The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-04-19
THE Y. NJ. c. A.
AND THE ARMY.

Official recognition Of the meritor-
ious work which the army branch OF
the Young Mems Christian Associa-
tion is doing appears in the recent
order of the Secretary of War direct
ing commanding officers in the United
States, Porto Rico and the Philippines
to facilitate that work at their var
ious posts by providing quarters in
which it may conveniently be carried
on, and expressly authorizing the use
of post exchange buildings for the
purpose Secretary Taft thus practi-
cally indorses in behalf of the army
the enterprise which, in it's applica-
tion to the navy, Secretary Moody
has most emphatically approved.
At the annual meeting last Janu-
airy of the Women's Auxiliary, through
whose efforts the association building
for sailors and marines in Brooklyn
was put up and equipped, Rear Adj
miral Taylor, being present by Sc
cretary Moody's direction, spoke with
enthusiasm of the benefits of the
work to the enlisted men of the navy.
1.-THE workings of this new idea," he
said, shave proved it to be of mar
"vellous value to the tone, the morale
land the morality of the men. This
''great enterprise ofkeeping naval sea-
linen in the right path is no longer
IAN experiment.; it has been tested
"most thoroughly; its defects have
"been corrected; it's good points have
'sbeen confirmed; it's success has been
fully demonstrated" The record of
the Sands street establishment for
1908, it's first year, is indeed remark
able. When the spacious building
was erected at a cost of about $780,
600 the opinion was somewhat freely
expressed that too large provision
had been made for the requirements
which it was designed to supply; but,
as matter of fact, it was not equal to
the demand. The branches establish
ed at Norfolk and at Newport are
CORRESPONDENCE successful on small
Ter scale, and the appeal for means to
extend the work to all the more i'm
pOrtant naval stations is amply justi-
fled by practical experience and the
approval of the department.. The
association has not less fully demon
strated the value of the work which
it has been carrying on at army posts
during the last five years, and the
growth of which Secretary Taft'S
order is sure to promote.
There is no longer any disposition
to scoff at the Young Mems Christian
Association, and among intelligent
citizens everywhere it's potency as an
instrument of personal and civic NOR
ality is gratefully recognized. DR..
Mabie has not exaggerated it's claims
to respect in saying:
Whatever may have been the de-
fects, either in quality or in manage
ment, of the association in the past,
it has become model of high and
effective organization. 1t is an ex-
preston of the religious life which
fits the temper and the need of the
day, and it is therefore fundamentally
the right expression of that life. 1t
is religion of action, contrasted
sometimes too sharply with the reli-
gion of meditation, but prominently
in spite of it's occasional overemphasis
on action, the religion which the
modern world needs and which can do
the most for the redemption of the
modern world. 1t stands for that
broad conception of life into which
the young man of to-day is born. 1t
demands the health of the body as
we'll as the health of the spirit, sanity
in out-of-door life as well as integrity
in social and business life.
The word sanity is we'll applied
to the activities of the association.
1t makes no appeal to mawkiSh senti-
ment and takes no part in the culti-
walton of merely emotional religion.
It's business is to foster clean and
wholesome living, to encourage a
desire for moral and mental growth
among it's members, and to put with
in their reach such means of rational
enjoyment as most of them would
otherwise lack. 1t is an admirable
institution, managed on sound princi-
ciples and productive of great results.