St. Paul daily globe., 1885-02-15
RUILDERS AND DEsrROYERs

There is disposition with good many
people to look upon the Young Mems Clris-
tian Association as harmless sort of an or
ganizItion, only patrouized by young gentle
men Of weak aud emotional natures. and
really accomplishing no special harm and no
special good. 1t has been the butt of ridi-
cule for persons of the Ingersolliau standard
of thought Notwithstanding these facts the
Association no longer fnds 1t necessary for
it to allege Il rIisJ3 d cire, or apologize for its
existence in ths various towns and cities of
the coautry, bat has pissed on to parioi of
assured and continuous prosperity, and peO-
pie are anxious to see its circle OF usefulness
extended.
Tne Association is fulfilling the design for
which it was Instituted In the years that
are past it has been blessing to many fam
lilies. help to many young men engaged in
earning their living during the day, and TO
whom its evening classes, lectures, and con-
certs anu the quiet recreation of its reading
rooms have been au impu!sive power for
good and n preservative against harm.
1t is not credulous to believe that in many
instances membership in the Young Mems
AMI turning po.nt of success in life. The
habits that arr imperceptibly instiiled by the
haunts, however pleasant and sociable
they seem, of idleness and dissipation, tend
more ana more, as the very worl i'm plies, to
scatter and dsunits the trIe aims AMI pur-
poses ofm1nio)l. NJ traer prover5 was ever
uttered than that which slys, he wi) gathers
not, scatters. This Association gathers oung
men together as in one family, with a COM
mon purpose an / mutual interests, and it i'm
parts to tha young IN IN in livillllly the o2-
portunities and the means of gathering him
self tOg-ther so that his life may have unity
Of principle and purpose. however multifari-
Gus his empoymants m " b.. Mr.. Ingersoll
objects to these young men because they are
weak enough TO pray and pray from a sense
of weakness, and because they retain respect
for the Bible and call themselves by the
name of Christ. Suppose that at the time
the Young M.n's Christian Association
was first organized that another band of
iovial and free spirited young men like
Mr.. INGERSoLL must have been when he was
a youth, had organized an association aud
have started out with the prJgrlmm. "E.ras-
sez PIufame," anI all VJitIirean witch
words they saw proper to app. JiIt., does
any one think it would have hal as good
showing to-day as tn, Young VI .n's Christian
Association. WIlll WIS. m1taars ani
daughters be calling it blessed, or would
pIilanthrJpic c.tiz ms be endowing it with a
permanent fund! Does any one who is
familiar with the Ingersollian arguments Ii nd
increasing pleasure in them, or do his jokes
bear uncorking the second timel Sltiety
soon follows such a bouquet as ISGERsoLL
spreads. Destruction is the motive power of
this cheap and vulgar infl- -lity.
In contrast with this desOlating work of
destruction and neg ltion are the flowers and
fruits that attend the footsteps of the rcstor-
erS of paths to walk in, the bIillers of sheep
folds. the dilfISers Of th. faith and hope
that make men happier by teaching them
that all is not crumbling and sinking and
0aselrss. hut that there is before them "a city
that hath foundations, whose IN lktr and
builder is GoD." o. the destruyers who pull
down there are no monuments, and except
themselves there are none TO do them revcr-
ence, but Of the builders there ia a great and
hopeful multitude.