The Portland daily press., 1874-02-24

Mr. Editor:
Consistency, thou art Jewel"
In communication signed Member pub
lished in Fridays PRESS, the writer comes to
the defense of the Y. NJ c. Association against
the charge of bgoty He says: 1--WE are &C
cused of being exclusive and bgeted by those
who are excluded from its membership His
reasons for such exclusion are that all believe
in God, and receive the Bible as his revealed
word; that it proclaims Christ as the son of
God, &C., &c. and that the primary object of
this Association is to promulgate these truths,
especially among the young" They also be-
lieve ''that the instrumentalities necessary to
use to accomplish this object are prayer meet
ings and distribution of a literature containing
these truths" In fact plain inference from
the article is that all instrumentalities by
which they approach the public should teach
only such truths. Among these truths so es-
sential to be promulgated, is that the 'theatre,
dancing, card playing, &C., are amusements
contrary to the spirit of the Bible; that they
endanger the safety of the soul, and, therefore,
cannot be tolerated." and that "all young men
who deny any of these truths and believe that
these amusemeLts are harmless are, and of
right should be excluded from such associa
tion," otherwise ''its object must be defeat
ed
In the same paper and even in the same
column find a synopsis of a lecture delivered
in City Hall the evening before by Rev. w. III.
HI. Murray (of the Orthodox SCHOOL, said lect-
ure being one in series given by and under
the patronage and management of the same
Y NJ. G. Association, which has for sits OBJ
ject the PRONUNCIATION of the truth" that 'danc-
ing, theatre going, card playing, &c." are
''amusements contrary to the spirit of the BIZ
BILE and endanger the safety of the SOUL"
find in this lecture this Reverend (who
is eligible for membership in this Association,
being evangelicaD teaching that he believes in
that nature that can enjoy the mental discip-
line of game of chess or aohiSt;;" that in the
matter OF amusements eaca must Judge for
himself: that he believes he has no right to
rebuke another Christian for playing billiards,
euchre, or even for dancing" The Argus re-
porter makes him say land learn he did say
it) II believe in a piety that will do to take
on to the base ball ground Tor race course for
he goes there) into the water or sits down to a
social game of Whist or dominoes." He be-
lieves that no Christian has right to dictate
to another whether they shall play whist or
dominoes, ride in the horse cars on the Sab
bath, use tobacco love billiards or the dance"
He would have his children learn all these
things, ring, dance and playing. Shakespear
should be beside the Bible in the library, &c,
&c.
Now let me ask 'member if he considers
that the Y. M. c. Association is by this lecture
and such like ''nstrumentalities'' sspromul-
eating the truths for which the Association
was formed or is this one of the hypocritical
methods of obtaining money from the public
under the plea that ''any means are justified
by the end" .
Please Inform the public ip what light the
AcChn ntsar,1 To- !, IL
NIT that all this defense" means nothing,
and that the accusation stands uurefuted, that
the Y. NJ. &. Association of Portland, at least,
is bigoted. LIBERAL.