New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-17
BLUSH Eso.. was the next speaker.

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siona and official duty TO the contemplation the pleasing
reality which see before And yet sir hardly know
in what Language express my feelings The Dung men
Cbrsan Assocatonsuch your title. How much IS ex
pres.ed In these few words How pregnant with deep and
an powerul Nc anng is this short sentence An ASSOCIATION
ofbe voung men Of this mighty city for Christian purp
No selfish motives, no personal aims 10 unworthy enu
direct stimulate. or control your actions. Hum IN
welfare 10 its highest form, human happiness IN
is anount estate constitute your alpha ana omega
The broad, expansive, aid comprehensive sys'eh
which the controlling power Of constitutional form
Of Government embraces within rs orbit all classes con
dons and Of and untes in one perfect Thols
III one sovereign confederace moving like the heavenly
planets in harmony and concord Separate yet dependen
distinct yet united, prevails IN your Assoconi ana As
your address tells me- all evangelical Christian sect here
mite for the one only holy puTpOse-tbe formation OF me
whole body Of young men into a vast harmonious
band working with all their might IN the cause OF Chrlst
NAV God prosper your sublime undertaking. Gentlemen
vor field Of labor vast and in the language OF Holy
Writ Although the harvest is peneous hitherto the Ia
borers have been but few Let detain you for few
mon ents by comparison of your position contrastec
with the less favored masses Of the Old ORD and point
your attention that divine injunction and warning OF our
Savior TO whom much is given from him much will be
required Here each worhips God according 10 tne
dictates his own conscience No rule OF State no earthly
mandate potential decree emanatDg from any terrestrial
pOentate limits controls governs the relations OF man 10
bis Maker but erect in dignity Of Christian freeman be
knees 70 God alone. Here, too IN addition 10 mat rel
o;ous liberty which is mans brthrght prevails beyond
sny other country full Of civil liberty and the effect OF their
united influence is to be found IN that mighty stride ana
napn6cent advance which has placed your country ore
mo
ton We worship no earthly cOnqueror whose Slarlo'
wheels are red with the gore Of slaughtered myads per
shiug in defense Of the dearest rights OF humanity out
the pun u honest industry and the peaceful exercise Oh
those attributes which belong alike TO the peasant and the
monarch Our political devotion Is to our CONSTITUTION
and laws-our religious worship TO GOD alone 10"
great the contrast Need point to the physical suler
ing the moral debility, the mental degradation whc1
prevails among the OF Northern and COnnhenLA
furope-the than human torture which seeks 70
govern the human body by enthrling sutJugatnS ana
! NJ human
such has been such will be the results Of desposm ana
bgotry duties then are enhanced by the blessings
which God has vOuohsGfed 10 you, and your present
undertaking noble manifestation OF your gratitude
encourage the young and ardent IN their journey through
life to defend them from temptations, to surround them
with iends aid and strengthen them in their trst great
struggle with the world TO console them in SICKNESS resVe
their distress and finally 10 point them to that best last
refuge Of the weary soul the haven of Christian ah and
religion What compared in moral subimy with this are
the petty strides Of Alexander or Napoleon the cold
philosophy Of a Plato, the sensual superstition OF
MshCmet These / uno erstand, to be your Primaryoo
ects and truydo they demonstrate the sincerity oil your
faith in that religion whose essence is divine love can
fully appreciate the necessity of your organization 100
Citen have been called upon TO greVe over the idiSh
spirit whose path way beset by temptations and uncht ck
cd by any friendly influence has conducted him to the
charne house Of guilt and crime Starting upon MS career
of life. the youthful asprant for worldly fame ana
honor finds himself for the first time separated rom
friends and parents--a stranger among the multitude
He has to the great City to seek the bubble lepua
ton The OF his childhood still haunt his mind ana
in the confidence of youth he has launched his bark upon
the great of human life and pleasure waits him on
ward The syren songs unhoy passions lure him tothe
treacherous hauDno friendly pilot guides his couse-un
Ill at last amid the hOwng Of the storm, riendess and
orsaken his shattered vessel founders on the rocks oil
vice and inamy Two instances specially occur TO me as
happening within my knowledge. They constitute
types of classes the punished the otner-thahKs 10
that burning holy flame whit death alone can extn
gusb mothers Ovestl lives redeemed ana reg eneraed
Both were natives Of New England. Educated IN her com
mon schools imbued with early religious instruction. pos
sessng the active ardent temperament peculiar to New
1o,I rgpfh ftNat qf
pendence they left their native villages forte great meop
oils The world before them-tbatword of which they
had SO often read in which in boysh fancy they were des
tined to play gnoble parts but OF whose realities tley
had still to learn. Innocence AS yet was theirs ana the
bright and happy hours of early childhood sun fingered
in the twilight of memory. They came alone, WIN no
acquaintance 10 greet them, friend TO direct and
cheer them in their course. Mark the transition In
two years an inmate of your State Prison.
