THE SCEANTON TRIBUNE THURSDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 8, 1896.
I
benediction pronounced by Rev.: Mr.
McMillan, the presiding officer.
' Evening Session.
The Frothlngham wan fllled to overi
(Rowing at the evening session. The
meeting was called one-half an hour
earlier than on the' previous evening
and a few minutes later it was found
necessary to open the doors of the lec
ture room of Penn Avenue Baptist
church In order to provide accommoda
tions for those who could not obtain
seats. Accordingly an overflow meet
ing was begun there, which was ad
dressed by Kev. G. B. Stewart and
others.
Attorney T. F. Wells presided over
the Frothlngham meeting, which was
opened by singing, the audience join
ing in the rendition of the hymns. Rev.
Dr. Warren read a scriptural lesson
from the third chapter of Ephesians.
Then Bv. Thomas Bell, of this city,
ATTORNEY T. F. WELLS,
of Scranton, Presided at the Frothlngham
in the Evening.
offered prayer. The choir sang "Hear
Us, O Lord, While We Pray," and Pre
siding Officer Wells Introduced Rev. IS.
B. Stewart, D. D., of Hnrrlsburg, the
subject of whose address was "Junior
Endeavor." In introducing Dr. Stewl
art, Mr. Wells spoke of htm as one
"who wins the hearts of the boys."
Dr. Stewart said that the Junior de
partment of the Christian Endeavor
movement, though one of the most Im
portant, was an unoccupied one. Not
one church In twenty ha8 a Junior so
ciety. It Is a hard thing, he said, to
get hold of a boy, and the same thing
may be said of a girl. Hoys are curi
ous creatures. If you want to realize
the truth of this, read Tom Sawyer.
But when you once get hold of a boy,
if right methods are URed, you can hold
him. His mind Is plastic, ready to be
molded for good or for evil.
NOT DOING ENOUGH.
The church is not doing enough for
the children and there ought to be
some agency to do this work. This is
the aim and object of the Junior so
cieties. From the junior societies up
are the senior societies and these in
turn build up the church. One primary
essential of good junior society work
Is a good superintendent. The task is
a difficult one but a proper selection of
thin officer will insure success. The su
perlnendent's principal quantitation
should be an Inherent love for child
ren. At the close of Dr. Stewart's address
Miss Van Der Voort, the contralto of
Elm Park church, sang a solo which
was followed by an anthem by the
choir. .
Miss Margare Leltch, formerly a mis
sionary to Ceylon, was next Introduced.
Miss Leitch's subject was "The Ar
menians, tne Aiurtyrea rtuce or ine
Nineteenth Century." Miss Leltch pre
ceded her address with a short but fer
vent prayer which made a tltting pro
logue for the earnest appeal for aid for
the suffering Armenians which fol
lowed. Him told of the TS.fltin nlnn fil
tered christians, victims of the fanatic
and merciless Turk and of the untold
sufferings undergone by 300,000 survi
vors. Then she made an earnest appeal
for funds. Ten dollars she Bald would
support a family through the winter
and unless more generous aid is afford
ed thousands will die of starvation
before another summer's sun Bhtnes
on the Ill-fated land.
Professor and Mrs. Lowe sang a duet
at the close of Mies Leitch's address,
the choir and audience sang a hymn
end then Mr. Wells Introduced Rev. G.
W. Enders. of York, who spoke on
Christian Citizenship."
AN ALTAR AT HOME.
There are 70,000.000 persons or 14,000,-
000 families in this broad and favored
land of ours, he said, and every fam
ily should have an altar reared to the
Most High. The crying need of the age
Is a higher plane of citizenship. There
are radical evils to be combatted and
the only Influence that can cope with
them is the enlightening power of
Christianity.
He spoke of the laxity of divorce
laws and Bald that while the Bible rec
ognized but one cause for which a hus
band and wife could be separated, the
different states of the union recognize
thirty-one in all. This evil is sapping
the very life of our social institutions.
The evil of Intemperance as fostered
by the saloon, protected by iniquitous
laws, also came In for a share of the
speaker's denunciation. The remedy
for these and other evils lies in edu
cating the youth of the land to a high
er plane of Christian citizenship.
The meeting was closed with singing
by the choir and a benediction.
IN ACADEMY OP MUSIC.
1
At the Academy of Music meeting
last night the attendance was such
that the gallery Itself was crowded;
the enthusiasm was more pronounced,
and the singing much better on ac
count of the increased numbers. The
session opened with a spirited song and
devotional service led by Rev. Foster
II. Gift, of the Lutheran church.
Rev. W. H. Stubbleblne acted as
chairman. The first speaker was Miss
Leltch, the Ceylon missionary, who
made a most passionate plea for Ar
menia, depicting the terrible suffering
of these Christian martyrs and the
great necessity of immediate and gen
erous relief.
Rev. Orant Colfax Fuller, of Water
bury, Conn., the singing evangelist,
who composed "As You Go," the song
dedicated to "Scranton, '96," led in
inging this very pretty song.
..rThh..?.Hthem ,for the evening was
Christian Endeavor, the New Cru-
f.ue. ,The fit address was on
Hurtful Amusements and Evil Social
Customs." by Rev. J. w. Memminger,
of Lancaster. He said:
HURTFUL AMUSEMENTS.
Mr. Chairman, ladles and gentlemen-
If yourcommlttee had gone through all tie
lfSf B"bJects aVpro'"'lat ' discussion
??a,i.ai'semil,ljr 8uch a 19, they
fiwVilLni0,t.haVf. .iven me one more to n.y
liking. It is a living Issue. In looking over
SrSSI1' f.ast c,"v?Uons I find So ad
dress on this subject. We have Chris
tlan Endeavor and the Indians; Christian
Endeavor and Missions: Christian Endea
vor and Good Citizenship; Christian En
J'fvor and Our Church Life and Work
but Christian Endeavor the New Crusade
Against Hurtful Amusements and Evil
Social Customs has In it a healthful ring
and a depth of meaning siifflclent to make
the sleepiest churchman awakn and won
der what is coming nxt. In treating the
subject, you will remember that I am no
f ray-haired dyspcpt.e. disgruntled with
Ife and beauty nor a long-faced Pharisee
frowning on the rapturous rejjicln,r of
God's own chlljren. Neither tim B3
young as to be Ignorant of the gljd 4
snares that w-iit for youth fid f.-et along
the fairest paths. In the din. ani ilon
baunted ways even youth Is on Its guard -but
on the enchanted grounl. where'
friendship burns fcweet Incense on1 pleas
ure a poppies blow, how many pilgrims
sleep, nevsr to wl.e ug:ttr.
