The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-27
A BIRTHDAY OF BIGNESS.
Tcrse Comments On the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topic of The Young
Peoples Societies-Christian En-
deayOr. Etc, for February l.,
"ChFistian Endeavor PrOgress''-
Mark 1852.

"Christian Endeayor Progress
Mark 1852
(By William T. Ellis.)
This topic marks the thirty-third
birthday of the Christian Endeavor
Society. It looks back upon a gener-
alton or time which has seen at least
ten million young people pass through
the portals of this organization Of
young people in the churches. The
simple fact Of the magnitude of the
movement is worth musing upon. 1t
has fulfilled the first condition of great
lnnuences by being in contact with a
large number of individual lives. The
direct touch of Christian Endeayor
has been felt by millions of bows and
girls, young men and young women. |
Another secret Of the potency Of this
huge movement has been the wide
spread distribution of it's members.
The Christian EndeavOr flag flies on
all continents. Almost every tongue
spoken today by mankind is heard in
solemn utterance of the Christian
E~ndeavor pledge. Wherever Chris
tan missions have gone, this form Of
church work has been carried. Thus,
as we contemplate the immensely Of
the organization whose birthday is
now cOmmemOrated, we understand
that III this simple fact of bigness lies
power for good.
The one essential evidence OF the
prOgres OF Christian Endeayor is
round III h character and usefulness
OF individual EndeaVors.
OF the really surprising aspects
Of the present Christian Endeayor
conditions, none is more surprising
than that thec churches and denomina-
tons do not make greater use Of this
proved agency for reaching and de-
veloping young people in Christian
character and activity. There is no
department Of church affairs more
deserving of close and systematic at
tention than this.
It has often been said, Save an
adult, and o save a unit; save a
child and you SAL a whole multi
plication table,"
Many a pastor and church Official
would be kept from growing old if
he. were to cultivate a closer and
more sympathetic relation with the
young people Of the church. I know
one minister who has been more
than fifty years pastor Of one church,
HI LAG WdS 1OS(Nil1J, dlu AI1dy con-
tinue to be, president Of the local
Christian Endeavor Union. h fac,
sheds light on the state Of mind
which has caused my friend to bring
forth fruit in old age. The man who
loses his touch with youth is in clear
sight OF the dead line"
: One Of the, clear reasons why Chris
! tan Endeayor has won such wide
favor is that it is rooted deep in the
character OF youth. It recognizes
, that idealism and religion are natural
. to young people. The high obliga'
tons Of the Christian Endeavol
. pledge do not daunt chivalrous young
: men and ome Hard tasks in g
holy cause are welcomed by such
{ The very elevation of the ideals OF
I Christian Endeavor has allured youth
Z into the society's ranks.
Like rivers which enter the Arc.
. tic Ocean, frozen at the mouths
convention speakers used to describt
= the young Christians Of a generation
ago. The inability Of disciples to beal
public testimony has been 1argel,
: overcome by Christian Endeavor
which teaches its members to takt
), part in public worship and conference
A whole generation of witness bearing
= church members has been developed
by this organization which puts word
and works both into their r plac'
in the Christians life.
All Over the world young peOp1
have the same fundamental needs an.
traits. What Pastor Francis z. Clarl
found good for the young people o
his own congregation in Portland, Me.
thirty-three years g has prove
It equally adaptable to the use of pas
h tors in Britain and Denmark an
South Africa and China and India
" The real ~homogeneity Of the entir
ItChristian world has been shown aires