the other arrested midway in his evil career returned
his home a wiser, and, have reason TO believe
better man. Both owed their fate to the instructive love
of association and the want of proper guides 20 direct
their choice of associates This Is no fancy sketch no
overweight picture, but plain unvarnished truth MY
position for the last two years has necessarily
brought me into immediate contact with human wee
and depravity in its worst and most revolving
forms enabled to form comparatively correctdea
Of the remote and immediate causes OF crime among as
and nearly every they will be found 10 be the result
of vicious associations Instances, it is true, occur IN
which sudden temptation the demonac spirit OF revenge
overcoming their better nature plunge their victims INTO
the abyss guilt but TO evil associations is mainly TO be
attributed the large majority Of The wretched on
spring of guilt the child of squad poverty and brutal IN
temperance too often assmate, and in their acts and con
duct initiate the example and adopt the OF their &C
rents and associates The brotbel the gaming table and
the haunts of dissipation and vice which disgrace
City, all have their vOaries and step by step lead
them rapne and crime lrregon ldleness and Vice
walk hand hand and amid the besetting temptations OF
hit, furnish but miserable dependence in the hour oil
need Ii is in this respect that your association IS most
worthy by furnishing Christian associates and connections
the thousands of young constantly arriving IN our
City, and thus while you relieve Their tempor wants you
the time promote their spiritual welfare Let your
course then be onward So far human foresight can at
ct human destiny the discipline of the human mind IN
know ledge and the formation Of correct religious prnc
pies must and will control that destiny. Ignorance
and reconsideration says Illotson, are the Two
great causes of the ruin of mankind he
move the cause, and your work IS complete
The foundation of human character Is Christian I'd
ucaton lis best and strongest support and guarantee,
Christian Associations. The former manly depends upon
the guardians of infancy. The latter when the ties which
bind the child 10 the parent temporarily severed you
propose 10 supply Amid the struggles OF manhood the
rude of business and professional pursuits the
youthful mind separated from early associations ana re
moved from the immediate guardianship Of that devoted
beng who has watched over his infancy burened and
down by the and anNees OF every day lie,
often f0rges the past in the troubles OF the present ana
gradually Yields TO the temptations which surround MN
The living fire enknded IN his heart Is sm0hered ana
depends upon his subsequent associations whether sha
burst Oh afresh pure and holy fame shedding GENIAL
warmth around or mere nOX0us vapor-seH consuming
and destructive have RETAINED gentlemen rom enter
ing mnuey into the character ana conduct OF our AsSo
citation Your Annual Report on this your hrs anniver
sary read this evening gives good encouragement Tor
The future can only cheer you with my wishes for your
thopc the prayers of the frendSs stranger and The sess
ms OF that Supreme Arber who reads the thoughts oil
men and whose judgments are always perfect
HIRAM kETCHUN, Esq next addressed the assemblage.
1t but recently that he had learned OF the existence
aud objects Of this Association Its objects BE- approved
Nm ,ek ha 20 Ia a