Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-23
VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE
Address by Mr.. W. ]. Bryan
Before Y. M. G. A.
SD A univ Frs A R Y
PROMINENT SPEAKERS TAKE
PART IN THE EXERCISES.
Mr.. Hamilton W. Mabie Talks Of 1.-THE
Simple Life" and Ideals
OF Youth.
SD ANNIV ERSAR Y

Bryan, twice candidate OF the democratic
party for President; Hamilton Wright Ma
bic. author and philosopher; H. B. F. Mac
farland, president of the board of District
Commissioners, and others of prominence in
the life of the city and the affairs of the
association, addressed an audience which
packed the play house to its utmost ca
pacity.
Mr.. Bryans visit was a surprise not only
to the audience but to Secretary Pierce of
the Y. M. C. A. and others who bad the
meeting in charge Mr.. Bryan came in as
spectator. but before he had left the
house had made the principal address of the
day. He was welcomed not democrat,
not as a politician, but as an American and
as lifelong member of the Y. M. c. A.
The Lyric Quartet from the Brown Me
mortal Church of Baltimore and the Daley
Quartet of Philadelphia sang several Seiec-
tons, supported by large section of the
Marine Band. Mr. s. w. Woodward presi-
dent of the association, presided and on the
platform were Representative Littlefeld OF
Maine, Mr.. w. J. Bryan, Judge 8. }. Peelle,
Charles Lyman, Justice Job Barnard, B. H.
Warner, H. B. F. Mcfarland, 8. w. Wood
ward, Hamilton w. Mabie and Rev. r. H.
McKim.
The services were opened with prayer by
Rev. NJ. Ross Ftshburn. President Wood
ward reported that of the three hundred
thousand dollars needed for the new build
Ing, TWO lunQTeQ ana seventy tUOuSdIO idu
been subscribed. He said that the sum of
forty-five thousand dollars was needed in
addition. for furnishing and the interior
decoration, and added that when complete
the association could easily accommodate
four thousand members.
Mr.. Mabie's Address.
Mr. Mabie spoke on the simple life" and
the influence exerted by the youth of the
land. There are young old men," said
Tto
great things of the world have been ac-
complished by men who have kept their
youth always. When the ideals of youth
are gone the man becomes old. Christ was
a young man when he climbed Gethse-
name. Today we live in world of ideals,
but we are forced to work In material
world. The fight is between the spirit of
faith and hope and the wisdom of age and
worldlness. Wealth is a cruel master. but
an obedient servant. There is no end to
the burdens it will bear, when it is used
Alright
Mr.. Mabie then told of the growth of or
ganiZation, which at the present time Is
put to commercial purposes to large ex-
tent and If it is applicable to commercial
ism why not to higher aims. He said the
Y NJ c. A. is a living example of the use
to which practical organization can be put.
Growth of the Association.
Commissioner Mcfarland told of the
growth of the Washington association.
its founding by three Washingtonians,
one of whom is dead, when there
were but two other such organiza-
ton in the country. He told of the
difficulties and hardships encountered and
of the final triumph, and said that the
growth of the association had been per-
fectly natural as 1t had been perfectly
healthful and that the outlook of the as
ISOLATION today Is better than 1t ever had
been before.
During this half century some of the
most wonderful social and economic
changes ever known have taken place.
ventions have reached unexampled develop
ment That the association has not only
persisted, but has been increasingly sue
cessfui, shows its divine fitness for it's d.
vine purpose. If 1t had been selfish, a
mere club, however good, mere school,
however fne caring only for its own men,
bers. it would never have grown and it
would not have all the District in Its debt.
as 1t has today.
At the conclusion of a selection by the
Daley Quartet Mr.. B. H. Warner led Mr..
Bryan to a front seat on the platform In
time to hear Mr.. Pierce announce to the
audience that 500 was necessary to cover
the expenses of the meeting, and that he
wanted one hundred men to give 81 each,
one hundred to give 80 cents each. one
hundred to give quarter, ETC., and Mr..
Bryan Immediately became one of the first
hundred One enthusiastic democrat offer
ed IS for the silver contributed by the Ne
DCdSkdu anu the OheI was dCCcptSu al
once.
Mr.. Bryan introduced.
After Commissioner Macfarland's address
Mr.. Woodward introduced Mr.. Bryan, who,
as usual, was equal to the occasion. When
called upon to speak he won immediate
favor with his audience by explaining that
he has been a member of the Y. NJ. c. A.
since his early youth, and that his interest
in the association had grown as he had
more fully comprehended the work.
II have come to regard civilization, he
said, "as measured, not as Buckle said ii
was, by the master of the human mind over
the forces Of nature, but rather as thing
more comprehensive than mere intellectual
strength of advancement. / have come to
regard civilization as the harmonious de-
velopment of the human race, physical,
mental and moral. and the object of this
man to give him strength of body, strength
of mind and strength of heart. Who can
measure the influence OF this association
upon this city, upon the country, and upon
the world?
"a man was once presenting the claims of
the Young Mems Christian Association, and
buildings and running expenses resulted I'm
the saving of one young man 1t was money
well spent. And when he was through
some one asked him if 1t was not extrava-
giant to say that the saving of one boy
was worth SO much. The answer was:
Not If it was my boy.
Estimate Of Human Life.
TT is true that If all the associations in
this country had saved but one boy 1t
would have been money well spent. You tell
me that places high estimate upon the value
of human life Who is wise enough to
measure the value of a human life? We
cannot tell the influence of the human life;
we cannot weigh it in the balance: we can
not tell what It's touch means to the world
You live here In Washington, and you
learn the names of great men. You meas
ure the influence of your public men. but
none of US is wise enough to say where he
lives today who will make the deepest inn
preston upon the human race. He may
live in the White House; he may meet in
the Senate; he may have fellowship in the
House; he may be some humble citizen
whose name today Is unknown to fame.
''And who, then, will influence the life
made better by contact with this associa-
ton? We talk about the mysteries of the
Bible and the miracles, but there Is a mys-
terry greater than any recorded in Holy
Writ. It is the change In the heart of a
man. to make him hate the things he loved
and love the things he hated. It Is that
Transformation in the Individual that con-
forming of one who would have sacrificed
world for his own advancement into one
who would give his life for principle and
a nrfy tn o1ro