The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-04-28
WHAT THE PIE OPLE SAY.

Mr.. EDIToR, Now that the Y. NJ. C. A. has
taken formal possession of its new building. /
hope to see the Association become prosperous
and popular, and believe it is the desire of q
greater portion of this community TO see the
young men of this city take a deep interest III
and derive the greatest possible benefits from
the organization. But l fear that in spite of
the Hberality of those who have contributed
towards the cost of erecting the new and splendid
edif1ce, and Notwithstanding the comparative
interest and even enthusiasm which was mani
tested on the occasion of the dedication of the
building last Saturday evening, there is a fatal
element in the mode of management or some
thing else, which has retarded the growth of the
Association in times past, and which has not
been generally discovered, and hence not eradi-
Gated as yet. 1t is an acknowledged fact, l be-
ieve, that the Y. NJ. Q a. in this city has not
been popular among young men, and are we to
suppose that the new building alone was all that
was wanting to lend the highest degree of sue
cess to the Association ? Or can we now think
that because the new building has been form
ally opened with some ectat the Association
has at last attained the summit of success ? No
doubt the building will prove very convenient,
and be q very handsome mark of the generosity
of those who SO conspicuously donated large
Sums of money for its completion, but
L cannot believe that otherwise the new
building will materially contribute to the re-
generation of the Association, which has hither-
to fallen short of attaining the more satisfactory,
broad and universal influence over the minds
and hearts of young men. Therefore, l am led to
ask what is the obstacle that has, and so far as l
can judge still may, defeat the higher attain
ments and wider beneticent influence which the
Association very properly desires. The other
day l asked a young man, well known for his
steady industrious habits and sound opinions,
why he did not join the Y.M.C.A., and he re-
piled half jestingly:
~ do not like 1t very well,
But the reason why, 1 cannot tell"
Can it be then that there is only just a sort of
vague and causeless dislike on the part of young
men that retards the growth of the organization 2
Is there really no defect on the part of those
who are intrusted with its management, and
who are relied upon to sustain its financial
burdens ? If the fault is on the part of the lat
ter, Mr.. Editor, 1 fail TO discover it. Those
who have notably upheld the y. NJ. c. A. of this
place are men Of wide and tolerably liberal
views, are they not d? They have not permitted
any narrow spirit of prejudice to affect their
conduct, and have sought to attract all young
men of the community to join the association.
They have too much sense to think that men
who have opposite opinions on the Chinese or
on the temperance question may not therefore
be equally sincere and upright as members of
the y. NJ. c.. \. But / will not continue this
enquiry any further, Mr.. Editor, l have written
in the hope that you or some one in the COM
munity may be able to throw light upon the
singular obstacles that the association to which
| belong have encountered. Max.