The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-21

How the Church Can Help the Association in
Its Work for Young Men,

Read Before the Worcester, n. T., Convention, by
The Y. NJ C. A., originated in 1874 by George
Williams. OF London. is by no means least
among the efficient agencies of the church OF to-
day. With nearly 5000 associations and mem
bership Of 250 600, shall not call it little Ben
jamin among the tribes of the Lord. With up
wards Of 900 associations in our own country,
trying to reach young men In every station,
Christian and unchristian, laboring especially
among the specially tempted and destitute-the
$50, 900 young men in colleges and high-schools,
100000 railroad men, the SOC, 900 German
speaking young men, loo, 900 commercial travel
ers 100000 colored young meh-can the church
afford to ignore such an agencys With the ap-
palliDg fact that but 10 per cent. OF the young
men of our country attend church with any reg
ularity, that only per cent are church mem
bers that 70 per cent never go to church at all
shall the churches be slow TO aid special soul
saving service for young meng
Well nigh every church in the land may ask, with
sore regret, where are our young menu How
few young men to assist in our Sunday schools,
and to make up our Bible classes? And fewer
still to send up their strong voices and inspire
by their youthful vigor 0ur devotional meetings.
"Where are our young men?' is the question
alike of the day laborer in his shanty, and of the
family circle in the home OF the wealthy Where
are theyl Go to the streets, and stores, and bar
rooms, and houses of death, and houses of cor
rection, and penitentiaries, and here the buoy
ancy and strength of thousands are spent. In
town of IL 900 there are 1000 young men, 40 be-
long to the church; 800 are drunkards $50 loaf
about the streets from night TO night; 300 have
been in JAIL Of q, 900 men arrested in Chicago
during one year, 10000 were young mon. In
one house of correction IN a Western city the
records showed l. 773 inmates; ], 172 were young
men between the ages of sixteen and thirty-two
In the face of such facts ought not the churches
to gladly welcome and heartily aid any instru-
mentality which shall save to the Christian state
and church, for time and eternity, the strength,
and brain, and heart of our young mena If the
church is to render any aid it must be convinced
of its duty and privilege. In the presence of the
Universally admitted fact that the mass of our
young men devote their energies to the world
and not to the church, we trust the churchs
duty is plain.
How. then may it aid the assocations9 The
aid the church may render is determined largely
by the size and character of the place in which
the association is located, by its corresponding
needs. by the circumstances peennllar to the LIE
OF each ASSOCIATION which do not bear general or
even special mention. But there are three ways
in which the church may aid the associations
wherever and however situated. First,
financially. Many an association with
vigorous membership and large
and promising field, is handicapped In
it's work by reason of poor equipment and unin-
viting rooms. Glittering lamps, and lively
games and the latest and best worldly papers
tighten up the places of sin. Second hand furni-
ture, and smoky lamps, and donated papers six
weeks old will not make the Y. NJ G. A head
quarters star of attraction. In addition to the
external attractions of the saloon, we must over
come the inclinations, strong by nature and
stronger still by habit. Hence We must present
superior attractions. Our rooms must be the
best furnished, if possible. We must have first
class outfits Of games. We must have the best
and most interesting papers and magazines.
Only money will secure them And while the
membership will cover a part of the expendi
lures it cannot be enough to keep all the ma
chinery running smoothly Among the many
causes which appeal to the church's liberality
none is more worthy than that which has for Its
object the salvation and instruction of our
young men. In towns and cities where associa-
tons are located, if the means cannot be raised
otherwise an annual collection in all the churches
for the Y. NJ. c. A. ought to be reg
ular part OF the programme Ct beney-
olences Then, in all the churches there
are men and women to whom the Lord has in
pondingly MUCH. Let them testify to their ap
probation of the efforts il behalf OF young men
by special, timely, and munifcent gifts Per-
haps the very best way to save your hayward
son will be to give $685. or $50, or 500 to the Y.
NJ C. A. The Lord may bless your gift with the
have daughter, perhaps For the sake of your
daughter. who may soon be associated with one
of the goodnatured but hayward young men
of the town. open your purse for the Y. III O.
A. Have you neither sons nor daughters, for the
sake of the village, tor the sake of your country,
withhold not your gifts from the Y. NJ G. A.
Second, the church can aid the association by
sympathy. Walter Scott beautifully says:
1T is thro' secret sympathy,
The silver link, the silken tie,
Which heart TO heart and mind to mind,
In body and in soul can bind"
That benign influence which makes humanity
throb with common pulse-beat must eectrlfy
every sphere OF Christian activity. The very
fact that the church with all her agencies does
not reach the majority of our young men shows
the difficulty of the work Of the Y. NJ G. A. In
proportion to the difficulties are the discourage
ments In proportion to the difficulties and dis
couragemeEts they contend with, do they de-
serve Christian aid and sympathy
Perhaps your own son may have sneered at
kind invitation to one of their meetings. He may
have abused and insulted one of their most ear
nest and judicious workers. At all events, the
tide of sin has no GIBBS and flows, but is always
downward and the association is rowing up
stream against strong current. Do not suffer
the young men to toll alone. Visit them in their
rooms. Give them hearty grip and an inspir-
ing word. Speak kindly to them by the way.
Lend helping hand whore you can. am sat
| isfed that in many places associations are Ian
gushing for want of the hearty, heasShy sympa-
| thy Of the churches. Ought not the churches to
manifest most cordial and constant sympathy,
rejoicing that at least some of their young men
are enlisted for the salvation of their fellow
comradesa Battling against the same foe fight
ing for the same Master. let the church and the
association, aglow with common sympathy,
march to the conflict and the rescue.
Third; The church may aid the association by
encouraging her young men to join the aseocia-
ton. Are they ChristiansY Encourage them to
join. Fellowship with other Christian brethren
will stimulate and strengthen them Efforts to
reach the wayward will deepen their earnestness
and conservation. Have they not professed
Christi Encourage them to join. Closer con-
tact with Christian young men in their own
spheres of life may touch them as no other in
f1uence has Coming nearer and feeling moro
Geepy the subtle magnetism of early and earn
est Christian conservation, they may be awakened
out Of their Indifference and be led TO the feet Of
the great Master.
Our associations need reinforcement. Enlisted
in most glorious service they are often left to
struggle with weak and inefficient membership.
What stronger encouragement can our associa-
tons receive than reinforcements Of fresh yolun
teers. During the great Rebellion calls went