St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-22

was always glad TO welcome any convention,
but he was especially glad to welcome
the Young Mems Christian association of the
state. lie spoke in mplimentary vein of
the work the organization had effected in
the past and accepted il as promise of still
greater achievement in the future. He had
noticed great many venerable young men
actively engaged in the work of the associa-
ton, and he asserted that this very work had
the effect to make them remain young men
for s:eat number Of years when others
grow cid
IF the boy is the father of the man" said
he in way OF smile, THE young man is the
father of the cid man. If you will tell me
%nat me young ,3 man IS at twenfyve years
or sixty. just what you are at twenty-five
you will lie at sixty. The young man al
twenty-five is laying the foundation for
serious work. and therefore young men ought
Lord Chatham, on earth and among you he
would not reiterate. 1T is an atrocious
crime to be young man. That application
can no longer be used. II is rather. the old
men who live here by suffrance. The vigor
and perseverance and integrity of the young
men of to-day that constitute the forces Of
the commonwealth, that directs the nation,
the churches the state. The press. Before
them is whole lifetime work. work of ad-
vancement and improvement, and proud
heritage to live, and see the developments of
the next century,"
President Northrop then recounted many
OF the most marked Improvements and pro-
gressions Of the past century-the applica-
ton of electricity and steam, and predicted
still more marvellous revelations in the COM
ing century
The work of the Y NJ C. A. was happily
likened unto that of the Christian Enaeavor
that held its national convention il this city
during the summer and the w. c. 7. L. was
not forgotten. but received its full share of
credit for good accomplished. He was glad
10 meet the Y. M. G.. A. because they always
brought with them new inspirations. They
are young men entering upon their tasks
i'll an unselfsh spirit, aud they found suffi
c1ent reward i'll the consciousness of helping
others, If they experienced no other. But
there is another reward. 1t is the benefit
they absorb themselves. The benefits that
accrue in the business world were prettily
portrayed-the fact that employers are seek
ing honest upright and Christian employees
to fill positions of trust. Mr.. Northrop con-
graduated the association because it
escaped all Christian jealousies and
denominational contensions, and sup
plemented 1t with deal of wholesome
advice. The young men were warned not to
place too much confidence in statistics and
TO the value OF figures. He said that the
multiplication of associations and new COM
binations of young Christians might be mis-
leading. Yet there is surely great mutual
good i'll these associations-the commingling
of all the different denominations blestwith
the work of promoting universal Christian
brotherhood
I'm this, as in every age" said the presi-
dent of the university, men do not believe
III Christianity. They ignore the church. ig-
IL they could. II Is well for all Chris
tians TO become familiar with the weapons
these men employ. and to prepare them
selves to answer them If they can But most
of you cannot do that. However. if you can
not answer their arguments. you can, at
least live Christianity Every one can be
a convincing and living evidency of Chris
tianitv."
Mr. NorthroD olosad nv amnbooi,inc, bie
welcome to the guests cordially inviting
them to visit all the buildings on the uni
versity cam pus grounds.
Rev. l.. L. West pastor of the First Con
gregaiional church, of Winona, followed,
and his address was i'll striking contrast
with the optimistic view of the genial presi.
dent. In other words. while Mr.. West is
more oratorical and is an admired rhetori-
clan, he drew gloomy picture indeed OF
the day. He asserted that he was not pes
simist, for he felt that Christianity is now at
the low water mark.
The need of a special work among young
men was his theme. lie argued that they
should be given the problems OF the times TO
solve and first of these he placed the mis-
sionary problem. Then came sequentially
caste. with its monopolies and trusts bolstered
that was enormously thought to have been
solved twenty-five wears ago; the social
purity problem which is manifested i'll
the divorce courts, in fornication and
ioWtSiy, tHC JiQuuI pTOUlem tDal
is going to call the deepest DEVOTION deepest
thought and profoundest service that tae
nation can give BY young men, he ex-
planned, he referred to those between the
ages of sixteen and thirty-eight years of age,
and he alleged that there are only 5 per cent
OF the young men of this nation that belong
to any church, and only 3 per cent that are
really working members. For the last three
years all know there has been regular STAN
pede away from the church until New Eng
land paper has declared that it is no longer
considered good form to attend church, the
city where it is published. He said the lower
classes, those who work with their hands, are
rushing away from Christianity and those
who are recognized as the best society are
turning their backs upon the churches. The
church to-day, he said is lying between the
upper and the neither millstones, and is in
imminent danger of being crushed. Ali the
sins of the times were painted in Egyptian
blackness. and the temptations that beset the
young men and down him forever were
bIouVht out in an artistic style. And the
young men were shown TO be very wicked.
They frequent the saloons rather than the
church and plunge into an abyss of sin.
Other reason why the young man should be
given special WORK is because of the multi
tudinous temptations that beset him. The
young man is impressionabe. When he gets
habit when he gets certain mold he can
never be nodded more. They need special
work that they save and sanctify the nation,
and the church needs them more than
omen and more than children.