Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-10
Christian Travelling Men in Session
at Cedar Rapids.
SIXTEEN MEMBERS IN OTIUnWA
Wisconsin State superintendent, D. A.
Lewis, Advises Gideons to Use Care
Says Order Wants Quality, Not
Quantity.

will be a credit to our society, for we
want quality more than quantity"
These are the words used by d. A.
Lewis, state superintendent in Wis
consin of the Gideons, that organiza-
ton of Christian travelling men which
has done SO much good and intends to
do more in the United States among
the commercial travellers. The ma
tional convention is meeting at Cedar
Rapids now, and Saturday, Mr.. Lewis,
speaking on the topic, Membership"
advised the members of the order to
be cautious about presenting mans
name for membership unless they be
sure that he is sincere in his desire to
join because he is believing Chris
tian and one who lives Christian life
at all times.
Yesterday was the big day of the
convention and many travelling men
were present. Several of the sixteen
Ottumwa members were in attendance
and a splendid day was spent 1t is
expected that this convention will
have good effect upon the growth of
the order in Iowa especially and also
in the other states. The Gideons form
what is now young organization, but
fear, Judging from the words of Mr..
Lewis, is that they will grow too fast.
Notable Men Speak.
Some of the most impressive ad.
dresses were made to the delegates
by Mr.. Lewis and W. H. Darner, the
president of the organization in Iowa
Mr.. Lewis, in his address on the sub
ject. Membership" said:
Christian life and character is say
ing and doing good. mot everyone
that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven.
but he that doeth the will of my Faith
err which is in heaven"
sThe membership of the Gideon or
ganization We want made up of this
class of people. Now the question is
how is this to be done. Our member
ship will have to be secured in the
same way it has been, only more eau
ton must be taken by the one solicit
ing the membership. We have ar
rived at such proportions and our
work and character have been such
that the attention of heads of the
large mercantile establishments of the
country has been turned our way to a
certain extent, and will be to far
greater extent in the not very distant
future. They realize in the Gideon a
person who on the average will do
more and better work, keep his terri
tory in better shape because of not
disappearing things, will be more
respected by his trade, will be cred.
1t to his house and will do the work
on less expense than the average com
mercial traveller.
This being the case, the Gideon
will be sought for more and more as
he becomes better known.
"As said at the Wisconsin state
convention. hope the time is not far
distant when the Gideon membership
will almost be necessary credential
for a commercial traveller. IL the
question, Are you Gideon?' is com.
mon one put to him who is applying
for a position, you can see the neces-
sity for our being cautious of who we
accept as members. | believe the
moral character of the representative
is being looked into more and more
by the heads of the big houses.
Let me repeat, we must be more
cautious in taking an application.
Simply because a man SAYS he is a
member OF church, do not send in
his name unless you are reasonably
sure he is an active. consistent men,
Der and will be credit to our society.
We want quality more than quantity.
We must have high ideals also. and
for our example we must take the
Man Of Galilee,' who went about do
ing good. We must live in a clean
atmosphere, and our lives must be
free from those things that degrade
mankind, so that if there should any
of those get into our ranks las there
surely wild whose lives are inclined
the other way. they will feel so de-
cidedly out of place that they will
change for the better, or get out.
II have always thought the devil
would feel very much out of place in
heaven.
again, We must maintain high
standards in our quarterly. I believe
that can be made a means of educa-
ton in those higher things that our
membership need brought to them,
and through this medium or in some
other way we must be quick to check
any tendency in the wrong direction
among our membership. With our in
creased growth comes new ideas and
responsiveness, and advantages, and
they must be handled wisely if our
organization performs its full mission.
Another way to keep our ranks
clean, is to have membership COM
mittee whose duty 1t shall be to con-
slider each application for membership
and report on same before being ac-
cepted by the executive committee. If
organizations that are not Christian
take this precaution, how much more
necessary for us to do so. Standing
as we, do, the only Christian organiza-
ton among commercial travellers, I'M
less cur ranks are clean we shall be-
come a 'by-word and reproach' with
our fellowmen. May this never be the
case but may 1t ever be said of us as
of the Gideons of old And they stood
every man in his place, round about
the camp
The Work.
w. H. Darner, state president of
Iowa, spoke of "State and Local Camp
Work He had looked forward to
this convention with the greatest in
ort ,,,aafinol !, ~ nr,,, ,tAa,,l