Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-28
PLEDGES FOR CHRIST.
REV. Or. TYLER'S ADDRESS BEFORE
THE CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoReRS.
Sixth Anniversary Of the Alpha Society
Of the seventh.Street Church-freuy
Musical Programme.

The sixth anniversary Of the Alpha 30
ciety of the Seyenth-Street Christian
church was commemorated at that sacred
edifice last night.
The attendance OF members and visl-
tors was large. and the programme iul'
Of interest. The exercises opened with
a quartette by Miss Rodgers, Mrs. Dur
rett, and Messrs. Watkins and Cardoza.
After the singing of a hymn Rev. A. h
Moore offered prayer. and there were
other delightful musical selections. The
scriptural reading was by Rev. G. r.
Rutledge. of Norfolk.
ERA OF THE YOUNG.
The address. admirable and interesting In
every particular, was delivered by Rev
B. B. Tyler, d. D., Of New YORK. Ihis
eminent divine expressed his great plea
sure at being in Richmond upon the oc-
casion of the sixth anniversary Oh the
Alpha Society, and said were ne goins
to characterize this era he would say II
was the era of the young people. This
was a period for Christian associations,
Brotherhoods of st. Andrew, Kings sons
and Kings Daughters and, last, but not
least. the societies of the Christian En-
deayor. The reign OF the young people
was a noble reign. They were better now
than were the young men and women OF
the young days OF the speaker.
HAVE BETTER TRAINING NOW.
The coming time I'm church and in state
would be better for the youthful than the
present or the past. DR.. Tyler said the
reasons for such hopes were that the
children had never had such training and
opportunities. Those before him had very
much better facilities and opportunities TO
do good.
The speaker said he wanted to live long
enough to learn to grow old gracefully.
Gray hairs did not mean that man was
old. He had seen many men not more
than % years of age who were perfect
drones. neither satisfied with themselves
nor any one else.
TALK ON THE PLEDGES.
DR.. Tyler dealt with the characteristic
features of the society. He spoke of the
prayer-meeting and other pledges. The
former he termed the backbone of the or
ganization He dissected the several
pledges, and said that each one would be
a fine subject for sermon. Here he
briefly referred to written sermons, say
ing that If he wanted everybody present
to take a short nap he would read them
one OF MS seIIIlpHS' NsduSht''D
The speaker referred to the fact that
at the meeting at Montreal last year
President Clarke had urged as question
for consideration the matter Of good citi-
zenship. The minister thought this topic
was worthy the consideration of the
young people Of this land. He took up the
underlying principles OF the society.
POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
He said the Madison-Square meeting a
year ago was a meeting OF greater po-
litical significance than the Chicago, or
the Minneapolis, or the Cincinnati con-
ventions In trying to please the LORD,
according to the pledge, men would vote
for what they considered to be for the
best interest of God and humanity.
DR.. Tyler then argued in favor OF the
importance of reading the Bible. and gave
some practical suggestions as to how 10
read the Book of Books. The TWO
pledges-support your own church ana
pray every day-were treated at some
length. The speaker made a beautiful
treatise upon how to ascertain what
Christ wants his children to do, and
closed with an earnest appeal for the
blessings of the Saviour upon his audi
ence
Mr.. II. ID. Riddick then sang, with
sweet effect, mo Time to be Wasted y
The doxology was sung. and the audi
ence dismissed.