The Penn's Grove record., 1892-07-22

The scene that followed was deeply
pathetic.
II have sevel children, judge
began tht old woman, 'and l worked
hard to support them, but my Oldest
boy gets drunk"
"Speak to the clerk, madam, inter
.upted the methodical Judge; she at
tends to these matters, and will make
ouJ an atfidavit for you"
So she went to the clerk, and told
ger pitiful story Of how she labored
at her little stand in the market to
support her children. and how her
great, burly son, whom she had been
looking forward to as a comfort and
assistance IN her old age, would come
in drunk and abuse her, and, with
maudlin oaths, demand money Of her
to get more drink.
.Well, madam" said the clerk,
'do you make an affidavit against
your son?"
"Afldavit, sir?"
"Yes. Send him to Jail early in
the morning"
'Send my son to Jail Can't you
stop him any other way?"
"No, madam. Afidavit-jail-only
cure. Hurry up, madam, I have
something else to do"
The sad face assumed an expression
of resolve. She would make the atfi-
davit. She half-opened her mouth
to say yes, when her mothers heart
got the better Of her. The tears
welled up to her eyes, her hard hand
went up to her wrinkled old forehead
with a tired movement, and looking
at the clerk with wistful eyes, she
said:
"No. He's my son though he is
bad. He may abuse me, he may kill
me, but / cannot send my son to Jail.
Tear up the ~afldavit, SIR" And
slowly, feebly she went out into the
street.
In the same city there is a we'll
organized Young Mems Christian As
ISOLATION. The secretaries In charge
are warn hearted men. The sympa-
thies of secretaries in all cities arc
often drawn upon both by the per-
sonal appeals of unfortunate young
men or their friends, and letters from
fathers and mothers, whose fears and
heart-hreakings for hayward sons in
the great city are told In the most
touching appeals. The Secretary in
the particular city referred to above
received a letter a few years ago from
the parents of q sou who was leading
a wild and wrecxless life. BY some
means the young man was found.
Not daring to trust the son with
money, r~emittances were made by the
parents to the Secretary for judicious
expenditure in caring for their boy.
All the story need not be told-of the
anxious months, weary waiting, and
all the earnest prayer. The son
was led to Christ, and Is now sin his
right mind" successful In business
and an active Christian worker.
Here are two methods of dealing
with young men. The law has moth
ing but condemnation and prison
doors for the fallen. How frequently
its stern principles are applied to
young men is witnessed by our
crowded jails, penitentiaries and re.
formatories- The Young Mems
Christian Association is the church Of
Christ extending its helping hand
into the midst Of the city's tempta-
tions, and young men saved and made
usefdl citizens. As applied to the
fallen the law has no remedy except
such as comes from an enforcement Of
its stern penalties. 1t has been for
chilly said: 1.-THE State provides the
common school, and not only gives,
but enforces universal education.
But, after the young man has been
launched Into the world to win his
way as best he may, the State takes
no further care of him than to furnish
a policeman to arrest him in case he
goes astray. 1t either directly Ii
censes, or indirectly tolerates, the
saloon, the gambling dens and other
places of evil resort, but its
only effort to keep or rescue young
men from any or all of these iniu-
ences is the policeman"
What the law cannot do the associa-
ton accomplishes in multitudes of in-
stances, through its agencies by
which young men are rescued. 1t is
the old story of grace accomplishing
that which the law is unable to per-
torm.-Young Mems Era.