The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-25

his own life, and how God had prospered him. He
told me he was President Of the Young Mems Chris.
tian Association in Western city. He said he had
had large number Of young men in his employ
ment, ana nad always taken them To his own house
atvarlous times, as he considered it an excellent
plan 10 Keep them out OF temptation was delighted
ing young men. ''My early life" said he, ''wss a
ryng one. had great many temptations. was
brother, whe was moi rich in this worlds goods.
l made up my mind 10 go into the wholesale drug
business business and prepared my life for that; lily
II you viii GO to Philadelphia and study chemistry
there In the medical school, will endeavor to pay
your moderate expenses for two years l was n
member OF the Methodist Church and a teacher In
the Sabbsth.school there. 1 carried letter from
the minister OF the church to the city, to the church
there and was very kindly received. 1 was invited
to take class in the Sabbath-schoo aud dnring he
whole two years was faithful attendant at that
church, and did ali could to work in the sabbath
school," He said that during all that time he
was invited TO put his foot the thre eshold OF
home, and he never had any one to speak TO him
as though they were really his friends, aud Dig man
as he was, he had often gone up to his little bed
nothing but the love OF God In his heart
saved him from going to ruin. l do not
belonged, or the Methodist Church. in comparison
TO others, but speak OF the matter as the way we
do things in this rapid life Of ours. We, no doubt,
take it Tor granted that somebody else speaks TO
these young men, and we think it is all right, and
we forget their loneliness. Now, II a young man,
with the love OF God in his heart aud with Sunday
labor on his hands exposed t. temptation,
and came so nearly going to his ruin, what do you
think, dear friends, is the danger OF young who
are here all alone, with only daily labor to care for
and who all the long evenings have no one to care
for them--nO home open to theul--nO relatives
friends to say a Kind word. Taink OF this, dear
frierds Your beautiful city is a city Of homes. I
am sure 10 one coming here from any other cGy,
and walking up and down your Streets and seeing
Your beautiful homes, could help wishing
in this country the nobest Eugshman who
ever was here said nothing had interested
the number of simple, neat homes. where ali could
have "reminiscences Of their own After ali, there Is
no Young Mems Christian Association that eau begin
to compare to good wife aud hreslde of ones
own. What are all of you doing for these young
men who come by the thousands TO this city? |
wonder at you, fathers, mothers, aud brothers.
wonder at you, cle1gymen, who know the tempta-
tons and the trials TO which young man is exposed
when away from home, that you do not do some
thing for him. You are responsible to certain
extent young man leaves his home--his quiet
country home. He leaves with his mothers prayers
He leaves all his friends behind, the country church
where he has worshipped and he drifts into large
city like Philadelphia and New York. Where is he?
who cares for him? He knows nobody. No one
speaks to him. He is alone in great city. What
loneliness is there greater than that?
That our readers may know exactly what the
work of the Young Mems Christian Association
is, we present the following details:-
The Hall of the association is at No. 1910
Chestnut street, and contains large reading
room, library parlors for writing, conversa-
tion rooms, etc. The reading room, which is
free to all, has two hundred papers aud periodi-
calls upon its tables. The library contains 500
volumes for the use of the members In the
literary society, Tuesday to temperance
meetings, Wednesday to classes, Thursday to
Bible study, Friday to scientific lectures and
Saturday to PRAYER meetings. On Sunday after
noon at o'clock there is Bible class for stran-
| gers. The Wednesday evening classes are
| devoted to instruction In penmanship, German,
| French, vocal music, and eocution. Social
! meetings for prayer and to enable strangers to
| become acquainted with the members are held
! every evening from 915 to 10 o'clock.
The Employment Bureau is organized on
| business principles to supply strangers and
| others with employment without charge. A
special agent of the association gives all his time
| to securing situations. He receives applications
for two hours of each day, and the rest of his
time is spent upon the streets seeking places
| for the unemployed. One hundred and fifty
| situations have been secured for young men
during the last Elk weeks of dull times.
The association has just purchased the Union
| Club House on Twelfth street, below Walnut
and is fitting it up as a Christian Home where
| young men can be comfortably accommodated
| under good influences at the exact cost OF living
A great demand is constantly made upon the
| association to supply boarding-houses for
strangers, and the Committee on Boarding
| houses have list of $50 of the best in the city
houses to which they constantly send young
men. The Young Mems Home is designed to
meet the needs of those who cannot afford to
pay the usual rates. Its charges will probably
| be about $3 per week.
The association provides temporary shelter
for scores of young men who for many reasons,
l
| ness, are homeless. Sometimes the failure of a
young man from the country to get situation
before his scanty supply of means runs out
brings him to the door of the association.
Nearly 500 such were cared for last year. Since
the frst of the year about $50 have been shell
tered.
Reception Committee for Strangers is now
being organized to attend at the rooms each
evening to welcome strangers.
A committee to look after sick young men,
without distinction of creed colors, is or
ganized and notice of destitute and sick
young men sent to the hall of the association
will be promptly attended to.
special committee also awaits the notice o
parents and guardians to make the acquaintance
of young men coming to Philadelphia to seek
employ ment, and to help them to find home:
and friends and to introduce them to members
of the association. To aid in this, cards of invi
tation to the association and its privileges
are being put up in stores, depots and hotels
On the streets every night hundreds of little
leaflets are distributed to young men inviting
them 10 avail themselves of the privileges o
the association, and vast amount of good ha
already been done in bringing under Christian
Influences mHltitudes of Young men who mos
thankfully testify to the benefits which th
Young Mems Christian Association has con