Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-20


general. giving Illustrations of the OK.
lcellent work done in Bangor Mr.. Jor
dan has been secretary Of that associa.
ton for 10 years. and has made dec,
study of the work all through New
England, as well as Western and
Southern states.
He gave graphic picture OF the
young man who leaves his country
home for the city. and falls and OF his
inevitable end; and by comparison. OF
the man who by the help OF the asso-
citation is led to straight life, an homo,
to himself and his people.
Mr.. Jordan gave, in part, the fol-
lowing:
II bring with me the very hearty greet
ings of the association which j repre-
sent. and not OF that alone. but of the
grand Christian fraternity of which this
Organization Is part.
Nineteen hundred years ago, there
walked upon this earth. a perfect man.
the divine man. the Son of God. At one
time when great multitude had gath
! cred about Him. He looked out over
1
sion on them because they were scat
| tered abroad as sheep having no shep-
| herd" Man is very often neglectful Of
the needs of suffering humanity. He
rails to realize or appreciate the perils
that beset his brother; but that same
Son of God. who had compassion on the
multitude when He was on earth, still
observes the great masses of humanity
that are brought together in our great
centers of population. 1t seems to me
that the Y. NJ. G. A. is simply the out
growth of this great compassion that
Christ expressed when on earth.
He putting the spirit into the hearts
of men to raise up an organization which
should endeavor TO meet the needs of
young men and compete with the peris
which meet them on every side.
AN organization that stands for so
much that is practical. definite, and ag-
gressive in the Christian world has we'll
been called religion in motion.
Bishop Hendricks says he considers IL
the religious movement of the 18th CEN
fury The Y. Nj. G. A. Is unlike other in
situations in its aims and character Ii
Is not club. school, church, or home
and yet ii combines some OF the char
acteristics and advantages of all these
in its efforts to amuse. to instruct and
to help the physical social. intellectual
and spiritual life of young men.
THE work of the association Is a def
mite one for young men II is not an in
discriminate work for all classes. The
legitimate work OF the association Is the
uplifting and ennoblng of young men.
and certainly among no class in our
community is there more need of this
specific work than among this class.
AN eminent German writer has said:
| The destiny of any nation at any time
depends on the opinions of its young
men who are under u years of age
1T is the young men who change the
current in politics. in business. and in
society. 1t Is the young men of today
ta.A
honor and responsibility. and every place
of private and public trust We must
look to them for the maintainance of
the sacred institutions of family ana
home, and all on which depends the
safety and purity of society.
THAT Roman conspirator. Catiline who
once sought to overthrow that beautiful
city commenced by trying to corrupt it's
young men. well knowing If he succeeded
in this he would soon have the city in his
control.
When we stop to think that e. per
cent. of the criminals of our land are
young men. that five out of the seven mill
lions of this class never see the inside of
a church. it seem as if the arch enemy of
our souls had resorted To the same tao
ties to get possession of our beautiful
America
Now it is 10 defeat the work of his
satanic majesty that we have the Y. NJ
c. A.. and nothing yet has been devised
that so successfully reaches the young
man at the right time. and In the right
way, as does this organization"
The meetingwas presided over by the
president of the association. A. A.
Varney There We're also present on
the platform with him. C. A. Colburn.
the treasurer: J. l.. Corson. secretary:
Rev. J. NJ. Wyman; A. c. Hall. secre-
Roscoe Farnham, A. u. Russell Henry
Swift DR.. f. j Roberts, David Walton.
and II. c. Royce.