Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-10-15
Y. NJ. G, A. WORK.
Third Annual Convention Of the Associa.
i lions of Tennessee.

Third Annual Convention Of the Associa.
:. lions of Tennessee.
Welcome nIeoting in First Presbyterian |
sc Church---Programme for To-Day.
The third annual convention of the Young |
Mems Christian Associations of Tennessee |
is in session in this city. The welcome meet |
ing occurred last night, according to an
nouncement, at the First Presbyterian Church.
The church was kindly rendered for the use
of the convention, and was appropriately
and neatly decorated with evergreens, ETC.,
for the occasion, and bore the appearance of
:" Welcome" The following notices in
letters were suspended over the pulpit:
The Lord hath done great things for us,
whereof we are glad" and Gan for Jesus"
The church was well filed with congre-
CATION representative of the various relig-
ious sects and denominations of our city,
in addition to the SO or 60 delegates to the
convention, who had arrived up to that
time.
The exercises opened with voluntary ON
the organ, skillfully manipulated by Mr.
| Albert VanGilder, which was followed by
the singing of the doxology, the congrega-
ton standing and invocation by Rev. G. C.
Rankin, D. D., pastor of Church Street M.
| E. Church. South. An anthem was next
sung by a splendid choir, provided for the
occasion, followed by the reading
of scripture lesson by Rev. c. H.
Strickland D. D., pastor of the First
Baptist Church, prayer by Rev. F. E.
Sturgis pastor of the Second Presbyterian
Church, and the singing of the hymn
"Blest be the tie that binds" &c.
MIR. JAS Fl. Cowan, who presided over
the meeting, then proceeded, on behalf of
the Y. M. G. A. of Knoxville, of which
he is president, to deliver the open
ing address of welcome, in an
impromptu speech of a few minutes, ex-
tending a most cordial welcome to the visit
ing delegates, referring in fitting terms to
Tennessee.
Rev. j. G. Schaidt, pastor of the German
Lutheran Church, in behalf of the pastors
of the city, added some remarks, and also in
behalf of the churches and Christian homes,
stating that Knoxville is always ready
with open homes to bid hearty welcome
to the young men engaged in such noble
and praiseworthy calling
Rev. DR.. Thos. w. Humes, president of
! the University of Tennessee, in behalf OF
/ the educational interests of the city, extend
ed q very cordial greeting, stating that we
open our homes and are glad to see them
mendation of the Y. NJ. c. A., stating
that he had witnessed with pleasure the
great influence for good which had resulted
from the operations of the association work
in the University.
Judge j. F. J. Lewis County Court clerk
in behalf of the city, spoke as follows:
| Gentlemen, Delegates of the Sd Annual
/ Convention of the Young Mems Christian
Association
The pleasing task of rendering to you all
and singular the welcome of our city, is de
. VOWED on me. The personal pleasure fee
in performing this ceremony, Is only excel
ed by the hearty welcome from every citi
zen of Knoxville, with which I greet you
this night. You assembled in our city
for the highest possible purpose, the eleva
ton and the conservation of our young mel
to Christ and the cause of Christianity.
Without Christ and Christianity, ou
young men are lost, and life is failure
t Extinguish this great light of truth ane
: immortality and darkness broods over tn,
q face of the great deep of the soul. and maj
becomes a wandering intelligencer. without
! a purpose here, and without destiny here
after. But, thanks to God, we are not lef
in doubt and darkness, for we have seer
z His Star in the east, and are come to worship
Him"
This brilliant star that guided the wis,
men to the Manager has climbed to the
) | zenith of the heavens and illumines all the
} world, and sheds an etfulgent light ON every
pathway in which man is called to walk.
Not only is it "the light of the world,
but it is "the joy of the whole earth.
Mankind, almost everywhere, as individuals
as societies, and as. nations, have felt tn.
eleyating and refining influence of Christi
, anity.
It has become the chief corner stone OF
t every well-regulated and prosperous State
3 luu66u. tuo sGtDluty duu uuTdtlOu VI gov
' eminent depends largely, if not exclusively
:, on the quantum of the law of Moses and O
Christ that is inwove with its fabric and en-
lightens its Constitution.
d The recent awful calamity of our owl
;, great country illustrates and confirms tn,
= truth of this declaration.
The Government having been established
by our fathers on the broadcast catholicit,
of Christian principles, it turned the sever,
trial into glorious triumph, triumph
{, that will go sounding down the path of tins
.. to stimulate the generations of freenen il
:, the ages to come.
Would it be sacrilegious to apply here tn,
i sublime sentiment of the Psalmist "WaLl
: about Zion, and go round about her; tel
the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bull
warks, consider her palaces, that he ma.
tell it to the generations following. For thi
God is our God, forever and ever"
But it is with the personal and individual
s. influences and purposes of Christianity tina
# your organization, and this assemblage, ha
!. chiefly to do. What our holy religion doe
for man on the scale of states and societies
it does, or is capable of doing, for him indi
:, yidually, 81 for it is a light to his feet and
Il lamp to his pathway" Christianity is thu
10 heritage of every individual, legacy from
our common father. The possession ant
enjoyment of this "pearl of great price " i
st within the reach of every one. Its purify
ing and enrolling influence on our lives ant
conduct is past computation. AS the OBJ