The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-04-06
RELrerous WORK.

church, and those cold in the church
have been rekindled to active work,
We have held 200 religious services at the
rooms, ten services at the jail and nine open
air meetings. Thousands Of papers, maya
zines and tracts have been distributed, and
hundreds of Bibles and Testaments have been
given away. The General Secretary has de-
livered twenty addresses on religious topics
from the pulplts Of various churches, has aided
in other religious services outside of the rooms
| and has furnished trained Christian workers
| for almost all departments OF Christian work
The call upon the young men to work FOR the
salvation OF young men is especially empha-
sized by the history OF the times in which we
| live.
There is peculiar power in young men to
| do great things for God and their associates
| Young men are hopeful, brave, fertile in imag-
ination, and thus are strong in all the qualities
| that secure the largest successes. The Apostle
! John realized the Importance OF youthful vigor
| in Christian work whom he said, II have writ
ten unto you young men, because 80 are
| strong"
A new and very hopeful department of re-
ligious work is our Boys Prayer Meeting on
| "Wednesday afternoonS at O'Clock. This is
conducted by Christian boys, who desire the
salvation of other boys. The meetings are
under the supervision of the General Seore-
tary. That good has already been accom-
! plished is abundantly demonstrated. eNot
unto us, . Lord, not unto us, but 10 Thy name
| be the praise
Auo IcptIh q tuc year never Otu no WTlbbcDs
The report of the good that this association has
accomplished during the thirty years OF its ex-
| istence never can be put upon paper.
| Oh! would like, IL had the power to-
night, to summon tho men to this platform
| who by this agency have been saved and
brought to Christ. They are the real monu-
| ments of the work Of this association
| IL Is said that when Alexander the Great, ON
| one of his successful military campaigns, was
| in the city OF Jerusalem, he summoned the
| htoh hafn him and da1 hat
statue should DO erected In his honor Ia the
city. He said % him, High priest, do il at
once, and after few years | will return and
inspect the work, and see II you have done
sufficient honor to my exploits. Time rolled
on. After the lapse OF some years, Alexander
the Great returned to Jerusalem. He asked ii
the statue, the monument, had been erected
He was answered in the negative. Furious
and excited, he summoned the high priest into
his presence, and said TO him, Priest, whore
is the monument" 20, King, responded
the priest, "the laws OF our nation do not al
low us TO build any monument 20 the memory
Of any man. Here, see boys around me, and
calling to his boy, he said, What is your
name?' and he responded, alexander = land
yours?' alexander" "Ald yours?F Al
exandern "And yours?n "Alexander.n
Here, ''sAid the high priest, 20 King! here are
your monuments; these boys to bear your
name | would like, say, TO summon here
Tonight, those that have been saved by the
power OF this association. would say to that
man, strong, stalwart, Christian man that he
is, what is your nance l know he would saw,
Il am named By new name, for have found
the Redeemer and am saved by his power
WORK FOR noYa.
Young Mems Christian Associations are be-
ginning to recognize the Importance OF spe-
csfe work for bows This is one OF the most
important branches of our work, aud one that
promises very large results. This work is 10
the association what the Sunday school is TO
the church. From the boys must our ranks be
recruited from time to time. Ii we get the
boys we will have tho young mem it Is of the
utmost importance then that they be redeemed
while young and not Yet hardened in sin.
No one can fail to notice the alarming IN
crease in the number of rpnaways, and OF
crimes committed b. boys Cline is abhorrent
under all circumstances, but IL Is especially
sad 70 see the young become hardened cfimi-
mails. On one day, not long ago, among the
prisoners taken TO the Court Of General Ses-
sions in the city of New York for trial were
seeenteeR b0gs, fourteen of whom we're convict
ed. Three of them we're only thirteen years
old, and three others only fourteen Twelve
of them were indicted for burglary, and five
for larceny. One was sent TO state prison for
two and half years, the others had lighter
sentences. There is little hope fer the future
Of such lads-alrsady hardened in sin. Here |
mast cali your attention to the abomiuabls
trash, under the missioner of literature, that is
daily set before the boys of this and other cit
les giving EASfi lHEe lAeae lltC ana IDiSDL-
ing their minds. Many boss after reading
these thrilling adventures and glowing descrip-
lions OF the golden west" have become dissat-
isied with the tame and seeming un6ventful
school life, and hvve left their homes to seek
their fortunes and follow their hero
Most OF the delnded fortune hunters find
their mistake, and, like the prodigal retnrn
bat with the taste for good reading impaired.
