Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-04-30


 With the saloons, billiard halls, bawdr-houses and gambling-houshs open nearly every day in the week, anu the churches opened but twice in the week, you can readily see that there is every opportunity for the evil and little opportunity for the good and pure enjoyment of the young men of the community unless there happens to be a well-equipped Young ,den's Christian Association Tn the town. 1t is good thing in the community that can be CT lioyed every day in the week.
 Now in our discussion of how to get the greatest amount of efficiency out of our work from this social standpoint, let us bring in the use of comparison.
 It is very easy for q young man to find the wrong places of amusement and the wrong associates. It ought to be made easy for him to find the rooms of the M. C. 4. where he will find good amusement and good friends.
 At the evil resorts in the city there is beauty. elegance and attractive surroundings. Make the rooms of the Y0nng Mems Christian Assoeia- tion beautiful, elegant and attrac- iva is nf,f a,,f,,,uf, i-<, vonexx,;fja n comfortable place foryoung men but we must rival the most beautiful places in town. Christian people seldom think that in their meagt r support of the Association they are putting small valuation upon the life of T young man. It is a good in- Yestment for any city to have an elegant '. M. C. A. building properly used. A proud citizen of certain city was showing Sam Jones the splen- did buildings and institutions of which he was proud and among others he pointed with pride to a $50, ,000 jail. The preacher then asked him where the |. NJ. c. X. was and being told that there was no such building in the city. he remarked that if they had built S45, ,000 |. Al |. !. A. building they would only have needed $5,000 with which to build Il jail. John Wanamaker said that the |. NJ. (. A. building of Philadel- phia was the best business Invest ment the city had made. Then let ns not be afraid of spending q little money to make the +. M CA. rooms beautiful and attractive.
 Again, the young men usually goes where he is wanted and where he is made to feel welcome. Your rooms may be ever SO finly furnished and beautiful, but If there is not wei come there for the visitor he is not likely to return. Ii there is not sum- shine and good cheer he Is likely to go where he will find both, Men do not. as Il rule, like to be palavered over and treated too familiarity. But they DO like to be made to feel at home. Many q young man goes to ill resorts with no other purpose than tQ enjoy the seeming hearty welcome and good will N hich he is sure to find in those places. Many d young man coming into town a stranger and looking for good. pleasant time somewhere where he will be welcome, goes 10 ruin, be- cause, from his standpoint, there is nowhere else to go. Happily the the \. NJ. C. A. rooms fills the Ebill in many places, and finding the right kind of n welcome. he is likely to be saved from ruin.
 Again, most young men must be amused. We are indeed often much discouraged with people generally because they must have amusement whether they have anything else or not. But we must take the young men as we find them, and not as we would like to have them. The dhtttlSC SOuES illdiA " Aisi4 DS q Ill uScu | After the days work is done, he must go where he can have the big 1 gest time. I am glad that some of cur boys have homes where they are delightfully."- entertained, but most of them have to go out somewhere in the city. away from home or board ing house. to nave tine fun tine, are looking for.
 "Jaek. where are you going to- night?'
 Il don't know, where can we have the best tiine?"
 Let's go up to the Y. M. C. A