Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-09-19
CLOSING OF
THE Y. NJ. G. A.
How Different Persons View the Present
Condition Of Things.
EDITOR MoNToUR AMERICAN:

Christian Association, it would be a
real disaster to the town if it We're COM
PEELED to close its doors, and the citizens
Of our community should deliberate very
carefully (and plan very wisely to car
ry on the many important interests
wrapped up in this valuable public en-
terprise The present standing of the
institution-the building being gift to
the town demands more than passing
thought. and should be dealt with con
siderately and practically, not simply
with reference to the present, but
with view to the future usefulness of
the organization. If help is to be given,
it should be forthcoming now. Let us
not wait until it is too late, or we will
have cause for regret.
Everywhere the Y NJ. G. A. is recog
nized as one of the foremost, popular
institutions of the times, and is regard
ed as a necessity by many. In mum
ber of cities and towns present build
ings are entirely inadequate for the
various demands made upon them by
young meD and boys, in nearby towns
citizens are erecting new buildings, and
for Danville to be compelled to close
its building, and cut short its splendid
work, on account of failure to receive
proper. financial support, would be a
great calamity, sore disappointment,
and cause for humiliation to all who are
interested III the cause of Christ and the
safety of young men.
To say that the running expenses of
the Association $4,000 annually cannot
be met by our citizens, III the face of
what has been done i'll the way of i'm
provements to our various churches,
aside from the regular yearly expense
account of each cnurch, is unreasonable
Let it be remembered too, that the y.
NJ. G. A. is the representative of all the
churches. 1t is public institution,
also, and as such it becomes the duty Of
every right thinking man to see that it
is properly maintained and supported.
To withhold support from an institution
that is honestly endeavoring to make the
men of the community better, because
of some prejudice, or to neglect it, or
criticise its work without any real
knowledge of its inner workings and
u, thn,. not
or manly. Every father and mother
in Danville ought to be deeply interest
ed in the continuance of the Association
in Danville.
Most persons are sorry" to hear
about the conditions that make it neces-
sary for closing the building-a there
are real grounds for sorrow-but in all
cases where it is possible, there should
be doing of something practical
This is the key to the situation. NOW
is the time to help. Everyone with a
spark of manhood in him will fight to
the death for his own. We are all so
tied up together, that this motive is
really present in all our defending of
the right We must seek the safety
and betterment of the town in which
we live, because our family is in it, and
peril to the town is peril to ours. We
must seek wholesome water supply, good
drainage and clean streets for the town
because our children and friends live
there. So with the moral and religious
influences of the community wei
fare of our sons and daughters, our
brothers ana sisters, is involved. A man
may say he has no interest in the fight
against the various forms of evil, and
show a spirit of Indifference toward in
stitutiOns that are doing good but if
the evil be let alone by and by his own
boys may be destroyed by it. Permit
the Y NJ. G. A. to close or take less
prominent place in the religious life of
our town and we commit grave error,
| and lay ourselves open to severe criti-
cism as community. not only from a
| religious, but also from commercial
standpoint.
Two hundred additional subscriptions
of $500 each and five hundred subscrip-
tions of $1.00 each, annually will make
it easy work to carry on the Y. NJ. G.
A.
If our citizens will take time enough
to inquire into the value and need of
the Association, money and sympathy
sufficient to put the work out of any
possibility Of embarrassment will be
cheerfully given.
There are two ways to extinguish a
fire-to withhold fuel or dash water on
it. Either method will accomplish the
result In like manner, good work is
often extinguished or severely crippled.
1t is either left severely alone or else
unjustly criticised. Either one of these
methods will bring disaster to the insti-
tuition. In the case of the Y. NJ. c. A,
fuel has been lacking, and it has also
had a fair share of criticism. On the
whole, however, during years of service
it has done its work well, and deserves
to be supported.
For many reasons, the Y. NJ. c. A.
building should not be forced to close
In the first place, the building suggests
permanency,- it is a y. NJ c. A. build
ing, and was erected for the purpose of
being kept open. In the next place it
suggests adaptability, because the work
can be successfully carried on within its
walls and again, it suggests publicity,
thus advertising the Importance and ex-
tent of the work.
To bring about the best results in the
Danville building, $1,000 per annum is
required. To attempt the work with
less money, the directors have learned,
after years of experience would be to
Saripusly mira tho 1auSp II has baau