Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-01-26


rage young man, but a son Of God
iGdin the " irerdDe YounD Nan"
EDITOR SATURDAY PREss-.Sv: 1t is moi
with unmi,ed feeling that / approach tn,
task Of experimenting my former letter to you
with statement Of few ideas suggested b,
Mr. Cmzan's discourse Of Sunday night last
Circumstances prevented my hearing the
whole Of the sermon, but | heard sufficient tc
| grasp the outline Of Mr.. Cruzans position and
to sympa.heiicaly enjoy much Of his eloquent
advocacy Of the young man, cause
Permit me here to say in passing a word. a.
young man, with reference to Nh Crzan,
work ! know FOR certain that many young
men in oar mids, are truly thankful that Their,
is Rev Mr. Cruzan in Honolulu thankful
that he 5odf let to see the danger OF an averag,
young mans life at the age Of ~.
| would like to say one word about myself
With the question Of whether am, or an
not, an leverage young man in the sense
meant by Mr.. Cruan, it would not be seemly
for me to deal. Suffice it for the 6oaa GQe
Of my first communication to you that | claim
that am an average young man so far as my
condition, position social requirements, tastes
habits and passions are concerned. Il need
| scarcely sir, emphasize that 10 you, to whom
my identity is knownl wrote in genera
terms, but would not have written as did
would not have written at all-had moi
had something to build upon in my own ex.
perence. | knew what | was saying to be
true, for | had experienced the disadvantages
OF the average young mans situation here to
the full Sull-if ! am not paradoxical-I
did not write for personal ends, and certainly
desired to deal broadly with the matter,
according to my powers.
To one unused to discussing with greater
minds the intricacies of social problems OF
such a delicate nature, and yet such great inn
portance number OF difficulties of course
present themselves. In the first place, one
must avoid the Scylla Of "personalism " Gf
may be allowed to coin a word to suit the
easel, while at the same time watching mar
rowly The whirlpool of presumption. felt a
scarcely comparable inclination to detail with
some minuteness my own case and when en-
deayoring to sheer from this danger, found
myself wandering upon the region Of gener-
aiites or ready 10 gaily tilt in,puerile vanity,
blindness and ignorance at difficulties that had
been already thoughtfully regarded-and with
sore misgivings-by older and wiser heads,
and temporarily, at least, dismissed from the
sphere Of reform as practically insur
mountable.
AS it was, did drift away from the lines
originally laid down for my letter. meant
at FIRST to alonlyw the absence ofresources
for the requisite social relaxation Of young
men. had no wish, | can assure you, 10 be
understood as attempting to define the dnt
of the Christians Of Fort Street Church, OF
any other church, so far as the immediate con-
version of the young men Of Honolulu is con-
cerned. The dnty of Christians in this parii.
cular is, in my opinion, one so much between
themselves and their God, that | should be
years-to be thought guilty Of presuming to
suggest upon the point.
Notwithstanding this one cannot witness
the spectacle OF men-young, bright, gifted
And when one is in that condition of mind
that he scarcely realizes whether he is himself
on firm ground OF drifting with the mass,
downwards he feels impelled TO look around
| IN n ca
little, in keeping his head out of the quick.
sand. Mr.. Cruzan exercised his right, as a
minister of the gospel, TO go deeper into the
matter Of spiritual relief, and his timely words
must bear some fruit.
But that only leads up to the practical par,
OF the questionable duty OF the well-disposed
| tChristian) portion Of our comfortably situated
citizens towards the young man in our midst
so far as his immediate social requirements are
concerned. And here ! agree with Mr..
Cruzan that what is wanted is something like
what has been started eisewhere-as he says,
in the United States-a club-room, where
light and good cheer, liberty TO laugh and
smoke, 10 play yarn at will, is to be had.
The saloons are not, in my opinion, the most
to be dreaded pitfalls OF this place, but such a
rendezvous as this for young men Of an even
| ing would weaken the chances Of influence
from pitfalls of whatever class. Bright results
from truly pious mans standpoint, might not
Immediately flow But good work could be
done, and the chance is too good one TO be
despised.
| do not think that such places are all that
are needed. But something is needed The
totally Of factors for the young mans elevation
being out OF my power to discuss here, can
only deal with this one. !, is not required to
be logically proved that we are justified in re.
garding favorably in every means for the
STRENGTHENING OF the hands OF Christian
workers for helping to smooth out the paths Of
those devoted to the improvement, of men and
women, physically, mentally and morally.
The only question is one of the relative merits
OF methods. Blu, dono, let our city life be char.
acterized by absence, OF, at least, by mini.
mum, OF methods.
A reasonable supposi,ion is tina, class OF
men would be reached--and, secured for good
in many cases-by these Christian army out.
posts ton what might be termed neutral
groundl--m Who would otherwise ever keep
stepping downwards. In other places, wot
Of young men have social privileges above
those enjoyed in common with the young men
OF this place. Should not Honolulan young
men have something to compensated
To my mind one Of the causes Of the trouble
is Iooming.' But come from a hand
where that IS almost unknown in your sense
OF the word, and i is too firmly rooted thing
among the majority Of the foreigners here
for them TO see for years to come how man
suffers through the absence OF home influences
admit all MIR. Cuzan said abou, young
mans duty to hin,self--about his having some