We need to consider our Christianity,
our youth, our Christian youth, driving
out hurtful amusements and dispensing
with evil social customs.
our Christianity enables lit to sing, "Oh
happy day, that fixed my choice on Thee,
my Savior, and my Ood." , The eld Jaw
filled ths soft airs of Falestlne with songs
of gladness. The Utile-is a book , of re.
Joking, Cheerfulness is an element of God
liness. Religion is not the stern heroism
of the soul in sackcloth, marching to mar
tyrdom. It is rather the perfect harmony
of all human powers set to the music of
Joy and love, by which man marches
heavenward. Piety, is not a poisonous
plant growing In the dark, but a fragrant
rose of Sharoit growing In the sunshine,
making this old earth another Edo.
NOT A SOUR THEOLOGY. .
We do not believe In a sour theology.
The world was evidently made for us and
we are created for a happy, hopeful ex
istence here. This earth Is not a dungeon
keep, In which the curbed spirit, like a
fawn made captive, pines and chafes for
freedom. God has made it a very Alham
bra of beauty and blessedness apart from
the defilements of sin: and even where
sin is, it is in the man and not In the
world. There Is no levity in the waving
woodland, no frivolity in the laughing
stream. The towering mountain lifts its
head in adoration, not in rebellion. The
songsters of the springtime have no trea
son in their melody. All Nature is loyal
to her God and our Christianity walks
rejoicing on the crown lands of her King.
Youth Is the most important period of
our life, because It Is th formative period.
In youth habits are formed and principles
are established which are. to be the law of
our activity. This mortal body holds an
Immortal spirit whose destiny depends
largely, on the drift of these early years.
Youth must have its recreation, but it has
no time for Idleness and folly. A charac
ter is being formed. We may use our op
portunities or abuse them, but our own
growth goes on and is measured and col
ored by what we do with the things about
us. For example, a little child on a sum
mer day lies down to rest in the shadow
of a forest tree. A beautiful bird in the
branches overhead sings the little one to
sleep, but a poisonous serpent steals
through the grass and colls by its side,
waiting for the first movement to strke
its poisoned fangs of deutli. It was the
same sweet child to both, but one came
with Its song, the other with Its poison,
because of the nature of bird anil snake.
And so, tirst of all, in this formative pe
riod, the love of Christ must be in the
heart of youth. He must be tho hope of
glory, and there Is no hope of life with
out him, every deed goes right into char
acter. Let these be pure and good and
with threads of gold you weave a shining
garment of righteousness.
Go with .me to the city slum's, where
the air comes fetid with curses and with
oaths; see through the swinging doors the
matted hair and bleared eyes. and distort
ed features of men and women reeling on
the brink of hell. Hut remember that
there wus a time when they were as pure
as the spotless baba that sleeps In Its
mother's arms tonight. It was by hurtful
amusements and evil social custom that
they have drifted" from belter wnys and
become a withering, blighting curse to so
ciety. CHARACTERS FORMED FOR GOOD.
Character formed for good or 111 re
mains for ub an everlasting possession.
How Important, then, to have proper sur
roundlngs for our youth. It I then that
the appetites and passions are hardest to
control, for knowledge and experience
come farther on In life, and when we see
how muny are swept away, we may v. ell
become alarmed.
And now, in our crusade aguln.it these
things, we must state some well-established
farts and luy down some rules for
our guidance. We all agree that vouth
Is to a large degree the reason for amuse
ments and enjoyment through them. I
have more enjoyment now in a week thun
I had in a year of my youth. Hut In youth
we are without care, we have no burdens,
we are wild and free,
Wa agree, further, that It Is unwise to
deny amusement and pleasure to the
young. If we did as Palmer says, one of
three results would follow:
lly violent reaction restraints would.be
cast aside.
Or, if restrained the soul an tidy
would not grow, and we would hive a sul
len, hopeless person Insteal of a bright.
Joyous one. '
Or else the energy, pent up for a time,
would let Itself out In deplorable vices
which deform the character and ruin the
soul.
As I mav not have time to .inlsh this ait
dress, 1 will now give you some rules to
help you in this mutter.
1. No amusement is light that Injures
physical health parties with late hpurr,
low-necked dresses, draughts and late sup
pers, etc.
2. No amusement is right which has
even the suspicion of Indecency theater,
where virtue Is discounted, God profaned
and woman dishonored.
8. No amusement is right that Involve
expenses more than we can afford.
4. No amusement Is rlgnt that conflicts
with conscience or devo-.'.jnal life.
We may say further that all those
amusements are to be avoided which can
not be converted Into the means of a ood
moral education.
Those pleasures are to be chosen which
educate the eye, the ear, the hand, tne
body, the mind.
PLEASURES TO BE AVOIDED.
Those pleasures are to be avoided which
we cannot share with our seniors and
which reuqlre entire exemption from re
straint to give them zest,
Let parents and children unite In joyous
amusements and they will oe a bless!; to
all.
AgRln, those pleasures nre hurtful which
Intoxicate and biWiteh the senses.
Those pleasures uro to bo forbidden
which interfere wl'.h nnv known duty or
any truth in the Word df God.
All those amusvneuts and social cus
toms Bhould be banV.tt.-u which are hos
tile to an early devot'on to Christ
You are as much bound ta be a Ch"s
tian at 20 as at ;0. rlow many lives are
blasted by the false notion that yoim,; peo
ple must sow the. i- will outs. "Whatso
ever a man sowuth, that shall he also
reap."
God may forgive the sinner, but God
.Himself will not un io the wrong done.
He will not give back the wasted hours.
If you have lost an arm or an eye in the
debauch, He will not restore It; neither
will He give back the wasted health.
We cunnot afford to countenance doubt
ful amusement or evil social customs.
For example, we cannot afford to turn
our churches into theaters. There may be
nothing objectionable In the plays, but
we are educating our youth In the wrong
direction. Not long ago a congregation
rented a theater to give a play by local
talent. The play was a very modest af
fair, the skirts were not to be over four
teen inches from the floor, tho dancing
was to be of the most approved kind. They
selected six or eight young people from
prominent families in other churches to
take part In the play, but really to be so
many decoy ducks to get all their friends
to the show. Two or three ministers ob
jected to their girls dancing In short
skirts, but they were threatened with ar
rest for Interfering and Injuring the busi
ness of the man who got up the play for
the chtsreh. Then a Christian association
gets the school children to dress In fan
tastic forms and give a play in the same
theater. It took three weeks' practice,
during which time the public schools were
well nigh demoralized, for the pupils were
wild over the show. Then It came off.
