The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-05-07
Opportunities Of Twentieth Century Young


An address delivered by Rev. J. M, Patterson,
pastor of Westminster Presbyterian church,
Detroit, at the recent Y M, Q. A. State Con-
vention held In this city.
am asked to speak to you about the op-
portunities of the twentieth century young
man. This is vast theme. l should not
have had courage to undertake the discus.
sion of tie theme on my own responsibility.
In fact, 1t is three themes in one. Analyze
the subject and you will find the question of
young men, then the question of the centu-
ry, the nineteenth century advancement and
the twentieth century conditions, and then
the third theme involved is that of oppor-
tunities. Either of these subjects of and in
themselves would have been more than suf-
ficient theme for an evenings discussion.
All we can possibly do, therefore, with the
subject, considering its vastness, is to take
birds eye view Of 1t and gather such sug-
gestions as we may for the profit of the
young men of the twentieth century.
YOUNG MEN.
Let me remind you that so far as the
young man is concerned he has always been
at premium. Glanc!ng through history
am inclined to believe that the young man
Is natures favorite. can almost hear Life
with all its boundess opportunities, say to
the young man of each succeeding genera
tion, Rise, o youth, and wrestle with me-"
Youth has always been the great element of
progress. John Young says: "Youth has
originated all the great movements of the
world and has most largely contributed to the
agencies by which they have been rendered
effective. In every po,ent element of our
civilization, in literature and art, in science
and philosophy, in church and state, in
peace and in war, God has made young men
the leaders. In literature, John Milton, the
man who saw more without eyes than any
other man saw with eyes, wrote his wonder
full hymn on 'The Morning of Christ's Ma
tivity," when but 81. Pope wrote his Essay
on Criticism, which placed him in the front
rank of poets, when but 21. Shakespeare
began his unmatched literary career in his
twenties. Burns died with the dew of youth
on his brow. Horace Greeley was but 80
when he founded the New York Tribune.
Dante, Shakespeare, Milton and Goethe
gave evidence of their poetic genius while
yet young, and their greatest works bore
evidence of the inspirations of their youth
aud early manhood. In art, at the age OF
Is, Michael Angelo had produced 1.-The
Battle of the Centaurs" and his gigantic
figure of David" and his picture of the
Virgin weeping over the dead body OF
Christ" now in st. Peters Baslica, are the
achievements Of his youth. Raphael died
at 81. having long been the worlds greatest
painter. In science, Sir Isaac Newton made
a sun dial when 12 years old. Humboldt al
the age of 20 published volume ON the
FORMATIONS on the Rhine" In philosophy
David Hume, the great historian and phil
osopher, produced some of his greatest
works in his youth. In state, Washington
was the rising hope of the colonies at 26
Alfred the Great succeeded to the throne
when only 81. And it is said of William,
Prince of Orange, that at theuage of 1S he
sat among the fathers or the commonwealth
grave, discreet and judIcious as the oldest
of them. Gladstone was in the house OF
commons at 23, and lord of the treasury al
25 In war, Hannibal was in the midst oi
his victories at 81. Bonaparte had conquer
ed Italy at the age of 25. Alexander the
Great was but Is when he won his first bat
tie at Cheronea. George Washington was
major in the colonial militia when he wa
90. In church, Calvin wrote his institute
at the age of 26. Luther won Germany a
the age Of 25. Paschal wrote his immorta
provincial letters at the age of 90.
IL we now turn to the Bible we dlscove
that the same truth finds still more strik
, ing illustration. Joseph, the youngest sol
of his father, got the homage of his breth