The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-05
Christian EndeQp0r--Hon1e Missions
BY REV. S. II. DOYLE.

Topic.-The model Christian Endeavorer.
John XIV. la christian Endeavor day.)
Comment by Rev. Sherman ii. Doyle.
.. D.
Twenty-eight years ago on last We'd
nesday. Feb. .. the first Christian En-
deavor society was organized ut Willis
ton Congregational church of Portland.
Me-. by the then pastor. the Rev. Dr.
Francis s. Clark. Its rapid growth and
worldwide influence and its continued
stability in spite OF many false prophe-
Cies to the contrary form one Of the
most remarkable events in the history
Of the Christian church. In the church
and for Christ and the church" II met
n need that no period OF the Chris
tan centuries had been able to meet
namely, the interesting OF the young
people in the church. The church and
the world owe a debt to the movement
started by DR.. Clark. and il is a mat
ter Of earnest congratulation and
thanksgiving to God that. in the years
since this small beginning has become
a great movement. INSTRUMENTATION
al and worldwide. DR. Clark's life has
been graciously spared and that today
he still stands at its head and after all
these years is still permitted. under
God, to direct this great organization
with the same mastery skill that he
has always displayed in his relation to
this child of his young manhood now
grown to gigantic proportions. As
model Endeavorers let us fervently
pray on this anniversary occasion that
many such years may still be before
him and his long and invaluable asso-
ciate in this great work, Mr. VILLA m
Shaw.
A great movement needs great and
masterful leaders. and Christian En-
deavor has always had them. But a
great movement also needs a great
rank and file. Generals alone never
won a battle. They plan them and d.
rect them. but success or failure de-
ponds to an incalculable extent upon
the men behind the guns. Napoleon
was military genius unequaled per-
haps in all history, but without the
vast armies of soldiers behind him.
who in their devotion were ready to
die for him. be never would have won
battle and would have died an IN
known Corsican. The Christian En-
deavor movement has been and is what
it is today as much because of its fol-
lowers as because Of its leaders. These
followers. therefore. well deserve con-
sideration for one anniversary. and
from practica! standpoint what bet
ter idea could have been suggested
than one TO inspire them to become
model Christian Endeavorers:
In a sentence il may be said that the
model Christian Endeavorer is
Christlike Christian Endeavorer. No
Christian can be an example. pat
tern. a model. only in SO far as he is
like Christ To the Corinthians q Cor.
ii. il Paul wrote. BE ye followers Of
me. even as l also am Of Christ" or.
in other words. Follow me to the ex-
tent that follow Christ" This is also
the thought of Christ's para bic of the
vine and the bra hes He is the vine
and we are the branches. And only as
we abide IN Him and He in Us can we
bring forth good fruit or live life that
is worthy of imitati by any one else.
Filled with the spirit of Christ. the
Christian Endeavorer will live a con-
sistent Christian life. be true to his
pledge. loyal to his church and per-
form faithfully the duties and obliEa-
tons assigned. to him. Only such an