Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-12
Big Rally of This Church Or
gdnizdti0n Is Planned, to Be
Held in Harrisburg After
Flu" Epidtmic Is Checked

Who said that Christian Endeav-
or is a spent force, and that the
devil is getting a grip on the En-
deavorers? Not on your life; that
must be one of those pipe dreams
which minister had after he was
thrown ou. of the pulpit by the
higher authorities for indecency, or
one of those minor mistakes COM
monty known as unbecoming to n
minister.
That catchword, spent force"
was started some years ago when
q minister in a pessimistic mood,
who applied it in his address to all
church organizations, not only to
Christian Endeavor but to the Sun
day school and the church itself. 1t
meant little at the time, except that
the speaker was suffering from a fit
of blues, and all the years since has
disproved it.
AS for Christian Endeavor. it is
twice as strong now as when that
remark was first made Consider
these facts and you can realize that
when an organization with a mem
bershtp of over 100000 members
and Joined together by 10000 socie-
ties, and with a pledge which in
part says, Trusting in the Lord
Jesus Christ for strength. 1 promise
Him that l will strive to do what
eper He would like to have me do !"
1t is very much alive and has a
place in the great church organiza-
ton.
The Rev. Francis e. Clark, d. D.,
OF Boston, founder of the Endeavor
movement, says: Our numbers are
l.
paigns have added a million new
members and ten thousand new So
cletles in two years (not net gain
of these numbers, of course).
New and successful plans of work
are constantly developed, suggested
by the officers of the United Society
at the biennial conventions, operat-
ed ana often enlarged and improved
by the state unions.
The state Christian EndeaVor un-
ions are better organized for greater
eflclency each year, many of them
nave field secretaries who give their
whole time to Christian Endeavor.
intermediate and junior En-
deavor societies have of late been
multiplied and improved.
The denominations, with one or
two exceptions, are more and more
cordlal to Christian Endeavor, many
haVlng adopted the society as their
only young peoples organization.
In war service Christian Endeav-
er has found a great opportunity.
Not only are nearly 100000 EndeaV-
orers serving with the colors, but in
production and conservation, in Red
Cross and Y. M. C. A. work Endeav-
orers have been in the front ranks,
receiving the commendation of
president Wilson and many others
in authority.
From foreign countries we learn
that Christian Endeavor, in spite of
awful war conditions, has not been
seriously checked, and in some, like
Mexico, Brazil and Norway. has ac-
tually taken new life
Australia has just had a great
convention; the British union is in
better condition than before the
war; China has added 800 societies
to her ranks lately; Japanese En-
deavorers have more than doubled
their numbers within two years,
while India has made large ad-
or is a spending force, and not a
spent force 1t is spending it's force
every where for Christ and the
church and the world.
Mexico, after the distraction of
seven terrible years of civil war,
which interrupted the life of many
societies, has had a widely repre-
sentative national c. e. convention,
wholly under native Mexican lead
ers. The whole republic has been
divided into Christian Endeavor dis
tricts, eleven of which already have
superintendents. This is a remark
able illustration of the persistence
and vitality of the Christian En-
deavor spirit and principles. They
cannot be killed even by an awful
war, thank God"
A rousing annual Christian En-
deavor rally will be held under the
auspices of the Harrisburg and Dau-
phin County c. e. Unions in the
Second Reformed Church, this city,
as soon as the influenza disease is
abated.
Special music will be rendered by
the Harrisburg c. E. Choral Union.
A luncheon will be served by the
o'clock. The Rev Charles E..
Schaeffer, d. D., Philadelphia, one
of the State c. .E. Union vice-presi-
dents, will be the principal speaker.
The Rev. Mr.. Schaeffer served pas
torates at Macungie, Norristown and
Reading, and became the general
secretary of the Board of Home Mis-
sions of the Reformed Church in
the United States in 1908. He is
the secretary and treasurer of the
Commission on Evangelism of the
Federal Council of the Churches of