It was a nice show. Nothing objectiona
ble about it. It was remarkable how high
the little girls could kick. Hut that mod
est audience forgot that if It was proper
for the little girls to kick as high as their
heads, it was Just as proper for their Chris,
tlan mothers to do the suine thing. Four or
five plnys such ns these wero given by lo
cal talent by the church, ami for these
five pluys five young women left Christian
homes and went on the stage. One of
them was seen last winter in a low play
house In Philadelphia. This Is the price
the Christian community pays for smiling
on doubtful amusements.
DOES IT CULTIVATE.
Some one says the theater cultivates the
taste, but I ask, what kind of a taste" A
taste for rant, extravagance, affectation,
relish for sensational literature and mon
strous elocution. Let a lawyer address a
court, a physician prescribe for a patient,
a business man talk to his customers in
the stilted, long-drawn tones of the mod
ern stage, and men would write him do,vn
a lunatic or a fool.
But why multiply wor-d. Let It be
known that a young man who raves over
the theater and card table, the lawyer
docs not want him In his oiTice, nor the
merchant in his counting room, nor will
the banker trust him with his gold. Re.
nifmhci, I do not sav h-j will be mined,
Ntah escaped thi flood. Lot escuped from
tne burning city, nnj von mav escape, but
when you esc i pa twenty others are in
jured. Do you ask what becomes of all the
painted girls that dance before the foot
lights on all the stages in all the theate.-s
of all the towns and cities In all this great
land of ours? Take your stand on a street
corner on some June evening and watch
the swarm of Insects coming to the elec
tric light, daisied by Its glare, eager for
Its brilliancy you know what becomes of
them.
The card table la a source of great harm
and I class It as a very Improper amuse
ment, and the social custom that sanc
tions It Is radically wrong. Cards make
a nimble-Angered, empty-headed game at
best; but remember the old aduge that
'birds of a feather flock together." r ards
employ the occupants of the gamblers'
den and the house of shame and sin, and
whtn you establish the card table In a
Christian home, you establish at least one
thing In your home that Is common to all
these places, and, In. scores of cases,. It
has been a bond of union leading from the
home to the gumblsr's hell. I know all
the nice arguments Aid toft excuses made
by what is called "good society," but
these all go down before the awful fact
that scores of men In gambling hells to
night took their first lessons round the
rard table at home. A short time ago I
looked through the iron bars of a prison
door into the haggard face of a young
man, reared in a Christian home In luxury,
f;raduated from one of the best colleges
n the state, started out In life with bril
liant prospects and splendid opportunities,
but when a boy at home he could win at a
game of cards. He took an Intense inter
est in it; at college he played better yet
and son began to play for money. He won.
He lost. He lost, he borrowed and lost;
he borrowed and lost; he forged and lost
and lay there In the felon's cell. Better
ten thousand times If he had never known
the name of a card. I could' stand here
and fill the hour with similar examples.
INVITED TO PLAY CARDS.
A young friend of mine was Invited to
play cards one evening In the parlor of an
elder of a certain church. The young la
dles explained how proper It was and that
no objection could be made to playing
cards at home. And while they played the
doorbell rang and In an Instant the cards
were dashed out of sight under the table;
My friend said that he then and there de
termined that he would never be found
doing what he did not wish any one to
see him do and he never played cards
again.
One stormy night a man entered his
room In the hotel, locked the door, put the
key In his trunk, locked that and went to
bed. One hour, two hours, he lay awake;
then arose and paced his room; then
dressed, took the key from his trunk and
next morning was hauled home drunk
and robbed from a gambler's den and hp
learnecf to play cards at home.
Of all evil social customs that which has
been the greatest curse to our country Is
the drinking custom. All other vices fol
low In the train of this. This withering
curse, that blights both body and soul and
brings misery to tens of thousands of In
nocent sufferers Is strong because Chris
tian people have tolerated the social gluss
In their homes and in their communities.
The other day I was asked to go and com
fort a mother whose son was dying of de
lirium tremens; but she had made him a
drunkard.
The other night the Keeley league held
Its anniversary In my church. In our city
we have between sixty und seventy men
restored to their families and enabled to
lead BOber, Industrious lives through the
Keeley treatment, and their testimony
was that they had learned to drink wine
or beer while they were boys at home. The
taste,grew and they expected to stop some
time, but all self-control Was gone before
they knew it. Our word "temperance''
meuns anything or nothing. It means a
claret eup, a drop of sherry, a glass it
ale, a pint of wine, a bottle of whiskey,
a shameful night, a blank dny, debt,
dlshondr, disease, delirium, death.' In
somo people's minds there seems to be
some degree of temperance nil the way
from th tlrst taste of ruby wine to the
tiery thirst of the . dying drunkard, .
THE DRINKING EVIL.
Tho first thing that Christian Endeavor
crs must do in this crusade Is to use ail
proper means to banish social drinking
from every home In the land and arouse
such a sentiment In the church and com
munity that every self-respecting man
and woman will get down off the fence on
Hod Almighty's side of this great ques
tion Hiid be ready to say, "if drinking
wine make my brother to offend, 1 will
drink no wine while the world stands."
And while we purify the social circles. In
w hich we move, we must also use our in
fluence to remove temptation from the
community In which we live. Proper ac
tion on the part of a few' person will
close any gambling den In any town In the
state. Proper action on the part of the
Christian citizens will close a great muny
saloons und save- lurge sections of this
Commonwealth from th curse of drink.
But It Is not 'enough to stand up m pulpit
or hall and denounce these thlnns. We
need to take definite action and have i
distinctly understood thut it is our busi
ness under" God to make this world a
cleaner and better place in whbth to live;
and If some people don't like it, '.nen it
Is just so much the worse for them.
Drive out harmful amusements Uy tilling
the home with proper amusements. Home
Bhould bo tho center of nil pure pleas
tires. With tennis und croquet, with tne
score of excellent parlor games, with all
manner of musical instruments, with our
muslcales and lectures und libraries ami
social gatherings in our churches, with
opportunities for Btudy und recreation
found In every community, or at least ca
pable of being Introduced Into every com
munity In all the lund, there Is no ex
cuse for harmful amusements.
Do you suy this is a great task to revo
lutionize the amusements and social cus
toms of the community in which you live?
It will be glorious work for these grand
Autumn davs and long winter nights. It
will be a breezy, work for the Master, and
It is the place where our next advance
Isniade. We have been slnelng long enough,
have been studying our Bibles long enough
to be able to do something and the com
mand comes, "Prepare ye the way of the
Lord; make His paths straight." But
what If the task be great. Years ago a
young engineer, surveying a great na
tional road, came upon the Niagara river
below the Fulls. He approached the bank
nml. looking over, saw, hundreds of feet
below him, the mighty torrent rushing
down Its rocky bed, dashing Its waves
twenty feet In air. He glanced at the dis
tant shore und shrank back disheartened,
HE TOOK COURAGE.
