Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-16

The following address was delivered
Saturday by b. II. oxford:
The Importance Of this subject on
this occasion demands more ability
! than Is possessed by the average school
boy yet whatever capacity may
have. considering the brevity OF my
| preparation, in presenting to you the
| benefits to be derived from a summer
school, you, the the Young Mems
Christian association representatives. OF
Texas, shall be the recipients OF its
most earnest effort. Preparatory to
the presentation OF this subject, It
would probably be better TO state in
a brief way the manner in which such
school Is managed, In order that the
greatest possible good may be accom-
plished In the shortest time.
At Geneva, IN 1898, the days work
/ began by the meeting Of the volunteer
band at about o'clock in the morn
Ing. This was succeeded by a meeting
OF the presidents Of associations Fol-
lowing this meeting We're the two Bible
classes, In which the truths OF the les
son were brought to light, and the les.
son dispatched with astonishing rapid
lily. Immediately following was the
general meeting for the purpose OF
| discussing the perplexing problems OF
associations. gathering suggestions
from the most experienced workers OF
the land, and forming methods most
conducive to the best management Of
speedily solved and the business
pushed forward in great haste, this
meeting was dismissed and succeeded
In turn by platform lecture from
one of that corps of great men which
Geneva had selected for the occasion
All the forenoon is now consumed, and
the afternoon Is spent In recreation
and preparation Of duties for the fol-
lowing day. About shutdown small
groups would assemble along the lake
shore and plan for the management OF
their associations during the following
year. At & O'Clock In the evening we
again assembled in the tabernacle and
listened TO one OF those able lectures
on some Of the most important topics
| OF the day concerning associations.
This rs a brief sketch OF our daily
| program. One who has never attended
q summer school cannot imagine the
swiftness with which business is dis
pcnscd and the great strain the mind
IL under.
II would be a very dun person in
deed whose mind would not be aroused
to its greatest activity and wholly con-
| centrated on the subject when one of
those able lecturers Is pouring forth
volley after volley OF deep thought
upon subjects in which we are most
| interested, and In a manner Of eloquence
indescribeble II Is no trouble TO listen,
you cannot Keep from 1t. You will
| laugh you win cry, you viii see
new light in the old familiar scriptures
| you have read from early childhood.
| The Bible Is no more the old dry book
| OF ancient history 1t now becomes
new and partakes Of the character OF
a sublime novel brilliant and inter
| esting history a most profound phioso-
ply. New truths shine forth which
have ever before been hidden in OBJ
security, and an eagerness Is aroused
I'm your soul 10 read the Bible with an
interest that has never before been
known to your pagt life. Not only
IS your interest Increased, but your
faith Is strengthened.
Listen to an able and eloquent theo-
loglan as he fathoms the depths of the
divine truths Of the sacred book. go
with him In his thoughts as he points
out the fulhllment OF the divine proph-
ccies, follow him In his demonstra-
ton as he shows to you more clearly
than YOU have ever seen before Gods
plan Of salvation, then IL your faith
Is not increased you are not suscepti-
bic Of being cultivated, nor worthy TO
be called the lords OF creation.
When our eyes are opened up by
such one, 10 the full realization OF the
length, the breadth, the height and the
depth Of the plan Of salvation It gle
riously reflects divine characters
pretended
Again. when testimonies are called
for and We see scores Of young men
rising up to give moments utteranco
OF thanks from heart fun of graft
tude and love 10 God for the sal
walton OF their souls and the wondrous
plan OF redemption, we feel we are In
grand cause and one which Is OF
more concern 70 man than any other.
For what doth It profit man II he
gain the whole world and lose his own
soulP'
Our surroundings AT a summer school
offer every facility for increasing our
faith, and more faith ia what the
Christian OF the world is more in need
or today than anything else.
Place several hundred young men
where they can realize that the saliva !
ton Of their associates and the rising |
generation depends upon their lRbors
and you can hardly imagine the |
earnestness with which every effort IA |
forwarded Such is fully realized at II
summer school. and by Just such young |
men we are surrounded, AS a natural |
outgrowth OF a strengthened faith are |
our views OF life broadened. So often !
our love for humanity is limited to our |
own municipality and we are at |
enmlty With all the rest OF the world. |
We love our associates and personal |
acquuintances; we pray for them and |
want to meet them in heaven, but the |
remaining thousands of the world with |
whom, unfortunately. we have never be- |
come intimately associated, we care |
nothing for, and should we be called |
upon To pray for them, our prayers |
would be as dry and void OF feeling |
as II We We're praying for the dumb |
brutes Of the Held 10 share our home
In hcaN en-. l trust the picture Is not |
ovordrawn IN showing to you how mar
row the limits OF the unculturcd mans |
love Tor his fellow man. When we say
unculturod, We do not mean the word |
In It's broadcast and most common ac-
cepted sense, We mean II In Its high