The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1906-03-16

/ 20 lift high the banner OF the cross. lts
very name signifies the purpose foi
which 1t was organized. Young Mems
/ Christian association" means young
men for Christ" That Is the first and
chief reason for which honor this be
nedcent movement.
But the Young Mems Christian as
/ sOc.ation work does not end here II
Is important 10 get young man TO
confess Jesus Christ. but Il Is also nee
essary. during the years Of his Chris
/ tan infancy or formative period. TO
keep the young man by Christ's side
| and 20 surround him with the protect
ing influences OF a Christian home
That 10 me is the greatest work on
earth 20 De done for young men IN our
large or smaller cities. next 20 getting
q young man 20 publicly confess bis
| love for the Saviour. Indeed. ! may
20 farther Perhaps the second work
/ is even more important than the first.
I FOR II q young man who has once con-
I fessed bis love for Christ does not con
tinue % live very close 10 Christ De is
very apt 20 Doe drawn aside by tempta-
/ t0ns and his last condition be worse
/ than the first. Let ne sketch the story
OF O young man coming into a large
/ city. use this Illustration because
/ the work Of the Young Mems Christian
association always has been and al
ways will Dee chiefly among the young
I fellows who. Ike George Williams.
come 20 1--we IN a large city with no
home but a boarding house. and no
| friends but those they are compelled 70
make among strangers.
This average young man IS the son OF
Christian parents. All bis past life has
been surrounded by Christian lnhu-
ences: but. Ike most young men living
/ 10 the smaller towns or on the farm. be-
wants 20 get into the center Of things.
He goes 20 New York, Chicago. Phila-
delrhia. san Francisco or Los Angeles
At first he Is dazed or dazzled by the
noise and the hustle. The houses look
70 him as though they were reaching
% tie sky. The streets are so crowd
ed with electric cars and tramways
and automobiles and shooting auto
cycles that be is afraid 10 cross them.
Then the crowds Tie people seem 10
be everywhere, They push him. they
Jolt him. they growl at him, they do
everything but speak kindly 10 him.
Everybody seems 10 De IN such a hur-
rs. Tie people are running for the
ferryb0ats. and they are running for
the elevated trains. and they are run
ming FOR the bridge cars. They are run
ming everywhere.
At first the young mans time Is TAX
en up with watching the different
sights. He acts just as be did when his
father first took him 10 a county fair.
Then there comes over him an awful
sense Of loneliness. Like David, be
seems 20 CRY out. NO man careth for
my soul" He goes 10 church the first
sunday. lie says to himself, Now, II
1 20 10 church I VIII meet some nice
people" But De finds the average city
church Just as different from the coun-
try church as the tall, stiff. unbending
and inhospitable city home Is different
from his fathers genial, open door
farmhouse. No one speaks 10 him at
church. Then the lonely Monday night
and the lonely Tuesday night and the
lonely Wednesday night and the lonely
Thursday night and the lonely Friday
night and the lonely Saturday night.
lie wants 20 be good, but what IS be 20
do7 Yet all this time sin IS everywhere
beckoning: Come brother, come and
drink with me. Come and laugh with
me Come and make merry with me-
Plenty Of church services on the Sab
bath day, but what IS be to do during
all the rest Of the week. Mark this.
The young men Of the city will not be
saved for Christ by two sermons
preached on the Sabbath day. They
must have q Christian home. They
must have q place where they can 90
and meet Christian people. II the
Christian churches IN the past had been
run on the line Of the institutional
church. there would have been no need
Of a Young Mems Christian associa-
ton. But as they have not been so run
there have been thousands and tens Of
thousands Of young men saved for
Christ through the influence Of the
Young Mems Christian associations.
Now. how does the Young Mems Chris
tian association offer 10 the young men
Christian homer
Work Tor the day is done Monday
night Is here. The young man Is eating
his dinner al the boarding house. The
boarders are about 10 separate. Where
are you going tonightT asks one OF
the boys Of another boarder. Down
10 the Young Mems Christian associa-
ton" Is the answer. what" says the
Questioner. do you 20 therei What
DO you do thereT "Oh." says this
friend. sthat depends. Some nights |
SIT and read in the library. Sometimes
bowl and play games with the boys.
Sometimes I work in the gymnasium.
Sometimes we have lectures. There Is
always something 70 do. By the way,
Mr.. so-and-so. won't you come and
be ny guest tonight" be turns and
saws 10 the new boarder Il want You
20 meet some Of the boys Then, n
you Ike, l Wish you would Join uS"
Then the young mans eyes take on o
look Of great anxiety as he says: You
must spend your evenings somewhere
and In doing something. You cannot
spend them better than down at the
association with US" What is the use
Of ny carrying the Illustration any fur
theri Do you not see that where the
average church work stops the Young
Mems Christian association work De
ginsf With the long arm OF loving
tenderness Il reaches out and encircles
that boys neck and heart. II says 10
him: Young man. come and spend
your leisure hours with Us. Come and
read. Come and play. Come and meet