Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-11-21
ASSOCIATION AID
ASKED IN PULPITS
Ministers Point Out importance
to City of the Y. M.
c. A.
SUPPLEMENTS CHURCH WORK
ApceaI For Contributions to Remove
Indebtedness on the
Home.

| The ministers OF the churcheS OF the
city have joined in tie movement &c
clear away the Indebtedness OF the
home here of the Young Mems Chris
tan association. Yesterday. in sey
eral OF the pulpits the resolution re
Gently adopted by the Rock Island
| Ministerial association was read and
commented upon. This resolution foi
lows:
The Rock Island Ministerial asso
citation desires 10 call the attention oi
the Christian people OF our city. and
all those who are interested in the
| best things in city life. To an institl
/ ton in our midst that is one OF tho
most potent influences for good. and
an institution who's Importance 70
our city is offtimes overlooked-we
refer To the Young Mems Christian
association. This organization is in
tended in no way To take the place
of the churches. but It supplements
their activities and does work that
none of our churches is doing.
The rooms OF the association are
open every day and evening OF the
they furnish a healthful place for
young men TO congregate. There is &
reading room. a game room for both
boys and men. a weil-eCripped GYM
nasium and bath rooms. lecture
course free TO members, frequent Sc
Gals. and also bible classes and reiig-
ious meetings each Sabbath. to which
all men are invited.
Moral Retirement of Men.
at may be new to some of you, and
it certainly is a startling fact that
there is not another place in our city
open all hours of the Jay and evening
with any pretensions to the moral bet
terment of young men. There arr n
our city 50 saloons and IS billiard
halls bidding for the presence ami rat
ronage of our young men. That they
are securing them in large numbers
is evident. Saturday evening be-" 'en
the hours of and 9 o'clock, 1G0 men
entered single saloon: between &
and 10 o'clock, 60 men entered bill
lard hall: and on Sabbath evening
between 100 and $50 o'clock. 145
men entered four saloons. ASSuredly
our city has need of a place where the
distinctive aim is the bettermept of
young men, and the organization that
provides such place is deserving of
our heartiest support.
Many of Privileges Are Free.
For a number of years the associa-
ton has been hampered by debt, the
interest on which has taken money
needed in the regular work. Recently
an offer was made by public-spirited
woman eff our city to give $1,000 to-
ward this debt, provided the balance
should be raised by January, 1905
The debt is 50 900 and $4,000 addition
al is needed for improvements. A
special effort is being made to raise
this $4,000 before the end of the year.
and we appeal to all who have at
heart the moral welfare of our city
to respond literally to this need. The
association has a right TO appeal to
the public because its benefits accrue
10 the public. Clubs offer their ad-
vantages only to members, but many
of the privileges OF the Young Mems
Christian association are open to all
men who will accept them and are
free: besides this, the full privileges
of membership are offered at merely
nominal fee when their actual cost is
considered. Public-spirited men rec
ogniZe the association as one of the
valued assets of the city. Ii is an i'm
portant factor IN influencing the bet
ter class OF men TO bring their famil-
les TO our city. and should be support
ed as a profitable business invest
ment The association needs not sim
ply the large gifts of few, but also
the small gifts of the many. Ii is
worthy of our confidence and our help
In few places will our money yield
larger returns in character and inf1u
ence Last year more than $4,000 Wis
its were made by young men to the
association rooms.
Guide to the Stranger.
Several scores of young men com
ing to- the city as strangers were Ci
rected to suitable places for rooms
and boarding. and many others were
assisted in securing employment. The
work is worth while merely as a
means of safeguarding against tempta-
tons. but in addition to this a very
positive influence for good is being
exerted. We most heartily commend
the association as worthy of the help
il is asking.
'In connection with this appeal we
deem ii a proper request to make that
the pastor of each of our city church
es arrange to devote at least one ser
vice during the remaining weeks of
the year 10 the interests of the young
a l.,
Young Mems Christian association
Adopted by the Rock Island Minis
tsr.al association as its meeting Mon
day. Nov. IA. 1904.
II. W. REED. President.