CHRISTIAN ENDEAVORERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 87, 29 August 1912, Page 6

CHRISTIAN ENDEAVORERS.

A GLIMPSE OF A WORLD-WIDE MOVEMENT. The Rev. B. Metson, of Stratford, is president of the Taranaki Christian Endeavor Union, and will preside to-day at the provincial, "rally" in New Plymouth. The following "glimpse" of the work 13 from hi 3 pen. The continued progress of the Christian Endeavor movement gives cause for profound thankfulness. At the twentysecond convention of the British Union, held at Glasgow, the general secretary submitted the report of the executive council. It contained the following paragraph: "The two years' effort of the world-wide increase campaign resulted in the forming of 10,345 new societies, and the addition of 1,002,500 new members. This means that 1373 Endeavorers united themselves with the society every day for 24 months, and that more than 14 new societies were formed each day during the same period. The year 1011 was one of the most fruitful in all the history of the Christian Endeavor movement. The total world enrolment is now 79,077 societies, with a membership of 3,953,850." The American Convention, during July, in Atlantic City, has, according to all reports, been a mervellous success, iboth for numbers and innuendo. There were 30,000 delegates present, and amongst the speakers were the President of the United States, the Hon. Champ | Clark, Speaker of the House of Repre-. sentatives, and the president of the Bri-' tish Endeavor. The American Endeavorers have had many daring ideals before them, but their present wondrous ideal' —"A saloonless nation by 1920"—is perhaps the most magnificent yet entertained. Well may President Taft consider it not only his pleasure but. his duty to attend the Endeavor Convention where such ideals for the nation are raised aloft. Last year the Christian Endeavor secretary for, the State of Illinois sent out 50,000,000 tracts to citizens all over the State. These tracts dealt with Sabbath observance, the evils of the drink habit, the enforcement of law, the need for personal salvation, the race question, practical missionary work, and a dozen other important subjects. They quoted Scripture, they were illustrated with striking pictures, and they were read by people who put ordinary tracts into the waste-paper basket. The I value of the work is well nigh incalculable. It is now sixteen years since the j first .Endeavor Society was formed in Germany, tnere are now 421 senior societies with 12,170 members, 73 junior societies with 750 members. These have, done much work in other countries, such as Russia and Austria, where some of their own people reside. To counteract the baneful influence of filthy literature, the German Endeavorers have circulated 2,750,000 books and pamphlets. j They have also an Endeavor newspaper, i and have sent fifteen.missionaries to the Caroline Islands. Even the Emperor of Germany has deemed it advisable to recognise the value of Endeavor influence and work in the Empire. In the last six years 70 societies have been formed in Norway. On Endeavor Day they held a great mass meeting in Christiania, and in the same city the European C.E. Convention will be held next July. In Sweden there are 500 societies, and in Finland and Denmark the movement is planting itself with great success and promise. The Hungarian Endeavorers have raised: £4OOO and purchased a' hospital, where the C.E. nurses are doing • Christ-like work in attending the sick and relieving distress. Among the Chinese there are 800 societies; in some cases a whole church is enrolled in the C.E. Society. Several native ministers received their training in the organisation founded by Dr. Clark. ' In Manchuria Endeavor spreads and is warmly encouraged by the missionaries laboring there. The societies in India are doing excellent work, and have sent from their own membership last year eleven new missionary secretaries. In Jamaica the missionaries work their out-stations largely by the aid of volunteer Endeavorers. It is as pleasing as it is surprising to hear that the Islands of the Pacific Ocean are literally crowded with Endeavorers. In Samoa societies have actually been formed where there was no church, and in some cases have grown into churches. From one <!. E. Society in Samoa, about 100 missionaries and missionaries' wives have gone to evangelise the people of other islands. In Japan the movement is strong, virile, aggressive, and evangelical. A great convenlion was held last year at Kyoto, the sacred capiUl of the gods. Buddhist priests haw, attended and listened to the thrilling Gospel message delivered at the meetings. In Mf-xico, Argentina, Cuba, Russia, Switzerland, and Africa C E. Societies are flourishing, showing tha>; '.'•.is' great institution, which is only about 31 years old, has taken hold upon the best of youth and maidenhood the world over. That it is a great spiritoal, mora: and missionary force whersvor its banner floats has been abundantly evidenced during all periods of its history. ,1 ■