A New York paper says: Hardly day
passes ia this city but the police capture run
ts.f Ia ,fr
spectacle parents, who, having filed thelr
heads with the trashiest stories Of Indian hunt
ing and impossible adventures, run away 10
this city 70 see the great slghts. The sights
they usually ses is the inside OF q police sta
ton aud penitent return 20 their homes; Int
this side Of the picture Is not shown in tha
story papers.
These pernieious newspapers for boys have
also greatly increased in numbers, and have
grown in recklessness, Publishing now with
impHDity shameless advertisements that few
years ago they would not haze dared 70 pub.
fish.
There is an antidote for this unhealthy H.
erature in the shape Of several wholesome
juvenile publications; but many boys, with
nobody to care what they read, take heavy
doses OK the poison, and let the antidete Sc
yeraly alone.
Asan offset to this unhealthy literature
and in order to encourage and cultivate a
taste for good reading. Young Mems Christian
q associations, in nearly all cur large cities,
portland included have established reading
rooms for boys, where carefully selected pa
pers, magazines and books ara placed 1t their
disposal; religious and secular instruction and
entertainments are also given; the evils of in
temperance are explained, and a pledge
against intoxicating liquors, tobacco and pro.
family find ready signatures. Drunkenness
among boys is alarmipgly prevalent The
smoking Of cigarettes Is also sappiDg their
young lives, causing q deterioration of the
brain tissues and enfeebling the. Intellectual
powers.
Theatrical representations Of bandit life,
such as Jesse james" and Buffalo Bill"
are also demoralizing our boys
The seeds of evil habits, that beSr fruit in
idle, vicious lives, are very often s0wn In boy
hood If parents could be- brought 10 feel the
urgent need Of doing something special for the
social and spiritual welfare Of the boys of our
towns and cities, they would find 1t would pay
as we'll, ii not better, than anything Of the
kind they can undertake.
We live IN q reading age. You may be sure
your boys will read. II you do not SOW good
seed, the devil will SOW tares. II you do not
cultivate In them taste for good, wholesome,
profitable reading, you need not be surprised
II they take to sensational fiction, and to
kind OF reading which, instead Of virtue and
righteousness, includes and encourages vice
and crime Of every kind.
During the past two years the Portland As
ISOLATION has dono good work among lhe boys
Of our city, four hundred and seventy-aye Of
whom have enrolled themselves as members
Of he Boys Department.
The results Of the work, thus far, have sur
passed our most saDguins expectations.
Experience has shown us that, by iudicious
management, 1t Is easy to beget in boys love
for these associations and amusements that arc
removed from vicious and depravsd surround
ings. IL is deplorable fact that boys, as
general thing, are allowed to shift for them.
selves in the way OF amusements, nobody
seeming TO give them any consideration or
thought In this matter When boys once be-
come interested In the Y. M. G., A.. rooms and
their methods, they are almost sure when they
grow up to become identified IN some way
with tho work. Twenty-Five boys have al
ready graduated into our adult department.
We have given the boys twenty-five entertain-
ments during the year, and numerous adj
dresses have been made TO them on practical
topics by men and women Of large experience
in the care and training Of the young. And
here we want to thank the many friends who
| have labored so assiduously in the matter Of
entertaining and iDstructing the boys.
Observation-Disclosures ETC.
| We are glad to report steady increase in
subscriptions, receipts from lectures and NOM
bership fees--a good indication Of tho hold we
| have on the hearts and pockets Of the citizens.
| The total income for the year ending April
| 1st 1883, was So, $751; expenses, S2,192.11; ball
anon m newt upar &1gQ 07 To have vnv, 700