The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-21
Y. M. c. A. CONVENTION
PHYSICAL CULTURE AS 4 MEANS OF
BUILDING Up CHARACTER.
Interesting Lecture to Delegates mt
CravfOrdsville- Taylor on
''SOcial PrOblems."
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
CItAWFORDSVILLE Ind. Nov. 29.-Del-
egates TO the State Y. NJ e. A. convention
are all in to-day. DR.. o. Wishard. foreign
secretary of the international committee,
made Il talk about The Relation of the
Association TO the Worlds Evangelization.
To evangeZe the world. he said. would
take thirty thousand missionaries and at
present there are ten thousand. and the
world must first be evangelical before IL
can be Christianized. The sum of So. 0o0 00e
per year would he needed TO evangelize
the world. Mr.. Wishard believes that the
time was at hand for the throwing off OF
the yoke of sectariansm and uniting i'm ore
grand effort toward the accomplishment OF
the desired end. 1t seems TO be the sense
of the convention that travelling sccre-
tary should be kept i'm the field and devote
his time TO the various colleges
State Work. Its Origin, Province and
Primary Principles" was the subject
handled by c. X. ODER. of Chicago. field
secretary of the international committee.
The State association work was first pro-
posed at the international session at Au-
burn, n. Y, i'm 1866. The State officers
should know the full standing of each as
ISOLATION under their jurisdiction, and keep
well posted of all parts connected with the
local work. The State officers, by thus
keeping informed, can be of vast benefit in
giving the experience of various associa-
tons TO struggling associations and which
may be the means of keeping alive weaker
bodies.
Frank W. ODER, of Chicago, managing
editor of Men. presented the claims of this
paper upon the association work. There
creasing demand for thoroughly trained
secretaries and physical directors. 1t was
the unanimous opinion Of those present that
all kinds of athletic sports were proper IL
conducted by proper persons.
The committee on the report of the State
officers approved of the treasurer's report.
of the coming year A. NJ. Wright general
secretary of the Fort Wayne association.
led discussion Sc, s9, on The FL. Next Twelve
general pledge from the several associa-
tons, well contributions from in
dividuals. There are 100000 young men in
Indiana and only 5 per cent. are church
members. while only 10 per cent. Sever at
tend church. rs
Indianapolis. local physical director and
executive secretary of the State athletic
committee. was very interesting. The SUBJ
ject was Body Building as Part of Char
acter Buiding the Associations Oppor-
tunity. In part he said:
There can be no true character building
development of the body for its own sake.
We cannot say that man is a soul nor that
he is mind. nor. that he is body. He is
all three. soul, mind. body. Character is
necessarily the sum of physical mental and
moral qualities which distinguish one from
another. the peculiar physical mental and
moral stamps impressed by nature. educa-
ton. or habit. Our topic. however. un-
doubtedy indicates another definition of
character: moral qualities, or the prin-
cipleS and motives that control the life.
We are to determine what effect physical
education has on character development in
this more restricted sense. Unfortunately.
most of us build character blindly, putting
i'm the good and the bad, and now if
would build beautiful structure must
not only incorporate the beautiful ele-
ments. but before can do that must
eradicate The bad. With this change in
character physical education has some
thing to do. yet do not understand me that
any marked change in the character with
out the direct work of the holy spirit 1t
can never bring light to the darkened mind
or peace to the troubled heart. nor can it
give purity for the impurity. truth for I'M
truth. honestly for dishonesty. But it can.
1 think, help in the development of the
nobler VII tues in the character Of the Chris
tian man and make greater the possibilities
of their development in the character of the
non Christian nan.
'Perhe .ps the first effect of physical exer-
else is the turning of superfuous energy
into right lines. There are very few young
members who do not have an excess of
what are called animal spirits for which
they must have an outlet and which if not
turned into right directions results i'm i'm
proper and disorderly conduct. Exercise by
using this in the development of muscular
and vital force tends to prevent this waste
and worse than waste. 1t is largely be-
cause of this feature of physical exercise
that hazing in our colleges has practically
died out. The superintendent of West Point
Military Academy testites that for years
there the authorities had tried to eradicate
the practice with no success until the
cadets took up athletics with vigor. Pro-
fessor Thurston of Cornell, says the results
are the removal of their operations from
the billiard room to the athletic field.
Professor Wheeler. of the same university.
says the infuencr OF football on good order
in academic life has been Enthusiastically
Another good result of body building is
the added strength which it gives to over
come temptation. Physical strength is
tainly a great help to overcome tempta-
ton. especially those which come directly
II om the physical nature of man; Rousseau
said that the weaker the body the more it
commands, the stronger the more 1t Obeys.
1t is then essential that we should develop
our bodies to the highest point of efficiency.
Sensual appetites find in a weakened body
a safe retreat. and unless worn out by a
thoroughly hygienic condition obtained by
exercise and correct modes of living, will
readily make the body the master of the
mental and moral natures instead of its
being their efficient servant. To my mind
luxury extravaganza and immortality are
the greatest foes to young men of this or
any other country and gladly hail game
like football which tends to drive out the
evils.
THE definite training in mental and
moral virtues which comes from vigorous
physical exercise is not inconsiderable. On
every hand intricate and diScoura ging
problems of life; calls to duty when danger
is involved. opportunities for helping others
which offer possible injury or death as a
result. AT every turn in life complications
which demand the noble quality of courage
and how often it is sadly lacking. This is
frequent. though by no means always due
to lack of physical training. The realiza-
ton OF ones bodily Weakness i'll fits one to
cope with life's difficulties and dangers
while the Know leoge OF bodily power the
physical ability to overcome obstacles
makes bold to undertake difficult
things.
Twenty-one hundred dollars was pledged
to carry on the Y. NJ. c. A. work next
year. The following persons were re-elect-
ed as members of the executive committee:
l.. II. Wales and A: Galloway of Indian
Gregg. Charlottesville: j. Nj. Lndley. Co.
lumbus; w. j. Lewis, Evansville; j. X.
Jameson. Sheibyville. and 5. +. NJ. Coulter
South Bend. Il. T. Stacy, of indianapolis,
was reelected State secretary, and V.
w. Helm. Terre Haute assistant.
The committee reported the financial con-
dition of the associations good. and seven
of the eleven in the State out of debt.
The educational and evangelical work is
TO be vigorously pushed next year. and
special Efforts are 10 be made towards the
observance of association day all over the
State on Sunday, Dec. 6 1t was agreed
that next August the conference OF secre-
tarieS of the various organizations and rh,s
Bible school be held In connection with the