Roosevelt sent to the
hospital, but who was found ten min
utes later in the thick o. the fray,
and who when asked why he didn't go
to the hospital said. L couldn't find 1t
sir God grant that all Epworth
Leaguers may never look for the hos
pital and always keep in the front
rank when there is fighting to be
done"
DIR. GIFFIN'S SERMON.
Rev. DR.. GifHn preached one of his
characteristically forcible and earnest
sermons. taking as his theme, Being
the Head and Not the Tail" He said
that he found this peculiar text in the
Scriptures and in proof thereof read
the thirteenth verse Of the twenty
eighth chapter of Deuteronomy.
Among other things he said:
II suppose there are very few who
are contented to be at the end of the
procession. 1t is of course quite an
honor to have any place in the divine
procession but there is no reason why
we should not labor for leadership.
We should never in this complex civ
ilization forego Gods care. In all
dStS ne has Sdlu, w OTh lot Me anu
wait for Me and I will raise you
THE proper way to do is to do your
biggest after being your biggest. To
be good does not necessarily mean
that you cannot be great. There is a
possibility that this evolutionary
growth may become an overgrowth,
and that you may become conceited,
and do inestmable damage to those
about you. Those who are thus con-
ceited forget that to be the head is to
be the helper; to be like the words of
your motto. lift up
You young men and women must
not be willing to go out and sleep on
the dump, figuratively speaking. in
this land of opportunity. You must
be earnest and aggressive and you
must get your standard adjusted to
Gods standard instead of expecting
God to adjust His standard1to yours
NOT so EASY.
at is very easy for us to pick up a
beautiful baby in friends house and
fondle and caress it, but it Is not SO
easy to pick up a dirty child from
some of the unlovely quarters of our
| city, clean 1t and take it to our hearts
Visiting on the avenues is pleasant
but visiting down in the alleys and
! byways is not. There are too many
| of us who walk on Administer carpets
so as not to hurt our feet or our feel
| ings, and who haven't time or who
never think of going down into the
| haunts of vice where live the denizens
of the city, and where instead of the
carpet there is green ooze and filth
1t is a pregnant fact that the farthest
way down is often the surest way up
I'VE should measure the importance
| of things in accordance with the way
we look at them. am glua TO observe
| that the world is gradually coming
around to Gods measure of import.
| ance. The men who sacrifice and serve
| others are the men who stay longest
| upon the pedestal of renown. Dc
you know that it is the sacrifcers
| and not the slaughterers who are su'
! preme?
do something valuable if you would
| win headship. If YOU get a place
| fill it and you can improve it by the
estimate you yourself put on it. Dc
| something <orth doing, but remember
that no man ever tried to do good il
any direction that he was not taxed
tremendously. Remember your limit
ations, stay in your own place anC
don't get out of it, Stay at the thinG
that is near you and don't yearn fol
that which is beyond you.
give size to what YOU do and rc
member that in the Lords top row
there is room for everybody. There il
in every city one chief beauty, on,
richest man and one greatest scholar
but there may be many hearts anC
heads filled with love of God and Will
| holiness"