Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-31

Committee OF the Young Mems Chris
tian Association, Vice President-elect
Theodore Roosevelt delivered an adj
dress yesterday afternoon at four
o'clock in Carnegie Hall, New York,
taking for his subject THE Standard
of Civic Righteousness and of Chris
tian Faith and Conduct"
Copies of the address sent out in ad-
vance to all the Associations in the
United States were read simultaneous
ly at their meetings, and by this ideal
arrangement Mr.. Roosevelt was honor
ed by one Of the largest audiences of
young men ever addressed by any man
in the history Of the nation.
A p of the speech was read by
Henry M. Russell, Esq, at the song
and praise service of the Wheeling Y.
NJ. C. A. in the afternoon, and this par
ticular feature Of the programme con-
sumed about a half hour. The meet
ing was of more than ordinary inter
est and the gathering of young men
comfortably filed the spacious audi
forum of the building. Special music
was rendered for the occasion.
The greetings from Governor Roose-
welt were exceedingly appropriate. for
the last Sunday Of the century and
elected the most earnest attention
from the assemblage. They were as
follows:
1T is a peculiar pleasure TO me to
come before you to-day to greet you
and to bear testimony to the great good
that has been done by these Young
Mems and Young Women's Christian
Associations throughout the United
States and the Dominion of Canada.
More and more we are getting to rec
ognize the law of combination. This
is true of many phases in our industrial
life, and it is equally true of the world
Of philanthropic effort. Nowhere is it,
or will it ever be, possible to supplant
individual effort and individual initia-
tive; but in addition tt this, there
must be work in combination. More
and more this is recognized as true not
only in charitable work proper, but in
that best form of philantnropic en-
deavor where we do good to ourselves
by all joining together to do good to
one another. This is exactly what is
done in your Associations.
1T seems to me- that there are sew
eral reasons why you are entitled to
especial recognition from all who are
interested in the betterment OF our
American social systSn. First and
foremost your organization recognizes
the vital need of brotherhood, the
most vital of all our needs here in this
great continent. The existence of a
Young Mems or Young Women's Chris
tan Association is certain proof that
some people at least recognize in prac-
teal shape the identity of aspiration
and interest both in things material
and in things higher, which with us
must be widespread through the
masses of the people, if the national
life is to attain full development. This
spirit of brotherhood recognizes CT
necessity beth the need OF self help
and also the need of helping others
in the only way which ever ultimately
does great good; that is, Of helping
them to help themselves. Every man
of us needs such help at some time,
and each on US should be glad to
stretch out his hand to a brother who
stumbles, But while every man needs
at times to be lifted up when he stun
bles, no man a afford to let himself
be carried, and it is worth no mans
while to try thus to carry some one
else. The mar who lies down, who
uy;1l n@+ tr, IN uroly hos hnnAIon n
mere cumberer of the earth's surface.
Associations Benefits.
These associations CT yours try to
make men" self-helpful and to help
them when they are self-helpful. They
do not try merely to carry them, to
benefit them for the moment at the
cost OF their future %undoing. This
means that all in any way connected
with them not merely retain, but in
crease their self-respect. Any man
who takes part in the work of such
an organization is benefited to some
extent and benefits the community to
some extent-of course, always with
the proviso that the organization is
we'll managed, and is run on a business
basis, as well as with a philanthropic
purpose.
THE feeling of brotherhood is ne
cessarily as remote from a patroniz-
ing spirit on the one hand, as from a
spirit of envy and malice on the 9TH
er. The best work OF our uplifting
must be done by ourselves and yet
with brotherly kindness for our neigh
Dor. In such work, and therefore, in
the kind of work done by the Young
Mems Christian Associations, We all
stand on the self respecting basis of
mutual benefit and common effort.
All OF us who take part in any such
work in whatever measure both re-
ceive and confer benefits. This is
true of the founder and giyer and it
is no less true of every man who takes
advantage of what the founder and
giver have done. This brotherhood
makes us all realize how much we
have in common, and how much we
can do when we work in common. l
doubt IL 1t is possible to overestimate
the good done by the mere fact of as
ISOLATION with a common interest and
for a common end, and when the COM
mon interest is high and the common
end peculiarly worthy the good done
is of course many times increased.
Besides developing this sense of
brotherhood, the feeling which breeds
respect both for ones self and for 9TH
ers,your associations have a peculiar
value in showing what can be done
by acting in combination without aid