The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-06

The Y. N. C. A. mass meeting at
the theatre last evening drew a crowd
that filled the spacious play house
from pit to dome, while fully three
thousand people formed a struggling
mass of humanity on the outside, UNI
able to gain admission.
1t was one of the greatest gatherings
in point of numbers that the theatre
has ever held on the occasion of re-
lg!ous meeting of a similar nature.
Long before the time for opening a
crowd filed the sidewalk and street
in front, and when the doors finally
were opened, the crush was enormous.
Those who were fortunate enough to
have tickets were given seats on the
first flcJr and platform, while others
crowded into the galleries. The gath
ering was an enthusiastic one, and the
singers and speakers were accorded
hearsy applause. 1t was also enthu-
sias+ic in a financial way, for no less
than $1,000 was pledged for the sup
port of the association. many of the
donators being among the city's lead
ing business men.
THE EXERCISES.
The exercises opened by The
Wreath of Song" a beautiful selec-
ton well rendered by the orchestra,
with Mr. Leslie as cornet soloist. 1t
was followed by "All Hail the Power
of Jesus name" by the immense con
Rrega ton. and Rev. Clarence L.
Brown of the First Congregational
church read from / John, 2, s. This
was followed by a fervent prayer by
Rev. Z. 9. Hunt, after which Hon. b.
II. Roberts. the speaker Of the even
ing. was introduced
MR.. ROBERTS ADDRESS.
Mr. Roberts was accorded a hearty
recention when he first appeared ana
took his seat upon the platform, ana
now when ne came forward to speak
the aunlause resounded throughout the
auditorium, and died away only TO
break forth anew
The subject OF Mr.. Roberts address
was Influence of Christian Young
Men Il. Business and Public Life" Be
fore taking up the subject he said nat
when he was invited to address the y
NJ c. A. meeting he did not think the
association was such an enormous al
fair. He had come half expecting 10
y
and probably a few of their friends ana
now 10 find such a ma gnificent gather
ing was something of revelation
AS prefacing to the discourse he sald
the subject would seem so common as
10 make any explanatory dehnltlon ap-
near superfiuous. To define Christian
Young man such as he would refer To
he could hest give the dominion oy
stating the kind of a young man not re-
ferred to. It was not such one as
would Join the Y. NJ. c. A. for the pur-
nose of throwing a garb of religion
around him, secure responsible posi-
tfon and when the opportunity pre-
scented itself skip off with his employ
RS cash. Nor did he mean a young
man that would JOIN Sabbath scnoo
for the purpose of throwing around
himself a cloak that he might the bet
Ter approach purest innocence with q
view of destruction. Neither was j
such a man as in matuc er years at
tends church TO throw off a faint or sus
picion of dishonesty. The term Chris
titan young man the speaker would ap
ply TO such an individual who believe:
in Jesus Christ and reduces the pre-
cepts of the beautiful teachings d
that Christ 10 a practical use in every
day life.
MIR. Roberts then spoke at some
length upon the customs among woc
shippers of the early centuries wheI
the rule of a double life sprang up anC
was followed and when the idea of sci
itortures for the purpose of serving Goo
were conceived, as best illustrated bl
Simeon Stilletes, the Syrian, who stow
ed himself away in the mountains FOL
twenty-seven years thinking ne wa
serving God. The evidences of the er
r,or Of this conception of serving Coz
was manifest even in our day. TIT
Fos4 ~ rn Il in
of self torture. It was against all thu
teachings of scripture. and he was no
one of those that believed man coul'
inherit the kingdom above by maxim:
this earth a hell God cares only 70
the substance and not for the shadow!
of piety.
The son of man shall come in glor,
and no man will have TO go upon tn
mountains or in far off corners to fins
him. He is among the people and not il
obscurity. 1t is in the thoroughfares. oil
the crowded narts and in business af
fairs you can find God.
The speaker would not have it un
derstood that there We're no advantage
IN occasional solitude. and was no
speaking disparagingly thereof. but tn
idea 10 be brought out was that Coo
can be found everywhere and the beau
tiful principles of His holy book ap
piled in the hum and rush of everyda,
life
Why is it that we are going to con
slider the influence of the Christian
young man in public life2 Why is
not the influence of the moral man
What advantage in this regard has tn
Christian young man over the mora
young man? Morality without Chris
tianity is scarcer than everybody /
willing to admit and when vol
do find morality without Chris
1ianfty, how much has Christianit,
contributed by it's influences, in whic
the moral man has lived, to that MOI
atty A great deal in most case
Some people are so happily constitute
tiat they have no desire to do wron;
no desire to be immoral; such are rar
Host of US ordinary mortals need til
support OF Christianity, but why NJ
emnhasize the influence of the Deist
Religion without Christ, it is admittet