But he looked again and took courage
Ho promised to bridge the chasm. A boy's
kite bore a twine over, and the twine u
rope, and tho rope a cable. The months
went by and one day a great crowd lined
tho river banks and down the Iron rails
the great Iron horse slowly moved to the
river's brink. Then the young engineer
stepped on board nnd, while men held
their brenth und women turned pale, tho
fearless driver moved the great engine out
over the. bridge. It passed on to the mid
dle, nnd on to the farther shore, when a
great shout went up, nnd today the Im
mense commerce of two nations and the
wenlth nnd fashion of nil lands rushes
over that bridge. It was a great task and
a great victory. And not unlike this will
be your splendid triumph. If the threads
of Influence which go out Into the com
munity shall all be used to overcome the
seemingly impassible barriers that rise in
the way of true Chrlstlun progress.
Miss Van Der Voort, contralto of the
Elm Park church, rendered a delight
ful solo, after which Rev. J. P. Millar,
of Harrlsburg, delivered "the following
studious and practical address on "Un
righteous Business and Business Meth
ods." & BUSINESS AND PROPERTY.
Business as connected with property,
normally, Is remunerative employment.
Three simple ideas are Included under this
dellnition. One is labor, for business Id
the opposite of Idleness or amusement.
Another Is usefulness, for legitimate busi
ness Is neither aimless or worthless. These
two Ideas, labor und usefulness, make up
industry. The third idea In business is a
substantial equivalent bcntlt received In
return for the industr". I'uslness Is not
benevolence; it exacts full value In ex
change for its outlay of industry. Labor,
usefulness nijd a retu,i in equivalent val
ues, then, are the elements which prop
erly make up business.
In order to ma'.nu'a the principle of
righteousness In business, all Industry
must be curried on without Interfering
with either of the two great branches of
the law of love either with tho supreme
devotion of the heart to God; or with
that love to our neighbor which the law
ot Christ requires. We have only to re
member that "the earth Is the Lord's, and
tho fulness thereof, the world nnd tucy
that dwell therein, to see th.it If a man
is ergnged in any sort of occupation which
tends in huv tver humble a m inner, ;o
replenish the earth and bring out Its use
fulness, 'o benefit the world or any of Its
inhabitants, he Is engaged In the Lord's
service, and mfiny do and ought to do
what ha Is doing "as unto the Lord." No
mutter what kind of service ns Is ren
dering, whether he Is ministering to bod
ily wants, whether he Is making shoes or
sermons, and It is far better work for God
to make a good shoe than a poor sermon.
It matters not what a man's work or busi
ness may be, providing only he Is doing
some good In God's world, and doing It not
only without Interfering with, but In ful
fillment of the claim which God makes on
the supreme devotion of the heart nnd life.
The desire to achieve success Is a part
of the nature which God has given us.
And docs not common sense tell us that
a man without ambition to succeed and
excel is anything but a lofty specimen of
humanity? It is only necessary to take
care that the ambition to excel be not the
highest motive of our life. Or take the
widespread and well nigh universal de
sire to make money. This Is more dim
cult to deal with, Inasmuch ss there Is
such fearful tendency to excess in this
direction. But even here In Its proper
place of subordination it is right enough.
All who have given any thought to the
subject are aware that there could be no
Srogress In civilization without capital,
ust as separate capital is need for a sep
arte business, so for the general business
of society the accumulation of capital is
absolutely necessary; accordingly God has
Implanted in us the desire corresponding
to that necessity a desire whl?h may be
f ratified In moderation whlthout Interfer
ng wlttvtha supreme devotion of the heart
to' ...
There. Is a correct and a false Idea of
business, a righteous and an unrighteous
principle. I know it is very difficult to.
draw the line between legitimate and
speculative business, and that one who
is not thoroughly acquainted! with what
he is talking about must be very chary of
condemning this or that way ot making
money, which may seem to him to par
take of the nature of speculation. And
yet there are some practices In business so
glaringly inconsistent with the principle
of righteousness that "the wayfaring men,
though fools, shall not err."
One of the current false Ideas of busi
ness Is founded in a prevalent tendency to
attack fictitious valuations to property.
Examples of thai tendency abound. For
Instance, assessments for the purpose of
levying taxes are almost universally far
below the true value. This undervalua
tion Is due to many causes, nearly every
one ot which Is at the bottom dishonest.
One fruitful cause Is the false returns
made by property holders, especially if the
property Is not visible. If all property
were correctly reported on a uniform sys
tem of underrating, I suppose that little
Injustice would be done. But as it Is, our
taxes cover up an Immense amount of
stealing, which no Individual nor any one
board of assessors can precvent; and the
greatest evil resulting from these wrong
asseesments is the debasing of the publio
standard of honesty and the debauchery
of tho private conscience. Cheating the
assessors will by many be rebuked with
a wink and a smile. In some quarters, it
is considered stupidity to make honest re
turns of property for taxation. Neverthe
less It is sheer stealing to seek to pay less
than one's true proportion of the taxes.
Another demoralizing illustration ot fic
titious valuation is often seen-in what are
properly known as "watered stock."
"Water" In stock Is usually an article of
adulteration, like water in milk. When
ever this means or any other Is employed
to give an artificial appearance of value,
where value does not actually exist, it is
objectionable for the simple reason that it
Is stealing. For the same reuson "boom
ing" which Is based on fictitious and not
on natural or real rises is the art ot
thieves. Another example Is presented In
current adulterations. We hear enough
of them to make an honest soul sick. We
hear of cow's fat being palmed off as but
ter; cotton-seed oil sold as lard; chicory
for coffee. Some of the mixtures may be
as wholesome as tho orlglnuls, but that is
not the point. The point b that there is a
cheat in the business, a cheat which can
be made profitable only a long as the
public can be hoodwinked. Is this all
right, If It only succeeds? Not while the
eighth and ninth commandments stand
with God Almighty behind them.
BOMB CURIOUS NAMES.
