Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-11

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ten vice, misery ~avarice, gambling and cheating
and all impurity and degradation. Let us pu
up the bars and close the gates before these
vices come trooping in to our Enclosures. How
Goodness is profitable to all things. Let the
child and the youth walk with God, like Enoch
of old, and the child and the youth are safe fol
here and for hereafter. Men and women work
ing for young men mean Just this we will
lead them TO God who manifests himself in
Christ, so that God through Christ may keeI
them from the evils depicted. oh, how they
all their agencies to this end The Young Mems
Christian Association is the best agency for
youth wandering away from home, the best that
l know.
The mother tells the Secretary in Berlin, "My
son is in Chicago on such q street in business
do what you can for him." The letter is sent to
leads him to friends, and If possible TO the
Friend of friends The Lord bless the effort.
A stranger in a strange land responds quickly to
the tone of genuine sympathy.
Come now-let us look facts in the face. OF
the 100000 young men from II to IS years of age
in California, can you do too much? Even a
vicious mother wants a good son. How much
more the good mother? A father who rejects
the Bible. because it condemns him, still in his
heart wants an honest son. Then let us all
come up heroically to lend a helping hand to
this efficient society which embraces such u va
riety of methods.
Some of us periled life to get such glorious re-
suits, as We, who are not pesslmlsts, now plainly
see around us: Constitution, laws, Congress,
| COuTlS, EXECUTIVE, SCQOOls, CIuiCIts, great par
ties. rich States and Territories, and many of
them; revenues abundant; an unbroken cur
rency; letters and papers brought to our very
doors without delay or confusion; homesteads
open to seekers, and pensions in profusion, and
unlimited opportunities for the enterprising,
and what not?
OH! sustain the sacrifice and labor which has
been put forth, by fostering the good and wiping
out the bad. Here is, in this society, a good
channel for merely patriotic effort.
And now as we raise our eyes to heaven and
think of eternity-an endless day or an endless
be in unison with the Divine Spirit, so that eter-
nifty may be a perpetual joy Then no matter
how long If we ourselves get right we will
help the right.
In conclusion l want to do as I did during our
war of rebellion-I want to appeal to those who
should be enlisted to accomplish the great work
of covering the hills and filling the valleys of
California with Il host of young men who shall
be as a whole superiorto any that have preceded
them. While in the summer of 1862 / was at
home recovering from wounds, the Governor of
Maine sent me to the seaport towns where there
had been a little backwardness in enlistments,
to canvass for volunteers. What did / say? Did
| appeal to them, showing them how easy was
the work demanded of them? Did | tell them
they would be kept in the rear, where they
would have a thousand privileges and little or
no danger? No, indeed! called to their man
hood. l told them the country was in danger.
She needed her sons as never before. Our
fathers had given US a rich inheritance. There
must be enough love of country in us TO pre-
serve it. l told of constant toll. of prolonged
sicknesses, of innumerable wounds, OF grooming
ambulances and overflled hospitals. l told of
the ability, numbers and determination of the
foes of the Union. And then l said: - Men.
patriots, you see me weary, worn and wounded,
back to the front in a few days; come, and go
with me-" Great tears would roll down the
cheeks of strong men, as they cried out, p" We
speedily: and host after host stemmed the eur
rent of war till victory and peace and n saved
Union came.
So Christians cali you young men to labor for
the great leader Christ and for his young men.
Be ready to suffer-not as recipients of big
bounties-but as good soldiers ready for toll,
hardship, self-denial, and ardent, persistent
work.
Blasphemous, avaricious, profane, Sabbath
breaking. gambling, backbiting, dishonest, COW
etous men may grow stalwart and cut a figure
in the world because of energy of mind and
body that they possess. How much brighter
another picture. But, oh what a magnificent
/ spectacle to behold a God-fearing multitude of
strong youth filling the ranks of California's
workers, and marching abreast to a clear-eyed
and pure-hearted victory in the name OF Jeho-
yah. so let it be.
MAJOR HARDIE's ADDRESS, AND CONCLUSION.
At the conclusion of the address the
choir and audience sang two verses of
81 Jesus. Lover of Ny Soul" Mr.. Campbell
| then introduced Major Hardie of Alabama,
who made a fervent appeal for the Asso-
citation. He declared that the work of
these associations, outside of Christian
missionary effort, was broadly useful to
young men, and as showing the local
Association was doing in this respect, he
called on the President to outline the work
of the Sacramento organization. Mr..
Campbell then briefly described the
| scheme of the society. 1t has a reading
room, and a parlor with a piano. 1t has
| N fpa 1aroa aofnraroOm a gymnasium
and bathroom. 1t has three distinct
| courses of lectures-medicine, business and
I literary-one being addressed TO young
men only. 1t is to have for the winter a
| class in mechanical drawing and a class in
stenography. All these things are free to
members, and the membership fee is but s.
a year. In addition, there are also free to
| members, social meetings, and all these are
supplemented by Christian meetings and
| study of the Bible, etc, and the work of
the society in aiding young men who are
| strangers in finding work, and in throwing
about young men the moral guards of good
association, etc. Major Hardie, resuming,
asked if there was in all this anything any
man could disapprove of? The work was
| physical, intellectual, moral and social.
The plan of these associations is to protect
Young men, to make them self helpful, to
oppose the lures of the bar-room and the
dives with influences refining and eleyat-
ing. No one was obliged to attend the re-
/ ligions services. The workers hoped to
draw all young men to them, but there was
no compulsion to attend them as a price of
membership. They were given entertain
ment, good reading, useful information,
the use of baths and gymnasium, the So
cietv of good men and women on social
reunions. Could any one say aught against
such a work as that? The young man
who lands as a stranger in a city knows
what a world of help is a friendly word
and a kind invitation, and the evil infu-
ences of the bar-room and dive work upon
this plan and so lure the stranger to his
ruin. But there is Just as much good to
be done the city youth. He is Just as sus-
ceptible to good and i'll influences. Every
one who imagines that his boy is safe, be
cause OF home influences, should
help the Association, because the duty
is to every one to help the son of some one
else, as thereby he fosters a influence that
operates directly upon his own on Foi
one youth may contaminate another, and
so he may do another good. 1t is not the
question, " Is this our boy?" but " he is
somebody's son, a man to be, N to intiu'
ence our son, 10 do battle by his side per.
haps, and so we are interested in each
Others sons" Major Hardie, in a fervent
strain, continued at length and finally came
to a direct appeal to the vast congregation
to help the Sacramento Association. He
read q card that would be at once delivered
on which all could designate what they
would give for a year to support the Asso'
citation. He expatiated upon the benefit;
of giving for such work, and madea power
full appeal, and a witty n to his hearers
He nailed every man to his seat by adroitly
advising no one to retire for fear of whai
the others might say about his actuatine
motive in doing so while subscription
cards were being sent out. As the cards
went around Major Hardie entertained his
hearers on the benefits of giving
and as to how they could give
to the best advantage. When thu
cards were all out a cash contri
button was taken up. The response II
both cases was gratifyingly large, the aggre
gate result being about 5000. Major Har
dies success in appealing for the aid was
very great. 1t was novel, direct, adroit
witty and forcible. He is a fervent speaker
plain in manner, effective in method anC
very interesting in delivery.
While the collection was being taken
Major Hardie kept up a running fr'
of witty remarks, that contributed TO the
general good feeling. During this period
also Mrs. Ross and Mr.. Buchanan sang
duet, and Gen. Howard, coming back tolth'
rostruln. stated there were many old soldiers
present, some of whom had served will
I--ll l.