The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-23
ATTACKING TIE Y. NJ. G. A.
BIPTTsT MINISTER'S rIEWs OF CHRIS
TIiN ASSOCIATIONS.
The Rev. DR.. Gcssicr's Obicction.-An TIRE
sp"rsibic Agency -Iniurina the Churches
Ministers for and against the Associations.

The announcement that the Young Mems
Christian Association was to be- tie subject Of
an address and discussion drcw a large num-
Der Of the brethren to the usual Monday morn
ing meeting Of the Baptist ministers. To DIR.
Gessl'r of Elizabeth was assigned tho duty of
making the opening address, lie said that he
had been for four years member u the Young
Mems Christian Association, and that for ninc
years he had taken prominent part in the pro-
motion OF the association in Elizabeth. The
speaker had no sore OF his own that CALLED
him, but he WIS proud to say that not n
single young man OF his church was
member OF tho Young Mems Christian Assoc
citation. He opposed the association because
its existence il in conflict with the true idea Of
the place and work of the Christian Church.
Their, Ia. he said. no work needful to b. done
for man affecting his social. moral. or intellect
ual condition that IL not comprehcnded in the
work Of the Church. The Church OF Christ il
not place for temperance societies or any as
sociations lying outside Of and holding no or
gtni1ation with the Church The whole New
Tcstunc ntcaehcs that God intended the Church
TO do the work that these association are at
tempting Ia take out OF the hands OF the Church :
and to the extent b. which these organizltl ons
are separated from the Church ~ that extent
are they uns rptural.
These Christian associations. continued the
speaker. ~ they labor apart from the Church.
Z nj to rob her of part OF her glory. az they
rob her OF part of her work. He needed no
hcuor Illustration Of tins than what he had read
81 the iahors OF Nardyan Snesha liam ina India.
This man. 10 WIS reported hnl organized n
Young Mons Christian Association IN India
ana had sent out twenty or more young men
into remote provinces Ia do missionary work
thus doing 10y an organization what the Churcn
ought to 40.
Furthermore. tho speaker continued. these
as-1t istions divert the nhOr- of tho best Young
mon from thoir own churches. Each ciiur II
has rieht to expect and demand 90" l~s.t wurh
.l an ~ m"n~rs. was recently asked
Ia attend meeting OF the YOUNG Mems CHRIS
iuu Association IN the cily where +, SIDE, snid
Dr. Grsslrr " knew it Ia ,c IN financial DIM
Guilty. aud unprecedented what might he asked
OF me-. answered that | could not 20. thut |
MAJ no money 10 furnish. and no young men,
Tor my own church Demanded all il could pro-
cure ~ both. ! said ~ the young man ASKING
me. Your own church needs all your labor
The church 10 which he belonged. Us did an
oiher very prominent member OF the aSso IA
ion, hard worker. has since been dis'nndcd
VINO knows tut that. If these young men had
given the time and labor 10 their church that
ihey gave to ue association. the result would
DR.. Gessler went on to say that tho association
TOOK The n'st men from the churches. II didn't
want the lunkhcads. but the brightest and best.
just The men Z II the Church needed. The as
ISOLATION created "A false centre of affection and
interest for young men. The Church became Of
secondary lmpurtan and instead Of b"ing
guided 10y the church. they assumed To guide II.
In the fourth place the Young Mems Chris
tan Association IS an expensive agency for
Christian work. Here in New York city
the association has m elegant builling
that cost siOO.orO thus costing s4sJro annually
in interest, la say nothing about the gilis
OF money that the association IA constantly
receiving. while all over the city there are
chur hos within whose vlulted arches the
sheriff turks with nm execution. In Iuiladrl-
phia the building of the assoc iation cost s4,0.olJ
thus coetins yghr\ 5000 and over The sp,aN-
cr know that Is absolutely impossible for the
us-pni atiun to do any work commensurate with
u!s great rNpcudltnre.