What shall we say about the business
which goes by such names as "bulling"
and "bearing;" very curious names in
deed, and verycurlous the things that these
names represent. Yet we recognize these
Institutions as institutions amongst us, as
part of our commercial machinery It is
coming to bo regarded as a natural thing
that there should bean undue, an unnal
urul, au untruthful inflation of the ns'et
C. II. CHANDLER,
of Scranton, Chairman ot the Music
Committee.
at another time; and men who call them
selves buslnetm men actuully luy them
selves out to produce such artificial condi
tions of tho state of the market as I have
just described. Now that there must be
rises and falls In the price of materials Is
so obvious, that the fact need scarcely be
commented upon; but that uny man call
ing himself a nun should lay himself out
to Increase his own fortune by conveying
a false impression to tho minds of the com
munity at large with respect to the value
of certain commodities, that this, I suy,
should take place. Is an outward and visi
ble sign of a low moral condition. Do not
let us blink the fact. It stares us In the
fuce. In other words, this is nothing more
or less than a fashionable and a gentle
manlike way of picking pockets. There is
nn ungentlemanllke and unfashionable
wuy of picking pockets, and It is done
by people who do not occupy u reputable
position In society. They do not drive
In their carriage and pair, and do not have
grand drawing rooms furnished with ev
ery luxury and adorned with works of art.
They are poor fellows for the must part.
We know It is dishonorable; we call them
thieves, and If we can catch them we send
them straight off to prison. But you will
bear me out that there are other ways
of picking pockets, that there are many
men who steal besides those that pick
pockets In the street. When a man In
duces a false conviction with regard to
the value of an article, with a view to his
own emolument, or when conversely that
man lays himself out to depreciate that
same article, still with a view to his own
emolument, what Is he doing? In the tlrst
place, let me say, as straight as I can put
it, he Is lying; and tho business mun that
lies does not deserve the name of a busi
ness mun. All legitimate, manly, straight
forward commerce precludes this Idea of
chicanery and deceit. A man thnt con
descends to devices of this kind In order to
increase his wealth, Is making a confes
sion that he Is not a proper business man?
Why? Because he cannot trust himself
to do business with his compeers In com
mercial life by honorable terms and con
ditions; he cannot trust 'himself, and by
the very lies which he circulates and by
the very false Impressions which he gen
erates, he Is practically making a confes
sion as to his inferiority in commercial
capacity to his neighbor over the way
who deals honestly and whose business
transactions are straight.
CROOKEDNESS IN BUSINESS.
Much of the crookedness In business to
day is caused by the thoughtless way in
which some Christians insist on cheap
ness without considering how that cheap
ness is obtained. It might often be un ad
vantage to you If you could obtain some-'
thing cheaper, but never ask a tradesman
to reduce his price to accommod&te you.
Assume that the man who serves you is
not a liar and a cheat. If you cannot af
ford the article, go without it. Do not
insult him by asking for a reduction. We
ought to live and let live. Christians need
to be much more conscientious than they
have been in the past with respect to this
craze for cheapness. There are many
Christians who would not, under existing
circumstances, go either to a theater or to
a race-course, who feel so very sensitive
about doubtful amusements; who do not
wish to be associated with debauchery, or
with gambling, or with any kind of ras
cality, but who are not equally sensitive
In giving their custom and their patron
age to houses of business that are notori
ously founded upon unrighteous business
firlnrlples and methods. If any house of
uslness Is maintained by any system rf
dishonesty, then its customers are as guilty
as the frequenters of the theater or the
race-course. Then, dishonest tradesmen
Bhould be at least excluded from otllcial
positions in the church. How strunge It is
that the whole Church of God seems to
have forgotten thut the Apostle Paul
classes the covetous man and the extor
tioner with the fornicator and drunkard.
He actually states that with the covetous
man and the extortioner the Chrlstlun
ought not even to eat.
In view of these facts, what Is our duty
as Chrlstlun Kndeavorers? Shall we flee
Into a convent to escape from the tempta
tions of unrighteous business methods?
That would be to seek a coward's para
dise. That would be to make ourselves
better than Jesus Christ; for He prays
not that we may be taken out of the world,
but that we may be kept from Its evil.
We should rather Insist upon the duty of
having un honest calling, and of being dili
gent In It. Lawful labor Is the great anti
dote of dishonesty. Moreover lubor gives
u a substantial interest In the work of
safe guarding honesty, and of exposing
and punishing the dishonest. Business
fundamentally Involves reciprocal bene
fits. No useless employment, much less
any Inferior employment, has any right
to the noble name of business. Let us
each have a lawful calling and be indus
trious therein.
DUTY OF ENDEAVORERS.
Another duty of Christian Endeavorers,
as I conceive It, 1s to make up our minds
that honesty hs In the long run, the beat
policy. It Is the only assurance of certain
and permanent success even-In this world-
According to. the Latin derivation the
word honesty meuns that which is clothed
or aaoraea witn donor.. JKeal Honesty.
therefore, does not nee to bo bound by
contracts. It synonyms In the dictionary
are such. noble words as equity, integrity
and trustworthiness. There are two
things which especially characterize hon
esty. . One of them Is candor. For honesty
1s a most blunt and homely virtue, found
ed on reality and truth. The other Is fair
ness, justloe, freedom from fraud. It
never over-reaches, never seeks an lota
more than Its own. Instead of being selfish
it Is righteous. The life blood, then, of
honesty la honor, and its essential mani
festations are truth and justice. No man
that is dishonorable, false or untruthful
can jiossibly be honest. The man who
stakes his eucces on tricks In tola trade
will be harrassed not only by his con
science, but .also by peril, and he is rea
sonably sure to be exposed and destroyed
at last. Above all we should remember
that, since honesty Is a moral rather than
a legal matter, the Individual good con
science, conformed to God's word, is Its
warrant and standard. It would make
no difference If all others were dishonest,
that never could make dishonesty, tor one
instant, right or safe for us. No excuse
will avail. It will not do to cite the close
ness of competition. The only competition
we need fear is the competition of the
eight commandment at God's Judgment. It
will not do to say that we must be" dis
honest in order to live. We can afford to
die in honesty rather than to live by steal
ing. The absolute moral necessity every
where in business is honorable honesty
and righteousness. It will pay to be hon.
est Just as long as God Is on the throne.
How is this growing evil of unrighteous
ness to be corrected? It is a matter to
be dealt with by the pulpit, and by all
religious educators. Training in the prin
ciples of sound business morality should
be Inculcated from youth up and com
promises between truth and error should
never be looked upon with the least de
gree of allowance. The times are full of
temptations in this direction. Solid In
struction in tho principles which God has
given us In His word or the government
of all our rclatons is urgently required;
and above all Is the importance of those
examples of the strictest uprightness In
the conduct of business, which ure recog
nized in every community.
COMMERCIAL MORALITY.
1 firmly believe that we shall never have
the right kind of commercial morality till
men take the higher standard suggested
by tho "Golden Rule," und Insist not
only on that righteousness which no ono
disputes, but also on that love which very
few acknowledge as binding In the ordi
nary business life. It is true. Indeed, that
while men in genoral are sound enough in
theory as to commercial nyirality, they
aro very far from being aa universally
sound In practice. You will have observed
bow little, comparatively, Christ has to
say directly about common honesty. The
method ot Jesus and His apontles was one
which, while assuming and requiring the
broad basin of righteousness In all things,
especially urged the law of love In bo'h
its branches as the true leverage by which
even the commonest morality in the busi
ness of life could be most effectively se
cured. Is the method a sound one? Is
It still applicable and likely to be effect
ive in all the complexity of the business
life ot the nineteenth century?
