The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-05
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: ONE WOMAN'S VIEWS. ::
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How true it is that an hour can de-
stroy the result of years of labor and
sacrifice! Our beautiful Young Mems
Christian Association building is gone,
The spot which has been a pride to all
Scrantonians is today a thing from
which the eyes turn aside in horror
and pain, and while, mercifully indeed,
life was spared in the conflagra ton of
Thursday night yet there is much of
pathos in the loss of this once fine
structure. How many are the memoir
| les that centre about the smoking ruins.
| The history of the noble organization
eliminated in the handsome home, Sc
cured after trials and discouragements
What a JOY and delight has been
that Young Mems Christian association
since it's erection. What a power for
good and for the Strengthening of the
bone and sinew of the community
dwelt beneath it's welcoming shelter
and how we shall miss it!
We look back over the years so swift
| ly vanished and realize how much that
| belonged to the noblest side of our
| city's growth has disappeared in a
night of flame and destruction. We
may have, no doubt we shall have,
new home for the Young Mems Chris
| tian association, but without entertain
| ing in any sense the views of a pessi-
mist we cannot but realize that some
thing has fled from us this brilliant,
icy February night that is an irrepar-
able loss in its associations and SEN
| timent.
| With the lost Young Mems Christian
| association fit the visible signs of
many scenes dear to Scrantonians who
have dwelt in this city for the past
twelve or fifteen years. Who can re-
member that great wave of religious
enthusiasm that swept over the COM
munity from it's vantage ground in the
spot once a synonym of all that was
worldly, frivolous and to many minds,
perncious" Do you not remember it?
Can you not recall the scenes in the
skating rink where for night after
night, a man uninteresling and even
heavy Of countenance swayed thous-
ands by the simplicity of his speech
and his hold on something beyond that
few of his listeners could explain. DO
you not remember Dwight L. Moody's
week of preaching and how at it's close
when the hearts in his vast congre2a-
tions were thrilled and softened by the
magic OF his words and by the emotion
wrought out through the wonderful
voice sung by the friend at his side,
how the great evangelist plead for the
Young Mems Christian association and
the home it must have? Swiftly the
subscriptions came in and even then
rose like a fairy castle before the i'm
agination of many devoted ones the
fufillment of blessed dream.
Then another scene under the same
roof is treasured in memory. 1t is a
brilliant picture, the like of which was
never before beheld in this region and
which has never by any possibility
been approached since, the splendid
pageant of the authors carnival is al
ways indissolubly connected with the
thought of the Young Mems Christian
association for the benefit of which it
was given, and the memory is one of
a series of views, magnificent in con-
ception and splendid in detail beyond
description. Who will forget the bril-
liant procession beneath the changing
lights, the kings and queens of other
days, the knights and ladies, the beau
tiful embodiment of many a writer's
brain and the great names of history
and tradition? Can You not again see
the handsome king of the carnival, the
lovely queen, the heroes Of old, the fair
women that held the world in their
frail hands? Can you ever leave Mr..
MicaWber out Of your memOry's cas-
ket, and will you not often recall the
picture of Uncle Tom, of Aunt Chloe,
Of the Cottage Snowland, Of the fierce
Moorish bandits who used to make a
raid on the stores of New England
dainties and blooi-thirsty, carve pump
kin pies and doughnuts with their
wicked scimetars? All, me. it was a
week to be remembered and now the
reason for which its glory was called
out of the dim, rich treasures of the
past, has vanished in last awful
hlaze of utter extirction. Aside from
the financial loss, aside from the Cis-
tress of many whose interests are sc
closely allied to the organization, aside
from even the blow to the spiritual
inspiration of the young men Of our
city, Scranton has met with loss in
which sentiment is deeply concerned
which can scarcely be retrieved.
Speaking about the authors carnival
to memory ever dear, to a reminder
that the management of the Home fol
the Friendless has in serious contem.
plation the idea OF arranging for some
really great affair to relieve the Home
in some degree, the cloud of debt now
hanging over 1t. Whether this idea
will take the form Of a splendid IA
geant such as was the carnival, wheth
er it will be a fair and ldrmess on &
colossal scale or what will be the re
suits Of the deliberation can not ye
be determined. but that there Will b'
something in which the public beyonC
local confines will be interested seems
reasonably certain.
The Home managers are continual!
being delayed by applications from peo
pie who want to give benefits" for tn
, institution with an incidental under
standing that the promoter will prob