The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-03
THE Y. NJ. C. ASSOCIATION.
It's Work Among the Young Men, and Its
Claims to Popular Encouragement.


Rev. Dr. Talmage, at the opening of the
Brooklyn Y. NJ. c. Association Building spoke
as follows
This feast reminds me of the olden feasts of
Jerusalem. That feast lasted eight days. and
on the evenings of those days the city was illu-
minated. This feast has lasted three days, and,
like Jerusalem, the city has been illuminated,
but by the gladness of tens of thousands Of
upon this broad platform of Christian brother
hood where the spirit Of catholicity is cult
waited. In the dark days of Scotland, when it
became necessary TO battle, all the clans march
ed to the rendezvous, each bearing its
special flag; but when the rendezvous was
reached the old flag of Scotland was
uplifted, and all the flags of clans went
down as the shout of Scotland forever! rang
out. So it is that Christians can have their de-
nominations. each with its special ensign. but
Bethlehem and the blood-stalned stripes Of the
croes are unfurled, and all the others go down
before the cry of Jesus forever' But l am
asked the meaning of this joyful celebration.
and will answer. 1t means to attempt to take
Brooklyn for Christ, and by that mean Brook
lyn not only as it is now but what it shall be-
1t means the capture of the twentieth century
for God. De you realize that we are only fifteen
years from the gate of q new century? That
young man of twenty will be but thirty-fve
young men of to-day viii be holding the posi-
tons of honor and trust in this city, and if
they are brought to God, what glorious thing
for the city it will be-. The nineteenth century
was launched for inidelity. Voltaire was dead,
indeed but not so long before but that this in
fluenee shaped the incomings of this hundred
years The twentieth century will be launched
for God. This building means more It means
the evangelzation of the masses. Ninety nine
out of one hundred people on this earth are of
= 49, - - r.
Providence, have gone into the upper Glasses,
mean the people outside of the church, and there
are myriads of them. Why, there are 300 900
people in this city who come not within the doors
Of the churches. But there is work which the
church cannot do and that the Young Mems
can accomplish. Go and preach the
gospel where we can't preach. where we can't
reach. The Young Mems Christian Association
is the right wing of the Lords army. and it is a
part of the church Further, / understand this
building means the putting of kindly influence
in the way of young men. A tremendous
amount of good can be thus accomplished. There
is one kind of young man whom don't care to
have much to do with. He is the mean, sordid,
selfish, sour yourg man, who will stand for an
hour in q bar-rooIn too stingy to buy drink,
but waiting for some one to ask him; too mean
to 20 to perdition unless somebody else pays his
expenses. Such young man would be MUS
ance in the church if you could get him;
and even Satan does does not want him, for il
would not be long before he would be disputing
with his satanic majesty the throne CT everast-
ing meanness. But do care for the young man
who feels that he has noble aims to attain.
There are thousands Of such in the city. You
will find them come from the country filed with
good advice and good intentions. His first night
in the city comes. He goes to his room, it's on
the fourth floor Of a boarding house. Not q
picture on the walls; nothing but a box of
matches on the mantel-piece, and half of these
"a ~
thinks of his good advice. He does it for sever
al nights, and then he says, can't stand this
longer, must go out and see something He
goes out. Where does he go? All, there's the
question; a tremendous question. Does he
fall into a good or evil tide9 Then there's
asked him Saturday where he will go Sunday
He thinks he will go to church. Go to chnrch!
says the other. 'Oh, come now. you don't really
mean that YOU don't believe that Jonah swal
lowed the whale, do you? I used to be just so,
but I've got over it bravely.' A few young mon
are strong enough to resist this many more are
not It is for these you are to care, and al
though am neither prophet, nor the son of a
prophet will prophesy that through the doors
of this building alone procession of thousands
and tens of thousands will march to lives of USE
fulness and right up to the gates of
heaven Let your work be done in the
spirit of kindness. All, what a power there
is in the pleasant word! The first time
I was ever in Boston was very green lad, I
can tell you. 1 wanted to hear Theodore Parker
and went to his church with friend. We stood
hesitating at the door when a man wearing a
very bad straw hat passed in and asked our
pleasure. He showed us seats and welcomed us
most cordially, and when the period of waiting
ended we saw, with amazement the man with
the shabby hat on the platform. It was Theo-
dore Parker While we did not adopt his prin-
ciples of belief, we did adopt his spirit OF uni
yersal kindness to all men, There are some
HOY hat I wiz fo
bath here. When the Lord made
twothirds of the earth water, I think
it was hint to attend to additions. Cleanliness
is what we want, physically as well as morally.
Why, at one time was almost converted over
TO hydropathy, science as old as the flood, al
though at that time it killed more than it cured
l want, Also to applaud the gymnasium. In
twenty nine years of professional life have only
missed one service through Sickness and at
tribute it to the gymnasium, as for many years
regularly exercised. 1t used to be considered
wicked place for pugilists to get up muscle-a
training school for manufacturing Heenans
Now what do you see thereg College professors
swimming bells on aires turning
by one foot; doctors Of divinity with coats
off punching bag-sending out blows as if in q
controversy and the bag was an opposing bishop:
dyspeptics on rope ladder; old age dancing
itself young All, it's better than all the cura-
tives earth; better than all the plantation
bitters, st. S. T. KS and U. Y. CTS, and all the
other board fence literature in creation [ want,
too, to applaud your library There is world
of power for good in the books upon its shelves,
and in its other noble features. Use them and
profit by them"
DR.. Talmage ended with telling the young
gentlemen that they stood on the morning of the
worlds greatest day, and should profit by their
opportunity in doing woll for themselves and
others.
CAME BACK TO LIFE