Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-09-16
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For thS Well
Beginning Sept. 20, 1903.
By REV. Q. H. DOYLE.


By REV. 8. HI. DOYLE.
Topic.-Comnending our society.-H BY
supplying church workers-I Tim. H.
If PROV. xxi. 6.
The first method suggested for COM
mending the Christian Endeavor so
ciety was that or church attendance.
ChSrch attendance naturally suggests
church work as a second means of
commentator. Church attendance
should always be associated with
church work. 1t should and will in
spire US to this end No one can
worship God long 'in sincerity and
truth without desiring to enlist in the
Lords work in the church. The work
of the church and the need Of workers
will frequently be emphasized from the
pulpit, and then will come the oppor-
tunity of the true hearted Christian
Endeavorer to offer himself in the
Lords service.
To have part in the upbuilding of
: a church spiritually is a great privi-
lege. 1t is nothing that should seem
irksome to us. 1t is nothing of which
we need be ashamed, for 1--WE are CO.
laborers with God" and with the best
Christian saints who have ever lived.
As in the days of the Master. 1.-THE
harvest is great and the laborers are
few"
1t Is not possible to elect every men,
Der Of a church to some Office, nor. in
deed. to give each one a definite work
to perform. But to those who are WILL
&~rv COI mo,
at material. If we need and want n
secular position we seek it, but how
seldom we do this in the church. We
are like the oilers on the street who
in Christ's parable said they were idle
because no man gave them work-a
poor excuse Work does not usually
seek men; they must seek it. But why
viii we be idlers in Gods house for
this poor excuse? II you are given
no specific duty to perform. seek work.
A jealous young man wanted Sun
day class of boys In a certain church.
He decided to seek a class. Nor did
he go to the slums. He had one schol-
ar in view in the best section Of his
church, and around him he gathered
six or seven others. He taught them
faithfully and led every one Of them to
Christ. He is now an elder in his
church. and his boys. now young men.
are teachers in the Sabbath school and
leaders In the Christian Endeavor So
ciety.
Do not say there is no church work
for you to do. Don't wait for some
thing to turn up. Turn it up. Do you
miss any one from the church serv-
ices? Visit him, and if he is sick
or In trouble tell the pastor. Have
young people come into the church
call upon them and make them vel
come. Are there ''shut ms" in your
congregation? Visit them with few
flowers, kindly smile, and read and
pray with them. Does the Sunday
school superintendent need teachers?
help train up the children and teach
others what you know about Christ
and the Bible. If you can't find any
thing else to do. go to your pastor and
say, Pastor, if there is anything that
you want done and no one else wants
to do 1t, I'm the one to do 1t for you
II real live, active Christian Endeavor-
ers were thus working along lines mi
tiated by themselves and performing
duties assigned to them, the church
would soon wake up to the fact that
Christian Endeavor means something.
Every church Organization is but
part Of the church life. 1t Is not an
end in itself. but a means to an end
the building up Of church. What is
your society? Is 1t living for itself or
for the entire church?
BIBLE READINGS.
Zech. Nv. 6-10; Eccl. tx, 10; Xii. /:
Mark IL, 3S-41; Matt XIV, 31-46; Acts
I, Ill; John tx, 4; Cor. XIV, So; Gal
VI lilo: Cor. v. lib