The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-11-11
SERVICES AT
GRACE CHURCH.

| Ine SERVICES at Grace Chtirch last night
| were held In the interest OF the Y. M. G. A.
OF this city. The meeing was opened by
devotional exercises conducted by +. w
lang, general manager OF the association.
| Addresses were made by Charles II. II.
Jackson, physical director; DR.. II. e. Smith,
chairman OF the social and educational
work. and by Medford II. Cahoon, chair
man Of the committee In charge Of the re-
ligious work Of the association.
General Director Lang, in the opening ex-
ercises, read the pathetic story OF the death
of Absalom, and the grief of his father, as
related by the Prophet Samuel putting spe-
cial emphasis on the kings question:: Ms II
we'll with the young mani" which he
anxiously put to every messenger who
came to him with news Of the battle.
The meeting had been announced as the
anniversary of the Y. M. c. A. This Mr..
Lang corrected. The meeting, he said,
was in a greater interest than that Of the
Y. NJ C. A. 1t was In the interest OF the
young men Of this city-the young men in
Its Offices, stores. shops and factories-the
young men of the homes of the people. The
young men are of greater Importance than
people imagine. Without them the Offices
would not be opened tomorrow morning;
the mail would not be delivered; the street
cars would not run. The business OF the
city could not be transacted IL all the men
between 16 and 35 years OF age were taken
out of 1t. He claimed as young men under
So years. and said that there were 10000 Of
them In this city, and this number must be
counted at least one-half Of the voters Of
the city.
In speaking of the temptations to evil
doing which beset young men here he de-
clared that there Is one saloon to every
sixty-fye young men, and that 90 per cent,
of the patrons OF these saloons are young
men. Every saloon Is an Organization upon
a business basis to secure business. They
are managed with the same energy and
tact that marks other business enterprises.
The most available places are secured so
that the patrons may not have far to go,
and are made attractive to make them
popular. Almost every nefarious business
Is organized and carried on to reach the
young men. No other class of people are
subjected to such temptations.
Speaking directly of the work of the
Y. NJ. c. A., Mr.. Lang described
1t as special effort OF Christian people,
in which they are attempting to reach
young men through the work of young
men. No other class of workers can reach
them like young men. 1t is not, however,
separate from the C1urcn. cit is worth
nothing apart from the Church, and aims
at nothing less than to guide young men
back to first principles of true and right
principles, as taught by Jesus
Physical Director jackson was the next
speaker. He spoke of the necessity of
good health as the basis of a good life, In
the Y. NJ. C. A. the object of physIcaI
training Is to make men Of strong muscles
and clear brains. 1t cares nothing for the
game, but aims while interesting young
men in the physical exercise to help them
also to become strong men intellectually
and morally, The popular clubs care moth.
ing for moral or intellectual development
and while they. too. often make bad men.
the Y. M. c. A. is trying to make good
men-better citizens and better Christians
by deyeloping clear brains and great think.
ing and working power.
DR.. r. Il. Smith smoke of the social and
educational side of The v M G A work.
On the social side he said its object was
to keep an opep door for those who needed
and would accent the benefits of n chris-
tjan bospitality. ON the educational sIae
10 give to thoset who could moi get N
elsewhere an opportunity for an education,
In any of the ordinary branches Of scbolors
ship. In alludlng 10 the statistics given
by Mr.. Lang he said IL only one-half Of
the young men OF this clty could he I'M
dueed to become members of the Y. NJ. a
"A. a building could be erected of which
ali good citizens would he nroud ana
narIors md recontion roon,s for ,ho,, ,,sa