The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-10-12
The Evening Service.


ing. The services we're opened with a
song by the Galeeburg Union. Prayer
followed by G. w. E. Gossow, Of Ryder
Divinity School. The State President,
Mr.. Cook, then introduced Rev. w. e.
Leavitt, Of Morrison, who spoke upon,
1.-THE Young People and the Church.
A great deal is being said about inter-
esting our young people in the church.
People feel that young people are very
Indifferent. Some say that the blame
is with the church; others say that the
minister is to be blamed. He does not
reach the young people. He is dry and
uninteresting. Still others say the
older people are to blame, and there are
some who pitch into the young people
themselves. They say that the times
leave the young people too independent.
That they lose all feeling for spiritual
things There is truth in all these
things, but the main question is un-
touched even if these be true. The
fact is that some people are more inter
ested elsewhere. We must gain the at
tention which we have not. We must
make our meetings attractive and an
attraction for a student cannot attract a
business man. Young people have moth
ing against the church, but they don't
care for it. They think it's old folks
affairs. They think Sunday is their
only time for wheel riding. excursions
etc. We must make the Unions interest
ing and attractive for all. Show that
knowledge is to be found there which is
more important than outside pleasures.
This is the only way to hold our young
people.
Old Young People.
Rev. Rett e. Olmstead. of Earlville,
then spoke upon young Old People and
Old Young Old People" ut is true that
the cheeks become hollow, that the
brow is knit with wrinkles, and that the
hair becomes gray. But the soul never
grows old. 1t is concealed between the
white locks but the baby fingers rejuve-
nate it. Some are old at thirty years,
while others are young at sixty. We
must not measure lives by years but by
the good and happiness produced. I re-
ioice that we have so many young old
people. How grand is to meet persons
who are helping others to be pure and
beautiful.
There is no good reason why we
should grow old Tomorrow is but to.
day reeled on. Is the Lords prayer old
because the Saviour spoke it centuries
ago? / look upon the Y. P. G. U. as an
auxiliary to the church, grand in it's
possibilities; magnificent in its impor-
lance. 1t ought to be stream flowing
on forever. 1t ought to be SO inspiring
that he who sits on the rock of indiffer-
ence would be inspired. We have a
great mission to carry sunshine into the
hearts of the suffering. The fundamen-
tai principle of our Unions should be to
flow ever onward toward the Christ like
life.
How 10 succeed.
Rev. r. F. Johonnet took for his sub
ject "How to Make Union Succeed"
He remarked, l am here because / am
willing to make the sacrifice of leaving
my work and attending this Y. p. G. U.
Convention in which | am 80 deeply in
terested. Why am l interested? Be-
cause the Universalist Church is weak
in Illinois, and because there is a great
work to be done. There isn't any place
for anyone in this church to have soft
job. The church needs the work of the
Young Peoples Union. The world is
full of liberal thought. Every school
house is practically theological school
for the distribution of liberal thought
which is determined to undermine the
traditions of orthodoxy.
The question with us is, What part
will our church take in the future relig
ious world? 1t must have a great part
in the harvest which comes from the
seed Of liberal thought. This lies in
your hands, young people. The Y. P. G..
U. is the hope of our chuich. In order
to make our Unions succeed we must
build up individual character SO that
young men and young women will be
able to answer the question, What are
we here for? The thing to make the
Union succeed is the religious spirit.
We should cultivate the habit of pray
ing. Every man recognizes that back of
this world is power upon which we are
all absolutely dependent. A power which
is over all. through all and in all. We
are directly related to this governing
spirit. Is there anything to be ashamed
of in prayer? In recognizing the power
that sustains us? So let us cultivate
the spirit of prayer and also have music,
for music moudls the religious life of
many individuals. No man can sing
abide With Me-" or the other grand
hymns of the church, without enlarging
his religious sensibilities.
At the close of Mr.. Johonnot's address
pledges we're taken from the local I'm
ions for the support of the State Union.
s172 was pledged with possibility OF
$40 more.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 81.