' It l sadly to bo confessed that there
are Christian people so-called at least
among the number of those who are guilty
of mean and dishonest practices. But,
without the slightest fear of contradiction,
I asBcrt that wherever a so-called Chris
tian man is guilty of anything approach
ing to dishonesty he is not one of those
who try to regulate their conduct by the
law of love, but one who, contenting him
self with the ordinary code of morals, has
allowed his passion for money or some
other ungodly lust to master him and to
scatter his feeble morality to the winds.
If all this Is true It Is manifest that the
method which this age still needs, und
Borely needs, is the method ot Christ as
tiggested by the "Golden Rule," and what
Is wanted is not more 'homilies on honesty,
as more earnest warnings against covet
cousness und extravagance and a more
earnest presentation of that Gospel of di
vine love which will touch men s hearts
and lead them so to set their affection on
higher and better things, as that they will
count no sacrifice In lower spheres too
great to make for the sake of maintain
ing "a conscience void of offense toard
God and toward men." I do not believe
thnt things are so bad In the world of
business us muny pessimist Imagine. 1
believe that our best men are. in the main,
our most successful men. I cannot believe
that cheating and lying ure so common
In any kind of respectable business as
those say who wish to Justify their part
in such practices. And I do not believe,
nor do I think that any thoroughly honest
man believes' thut deceit and falsehood
are necessary In any shape, however
veiled und disguised, for success in any
legitimate business. Yet there Is a grand
field for witnessing for Christ In the
world of business. The ranks of "the no
ble army of martyrs" nre not yet full.
TAKE UP THE CROSS.
The demand to "take'up the cross" for
Christ's sake has not yet been withdrawn.
And though' In the eyes of men, there is
not the same show of heroism when a
young man gives up a good situation,
without any prospect of another, for the
sake of truth, as If he had gone cheerfully
to burn at the stake, in the same noble
cause, nevertheless there may be quite ua
much of th reality of It, quite as much
thut Is noble nnd admirable and heroic in
tho sight of God. Christ needs many wit
nesses In the wide field of business; men
that will witness for Him In the heights of
success, men also that will witness for
Him not only In the depths of failure, but
by their willingness to fall for His sake;
men that are willing to "suffer the loss
of nil things;" men who are willing to go
through life as poor as Christ Himself,
rather than do any single, smallest act at
varlunce with the will of God, which finds
expression in the law of Christ.
The method, of Christ not only Is more
effective In securing commercial morality,
but It elevates the life and character of
business to a far higher plane, and gives
It a nobility and grandeur that seldom
enter into the thoughts of those who look
nt it from the worldly point of view; and
instead of Its being a hindrance to the de
velopment of the Christian life, it is a
flno field for growth to "tho measure of
the stature of the fudness of Christ." If
the law of Christ were faithfully and fully
carried Into the ordinary business of life,
we should ee on every hand a new ful
fillment of an old prophecy: "The purched
ground shall become a pool, and the
thirsty land springs of water. In the
habitations of dragons, where each lay,
shall be grass with reeds anil njshes."
Then, nt last, might nil Christian agencies
cease from their lofty labors, when the
brotherly love wh'ch is inscribed upon the
Christian Endeavorer banner Bhall have
pervaded not only the church life, but the
ordinary life of a thoroughly united Chris
tendom, There was a very entertaining song
by the four Misses Joseph after which
a collection was taken up for the state
work.
Then Rev. TV. F. Crafts, of Washing
ton, D. C, delivered his address on
"Sabbath Desecration and Public
Wrongs." which he prefaced by calling
attention to the fact that "Sabbath
Observance" was to be the special pro
gramme for the year, as agreed upon
at the Washington National conven
tion. THE OVERFLOW MEETING.
Scrantonlana flocked In such large
numbers to the three places) of meet
ing last night that an overflow meet
ing In the locture room of the Penn
Avenue Baptist church was necessary.
This was first suggested by the scores
of persons standing In the rear of the
main floor in the Frothlngham. The
Penn avenue doors were opened and
the crowd requested to pass into the
church, which adjoins the theater.
Word was sent to the Academy of
Music, and many who could not there
find desirable scats went to the church
on Penn avenue. Rev. Thomas Bell, of
this city, presided. Addresses were
mnde by. Rev. Dr, O. B. Stewart, of
Harrlsburg; Rev. John Griffiths, of the
Sumner Avenue Presbyterian church,
of this city, and others. A prayer and
pralBe service closed the meeting.
THE STATE REPORTS.
Society's Strength Indicated in the
Reports of Superintendents.
The extent, work and nrrowth of
Christian Endeavor v-ts very plainly
Indicated In the reports of department
superintendents read at the morning
sessions in Elm Park church and the
Frothlngham theater. .
The report ot Miss Cordelia Jamel
son, of Bultzhoover, Junior superin
tendent, was as follows:
Our Christian Endeavor year's work has
closed. Hopes, aspirations, difficulties,
defeats, conquests, all now belong toVhe
past fixed as part ot Pennsylvania's his
tory. . .
"Numbet- Of Junior societies In Pennsyl
vania, 1,(138; with a membership of 49,917.
mem-
fbershlp of 45.
, .Number In each denomination: ,
Presbyterian '.
Lutheran
Baptist
Methodist Episcopal
Reformed
Evangelical
Methodist Protestant
Christian ;
United Brethren
African Methodist Episcopal
Congregational
United Presbyterian
Moravian
Cumberland Presbyterian
Episcopal
Church of God
Primitive Methodist
Mennonlte
Calvinlstlo Methodist
Covanenters
Union Missions
....S80
...an
.... n
.... N
.... M
.... 61
....a
.... so
....is
.... s
....so
.... IT
.... i4
.... 12
....
.... 6
.... 3
.... S
.... 1
.... 1
....28
MANY NEW JUNIORS.
Number of Juniors united with the
church during the year, .1,078; number
graduated into the Young People's Society
of Christian Endeavor, 1,558; amount given
to missions, t3.610.fi: amount raised for
other purposes, 12,416.75; whole amount
raised, 16,026.85; number of counties hav
ing Junior superintendents, 41. The coun
ty organizing the greatest number of so
cieties during the year, Philadelphia. The
county making the largest proportlonata
increase, Bucks.
