Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-11-19


The NEE ting was presided over by NIL w
McIlhany, the President Of he Y. NJ. @. A.
After the singing OF a hyma, the fresloen
read Psalm. glnd called upon Rev. Il. ID
Hawes d. D.. of the End Presbyterian churci
| to open the exercises with rayer. After III
nraver the President announced that the ex
| ereisss would be different from what they ust
all 'vaere-that instead of having numoe
| or 8 ct addresses on the work OF the Y M Y, A
| TREY would have discourse by Rev. l.. b
l. Johnston of Harrisonburg, who had been lee
| turing during the-past week to the Y, M. Z.
! The President then spoke of the Information
! al Committee consi sting of 81 members, III
whom have their headquarters In New Yorf
City-men of the highest standing for intelli
gence and piety who devote large portion o
their time and talents tothe work of the Y M
GA.
He then read their report of work accom-
plished asfollows:-
in 1866, there were less than 100 Association
with membership of not more than lo,eOU
now there are 81 Associations. with tota
membership of 2l3 0OO
Then there was one Association Building
| valued at Sill .000 now, there are 2O5, worth 80
3529l0.
Inen, the total net property amounted to 500
OOO now 1t amounts to over $40. 100000.
Then. there were less than dozen yonn!
there are are ,095 secre taries and assistants.
| Then, there was less than $4,000 contributed
annually for local, and only S522 for genera
work: now. there is over ST. 900 900 given yearly
for the former purpose. and Sl62.O0 tor the lat
| ter purpose.
| Then, there was nothing done for special
classes of young men. such as college students
| railraad employees. &c; now there are 3J2 Col
| lege Associations, 81 Railroad Associations, ~
| COlored Associations, and IL Indian Associa
| tions.
| The following additional statistics show the
| other lines being In every instance very large
| increase since 1856
There are I,OSI Bible and Bible training class
| es for young men only; 1857 weekly prayer
gospel, and praise meetings for young men on
| ly; 4 949 lectures and entertainments, and 3
263 sociables given annually: H,l49 different Ie
students in the educational classes; 5l1 libra
ries, with 422, 9l2 volumes; 73l reading roDms
over $1,000 visits to the rooms daiIy;36S gylhna-
c IuS; a i1o rs boVs' departments
The entire cost of the extended work of the
ommittee Including salaries. travelling -ex-
penses, publications. etc.. but excluding the
expense of the foreign work) was. during 1882
$50, 1888. The Convention at Philadelphia aus
thorized and directed an enlargement of this
amount the Committee is dependent upon
voluntary contributions"
He then spoke ofthe manner in which the
handsome Y. NJ. G. A. building Of this City was
admired by strangers, and their surprise 10
learn that the citizens would allow a debt TO
rest upon it, He then stated that bonds to the
amount of 1921 goo in bonds of 500 each had
been issued, and that he would be pleased TO
cancel one or more of them If any of our citi-
zens would conclude to contribute SO much to
paying them off. He then introduced Rev. L.
B. Johnston of Harrisonburg, whom he said
needed no introduce to our people by whom
he was so well and so favorably known.
Mr.. Johnston p-efaced the religious exercises
by requesting the congregation to unite
with him In prayer for the early restoration to
health of Rev. D. K. Mcfarland, D, D.
lie then offered "a fervent. eloquent and ap'
propriate prayer-praying that an earnest
prayer would go up from every heart in that
congregation for the restoration to heal tn Of
their pastor, so endeared to them.
Mr.. Johnston delivered an interesting and
well-consdered discourse. specially addressed
to young men, founded on part of the l4th
verse of the End chapter of the first epistle OF
John: 81 have written unto you, young men,
because ye are strong, and the word Of God
abldeth in yon, and We have overcome the
wicked one." The text taught -plain lesson,
He would, he said, address both elasses-1st
those who were not christians, and 2ndly those
who were.
Those who were not christians should be
christians, for the christian has a noble desti.
ny. 1t should be the first effort of young
man to secure the pardon ofhis sins. He would
caution young men against some popular but
dangerous fallacies. Some will say that relig-
ion may do very well for women and children
and for weak minded men, but not. in this en-.
lightened and progressive age for men with in
tellect and freedom of thought. The truth is,
that christianity is the consummate thought
70, To niplr
Infidelity is not an evidence of strong mind,
but of spiritual color-blindness.
Some have an idea that the duties of religion
belong more to women than to men, but this
is a fallacy, for they are as incumbent on men
as on women.
Society has set up different standard of mo-
rality for men and women. but there is no
warrant for it to be found anywhere in the
scriptures.
Some say christianity will do very well for
old people who are about entering the dark
valley of the shadow of death. but not for
young people. This is great and fatal mis-
take. Christianity is COCA not only to die
with but to live with.
He would guard the young men against some
popular, but false proverbs. 1t has been said
that proverbs are the crystalizsd wisdom of all
passed ages, but he thought the devil had
hand in the capitalization of some Of them
Some are true and some are equally false. The
saying that boys will be boys,' was q true
one. for boys should be boys, aud not men,
He loved to see boys, and he liked to see them
act as boys. But the saying that young men
should sow their wild oats' is false one. for
for "as We SOW, SO shall ye reap" and if you
SOW wild oats" on earth, ssyou will reap the
harvest in hell.
81 have written to you, young men. because
ye are strong" God needs your strength to do
his work. Your strength rightly directed will
do great good; but wrongly directed, will do in
finite; harm. He felt that he was recruiting
officer of his God,and he appealed to the young
men to rally as volunteers to the standard O f
the Master, and join the marching column
Are you ambitious for glory or wealth? Chris
tianlty alone confers true glory and true
wealth.
And the word of God abideth in you" You
must work for the Master A true christian
will work diligently and will not content him.
self only to sit down and sing hymns. ITO
work. was Gods marching order and should
| be obeyed. 1t was sad thought, that of the
ten millions of young men In this country
| there were but per cent in the churches. He
appealed to christians to exert themselves to
| save the young men.
After prayer by MIR. Johnston and singing by
the choir and congregation, the benediction
| was pronounced, apd the meeting dismissed.
| CARD BY Rev. L. B. JoHNsToN.-I read no.
tlce at the LIST Presbyterian Church Sunday
night thinking 1t was from DR.. McFarland.-
| 1t was not from him, and wish to correct the
| impression naturally caused by 1t that DR.
| Mcfarland has indicated in any way his pur-
| pose to Withdraw his resignation.
L, B. JOHNSTON.
/ V. and V. V. please copy.
| REVIVAL IN THE U. 3. CHURCH.-The re-
| vival meetings in the U. B. Church of this city
are still continued. Up to this time there
| have been seventy who have made professions
| of conversion, forty-six of whom have con-
| nected themselves with that church.
The Park, Pavilion and Fair Grounds
|