Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-26
MEMORIAL TO F. C. ENSIGN
Closing Meeting Of Sunday sOhsOl Union
Tribute to Late Leader,
WEE WHO KNEW TtlL OF HIS WORK
r.. y. NounR aad r. y. stevenson
Review n Life spent with Won
dcrfuI Results 40 Great
Northwest.

The closing session Of the third annual
conference Of the missionaries and friends
Of the American Sunday School union Sun
day evening at the chapel Of the Dellone
hotel was in memoriam OF the late Fred
erick G. Ensign OF Chicago, who died Sep
tembcr 2s, after thirty-slx years of service
as superintendent OF the northwestern dis
trict Of the American Sunday School union.
The meeting was originally set for 4 D. tn,
but owing to the desire Of the members Of
the union to attend the Sunday afternoon
Torrey meetings the memorial services did
not begin until after o'clock. Notwith-
standing the disagreeable weather the at
tendance at the memorial services was eN-
ceptionaly large and we're full OF interest
The principal addresses were delivered by
Edwin b. Young OF Wayne. missionary for
northern Nebraska, who delivered the adj
dresn, I'm Memoriam." and by z. b. stew
enson of Kansas City, superintendent Of
the southwestern district Of the American
Sunday School union.
with Him Quarter of Century.
''It was my privilege to be a co-worker
with him for twenty-six years, being his
assistant for seventeen years" said Mr..
Stevenson. What I am 1 owe to Mr.. En-
sign more than TO any other person. The
personality Of Mr.. Ensign was wonderful.
fclt his influence Busy business men with
few spare moments welcomed his visit. A
man like Marshall Field always gave time
to him whenever he appeared. I remem-
Der of going with Mr.. Ensign to his pri
vate office and, although there were thirty
waiting for him outside, Mr.. Field told his
secretary to bring Mr.. Ensign right in 1t
was through Mr. Ensign that Marshall
Field supported my mission so many years
in this great work,
Il remember when at one time this So
ciety was attacked by some one and the
papers took it up. the FIRST thing that he
did was to go and have little season OF
prayer with one of the faithful men and
then call meeting Of these strong business
men. He told of the slanderous assault
and Mr.. Field suggested that they keep
the fellow at It IL they could, saying that
it was good free advertising. They saw
him through and the society came out
ahead"
Mr.. YOunE's Address.
MY personal acquaintance with Mr.. En-
sign extends back some thirteen years but
had some knowledge Of him and his gfeat
work previous TO that time" said Mr.
Young.
But we do not think Of him as dead for.
like our Saviour. He ever Aveth. 1he
great work of our beloved late superintend-
ent. extending over thlrty-six years as
leader of the American Sunday School
union movement in the northwest, has
grown in magnitude and power year after
year. and from one missionary to upwards
Of $50 men now in the field. In every one
of these men is something from the life of
Mr.. Ensign. 1t seems to me that he win
ever live not only in our memory, but in
l1Hr,a
the Master. Then, in Nebraska, We are
working the field where Mr., Ensign once
labored. Every now and then we meet his
old acquaintances and here and there we
find communities that have been blessed
by his own personal touch
"Call back all the consecrated mission
aries whose lives have been given to this
work and place them in secular channels
| Close up the 1870 Sunday schools and turn
the half million OF children thus reached
into the lanes Of Sabbath desecration and
paths of sin and vice. Take from the 81, 600
souls brought to Christ the witness Of tile
spirit and the hope OF heaven, and let them
so to the haunts of sin Close the tons Of
Bibles and TeStaments and good books dis
/ tributed, and in place Of their message of
healing scatter broadcast an equal amount
of bad books to lead the youth astray. Sub
| tract the influence OF many a million visits
TO isolated and neglected homes and with
draw every prayer and effort to win those
people to Christ Close the LOO churches
that have grown from this work. Nail UP
the doors. Let not a ray Of truth and light
shine from pulpit On pew. Silence the
preachers, cali back every sermon and de-
/ stroy every good influence flowing there
from. Take away the good seed sown by
the 65,o0O earnest teachers. Recall all the
young men and women who have gone from
these country schools and churches mis-
sionaries in home and foreign lands Draw
this picture and you may grasp something
of the vRstness Of Mr.. Ensign's work, for
though he rests from his laoors his works
do follow him.
The two principal addresses were followed
with brief talks by other members Of the
union upon the life and services OF Mr.. I'm
sign, and were collectively a noble tribute
TO a thorough and conscientious Christian
worker 20 whom the development of the
Sunday school work in the northwest is IN
a large measure due.