The Endeavor Pledge

Froni tbe beginoing of tne Chri Endeavor rnovement some ono has;rted to try bis hnnd at tinkeriug the pledgc. "Tbe pledge is too etrong, " er "The pledge conldö't be Hved npto," er "I rast fce c: &d;;pt it to Ihe petruliarities of onr society. " It in amuzing huw niany "pcctiliar" societies there are in tho world; There a) many of these pledgo tinkers as thcre nsed lo be, but we hear of thew oyery now and then, eveu iu tl. '-.-o daj's. Now tLore is nofc mnoh objoction to altei'iug the phraseology, if tho meaniug is uot chauged or tho stremiousuess of the pledge is notweákeiied, but tliis is 1ho very thiug that mot't pledge tiiikera desire to do. Now I should like towhisper in their ears that tberevisedChristian Eudeavcr pledge was prepared very enrefully and prayerfully. DayHof timewere spent in weighing each word, so that every one might bo the right, word in the right place. The sirength of every phrase was eonsidered and special paina was taken not to have a siugle letter or sylluble ia the pledge which the youngest and ■weakest active uiember con ld not keep. Twice, in the heart of the pledge, at the risk of tautology, and perhapa to the detriment of the queen's Engliah, the phrase is snbstantially repeated, "Uu loss prevented by a reason which I can conscieutiously give to the Lord Jesus Gbrist " That is the only exente which the Cbristian ever otight to be ■williiig to give for the nonperformatice of auy known dnty. This is twice adrnitt3i) and insisted on in tho heart of the pledge, and it fully excuses any consoieuticus Christian, if he has any excuse vorth giviug. A Christian Endeavor society that fully understands what tho pledgo rueans iu ninety-nine oases ont of a hundred will vote against altering it. What is needcd is a careful study of the pledge. Have a meeting to explain it and talk about it and to understand its thorough reasonablenesa. My earnest advice to pledae tinkers is, "Don 't. "-