Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-22
DIR. DAWSON'S ADDRESS
ENGLISH DIVINE AT Y. M. C. A..
BIG MEETING.

With "Christs Gymnasium" as his sub
ject, DR.. W. ]. Dawson, the eminent
preacher of England. interested an audience
which practically filled the Belasco Theater
yesterday afternoon, at the big meeting,
held under the auspices of the Y. NJ c. A
The address by the great London pulpit
orator was preceded with singing by the
audience, the words and some emblematic
pictures being thrown on a screen by d
stereopticon lantern. Miss A. Salome Win
gate was the solost for the afternoon meet
ing.
DR.. Dawson took his text from Paups
first letter to Timothy, in which Paul ad-
vises Timothy to exercise himself unto
godliness.''
Jesus Christ has gymnasium for the
training of young men into the highest
forms Of manhood" he said. Think what
al perfect man God was: there was never one
so perfect, SO pure, so patient, SO kind, SO
just, SO strong and tender. His was the
highest, hottest manhood. He Is the Mas
ter of the gymnasium, He Is the instructor
standing at the door. And over that door
Is the motto, TIL We all come to the per-
feet stature of men in Christ Jesus You
may think that the Christian men are weak
lings, are what we call In England namby-
pamby. It is not SO. The greatest men in
1000 years Of history were trained in
Christ's gymnasium.
Requisites for Development.
do you understand your deficiencies2
That is the first requisite for development.
Look at the raw recruit, and standing or
walking, he is slouching and without dig
nifty. Presently he is put in training, and
in few months. rote the difference. Know
your deficiencies. Pride and self-conceit
destroy more men than drunkenness. If
any one is like that raw recruit, only NOR
ally, let him come into Christs gymnasium
and He will make man of him
Three important things go on in that
gymnasium The first Is obedience. The
note of obedience sounds through gospel
history. To Mary came the call Of
obedience, and she is the most blessed
among women because she obeyed. There
is lack of discipline in most of our lives;
we are not fast and firm to our duties Are
we willing to obey the call OF Christ and
submit to discipline?
Secondly, there is concentration in
Christ's gymnasium. Men fall in this
world, not through the lack of opportunity
but through inattention to opportunities
All great men have concentrated their en-
ergies on their object Napoleon concen-
but he knew the exact number of guns the
number of men IN every one of the COM
mands of his army. For thirty years OAR
win gave himself up to the study of earth
crust. With all your will power, put your
self to work in Christ's gymnasium, with
the motto, This one tnlng 1 90, oe1ore
you.
Value Of Discipline.
And the third thing that is in that gym
nasium is discipline Discipline brings out
the best that Is in us and eliminates the
worst. At the time OF the Boer war about
dozen meH< went from my church TO the
front. They were men who had stood be-
hind counters or sat at desks, and they had
no military training l saw them go and
/ could not think of them as soldiers. And
I saw them come back: 1t took six hours
for those troops to pass. The men were
bronzed; they were as hard as nails; they
walked like men-uen who had undergone
heroic discipline. There is no way to
know how to be Christian but to be one.
You will say at once that 1t Is hard
thing to be Christian. But look at the
athlete. He must endure physical hard
ships. must give up smoking, eating many
delicacies. and must indulge in walking.
sweating and bodily WEAKNESS. But he'll
do 1t for a little mention in the paper. I
hear some saying I am too far gone or I
am afraid will fall OF course you will
fail; everybody falls; but you VIII arise and