Middletown transcript., 1896-05-23
lSixth Faper.)
WHAT OF our INFLUENcRi

~ WHAT OE OUR INFLUENCEy
BIZ ONE or THE OLDER BOYS.
The Middletown Branch Of the Y. N.
A. deserves all the woTdsof praise that hav
been given 1t. 1t Is doirg good work IN
its influence Is for good and right living.
4 1t Is paying as an investment, and nor
who have have set their hands TO the plo
should turn back or even look back thong
matters may not 60 to please them /
every particular. But what Of the dire,
ton and the degree of the infuence.of th
Association?
"The younger men of the town and o
the Association do not appear to come t,
the 'front.'" is comment frequently mad
and thought more frequently Suppressed
after each of the meetings held. and espec
tally of the devotional and literary meet
ings. And it is truth that candid mind.
should consider. Why is il? l do mo-
know. I do not know just who are fhe
members of the Association and would
suggest that a list be posted in the rooms
for the benefit Of the members. Certainly
the Young men of the Association, and
through them the young men of the town,
need to be interested in all the work of the
Association. How can it be done? Perha ps
they can best answer for themselves. Sup
pose meeting ofall under thirty years of
age. perhaps 25 years. be called for the pur-
pose of inquiring their views and desires
along the lines of operation of the Assoeia-
ton. 1t is necessary for these young men
to come to the front to exert the general in
fuence which lies within the organization.
There are difficulties to be met that per
haps these young men best understand and
their advice to the members of the Execu-
tive Committee certainly is worthy of con-
sideration. How can it be done? Let half
dozen apply to the President or to the Ex-
ecutiye Committee to call such a meeting
for an exchange Of views.
But what of our influence among asso
cia tes when we do those things that are
to be unbecoming members of
the Y. NJ. c. Al What of the inf uence of
the man who says II cannot go to the bar
and drink with you but ify you had bottle
would not object to being social? And
what is the duty of the Association to-
wards any who shall persist in such a
course as that? The presence of any such is
no proof of the insincerity of the large
That the church has its |
hypocrites is its misfortune but with fair
minded men the church is not condemned |
for their conduct, unless indeed they are
suffered to go too far. When does forbear-
ance cease to be virtue. is an interesting
question?
There is just another thing, Mr. Tran
'eript. that moves me to speak and yet /
hesitate. 1t is the influence the Y. NJ. c. A.
nay have oyer the boys. Shall appeal to
he Association in the language of an heart
TIRED mother who anxiously inquired
his week, What can 1 do to influence my
10Y to shun the older boys who are selling
liquors to the lads of the town
rom penny to nickeps WORTH" Is that
rue and is the influence Of the Y. M. c. A.
0 count for nothing against such practices?
will not do to say, ~ am not my broth
RS keeper" 1t will not do to say, "Let the
arents, the ministers, the teachers. the
unday schools look after these things"
he influence of the Y NJ C. 4. should be
1T right along this line, or SO thinks one
the older boys. The question is too SER
us to be lightly passed over but having
troduced it leave it to be considered by
le members