Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-01-10
CHRISTIAN EnDEAvOR
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beoinninu Jan. IA, 1912

Rc9iuntn9 Sd1s ~ lSfN-
Topic. = How to win young people to
Christ Prov. XII. 30: Rev. xxi. IL, IL
U1onor'Sy members meetlng1 Edited by
Rev. Sherman II. Doyle. D. D.
The young should be won for Christ
1t is in the days Of our youth" that
we should remember our Creator
Moreover. 1t is in youthful days that
the heart is more easily won and that
Christ is found. .They that seek Me
early shall find Me-" After youth
come the evil days, in which we SO
seldom find pleasure In serving the
Lord unless we have already begun to
do SO. 1t Is well established fact
that the vast majority of conversions
take place before the age Of twenty
years has been reached. How impor-
tant, therefore. the winning Of young
people to Christ! They may not I'M
derstand all things. but who ever
does? The oldest saint must confess
that he knows but Sin part" And
why. then. should more be required
Of youth? The heart that is old
enough to love and to obey is old
enough to be consecrated to Christ.
The young should be sought. No
one is won without being sought. No
one comes without the invitation.
The spirit says, Come" to the young.
The church also should invite them to
come. and he who has heard and &C
cepted should say. Come"
To win the young the gospel should
be attractively presented. The ways
of religion should be shown to be
ways of pleasantness and of peace.
That which is attractive appeals to
youth. The mind and heart are just
unfolding. and the beautiful and at
tractive have peculiar charms. And
what, after all. if properly presented.
is more attractive than religionf
What can be made more beautiful to
youth than the idea of serving Godl
What personality in all history Is
more appealing than the personality
of Christ? Having been lifted up, He
is able to draw all unto Him, and es-
pecially the young.
To win the young the gospel should
be enthusiastically presented. Youth
is the age of enthusiasm. Too often
the young are repealed or made indif-
ferent by the prosaic way in which
Christ is presented to them. 1t was
the enthusiasm of the multitude at the
time of the public entry of Christ into
Jerusalem that moved the whole city
toward Fim. and only such presenta-
ton of Him can win the world today
and especially the young people of
the world. The minds and hearts of
the young can be made to glow under
an enthusiastic appeal, but no half
hearted, Indifferent message can reach
them, and why should not the greatest
of all themes be presented with the
deepest earnestness and the most ar
dent enthusiasm?
To win the young the gospel must
be practically presented The desire
for achievement is a characteristic of
youth. Christian Endeavor has fully
demonstrated this fact. 1t has won
and held millions of young people ''for
Christ and the church by giving them
something to do. The thought of fu-
ture glory has little charm for youth.
1t prefers the possibility of present
achievement and hence can only be
won by the prospect of immediate ac-
tivity. Nor need it be denied. There
is abundance Of work to be done.
The young shall be willing to be won.
The Spirit is calling. The church and
Christians are giving the invitation.
To refuse to hear the call In youth is
to run great risk. With advancing
years the probability Of accepting
Christ grows increasingly less. Nov
is the accepted time. Now is the day
of salvation" Remember thy Crea-
tor in the days Of thy youth"