The Hawaiian gazette., 1883-01-24
Y. NJ. C. A-General Business, and an
Essay from Judge Judd.

The regular monthly meeting of the Young Mems
Christian Association was held in the vestry of the
Bethel church on the 18th inst. Mr.. Amasa Pratt,
the President of the organization, in the chair.
The attendance was larger than usual, and includ-
cd a number of visitors. After prayer by the Rev.
5. c. Damon, the minutes of last meeting were read
and approved Reports of various committees were
received and acted on Two applicants for mem
bership, Peter Hansen and A. Bolster, were ballot
ed for and duly elected. Hon. A. F. Judd then
read the following essay on "The Aims and
Objects of the Y. NJ. C. A.
The President and Members Of he Young Mems
Christian ASSOCIATION nj HoHolHla.
BmTHREN - have been asked TO prepare
short essay ON the object and aims of this Associa
ton, OF rather What is our legitimate work in
this community :!
A distinctive peculiarly of this institution is
that it is ,HdsHoBiiHafoHal.. Our constitution re-
quires as a requisite for active membership that
the applicant be a member of evangelical
church. Happily in these islands we hear but
little sectarian or UNCONVENTIONAL instructions,
but in other countries when the church of Christ
has not the apparent unity see here, this feat
ure of Y. NJ. c. AS. contributes largely to its
success. / hope that the time is near when we
may have the active cooperation with us of all
evangelical Christians in Honolulu and especially
that more of our Brethren Of the Anglican Church
will join our ranks.
Another marked feature Of this institution
everywhere is that its work is done by ifHWeu. II
is not antagoniste to the church, and IT should be
its greatest supporter, and as Its ultimate object
is the bringing of young men to saving knowl-
edge of Christ Jesus this institution, if success
full, must be feeder to the church, and 1t has
been well called its Training School" If We
detected any tendency among its members towards
exaltnC this Association to position higher than
Church Df Christ SDlrlt other than that
of the truest loyalty to that best of all, because
divinely ordained) institution we should say let
it dissolve Immediately But we md as human
society Is constituted that all who are within
reach of the gospel are not hearers of the word.
The church stands open here as IN all lands, but
the majority do not enter its doors. In order then
to increase the aggressive power of the church
these associations have been formed and their
history for the past twenty years abundantly
proves their value in this respect. Our work,
therefore, in Honolulu should be that of drawing
unconverted men TO Christ and His Church and
incidentally and a result of Christian activity
the development of a spiritual life among our own
members. But this result is not to be reached at
once. The young man ordinarily must be at
| tracted, Influenced aud persuaded before he is
converted. His feet must be drawn willingly to
| the House of God and until he is ready to go the
first work Is to give his mind, his social instincts
and his tastes something intrinsically attractive,
which will feed his better nature and draw him
away from sin and then, the ground of his heart
made fallow and the seed being planted, faith in
|
that then his heart may be changed.
To particularize, there must be social methods
and agencies employed to draw young men from
scenes of dissipation and evil. As place, where
these may be provided building is being erected
| Here must be reading room, made pleasant and
accessible also where the best newspapers can be
found and letters written We hope our parlor
will prove to be an attractive place for young men
TO neet for conversation and friendly intercourse
| With well equipped Gymnasium, and occasional
lectures readings concerts, and other entertain
ments in the Hall above, our hope Is that the limo
| cent recreation there provided may draw young
! men to this spot. Here too prayer meetings may
be held and Bible classes meet and religious ser
| vices be conducted to which some may be willing
| to 90 who do not 60 TO church services. But this
work to be DONE raising the walls of our building
| is small part of the work before u.s. glance at
the standing objects provided for in our Constr
ton shows that the projectors OF this Association
have high aims and wide views. / give them, not
in their published order, aud classify as follows
First-Work outside the walls OF our Association
building Offering hospitality to strangers, visit
ing prisons, hospitals and shipping. visitation of
the sick destitute and afflicted including the sick
| among our own membership; furnishing employ
ment, distributing reading matter, presumably to
the inmates of prisons and hospitals, and TO those
| on board of ships and to the sick.
| Second.-WoTk inside the walls of an Association
! Building-ent which fairly include
Lectures Readings, Concerts, and other improv-
ing recreations; Libraries and Chose in our build
ing must be intended) Reading Rooms; and
Third-Work which may properly be done both
within and without our Association rooms. Public
preaching. either in our Hall or IN other parts OF
the town, not in the churches. Prayer-meetings
the same. Sunday Schools-probaby most of this
work is intended to be done in connection with the
regularly organized schools; but if classes can be
gathered together, for whom there Is no room III
the Church Sunday Schools, then establish them
IN our building at convenient hours. Glasses fol
instruction: These are doubtless intended TO give
opportunity for the formation OF classes for spec
ial instruction evenings from among those who
toe sid or too poor 10 attend the regular schools
of the cisy Here Is an opportunity for instruction
in bookkeeping in the sciences and in the Ian,
Cuaces. class in Hawaiian might soon be started
for those who desire this qualification for position:
on plantations, or in government employ, OF
wherever Hawaiians are to be dealt withs and
lastly such other lines of Christian work as the
| Association may, from time TO time, decide upon
To this must be added the work upon which
each member of the Association Is appointed 4
committee by virtue Of his membership, Of setting
a consistent example as Christian and of put
ting forth personal efforts towards retaining the
wandering. Rather than extend this list, fear i
already spreads over too wide domain, and ex
perience may show that We shall accomplish NOR
BY concentrating our efforts upon a more con
tracted list Of subjects We cannot undertake tn
eHti5e management of religious affairs in this com
munity The subjects of our works are the youn!
men of our race in Honolulu, and to secure hei
social, moral and religious welfare should on
efforts be directed
am much impressed with a series Of articles il
, the ceH,sJy Naya-ias by Rev. Washington GLADDEN.
entitled the Christian League Of Connecticut
Chap. II describes the method by which the \. u
c. 4. Of New Albion came TO its death b.
spreading cut itself thin that it finally soake.
!, in and disappeared While not agreeing Will
the article in the idea that the church can best d
the work of the Y. NJ. c. A. it has given N
r much food for reflection. Ours is not a mission
: AIRY organization distinctvely. This field Of botl
4 Foreign and Home Missions is well occupied b
! the Hawaiian Board and the subsidiary organiza
I ton OF the Hawaiian Mission Children's Societ
J isnd Wornans' Board OF Missions II Is quite tru
1 that direct Christian work among the Chinese /