Again. the Young Mons Christian A-sOeia-
p
~ W, pIu-ihle "a nobody at all. A. an
Illustration. tlc SPEAKER sad that thr nsso ,in-
luu ia Ell4lb'th r'e"ntly invited t. the city an
r'uugri list "a man oi NJ dcnpmlnatlon- Py-
mouth brother "a man who was to the Chris
tan ministry what u pirate on the high seAs is
u regularly commissioned Nuss' *. This mun
began his meetings. and soon began 10 attack
III" chureh"s and minister's. He kept the hail
crowded 10y su II remarks MS The MN ~t"rs
and churches invite the sheep b. the fold, not to
Iced them, but a. shear them After h" lrit
came another Plymouth brother. and the result
wis that soon many of the churches. Pr,shytr-
ran. Methodist. Fps opailan. and others. lost
some OF their b"-t men AMI women. who lclt 10
form a Congregation Of Plymouth Brethren.
But no one could pa found Who was responsible
for tins.
Ia conclusion. the Doctor said that il Is tho
duty OF "e'ry Bapt - nuni~t' To mgk"a home
OF ms churr j., so That ~ youn- m IA " u seek
no other puc"; - give them work enough Ia do
:" TINT they VIII hay" no time Tor ~" u--pcia-
ton work; AMI Co preserve toward the ussofiu-
tiona friendly attitude as 10 work they might
do that = > 'filinrt IN design, but not plainly
the work OF the Church.
&c nj There WIS cporass Of That's good -
smiling ass mt from the brethren at tho close Of
the Doctors eloquent address.
AZ their nauns were called the brethren rs
fcui'd Ia tho DO tors views, until the Il .V Mr.
Bowcns name wis called. lie IT, the Suporlu-
tnlrnt of the Young VI tn's Christian A--neia-
ton ol Brooklyn. lhcr" nrn. lv SAID, onlS three
diNn.y Qult ur1"d nrsnn@il0ns, namely: the
Family. the STATE. and tine Church. By the same
igln,ious argument tlnl he had us If Brother
Grsrler mi-ht argue out Of existence every
.lh'r 0rganHltipn in existence. Tn" Young
Mons Chri~t4un A~-p riHtiun H. sul-t tut. for "a
home Tor young manhood. Ii i. not Intended
that the members OF the association shall do
work that may conflict with the work of the
church. tn" most noble men in the Chur h
are those whose latent talents were developed
in the assp 'lation. II does not pruf'ss Ia be-
eithrr a m iOnary society or "a house of rel
ugr. and j. not an auxiliary Ia amy benevolent
and provides for hundreds and thousands Of
youns mon who are not Otherwise provided for
II provides situations for many. AMI suitable
boarding hous, ana a place to spend thcir
leisure hours. II the Church can do all this
work, Their" Is no need OF thc ass. citation; but
tn Iuur b. oaunoi 10 Il. AMI Will not DO H.
. Dr. justin -. Fulton complained that tho
Noung " ms Christian Assorutionneve r asked
tur bgl lists to do mu ID, and that when they dill
was not pronounced ia either the church. so-
ci'ty or the family. H. nev, r knew IA thorough
gong Baptist VINO would leave a prayer meet
lns Tor the Young Nous Chsstian Association.
H. h, ld that each denomination should have an
association for homeless young men.
Brother Hodge thought that il required some
courage. nowadays. to stand up and l,rapps
with things that had been Sprukied into the
Church of Christ. There could be- no improve
mrnt ON the original plan Of converting tho
world.
Brother Kesey said that he had been for
years in the y. NJ. {. A., bur WIS forced t. leave
for Just the reasons that DR.. Gosslcr had st
forth
The Rev. Mr. Lawson, the Secra tary of tho
Bruukyn \. VI. G. A- spoke in defence of the
Hsso'iniiun. II offered u place for young mon,
when the churches did not. and when tho
theatres and saloons were all open 10 cntce
thnm in.
Brother Muir fanoiod TINT tho Young Mons
Christian Asso"iHtDn arose from u lack Of rni-
cheney II tn church. the church did not do
the work il should do.
Brother Potter said that six churches night
T. run win the money that ls spent hy tho Nrw
York !. VI. c. \. When "A young man Of his
church h""tu" member of tho association, he
meyer saw him u4Giu.
At the adjournment the hrothron stood about
ten 10 ono against th' Young Mus Christian
As~n" iutlNu uS a positive evil TO- the chur. II Of
Christ, and 10 tho Bupt.sts in purti, ular.
VINO sHiLL PREiCH THE Gospel?
Asiatic and African Missionary Effort Set Up
In Answer 90 Dr. scudder.
Literally, an evangelist IL n messenger
a q