The Washington times., 1902-12-06
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR
TOPICS FOR THE WEEK
Lesson Text, with Thoughts and Suggestions for the
WOrRGrS-NeWS Notes.

proof and diseouragement He spoke
words OF encouragement and hope The
lesson for US, then, is to try always to
encourage and never to discourage.
Since We know that Chrlst's love aad
sympathy goes out 10 every human be-
Ing. shall We not catch something OF
the same spirit? Let us cultivate sym
pathy and love for ALL and to say to
even the lowliest. BE Of good cheer:
rise He calleth thee"
There is another phase OF the subject
which we may consider. The weakness
in the lives OF protesting Christians is
made much OF by those who are not
Christians. a great many people And
fault because some protesting Chris
tians they know OF are not perfect, and
they try to think that is sufficient rea-
son for them not TO try TO live the Chris
tian life themselves They know in their
hearts how unreasonable this IS. and
yet they cling to IT as though they
thought Il would save them.
Writing is sometimes taught by means
OF copy books, with the copy engraved at
the top CT each page. The scholars try
to initiate the copy, but none Of them
can write perfectly. and many Of them
fail to write even we'll. Christ Is the
perfect copy. and many people are ear
nestly striving to initiate him IN their
daily lives. Some OF US, yea. a great
many Of US, fall very far short In our
bot ear
for cur trying. And the man who turns
away from Christ and looks only At the
lives OF the weakest Christians he
knows is neither fair nor reasonable.
Every one Of US shall give an account
OF himself 70 God" II you know some
protesting Christians who are weak. do
you not also know at least a few whose
lives are strong and good? Why not
| look at the best instead OF the weakest2
Nay. look at Christ himself
The other Scripture lesson leads US to
think OF how Christians discourage each
other. Out Of the twelve who had been
sent up into the land Of Canaan 10 make
/ Investigation. only Caleb and Joshua
/ gave hopeful and encouraging reports.
/ The others were afraid OF the inhabi-
tants, and although they knew that it
was Gods plan and purpose that they
should go up and possess the land.
and that their failure to do so would be
sinful disobedience, they gave such dis
couraging reports Of the difficulties and
dangers that the people became almost
panic-strickeh and wanted to return 10
their bondage In Egypt. The result was
that God was obliged TO keep tne people
/ in the wilderness forty years, until a
new generation had grown up. a genera
/ tiOn in which there was more courage
and hopefulness, and more OF the spirit
! Of obedience.
Dear fellow -Endeavorers, shall we not
! try each one 10 be a Caleb or Joshua?
The progress OF Gods kingdom is re-
tarded by the lack OF courage on the
part Of some OF his people Let US,
4 therefore try to be always hopeful and
icourageous, aud not dismal and discour-
iaging. Let US encourage others. Let US
TRY always to appear cheerful and hope
/ full Let each one try to contribute as
much as possible TO make our prayer
meetings as bright and attractive as pos
| sible by our prczaFt and regular at
tendance. by Joining heartily In the sing
| ing. by cheerful testimony, and by cor
/ daily greeting everybody, friends as
well as strangers. Christians ought to
be the happIest people N the world. and
/ Christian EndesvoreTs ought 70 be the
/ happiest Of Christians We have so many
! privileges, so many blessings, so many
helpful things.
The words from the Presidents mes
sage. so happily applied by DR.. Clark
last Wednesday night to the Christian
Endeavor movement, are very express
sive and very impressive as we'll
ours is not the creed Of the weakling
and the coward; ours IS the gospel OF
hope and Of triumphant Endeavor."