The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1883-03-21
Y.McA


evening Of the 18th inst. Mr. Amasa Pratt, the
President of the Association occupied the Chair
and a large attendance Of members was noticeable.
Repor4s were received from the various Standing
COMMITTEES. For the Entertainment Committee
Mr.. C. NJ. Cooke reported that the net proceeds Of
the five lectures given BY Prof. Hitchcock amount
ed to $S5S.Ss which was handed over to the lee
tursr As r,er agreement. Mr.. G. :. McDuTfee was
elected to membership Rev. A. o. Forbes then
read paper on the subject OF what can We, as
an Young Mems Christian Association do, by way
Of Amusement for those who frequent our rooms
and as follows:
'''EEAI SHOULD THE Y. n. c. A. OF HONOLULU Do *
rHr WAY OF PROVIDING lNIUsDECT ZOE THOSE
WHO MAY FREQUEST Booafs.
One Of the chief objects Of the Y NJ. C. A. build
ing Is 20 provide place that shall be 50 far as
practicable, cheerful attractive Christian home,
not only for the members of the Association but
for all who desire TO avail themselves Of such
privileges There are many young men and boys
as well as older persons In this community who
are 50 situated that they feel the need Of sneh a
place 81 resort; and there are many Others who
need II Just as much. even though they may not
feel Or acknowledge the need
II IS not because the private Christian homes Of
Honolulu closed against the stranger that such
home as this IS needed. No young man or older
one, cunning into this community stranger, Be
his station In life what it may, will fail OF kind
and cordial welcome IN many Christian house
worthy Of it. But there is always more or less Of
social forality and etiquette connected with such
privileges which 10 many Is irksome. In the roOms
Of the \. NJ c. A, this element should be absent
and each one should feel perfectly free to come
and go when he pleases and as be pleases, without
danger Of attracting notice on account OF his
dress or language manners. SO long as he be
hayes himself with decent prOpriety. This l un-
derstood to be one of the objects Of such place
Of resort. Of course, 50 far as the management
Of the building and its arrangements are CON
cerned, the word Christian IN its largest and truest
sense must govern the principles and practical
detail of the whole This then Is the foundation
on which We start IL discussing briefly the ques-
ton before US.
That amusement Of some kind Is necessary in
response to the demands Of human nature, l take
10 be almost automatic truth Men, whether of
larger smaller growth. must have their times Of
relaxation finn tue wear and tear OF everyday
life And IL the next place | notice the fact that
this desire for amusement naturally takes social
form. Man is a social being, and If 1t takes
70 make quarrel It Is no less true that II takes
two or more to thoroughly enjoy an amusement.
And when speak of iuen here. l mean men of all
ages. from the boy IN his teens to the grandsre IN
his crown OF gray. 1.-The boy Is father to the
man" 1t is also true that a rule the safest and
highest amusenents are those of q social charac-
ter. Now there is as great variety in amusements
there IS in characters and tastes And Il often
happens that what is amusement to one IS grief TO
another. All amusements Of that character. It
seems 20 me, will at once be TO be incOusist-
home.
Again, an amusement that suits the taste Of one
is positively distasteful to another and therefore
Is amusement to the latter. And here 1t seems
to me We have another line to guide in our
selection of amusements. As the social clements
one which We desire to cultivate, the amusements
provided by our Association should be used such
as are best adapted to social enjoyment.
But if seek amusement merely as such. with
out regard TO its effects upon the life and charac
ter, shall be apt to miss Its best and highest
forms, dropping down to the level of the monkey !
who capers and grIns and enjoys himself thor
9ughly in a purely animal way. Men are made |
for higher enjoyment than that. We should there
fore furnish something higher than mere animal
amusement. It should be recreation; that which /
brings into play the higher faculties Of human
nature; that which while it amuses also instructs
and improves. Such amusements alone can satisfy {
the cravings Of a nature which Is created but
little lower than the angels It's for this reason
that the class of called amusements which
appeal to the passions or work upon the sensibli-
ties of nature rather injurious than other
wise. The highly wrought acting Of the theatre,
the stimulus of the sensational novel, even II
Kept free from all immoral taInt, oyeract Just in
proportion TO their power and success; that the
result is feeling of exhaustion and lassitude
rather than exhilaration and renovation. And q
continued course Of such amusements tends to
create morbid tone both Of mind and morals.
Such amusements, 1t seems to me, cannot be con-
sistent with the aims of Christian association.
There is another class of amusements which,
pursued under certain circumstances, cannot be
said TO be bad, and may not be excessive in their
effects. Yet they are so connected with evil by
practice and by association that they open the
door toward ruin. He who has never PLAYED q
ZANE of cards is safer from the temptations of the
Gambling den than he who Is familiar with the
names and uses of the pack, albeit only through
an innocent game of whist is his own home. He
who has never learned to handle cue over q bll-
lard table is less exposed naturally to the seduc-
tons of the gilded liquor saloon than he who has
become proficient in the game even though only
amid the restraints of the home circle or in the
quiet and respectable rooms OF n Young Mems
Christian Association. Are ready TO open our
doors TO arnusements of such doubtful character.
or dangerous tendency to abuset
IL seems to me that We should be sale in LAYING
down the general rule that such amusements
should be provided as are social in their nature,
elevating III their character, exhilarating without
injurious reaction, and free from evil associations
OF tendencies. Does this restrict too much the
range of arnusementsg Are there not abundance
Of games that can be provided which will come
within the limits of such ruler need not stop
here to enumerate them. 1t would be vell to have
a room set apart for games of physical activity
and skill, for those who prefer the more active
atnusements. Let not such a room be filled with
lot of athletic apparatus made permanent and
stationary but let If be so planned that it can be
cleared when needed for running. leaping, any
game that requires an open clear space; in order
that hoops. bars, ladders, sand bags and other /
athletic apparatus can be placed in order at will.
IL would be we'll also 10 have room fitted up .
for auieter games. where those who prefer them I
could anuse themselves. And let me suggest that
another room should be devoted to a boys reading
club, and 50 arranged that It could be available /
one night IN each week if desired for debating I
society. | throw out these ideas merely sugges-
ti0ns.
Whatever Young Mems Christian Association
should do in any line it Is safe to say should be in
accordance with the Bible precspt. " First pure,
then peaceable,-ful Of mercy and good fruits.
At the conclusion of the address a discussion re
lating TO the merits of the proposed means of sup
raHaHF 80
present, the tone of which was somewhat adverse
TO the propositions embodied in Mr.. Forbes paper.
Ihe Board of Directors recommended that the
names of all persons who had given two hundred
and fifty dollars toward tue building fund. be
placed upon the list of life members. The follow
Is a list of the said contributors:
b. Athertou........s 90 J. T. Waterhouse....s 80
4 X Bshou - e.. y. WilCuX........ go
T. NJ. COoke......--.- 80 4 : WilcuN-...----. -
II. A. ?. Cartcr...--. - W Il, Castie......... -
H. Dimond....----.-- - b. T. Dillingham;. 90
i nj. !