THE. EVENING GAZETTE ‘ [ THE EVENING'GAZETTEI ENTERED AT THE POST OFFICE IN NORWALK As A NEWSPAPER. * MAIL S UBSC'RIPTIONS} DAILY. one year. $3; six months, $1.75: three months. $1.00; oneZmonth, 300. WEEKLY. one year. in advance. $1.00; six months. 50c.; three months. 356. SATURDAY,~JULY 25, 1896. The Late Christian Endeavor Convention. The GAZETTE is indebted to one of the most—it not the most—erudite and de‘v‘bted Christian Ministers, resident in Washington, for the following care. fully digested treatise on theIrecent ses- sion of the Christian EndeavorlConven- tion held in the capital city. Our cor- respondent’s reflections, if they do not strictly accord with others who attend- ded the Convention as he did, should nevertheless be received as the impres- sions made upon a candid mind by what was seen and heard by one ,not given to unfair or illiberal criticism. Our clerical friend’s views are certainly worthy of careful reading and consider- ation:— THE CHRISTIAN annAvon CONVENTION. "The Christian Endeavor movement is one of the phenomena of the age. Em- bracing now nearly every christian de- nomination in different lands, number- ing it is claimed from 2,000,000 to 3,000- 000 members. it has reached a point where it can afford to look fairly at any suggestions of possible danger that may lie in its present position and drift. All the more as nearly everything thus far said has been a whirlwind of ap- proval. Perhaps what we have to say may as well come in with some account of the late convention in Washington. A year of hard and unremitting work by a large committee, with an expend1ture of some $20,000 or $25,000, prepared the way for what was expected to be the largest and most successful gathering of the Society ever held. In this there was a serious disappointment. The members expected from abroad were put at not less than 60,000. The actual number according to the official regis- ter, was about 20,030. While it is pos- sible that some may not have registered, their place°,we believe, were more than supplied by visitors who registered and who were not members of the Society. Twenty thousand is probably a very liberal estimate of actual members of the ”Society present from abroad. Compared with the 50,000 estimated at Boston last year, there was a heavy fall- ing off. It was observed too that the en- thusiasm was not what it had been in former years. Several reasons may ac- count for this. In the first place the weather was not all that could be de- sired. The first three days were rainy and hot, the rest were hot without the rain. The question was naturally often asked, why in the world the Society , should take the month of July for its Convention.above all in a Southern city. Still baring the season and the weather, there is no doubt the visitors generally had areasonably good time, not alone in the Convention but in the city, the Capitol, the public buildings, Mount Vernon, Arlington, the Soldiers’ Home and other places. However, the serious business of the Society made its way over all this and a good deal more. . The meetings were hold in several large tents and some twenty churches at the same hour. This was another drawback to the general enthusiasm. Obviously enough, One could get thus only a very fragmentary impression of the work. He had to make h1s choice of speakers and gather in what he could- There were some able and excellent speakers, but it was a surprise and dis- appointment that so few of the leading men of any of the great denominations were present. It seemed to be admitted by some of the strongest friends of the movement that the Convention business had been overdone. In the first place the expense is enormous. It is esti- mated that the cost of the recent Con vention was over $1,000,000, That of the Convention of last year in Boston was not less. An earnest supporter of the movement said to the writer that $2,000,000 would be nearer the truth. This of course includes all the expenses of the delegates as paid by their local