Wichita eagle., 1889-02-03
YOUNG woMES.s CHRISTIAN AssoCIA-
80

YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIA
TION.
The following appeal for the Young Wo.
mems Christian Association was delivered
to the executive board yesterday afternoon
by Mrs. j. L. Dyer:
.'By this shall We know that We are my
disciples. If We have love one to another
These words, my sisters, are as truly a test
of discipleshlp today as when they were
spoken to the twelve, nearly 1900 years
ago. And what is this love used in so i'm
portant sense by our Savior Himself:
Is it mere emotional sentiment which in
| clines US to shed tears over new convert
| to extend the hand of fellowship when a
| sister is received into the particular church
which we happen to favor, and then
! straightway to forget the very name and
| face of the new disciple? No, indeed! The
love spoken of by Christ means more than
this. 1t means yearning desire for the
| full development of all that is best in
| Gods creatures: it means a tender,
solicitous regard for their welfare
and spiritual growth; it means
sympathy. help, fellowship. 1t means
| that we shall not only fraternize with
Christ's followers at church, but that we
shall go with them to their homes; shall
| look into their everyday lives and when
! trial and temptations come, be ready with
| some gracious promise to cheer and sus-
| tain, and in all times of need, to offer our
| sympathy and help, so far as in JUS lies.
| Sympathy means SO much sisters and far
| above all human sympathy, is that of him
| who was tempted in all points like as we
are. Realizing then, that TO each of the
young women about US, the hour of trial
must surely come, though now their lives
may seem all sunshine is it not our duty
to bring them within reach of the strong
arm and loving heart OF Christ? Aud
l thnr L.
comforted themselves, but that their
higher, nobler natures may be developed,
and they fitted to take their places in the
world, and fulfill their duties in life
woman has great and grand work to do,
and we, who perhaps are now trying as
best we may, to fill the position assigned
us, must soon step aside from active SER
vice, and our places must be filed from the
ranks of young women around us, The
need of the hour is a cOnSecrated woman
hood, and it is for the better development
of the nobler qualities of woman; and the
better TO fit our girls for the responsible
ties which await them, that the Y. w. G.
A. has been established. If you ask how
we expect to reach the desired end by
means of this organization, l answer,
in various ways. 1T must always be borne
in mind that this is distinctively a
Christian organization, and all the infiu-
ences are intended to lead young women
into and onward in the Christian life. BY
the Sabbath afternoon meeting we hope to
interest the girls in gospel work, to afford
them place where they can meet for an
hour on the Lords day for prayer, the
reading of the word, singing gospel hymns,
and the exchange of Christian experience
which to many will be new, and so fitting
them or larger duties in that line of work.
There will also be training Glars where
the Bible will be thoroughly studied, with
hn II of tann fr,x
the girls for teaching or for using
the word as the sword of the
spirit to do battle against the
enemies of the cross. The absolute ,ignor-
ance of the bible among the young people
OF the present time is most deplorable, and
the good results arising from these train
ing classes will be incalculable In the
near future we hope to establish reading
room, where the best books and leading
periodicals of the day shall be provided for
the free use of the members and friends OF
the association. We propose to make this
room pleasant and home like so that any
young woman who has few spare mo-
ments during the day or early evening,
may there fiud pleasant place to spend
the time, sure of welcome, and being
made to feel at home among con-
genial friends. We hope also to
have class in physical training,
where those who are not strong
in body may have proper exercise and
training for the development of perfect
womanhood physically. As need de-
mands, there also will be established edu-
cational classes, which will afford those
who feel the need of better education,
but whose time during the day is fully en-
crossed to take up and pursue evenings
any desired course of study. There will
be certain ones appointed to meet stran-
gers as they come to our city seeking new
fn n fn
ton, to direct them to suitable boarding
places, and where work is desired, to aid
the newcomer in finding such employment
as she desires. We intend that the sick
among us shall be visited, the lonely,
home-sick ones cheeIed and comforted,
circle they will find friends and
sympathy. In short, many and various
lines of service will open as our work goes
on, and in seeking to have our young wo-
men assume these duties we shall fill
their hearts and hands with active, useful
labor, and give them something better to
think of than the mere trivolties Of So
ciety.
AS time goes on, and our work widens,
we hope also to have house, where neat.
cheerful rooms, with wholesome board
may be had at a moderate charge, by such
as desire homelike boarding place. At
the head of such house we should aim to
have Christian woman OF experience: a
motherly woman. whom the girls would
love and conhde in, sure always of her
warm sympathy. Here, too, we would
have q cheerful parlor, where the
boarders could spend their leisure |
hours pleasantly together or invite |
their friends to meet them |
without having to go to the dance, the
theatre or the street for companions hip. |
We do not propose TO make this a Magda |
leue asylum or home for fallen women. |
We do not aim to reclaim; but 10 keep |
from the need of being reclaimed. Give a |
young woman good companions, in pleas /
ant surroundings, and she will not often |
seek those which are bad. Give them USE
ful occupation Tor mind and body, with |
enough Innocent recreation for health and !
they will seldom have the inclination for |
anything of an opposite nature. 1t is the |
idle brain that is the DEVILS work shop and /
the empty hands that find mischief Satan |
and his servants are busy ali the time try
ing to draw our girls into ways of sin, and |
very pleasant and attractive, indeed, do |
the make their paths to unwary feet.
My christian sisters, shall we, who are
the followers Of Him who says, I'VE are
my witnesses be less active, less vigilant, |
than the emisaries OF evil? If by Gods I
he y we can lay one straw IN the way of
sin Is IL not our duty to do so. 1 call upon
you as christian women 10 aid us in estab-
iiSQlDS a L w u. ~. III mere III w icHitd-
/ appeal to you as mothers to aid US in
keeping pure the daughters of OR fair
city. | ask you as wives, as sisters, as
to help us in influencing for
good the wives. daughters and sisters in
our midst who may be weak in faith or,
perhaps, growing weary OF life's struggle.
Ii we sit idly by at this time and allow
this movement to fail: and Il
for the lack of just such helping
hand as we could have offered, !
one poor, weak sister shall go down
into darkness, shall not you and be held