One of the greatest needs In our work la
a superintendent of Junior work In every
county. No matter how small your coun
ty union, the state superintendent needs
an assltant in your county. Another need
in our work is more young men. Manly
Influence Is much needed in every Junior
society We need young men to take charge
of our Chrlstlon Citizenship Committees.
Will not you strong, earnest Christian
young men help us?
Band of Mercy work has been Intrdo.
duced Into some of our societies with suc
cess. We hope that it will find place In
every society. Teach the girls and boys
to be kind to God's dumb creatures. The
Intermediate society or class has been
formed In many places. We advise all
Junior societies which have a membership
of over fifty to organize into two classes.
We recommend that Junior superintend
ents become familiar with the following
literature, which will aid them in their
work:
The Golden Rule.
Your own church paper.
Amos R. Well's Junior MannuaL
Thinking, Feeling and Doing by Scrip
Andrew Murray's works,
A Work on Missions.
The history of your own Denomination.
We wish to publicly thank the executive
committee and the superintendents for
their wurm co-operation and support In
our work, and we earnestly plead that
each Endcavorer will this year be the
means of saving one little soul for Christ.
When we bring a child to Christ we bring
to Him many years of Christian living.
My earnest prayer is a great gathering
of girls and boys for Christ and the church
during '7. Cordelia Jamison,
Junior Superintendent of Pennsylvania,
MISSIONARY REPORT.
Concerning the missionary depart
ment, its superintendent. Rev. W. N.
Hlnman, of Columbus, said:
Pennsylvania Is a big state. She leads In
the number of Christian Endeavor socie
ties, as she does In many other things. As
our state secretary knows, it Is very dif
ficult to get reports from many of our 3,278
societies. My report as state superintend
ent of missionary work must deal with the
facts learned from the 1,289 societies from
which reports hav been received, but by
no means does this suppose that others
are not Interested In missions, or that they
have done no missionary work.
Bare figure- can never tell the mission
ary history of our societies, but it may be
of interest to note that ot the 1,889 societies
sending report, 416, or about one-third,
nave active missionary committees. Thess
1,289 societies have contributed during
the year, directly for missions, 89.891.79, or
an average for each society of 16.79. For
other benevolent objects they have given
88,828.20, an average of $6.8o. making a
total for all purposes of tls.719.99, an aver
age of 814.62. How I wlsht we had the
records of the other 2,000 societies which
have sent no reports.
I have kept in correspondence, more
or less frequently, with all the district and
county superintendents, and I am glad to
attest the ne.lelity, faithfulness and warm
enthusiasm of nearly every one of them.
Their letters show that an earnest mis
sionary spirit pervades the societies gen
erally. Many societies are supporting. In
whole or In part, mission workers at home
and abroad. One society, and by no means
a large one, supports an entire mission'
ary family, at a cost of 31,000 a year. The
contributions of several others exceed 8500
a year. A socletly was organized last July
In a lumber camp, two miles from a rail-,
road station, and where there was no
church or Sunday school. That society
has developed Into an organized congre
gation, and will-build a church this fall
costing 32,000. Of tho methods of syste.
matlo giving, the Fulton 2-cent-a-week
plan seems to be the favorite, a large
number of societies having adopted It.
Many societies report missionary boxes,
comfort bags and clothing sent out, mis.
slonary rallies and mass meetings held,
reading circles formed, literature distrib
uted, etc,
WORK OF SOCIETIES.
In one of the large cities the societies
have, on stated days during the summer,
gathered companies of poor children and
taken them for outings in the city park.
Other societies have provided for the care
and entertainment in the country of fresh
air children from the crowded cities, in
at least one Instance, a society renting a
vacant farm house for that purpose, the
children being cared for by committees of
Endeavorers.
Missionary extension has been carried
on as extensively as the time of a busy
pastor has permitted. Under more or less
direct supervision of this department 126
mlssionarylcctures have been delivered in
sixty-live towns and cities by returned
missionaries, secretaries of mission
boards, student volunteers and other
workers. What the results of these mass
meetings and lectures will be no man
can calculate. Missionary committees
.have been organized, plans for systematlo
giving adopted, men and women aroused
to enthusiasm where before there was no
Interest, larger giving, more reading and
praying, and lives dedicated to the actual
work at home and abroad.
I wish I might Bhare with the conven
tion the reports that come from all parts
of the state. Some of them are thrilling.
One letter tells of twenty-two societies
that use the Fulton plan of giving, and of
forty-seven others In the same county that
have adopted the tithe plan. During one
lecture tour an entire famllv followed the
speaker to three different places to hear
the same address. In another Instance
sixteen persons, after hearing a speaker
one night, walked four miles through the
woods to hear the same address the second
night, one of these being a miner who had
worked all day In the mine, and had the
morrow's work before him.
MISSIONARY EXTENSION.
The entire cost of the Missionary Exten
sion courses has been met by the fees of
$5.00 for each lecture received from the
societies having the lectures, and the
treasury shows a. balance on hand of
$44.77 with which to begin the new year.
This plight expense has only been possi
ble because nil connected with this depart
ment have given their services gratuitous
ly. Even tho lecturers have made will
ing sacrifices of time and money, receiving
no remuneration except their actual ex
penses. Fellow Endeavorers, this work Is preg.
nant with bright possibilities, and why
not, since It is an effort to obey the divine
Injunction to "preach the Gospel to every
creature?" Of necessity the extension
lecture course plan must be limited in Its
reach. I therefore, In closing my report,
mnke the following recommendation,
which I trust will receive the hearty en
dorsement of the convention, viz.: That
where courses of missionary extension lec
tures are not practicable, missionary mass
meetings be arranged, with an Inter
change of speakers from adjoining towns.
This plan could be carried out in every
Christian Endeavor town in the state, at
slight expense, and I believe with blessed
results.
And now, dear Pennsylvania Endeavor
ers, I return to ycu the trust you commit
ted to me one year ago, hoping that such
attention as I have been able to give it
may be owned by the Master, and our
missionary work crowned with such re
sults as seem good to Him.
Willis S. Hlnman, Superintendent
Rev. A. B. Phllputt, of Philadelphia,
superintendent or Christian citizenship,
said:
CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP
There was a time when Christlaa'j were
so busy with the hereafter that they left
to Satan the present kingdom. It's differ
ent now. If anyone says religion has no
right to interfere with politics, I would be
like LI Hung Chang and ask such per
son some questions. Is a Christian not a
citizen?, Has he not equal tights with
everybody? Are the disciples not to be
the salt ot the earth what good would
salt do In heaven? If religion cannot
make society, the world and politics bet
terthen the world has very little Inter
est In Its being here. . .