societies. But it is not strange that thoughtful friends of the organization should begin to ask whether a yearly expenditure that would clear the debts of all the Missionary Societies of the, land, or save a nation of perishing Ar- menians, is justified by the results. Another danger felt we think by some tendencyto an intense self-glorification. Perhaps, as human nature is, this is inevitable. When the remarkable growth of the Society is considered it requires a good deal of solid sense and a good deal of grace as well, for a body of young people to avoid an overesti- mate of their position. But it is to be remembered that an unnaturally rapid growth is never likely to be a very healthy or a very perma- nent growth. There is apt to be too much pith and hollowness in it. Just here we would say in all seriousness, it seems to us the weakness of the organi- zation. Its' danger is superficialness and shallowness. It is well to develop Christian character and activity in the young. But Christian development is a development not only of strength but of humility as well, not of self con- sciousness and conceit. The wisdom of pushing forward mere boys and girls as the educators of the Church is open to grave doubt. Judging from some of the speaking, one would suppose the world’s hope revolved around the So- ciety of Christian Endeavor. Without denying any good it has wrought, we must still hold that if Christianity has organization of the last q‘guarter of the nineteenth century can safely offer it- self in the place of the Church or the Church’s Head, or the Spirit of Life by which the Church exists. We do not say for a moment that the Endeavor movement has thought of doing this. Consciously it surely has not. But we do say that in our judgment there is great danger just here. The results can only be disastrous whenever any voluntary organization, a close corpor- ation responsible to no one, stands practically, though unintentionally, in the place of the Church of Christ, or of the Divine Spirit. The boundless eulogy of Christian Endeavor with scarcely a reference to Christ and His Spirit, would suggest that some of the zealous young speakers have much to learn be- fore they can be safely put forward as guides to others. There is another point on which the influence of the convention was not all that was hoped. For a year past there has been a strong effort on the part of the clergy and Christian laity of Wash- ington to secure a better observance of the Lord’s day. They had a right to expect support in the example of a sc- ciety claiming to represent a new and higher form of Christian life. With surprise and regret therefore the un- contradicted announcement was noticed that one delegation form orthodox New Jersey was on its way to the Conven- tion upon their bicycles on Sunday; an- other from Puritan New England took the cars on that day, reaching Wash- ington Monday morning, while in the city, the Endeavorers furnished their full share of Sunday pleasure seekers in the suburbs and pleasure resorts of the District. There are many'whom this would not trouble, and that the great majority of the Endeavorers re- spected the Christian Sunday we have no doubt, but it did seem a little queer that from a body claiming so high a re- ligious standard, so many should have signalized their advent to the Capital of the Nation, by an open and rather defiant contempt of the Christian senti- ment of the community, as well as of what Christians generally regard a Divine law. Against all this we are more than glad to set the earnestness, devotion and spiritually that characterized many of the meetings of the Convention. They could hardly have been otherwise than profitable in the best sense; Whether it will be worth while to spend another million dollars next year in a trip to San Francisco may be worth considering. The results ought to be large to justify it.” C. —.