West-Jersey pioneer., 1865-01-28

The sixth annual meeting of the Young Mems
Christian Association was held at their room
on Monday evening, Jan. 16. After the usual
opening exercises and business the President
read his annual report, as follows:
Annual Report.
With grateful acknowledgment to God for
his manifold blessings to us during the past
year, we enter upon another, and we trust,
better year of our existence. For the year
gone by, it is my pleasure to report prosperity.
and, in many things, progress. Financially,
We are perhaps in a more healthy condition
than we have been for many years. For this
it is due that should say, we are indebted to
our warm friends, our late President and Vice
President and others who have given US valua-
BILE donations in money and books But when
speak of financial prosperity, speak oft only
as compared with former years, for we are far
from being on as sound a footing as we shonld
and may be. For want of funds we have suf-
fered the list of newspapers and magazines to
diminish, and have made no material addition
to our library While we lament we can also
remedy this. We owe it to the community
and to ourselves to keep up with the times
New and popular literature is craved; and
when we reflect that we have in many instances
to create, as well as to cultivate a teste for
reading it does not seem expedient for US as an
association to cOnfne ourselves to the most
learned, methodical and, such as are generally
called standard authors. We shall aim to
make our reading room attractive, not only for
time, but to keep it SO by supplying our
shelves with the most readable works of o
moral character, fast as they are publ ed,
and our tables with the most inviting newspa-
pers and magazines of the day.
/ would respectfully refer this subject to the
special attention of the Committee, " o Room
and Library" We live in liberal community
which would have no objection to being re-
minded of the old maxim that /" charity begins
at home," and aid us materially in the good
cause.
In membership we have small increase over
the number of last year, and yet, how few are
they, compared with the number of young men
in our town who ought to be with us. Why
are they not Of our numbers Is it the fault of
the cause, or of its exp0undersg Is it the
fault of the association as such, or of it's in
dividuat members? We must take the blame
upon ourselves, for we have none of us been as
Jealous workers in the cause as we should have
been, nor have we endeavored to enlist others
in the work. We mast not forget the great
object for which the association was formed.
That it is not merely for the mental improve
ment Of all bnt for the promotion OF their
spiritual welfare We not only profess to be
On association Of christian young men banded
together for christian fellowship and inter-
course with one another, but, in the language
of the preamble.:to our constitution we profess
to be " actuated by desire to promote evan
gelical religion among the young men resident
in this town and vicinity" Is such our desire
and do we feetit? Do we feel il ~ we onght!
We must not forget that 1.-The tree IS known
by its fruits" and that as young mems Ems
tau association, much is expected OF US, not
only by our fellow christians, but by those
around us who make no profession, who are
taking kuowlelg of US. Let US be
careful then, that we do not exist merely ~
name, having 1.-THE form Of godliness without
the power thereof" Let US commence the new
year upon which we enter tonight by striving
to become more active iaborers in this branch
Of our Lords vineyard. increasing daily in all
The fruits Of righteousness and thus secure for
ourselves at the last. the promised blessing.
an inheritance incorraptibie, pndedlsd, and
which fsdsth not away"