The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-29
SERMON ON YOUNG MEN IN RELIGION Rev. s. P. West Breaches Fourth of Series at Warrior YOUNG MEN NEED RELIGION Statistics Will Show That e5 Per Cent Of Them Are Not Even
 Members of Any
 Church.
YOUNG MEN NEED RELIGION

The Rev. Sam P. West preached the fourth of a series of sermons yesterday at the Methodist church at Warrior. his subject being The Young Man in Re- ligion-"
 His text was "one thing thou lackest." Mark X, n.
 The preacher said in part:
 Your attention has been called to young man In business, and to his rela- tions to government and to society, but by far the most important of the ques- tons discussed in this series of dis courses Is the present one-a young man in religion.
 Tn thls question is involved his highest and best interests for two worlds-the life that now is and that which is to come. This question rightly settled will settle every question in business. in so- clety and in government.
 It will settle every question between employer and employe. If only the teach ings of the "man of Galliliee were car ried out there would never be any strifes; there would never be any conflict be- tween labor and capital.
 William E. Gladstone is reported as saying a short time before his death: Talk about the questions of the day there Is but one question. and that is the gospel. 1t can and will correct every thing that needs correction. All men at the head of great movements are Chris tian men. During the many years I was in the cabinet I was brought into as- soeiation with sixty master minds. and all but five of them were Christians. My only hope for the world is in bringing the human mind in contact with divine revelation"
 Great Men Christians.
 There Is food for thought in that utterance. Attention is directed to the fact that so many of the master minds in all ages of the world have been Chris tian men. We have threefold nature body, mind and spirit-and without the development of each we cannot attain to perfect manhood. It is certain we cannot neglect the spiritual and attain to the highest and best.
 Sometimes a young man will say: 'T have my honest doubtsv and he thinks that is evidence of strength. Mo- no; skepticism is weakness, not strength. No man can have honest doubts about religion.
 If he will do the will of God he shall know of the doctrine" That is God 8 challenge to men. eThey have no right to doubt if they will not comply with the condition upon which the revelation Is made
 The cause of religion needs young men. It needs the ardor and enthusiasm of their lives. They are full of hope and buoyaney, The most aggressive period in life is before middle age Is reached. It is sad to see the cause of religion deprived of the services of so many young men, If statistics may be relied upon the case is alarming
 Statistics Against Young Men.
 It Is said of the young men of this country that 90 per cent of them do not belong to any church. and that 97 per cent of them do nothing for the church, while nearly 90 per cent of all the crimes committed are by young men.
 hope this is not true l would like to think better of the young men of the country. Enough Is true to make a fearful indictment and give US dark fore bodings of the future, unless these young men can be reached. Conditions at best are far from what they ought to be.
 Religion needs young men to win others to a life of recttude
 Christ alone save the world, but Christ cannot save the world alone" Young men need religion. Without 1t they are far from safe amid the insidious and seductive temptations of life. They need the anchor of religious conviction; they need faith in God. In no other way can they attain contentment and true dignity in this life.
 They owe it to the Christ who has re- deemed them. They owe it to them- selves '"ro thine own self be true, and 1t must follow, as the day the night; thou canst not be false to any man." Be true and stand four square to all the winds that blow" Aside from the dig nifty, contentment and security religion gives. an eternal destiny awaits you.
 Beyond this vale of tears
 There is life above,
 Unmeasured by the flight of years;
 And all that life is love.
 "There is a death whose pang
 Outlasts the teeting breath;
 O. what eternal horrors hang
 Around the second death"