The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-04
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
BEGINNING Feb. 5. 1911.

Endeavor? christian Endeavor day.
Prov XIII 6; viii. 1s-17. sa-ss. Edited by
Rev. Sherman II. Doyle. D, d.
The Christian Endeavor movement
is now thirty years old, the first socie-
~ having been organized by the Rev
DIR, Francis f. Clark, pastor Of the
Willotson Congregational church. in
Portland. Me, Feb. ., 1881. Nearly a
third of a century has passed by since
this small beginning, and it continues
today, an interdenominational and in
ternational organization, with its So
cieties and it's work worldwide in ex-
tent. Thousands were enrolled I'M
der the banner of Christ and the
church, and the thousands have been
advanced TO millions. Many OF its
first adherents in the early years of
its spreading are still active in its
service. The present writer was a
member Of the second society, organ
: ICED in the state of Ohio in 1854. and
has never ceased TO have an active in
terest in its work. Beginning as a
boy. having since been graduated
from college and the theological sem
mary ami having become an ordained
minister in the few churches of which
he has been the pastor he has always
had an interest in Christian Endeavor
societies.
In pastorate OF considerable years
now l have never had any friction
with a Christian Endeavor society,"
l have largely given to the young peo-
pie the full charge and responsible
ty, and they have nobly responded and
kept within proper bounds. If the
wheels crcak at times few words of
caution or suggestion-neyer COM
mand, but well oiled with kindness
and love-is sufficient. for the pastors
words go a long way and kindness
much further, and constant active in
tcrest, which is the proof of real in-
terest completes the trinity that keeps
the society running smoothly under
the pastors guiding hand.
In general it may be said:
l. We believe in Christian Endeavor
because Of the many evidences of Gods
hand having been in it all these years.
He has given 1t wise leadership, espe-
cially in it's president, DIR. Francis T..
Clark. Deep gratitude to God is due on
this thirtieth anniversary that DR.
Clark, who organized this movement,
still lives and still directs it. He, under
God, founded it upon great practical
principles, trained it up as his child in
the way that 1t should go, and now
that it has grown to goodly age it
still. under the guiding hand of God,
using DIR. Clark as His human agent,
strengthens and grows in societies and
In numbers. No one can doubt or deny
Gods hand in this movement. Moth
ing else could account for it's history.
Therefore. believing in God, we be-
lieve in Christian Endeavor, for it Is OF
God.
because it filed a long need in the
church and in the world How to hold
the young people in the church was
once its greatest problem. Christian
Endeavor solved it. 1t interested the
young people because it gave them
something definite to do. The cry soon
changed. Many thought the young
people were too much interested and
too attentive; that they seemed des-
tined to run the church and to over
throw the denominations and carry
church affairs with high hand. Crit
cism arose thick and fast, principally
from pastors who did not know their
young people when they met them.
One moment they were a dead factor,
and the next they were too active a
factor. But. wise pastors We're over
joyed and went i'll for the society with
deep heart interest and found it a
great help in the church. Flowers
We're on the pulpit. The aged were WIS.,
tied and read to. All kinds of institu-
tons felt the touch of Christian En-
deavor-hospitals homes for the desti-
tute and incurables: even prisoners in
jails and penitentiaries heard the songs
Of sweet voices, and sailors on the deep
sea were not forgotten, and thousands
Of comfort bags" with cheerful
note or letter. gladdened many man
before the mast. Look at the great
mems movement -brotherhoods,
leagues, mems meetings, the great mis-
sionary movement among men. All
came mp at the moment Of greatest need
to hold the men in the church by arous-
ing active personal interest. Once we
preached on why Do Men Not Attend
Church," Today the subject Is, why
Do Men Attend Church," 1t is the
greatest age of mems interest and at
tendance upon the church services
since the Christian church was found
ed Gf we may possibly except the apos-
sllic age of the churcht that the world