The Portland daily press., 1894-05-14

schools, moreover, the young women are
getting superior advantages because the
young men have to leave for the battle of
life before the course is finished. The Y
NJ G. A. is therefore the great and almost
single institution which is holding out a
helping hand to the young men. 1t bears the
seal of Gods approval in the salvation of
souls. believe in any organization that
moves on the enemy and catches men who
are standing on the brink of destruction.
For this reason l believe in the Salvation
Army. might not like some of it's para
phernalia for my own private use, but bow
my head in the dust to it and any other
agency that snatches men from destruction.
The Y. M. c.. A. does that.
The st. Lawrence Street Male Quartette
sang selection while the contribution was
taken for the general work, and for pledges
for the new building.
GENERAL SECRETARY HERBERT L.
GALE,
of Worcester, Mass, said that an audience
at such time resembled the little fellow at
the end of the picnic Cant you eat a
little of this turkey?'' asked kind lady.
Eyes, num- and he ate. Then another
kind lady offered him cake and he ate
again. Finally third lady approached:
Cant you eat a little pie?'' The little
fellow felt of his stomach and then his
throat, and gasped: II dunno mum. I'll
try. / can chew but l can't swallow
loud laughter9) While the audience might
feel like the little boy, the speaker felt like
the brave man who, having saved life, was
called ON to receive medal at large pub
1in hon no 70 ho RI
respond, his written speech fed from his
mind and he could only gasp: ut is true. I
saved life; but if I had known that..I
should have to make a speech, might have
let the old man drown" Uaughter0
Mr.. Gale then went on with more serious
remarks, dwelling upon the great field of Y.
NJ. G. A. work. More young men under
thirty years of age are walking the streets of
ourscities with the brand of criminal the up
on their brows than are in the churches.
Ninety thousand young men in this land are
behind prison bars; and ten thousand young
boys are in reformatories. Only one boy
out of three is held in the Sunday...schools
after fifteen years of age.
Intemperance, gambling and impurity
are great foes of the young men. In New
York city nine thousand saloons, each con-
trolling an average of 20 votes and welded
by few men, dictate political affairs. This
internal agency of the rum power is active
against the future of the young men of
America. Impurity is another great COR
rupter of the youth of America.
The churches are not keeping their hold
upon the young men. Of ninety thousand
of
THE YOUTH OF BOSTON,
only ten thousand are in the churches. The
same will hold good in many other places.
But the Y. NJ. g. A. is reaching out for the
young men and is doing great work, pre-
senting the bright side of the picture.
The speaker told good story of the dude
who addressed bald headed old gentleman
as follows: 'fWhen / see fly on your head
I think it is going to slide off,
"And when see one on your head 1 think
it is going to slump in,'' was the old mans
answer.
The Y. M. G. A. is the foe of the dude,
the helper of the honest, industrious young
man who must fight off temptations as he
makes his way in the world. The speaker
gave an interesting description of his own
experience in New York as he sought for
work. The Y. M. G. AS was the:only door
open to him with an honest welcome.
The meeting closed with the singing of a
special hymn to the tune of America.
The collection amounted to over 500.