Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-17
Concerning the Y. nj. Q. A,
he Tohacoo 1enf.ChronicIe.

10 the Tobacco Leaf Chronicle.
/ have just read Bro. Sullivan's ar
gument in behalf Of the Young
Mems Christian Association, and my
peculiar interest in this work at
GAINESVILLE impels me 10 add, using
Methodistic parlanee, "the word ex-
hortatiOn."
We claim that the Y. M. @. A. is
an adjunct of the church, and the
time rapidly approaches when its
field of oper,tiOn will be as univer-
sally and diotinciively recognized as
is that Of the Sunday.school. In
deed, il has already become an indis.
pensable factor in the effort now be
ing made by the Christian world for
the salvation of young men who are
exposed to the manifold temptations
of city life.
The objection is sometimes urged
that the church within herself is en-
dowed with saving power sufficient
to meet the moral and spiritual de-
mands of young men. These same
directors would vehemently disap-
prove the Introduction of a gymna-
SUM into the sacred precincts of the
sanctuary. The Y. M. @. A. pur-
poses, by the development of the
physical, social, intellectual and
moral natures, to reach, touch and
type the spiritual, and yet in the
very means thus used for the accom-.
plishment of great end, is found adj
equate inspiration to the work.
Let us not evade the issue. The
devil and his agents are Offering
vastly more attractive inducements
to our young men than the church of
God provides for them. What Chris
tan GAINESVILLE needs is q thorough
ly equipped competitor of the sa-
loon. Through the gilded doorway
of the saloon our young men are be-
ing drawn into the preparation of
every vice. 1t is unquestionably in
cambent upon the religious and
moral element to establish a rival at
traction which may become the door
way leading to a life of virtue and
honor.
The man who fails to recognize the
inherent demand in young men for
pleasurable recreation is fool, and
he who enters not into sympathy
with this demand of their nature is
worse.
If Gods agents fail to supply this
demand, we may rest assured that
the DEVILS henchmen are untiring in
their efforts along this line.
1t is sadly true that "the children
of this World"-and of the devil
"are in their generation wiser than
the children OF light" There is, to
an observing mind, something in
cOngruous in the fact that GAINESVILLE
has grand structures for the stated
worship of God by the great congre
CATION, elegant buildings for her de,
servedIy popular secret organizations
and magnificent court house for the
transaction of her legal affairs, while
hn CDIAnto GT1 10
are permitted day and night to enjoy
the Unrestricted privilege of Turing our
boys and young men to destruction.
The selfish and short sighted man
who fondly dreams, "my boy il
SAFE" is oft times the man who is
aroused TO scene of his individual
responsibility in this work for young
men after that "m0del boy" has gone
with the tide and is sinking beneath
temptations pillows.
My attention was called recently to
an elegant building which had been
constructed for the salvation of boys,
chiefly by wealthy gentleman, after
his boy had been lost.
GAINESVILLE needs a $4,000 Y. M.
G. A. building. Her religious and
moral integrity requires it. Her re-
ligiOnists and business men are able
to build it. They will build it when
Christian conscience and business
acumen are once aroused to the ur-
gent need for it. God speed the day |!