Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-12-24
For the Spectator.
Young Mems Christian Association.

Can YOU TELL, Messrs. Editors, why it is that
almost every scheme of intellectual and moral
Improvement that is started in Staunton, should
spring vigorously into life at first then make a
few convulsive movements. and then langulsh
and die? Are we all SO absorbed in onr own
pursuits, so eagerly striving to secure our own
selfish ends, that we have no time to do good to
one another. or even to relax ourselves except
with jugglers show or an Ethiopian concert
Surely if there is any scheme OF the day that
should commend itself to the cordial approval
and hearty cooperation of the philanthropist
and the christian, it is that of Young Mems
Christian Associations. The object of these
Associations is to promote evangelical religion,
to cultivate the spirit of christian sympathy a.
mong those who acknowledge common faith
and common Master, and to advance in every
proper way the improvement of young men,
The fraternal spirit which animates them Is not
confined to the individual Association, but binds
the whole confederation together in one common
brotherhood. and thus without pledges or pass
words or secrecy, presents to the advance Ut
error and vice, great army of christian men,
endowed with the ardor of youth and the vigor
of manhood, recognising the principles of the
Gospel, supporting public order and virtue, and
SechlllS CUuLluudily W S'S'"NS s''N -
intellectual and moral culture.
These Associations have prospered and are
prospecting elsewhere as they deserve. But what
is the condition of ours9 Organized nearly
twelve months ago. it soon attained member
ship of nearly one hundred; but satisfied with
enrolling their names not more than dozen
have from the beginning shown any active in
terest in its success, and these have gradually
dwindled down to less than half of that number.
Our funds were nearly all expended in fitting
up room for meeting and o Reading ROOM
But the shelves of the Reading Room are still
almost empty In Richmond and Winchester
we understand the Associations have good lib
raries made up chiefly of donations. Can it be
that in Stanton alone there are no books to
spare, or no will to spare them for the improve
ment of Young men. Is it too much to ask the
reading community to look over their libraries
and see if they have not some useful book which
they have read, or some duplicate of q valuable
work which they can spare, and leave it at the
office OF one of the newspapers OF the town 1or
our Association?
We have had five lectures delivered before
the Association since its organization; all by
men of distinguished ability, men living at dis
lance, not enjoying affiuence and literary ease,
but engaged in pursuits which occupy their time
and tax their energies to the utmost. They left
their homes and their avocations sometimes at
the sacrifice of convenience, sometimes suffering
from indsposition, to engage in this labor OF
love, and to contribute their portion to the great
cause of human Improvement. And how have
they been received2 Why from the thriving
and fiourishing town of Staunton with its two
State Institutions, its six Churches and all its
array of schools, Sons of Temperance, Odd Eel
lows, Masons Lawyers and Editors, meagre
band of fifty or sixty hearers Except in one
case) has been CLEANED, and the eloquent an
able lecturer has gone home, with little other
reward than the consciousness of having at least
tried to benefit an unwilling people. Messrs.
Editors, these things ought not so 10 be. Are
we too intellectual to be instructed too excellent
to be improved9 Are the young mon that fill
our homes and line our streets, free from igpor-
ance and vice. Are their leisure hours never
spent in drinking or gambling or low indulg-
ences? Are the bar rooms going down for want
of custom, and the liquor shops diminishing in
number? Are there no vile and debased ee-
ments working at the very bottom of society,
diffusihg their poisonous influence upward thro'
its soil, and threatening to blast its fairest and
noblest pants2
In O word are there not materials enough a.
round us to engage the hearty efforts of every
christian and patriot, and to make us all Jealous
of good works. Owls.