The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-25
Grace MI. e. Church.

At the evening service in Grace Church. after
a short and admirable sern on by the pastor,
Rev. McLain, on the subject of faith, C. D.
Meigs, jr., presented the needs and the object OF
of q new building for the Y. M. c. A. The
speaker began by lamenting the scarcity Of
young men in the churches and the overabund-
ance of young men in the saloons. In one OF
Of the best cities of State there were counted
one Saturday evening, 266 men in two saloons,
while a careful count the next Sunday revealed
only FOG men in nine churches in the same city.
La another city. on the testimony OF the resi-
dent pastors. not one single young man could
be found who was an active church member.
In Indianapolis we have abort $50 saloons, open
seventeen hours per day, for six days in the
week. Now, six times seventeen times $50
equals 80, 700 hours per week, in which a man IS
opportunity to 60 into saloon. Pretty long
week to crowd into six days! In addition to the
saloons. there are the low-down theaters concert
saloons, gambling dens, aid other places so bad
that they can not be even named here. AS an
offset to all this. we have eighty nine churches
and Sunday schools and other religious organiza-
TONS open on an average of four hours per week
each. Eighty nine times four hours equals 1856
hours per week for the churches, against 30, 700
hours - for oI. the saloons. So the saloons
on the question of tirne and op-
portunty for getting in their work.
In addition to the churches, we have the Y. NJ
.. A, which for years has not been able to do
its legitimate work for want of proper place in
which to do it. So it has done about the only
thing it could do viz, carried on daily prayer
meeting, aud done evangelistic work in the jais,
hospitals etc, in the city. until the community
has come to look upon it institution given
only to religious work, of which there was no
work Of the Y. M. G. A,
be the physical, mental, social and spiritual
improvements of young men," la properly
equipped building all these needs Of young men
are supplied in the gymnasium, the reading
rooms, libraries lectures. evening classes in
music bookkeeping photography, German and
other branches of business education, and in
socials, receptions. concerts and other entertain
ments, while the spiritual growth of young men
is encouraged and aided in the prayer-meetings,
gospel services and city missionary work. The
old castle" on Illinois street, known as the Y.
NJ. c. A. building, has stood there too long. AS
a resort for tramps it might do we'll enough, but
for Y. NJ. G. A. it is disgrace to the city and
down it comes to make room for new building
this spring.
The closest attention was paid to the speaker
throughout, and all seemed to view the subject
in new light and feel the need of just such an
organization in the city, established in new
building of its own.
Tho Tabernacle and Fourth Presbyterian
Churches.
Capt. E. F. Ritter was assigned to the Taber-
nacle aud Fourth Presbyterian Churches, speak
ing in both Of them at the morning service. His
errand was explained by the pastors. and he was
accorded an attentive hearing. He said the
cause of the Y. M. G. A. appealed with especial
force to many of those who heard him, because
he knew that they, like him, had once been boys
u
fortunes and spend their lives. To care for and
entertain these strange young men is the mis-
sion of the Y. NJ. G. A. The churches cannot do
it; it cannot we'll be done in the homes Of the
residents; and 80 the duty devolves upon the as
s .,s To-. The great question that presents
cities? These young men who come in from the
farm are to be those who shall govern it's
affairs, and the churches can largely
answer whether the city shall be
an economical thing for the churches to insure
the future OF the cities by assisting the Y. M.
G. A. in caring for these strangers-tne wisest
thing they can do. Satan levies the tax and it
is always paid, to provide attractive places,
warm welcomes, pleasant entertainments for
the wayfarer and stranger. The church should
consider it a duty to provide even better places
and more attractive entertainments for the
youth of the city, for 1t will be an investment
that will richly repay. The association of this
city asks for 49, 900 to replace the present build
ing, which has been condemned by the authori-
ties and must come down, and it is expected that
every church will do its part. The assurance
was given that the matter would not be neg
lected, and that from each of the two churches
visited by CAPTAIN Ritter good report should
be made
Christ EpiscOal Church.
There was good attendance at Christ Episco-
pal Church, and it being day specially set