Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-02-03

gins? With the long arm OF lONlhS
tenderness it reaches out and encircleS
that boys neck and heart. 1t says 10
him: Young man, come and spend
vour leisure hours with US. Come and
read. Come and play. Come and meet
pleasant companions, the same kind OF
Christian boys you used to meet IN
vour fathers home" And as sin beckOns
i'm one direction the young man III MS
lonely bedroom secs the Young Men
Christian association beckOnlng III the
other direction. say, thank God tlat
we have this noble association as
great Christian home, fighting the
temptations Of sin on their own ground
But the purpose Of the Y. Nj. q. a.
is greater than those we have already
described. 1t tries to bring young men
10 Christ. It surrounds the young men
Of a great city with the protecting III
Gurnce Of a Christian home. 1t mas
also an intellectual as well as fun
loving atmosphere. No sooner does
Young man enter its walls than be IS
inspired with holy purpose Of increas-
inc his mental and physical capabilities
i'm order that he may increase his spirit
nal opportunities for doing good.
Developing Strength.
Now the Old idea Of the literal inter-
nrctation of the text, "Open thy mouth
wide and | will fill it," has long ceased
to be ouoted As Il quaint Bible com
menfator once said. "If a man does
notbjnr but open wide his mouth God
will 6ll if. but he will fill it simply with
wind" We know today, as common
sense men ANA women, that if we are
TO develop our spiritual powers we
mast also develop our mental ana
rbrsical strength Though Paul sat at
tbo feet Of Gamaliel, as soon as he was
converted he went off to prepare nm
self for his future Christian ministry.
In the first chapter of Galatians we
read. Neither went up to Jerusaieln'
to thom which were apostles before me-
| Inf I went into Arabia" There IN the
desert Paul stayed three long years.
| He was there studying and c0mmun-
inc with God before he came forth 10
bcein his mighty labors. Thus no
sooner does n young man enter lhe
Young Mems Christian association
willis than he breathes the atmosphere
If mental and physical as well as splr'
final deyeloDment If he is anything
Of man at all he says to himself l
want TO make the most out of my Dody
and brain that | may be able to serve
NV God better" Then the idea OF en-
tcrine the association merely for play
ceases. The young man in the asso'
ciotion works TO develop his brain, bis
hodv and his spirit. as Paul went down
into Arabia and as Moses went forth TO
fond the sheep and Elijah went into re-
tiromcnt-to make themselves mlghtler
agents for the Divine Master TO use
qbus | hail the modern Young Mems
Christian association as a great Chris
tiap university. n young man today
who wishes an education does not nave
10 60 to college to get it. If he is com
nel.od 10 enter business to earn MS
dajly bread when he is young, during
his evening hours he can enroll nm
self I'm this Christian university
classes. There between the hours OF
and 10 p. IN. he can study all the com
5 mon school branches. He can STUDY
thore the commercial branches. In ev'
! cry well equipped association there are
night classes ia typewritng, shorthahd
E boo,l,eoping and business law. He can
master there all the higher English
s+udies. like rhetoric, English compO
e sition ana English literature lie car
y Ioarn there the industrial sciences
l. like electrical engineering or applied
z electricity. mechanical and archltectur
t al and freehand drawing. And he cal
r sit there at the feet of French anl
t German and Spanish teachers anC
It learn TO speak foreign tongues. 4 dea
@ friend of mine who was member o
Y the Chicago Young Mems Christian as
y sociatjon. said that when he was stu
8! dent there a few years ago every nlgh
o there were assembled in classes WithH
e tho walls Of that association 500 stu
d dents Now. any movement which VII
u make it possible for the young ma
~ who has not been able to go to colleg
D. to cct that education after his work a
z the store is finished is a mOyemen
s: which ought to have your indorsemeh
.e and mine. | thank God that thou
Is sands Of young men are being Detle
y fitted for the struggles Of life throug
y the influence of the night schools Of tn
20 Young Mems Christian association
e scattered all around the world.
" A Life Work.
- Rut with the theoretical training TO
~ life's work found in the Young Men
- