Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-02-02

want TO make the most out OF my body
and brain that l may be able to serve
my God better" Then the Idea OF en-
tering the association merely for play
ceases. The young man in the asso-
citation works to develop his brain. his
body and his spirit, as Paul went down
tend the sheep and Elijah went into re-
tirement-to make themselves mightier
agents for the Divine Master to use.
Thus hail the modern Young Mems
Christian association as a great Chris
tian university. A young man today
who wishes an education does not have
to go TO college to get it. If he is COM
PEELED TO enter business to earn his
daily bread when he is young, during
his evening hours he can enroll him.
self in this Christian university's
classes. There between the hours of Z
and Top. IN. he can study all the COM
mon school branches. lie can study
there the commercial branches. In ev-
cry well equipped association there are
night classes in typewriting, shorthand,
bookkeeping and business law. He can
master there ali the higher English
ctdo2Oct AANC ihClOiAN, tSu COulDO-
sition and English literature. He can
learn there the Industrial sciences,
like electrical engineering or applied
electricity, mechanical and architecture
al and freehand drawing. And he can
sit there at the feet Of French aud
German and Spanish teachers and
learn to speak foreign tongues. A dear
friend Of mine. who was u member OF
the Chicago Young Mems Christian as
ISOLATION, said that when he was q stu
dent there few years ago every night
there we're assembled in classes within
the walls of that association 500 stu
dents. Now, any movement which will
make It possible for the young man
who has not been able to go to college
to get that education after his work at
the store is finished is movement
which ought TO have your Endorsement
and mine. | thank God that thou
sands of young men are being better
fitted Tor the struggles of life through
the influence of the night schools of the
Young Mems Christian association.
scattered all around the world
a Life Work.
But with the theoretical training for
lifes work found i'm the Young Mems
Christian association work there goes
on side by side the practical. spiritual
training. or course within the Young
Mems Christian association walls there
are spiritual droucs lust as there are
loafers and de2d5cas in every human
beehive, but IL young man is ready
to do his share of spiritual duty almost
as soon as he enters the association
walls he is set to work, and that is
what many Of our churches do not do
with all their members who are willing
to work. If you enter Young Mems
Christian association like that in New
York you are accosted by the men with
these words: "What are you ready to
do for ChrlstT VIII you distribute
cards? VIII you join the young men
who every Sunday 90 and hold serv-
ices in the city prisons? VIII you visit
In Christ's name our city hospitalsY
And everywhere young man turns he
has the opportunity for Christian work
In this society IL he is ready to harness
himself up 10 Gods service. Can YOU
not, o man. appreciate the good this
Young Mems Christian association Is
able TO do when IL can take young
man at the most critical time OF his
life, when he is perhaps away from ell
home influences, and start him forth TO
labor i'm the Masters vineyard?
Do you not realize that scores and
hundreds and thousands OF our church
members who are now working I'm our
large churches would never have been
the valiant laborers they are for the
church unless they first had been de-
veloped in one OF these institutions :?
The strongest Christian worker i'm some
respects that ever knew was saved
for Christ's kingdom through one of
these societies, and saved through that
alone. When he left the little town In
which he was born to enroll himself as
student in Cooper institute of New
York, he took along his church letter
with him. He went TO prominent
New York church whose pastor has a
national reputation. He worshiped
there for three months. and no one
spoke to him. Then he went one day To
the pastor and said: Doctor. I do not
want to come to church simply to wor-
snip. l want to so TO church to work.
1 viii do anything you want me to do.
put l must work" Did he get it2 No.
linen Mr.. McBurney, then secretary of
the Young Mems Christian association
OF New York city, set him Mt work.
He kept him always mt work for the
Lord, and he developed him, until one
Gay THIS young man was able to step
to the front and be leader for Christ.
~Fhank God again. say, for the oppor-
tuntSy which the Young Mems Chris
1ian. association gives to the ordinary
young man to 20 and labor for Christ
at once, no matter how humble or oh.
scuFe or how insignificant he may be.
In speaking for this association
speak not as Presbyterian, but as a
Christian, to ask you and yours to CO
operate in the work of the Youna
Mems Christian associations wherever
yoa may be. You have not had this
work near enough to your hearts. 1t is
mighty thing to save men. and II
needs the help of all Gods children
Are you ready to help those Christian
men and Christian women who are trv-
Ing to save the young men for Christ?
Inc young men need you. VIII Won
heed their cry, coming from this near
by Macedonia?
All have said in reference to the
movement of saving men for Christ is
equally true Of the noble work of the
Young Women's Christian associations
all over the world. This special move
ment is Of later growth, but the same
arguments with which we plead for the
mems organizations apply to the young