~~o Will Hold a State Convention. The meeting of the Republican State Central committee, was held at the Monawauket House, Fisher’s Island,yez- terday. They voted to hold a state con- vention at Hartford, September 1 and 2. Advertised Letters. The following letters remain uncalled for at the Norwalk Post Office, July 25: Miss May V. Agate, Gilda Olson, Miss J. Stewart, Miss Lillian Stickies, Lock Box 1785. W. H. MALONE, P. M. .0. An Afidavit. This is to certify that on May 11th, I Walked to Melick’s drug store on a pair of crutches and bought a bottle of Chamber- lain’ 5 Pain Balm for inflammatory rheuma- tism which had crippled me up. After us- ing three bottles I am completely cured. I can cheerihlly recommend it. -- CHAS. H. WETZEL, Sunbury, Pa. Sworn and subscribed to before me on August 10, 1894. —-—WALTnn SHIPMAN, J. P. P. Weed, drugaist. , of the best friends of the Society is the For sale at 25 and 50 cents per bottle by E ever had any real and historic basis, :10“ THE EVENING. GAZETTE CH ECKER—BOAR‘D BUSINESS DIRECTORY. 43 DENTIST, 8 West Avenue. NORWALK . Safes For Rent. - Fire Insurance [10. ' “WE: “m" » EMBOSSING In Successfumpeb Safe Deposit Vault DONE AT ation since 1860. on THE No Outstanding Claims. NArgohfiéggéqu’ THIS); “GE. “- GAZETTE ADS. W. H. BYINGTON BRING. INSURANCE. GOOD RESULTS 0. Vlard Salleck, 7 BEST GOODS. TEAS and GOFFEES . 13 WALL ST. TIES! TREES! TREES! Call at 58 Belden Avenue 1f you are go- ing to set out trees th1s fall. All stock warranted to live. Edgar Buttery, 58 Belden Ave. 25 years foreman of Hoyts’ Nurseries. Frank T. Hyatt A - Ham 3. Gazelle Building. PARLOR BABBEII-I-SIIOP, E. S. LEOBOLD . 4-7 M ain Street. TRY WEED’S SODA WATER . 38 Wall St. 'ENTERPRISE Bottling Vlorks, 7 Wall Street. FllEAlES mm mm Exranssnv non ram Ki . USE. Mail orders receive prompt attention. Job Printing . EV El" IIESGIIIPTIIII A EXECUTED AT THE GAZETTE OFFICE (II-1E ADVEBISER. NIanI an NIIIwal Ieigh Line GOMMENGING MONDAY, JUNE 22. PROPELLERS (lily of NIIIwaIk. Earle and Vulcan Will Leave Pier 23, E. R., N. Y. (Beekm‘an Std,“ For South Norwalk Daily at 10. 301A. M. Extra Boat Monday, We Tuesday and Friday at 5 P. M, ,- For .Norwaik Monday, Wednesdiy and Friday at 5 P. A . i For New York: Leave SOUth Norwalk Daily 11116 P. M. Leave NOPWdIk Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 5 P. M. O A BARGAIN... The Campaign Edition OF THE] NIII YoIlI Sunday Advertiser, Will be mailed to any address in the United States, outside of New York City, FROM NOW UNTIL NOVEMBER 8. Upon receipt of 150. Daily and Sunday Advertiser for same period, only 65c. THINK OF IT. - New York’s Best. and Most Progressive Republican Sunday Newspaper for over four months for the small sum of fifteen cents, or Daily and Sunday for sixty-five cents. SEND YOUR:ORDER AT ONCE! if I 896. New York. , GREAT. REDUCTION SALE OF, SUMMER SHOES- AT THE WHITE SHOE STORE, DURING JULY AND; .AUGUST. Our Men’ s $5.00 Tan Shoes Reduced to $3.50 a pair. Our Men’s $4.00 Tan Shoes Reduced to $3.00 a pair. Our Men 8 $3. 50 Tan Shoes Reduced to $2. 50 a pair. Our Men’s $2. 50 Tan Shoes Reduced to $1. 48 a pair. . Three Hundred pairs Men’s Congress and Lace Shoes worth S. 125 at 839$. A PAIR. 308 Pairs Men s 82. Lace and Congress Shnes at $1 48 a pair V" e will sell the ba ance of our immense stock of Ladies’ Tan and Blark $3 00 Oxfords at $2 00 a pair. Two hund1 ed Pair :3 of Ladies’ 81 50 Russett tend Black Oxfords at 75c 11 pair. Two Hundred Pairs Ladies Tan [ace Shoes at SILOS© A PAIR. WORTH $3.00." Three Hundred Pairs Child’s Russet Spring .Heel, Lace and Button Shoes at 500 a. pair. This Is the greatest lot of Shoes 1n town for the money and we want you to come and examine these goods for yourself. A Full Line of Trunks, Bags and Ladies’ and Gents. Mackintoshes. OLSEN BROS." sealers: BUILDING, novnwALK. A WINNER A The Reduction in Hartford Bicycles has proved a drawing card- Ladies Pattern No 2, is in great demand, and orders are being received right along. Come in and examine it. Columbia, standard price to all, $15 0. The S. f. AnIlIlor cycle 00.. 29 Vlall Street.
Norwalk Chronicler