The preacher has the same rights as the
old prophets to cry out against evil. I'm
Number of Intermediate. "! with a'
not for 4 union of church arid state, but
I am for making the state do better things,
if we. are m ttta majority. Insofar as en
acting and enforcing good taws ar eon
cerned. I am In favor of- maintaining a
standard of character in men elected to of.
flee that will prevent corrupt trie-stars,
smooth-tongued debauches, evil-minded
men from representing good Christian
communities in a publio place.
It is a waste of time for me, a Christian
man and minister, to preach to young
men that the path of honesty and up
rightness Is the way to success and then
for ms to turn about to vote clvio honor oa
the head of some unworthy person.
Mr. Phllputt then referred to reports
of county and city union chairmen as
follows: Rev. J. F. Ralston, Allegha
ny County union; S. Spencer, Philadel
phia union; Henry Smith, York union;
R. M. Fory, Schuylkill County union;
Rev. J. S. Martin, West Chester union;
Rev. J. G. Patton, Monroe Valley union;
W. D. Snyder, Columbia City union;
C. S. Chandler, Scranton Cty union;
REV. THOMAS BELL,
of Scranton, Chairman of the Evangellitlo
Committee.
H. S. Rice, Northampton County union;
H. B. Hogeland, Bucks county.
Mr. Phllputt remarked that out of
sixty-seven counties, but twenty-eight
are organized for good citizenship and
not more than half of these have report
ed. The work should be more aggres
sive. There should be a hand-book of
plans and suggestions for carrying on
the work and he hoped . his successor
would devise such a book. The work
has advanced, but It Is of a nature that
cannot be now tabulated,
ed to meet on OctoberSO.
The report of the secretary of cor
respondence, Thomas Patton, of Phila
delphia, was as follows:
CORRESPONDENCE- REPORT.
Mr. President and fellow workers: At
the beginning ot our report let us ex
plain that every county union In Pennsyl
vania is expected to form a Correspond
ence Committee, consisting of a chairman
and a representative in each society In
said union. The chairmen of such com
mittees compose the state committee. The
members of the county union committees
correspond with each other whenever pos
sible, but send names to the state chair
man to be forwarded when the person re
moving goes to some other state, for our
committee Is one of about fifteen state
committees which are in close touch with
each other and who are working to have
every state union in our country organised
In the work.
In some respects our committee Is in
very much better shape than it was at our
last report. Those who have had any ex
perience In organization work know that
to accomplish good results through the
medium of correspondence Is slow and
difficult, and so -it has taken some time
to get our local commlttteus actively In
touch with each other. 'Even yet we have
not reached the tull limit of our growth
and will not until every union In the state
has a part In the work, therefore; we can
not boast of a large increase in the num
ber ot committees, for last year we had
twenty-five and now we have twenty-nine,
but we rejoice in the fact that the com
mittees have been more earnest and syste
matlo in their efforts to promote the cause
of Christ by a more careful oversight of
those who remove from their societies to
other places, and certainly good quality Is
something not by any means to be de
spised. The Increase In the number of com
mittees should have been much larger and
so we urge upon you the Importance of
the work and trust you will endeavor to
show your union the necessity of the
appointment of a committee which should
be composed of the corresponding secre
taries of the societies without imposing
muoh additional labor upon them. Al
though incidental, yet not the least of the
advantages of our work, Is the promotion
of fellowship amongst the societies.
MUCH LABOR INVOLVED.
During the year we have forwarded the
names ot 31 persons representing many
different denominations and going to
places In every part of the country and
also to Canada. A much larger number
than was reported last year. It Is easy to
write the figures down but much more dif
ficult to have you appreciate what this
represents. We cannot begin to tell you
how much labor Is Involved in forwarding
these names to their destinations, calling
upon them and endeavoring to get them
Interested in Christian work in their new
homes.
We cannot enumerate to you the cases
of strangers in hospitals who have been
visited and cheered by the kind words and
floral remembrances of our workers. Of
the homesick young people whose sojourn
among strangers has been turned Into a
permanent residence among friends. Of
young men and women who have become
active workers In societies nnd unions be
cause their capabilities became known
through the work of our committee and
wore availed of at once Instead of being
allowed to go to waste as so often happens
because no one at the home society takes
an interest in them, or perhaps, don't
know that It Is so easy for them to look
after their friends through our commit
tee. We cannot even give you a glimpse
of the broadening effect such work has
had upon the members of our committee
and their assistants who endeavor to ful
fill Christ's command and care for the
strangers among them.
Many young people who remove Ho our
oities and towns, especially, would drift
around for a long time without connecting
themselves either with a church or Chris
tian Endeavor society and some would be
lost to the church forever, perhaps, were
It not for the timely call of some repre
sentative of our committee who makes the
entrance upon Christian service In a new
place an easy thing by Introducing the
Btranger to those who will be truer friends
to him than any he would be likely to find
by chance acquaintance.
LOOKOUT COMMITTEE.
Tho duty of tho Lookout Committee of
every society Is to "bring new members
into the society, to Introduce them to the
work, and to the other members, and to
affectionately look after and reclaim any
that seem Indifferent to their duties." That
watchfulness should not cease us soon as
a member resigns and removes to some
other place but should express Itself
through the Corresponding Committee and
show the member that not only the pray
ers of the society but their work also Is
manifest in an endeavor to procure for
his Christian friends that he may bn made
to feel at home as speedily as possible. The
fact that we are "our brother's keeper"
was settled long ago and we don't believe
you will question it but are you doing your
duty in looking after those with whom you
come In contact, or are you allowing
them to come and go with no thought
that you are responsible for the welfare
of their souls.
The largo cities, yes, nnd the small
towns and villages, contain many temp
tations calculated t catch tho unwary
and lead them to destruction. Sin Is ev
erywhere, but 'whllo sin abounds, grace
does much more abound" and the emis
saries of Satnn who are so quick to extend
an invitation and who are such adepts In
presenting so-called pleasures to the hu
man mind and heart which ure already pre
disposed to do evil, must be forestalled.
We must act quickly and systematically,
end the grace of God which is in all and
through all, will guide and help us In our
efforts. But It requires watchfulness, It
means faith.' Remember Christ's "what
soever ye would that men should do to
you, do ye even so to them" and you are
on the right path. You will obtain from,
this the stimulus to do thnt which Is plain
ly your duty. Respectfully submitted.
Thomas R. Patton, Jr.,
Philadelphia, Pa. Chairman,
SUNRISE MEETINGS.
Yesterday's cxercl.es of the stats
convention opened at 6.30 In the morn
ing by a series of sunrise prayer met
lengs held simultaneously In the First
Presbyterian, Calvary Reformed,
Washburn Street Presbyterian, Purl-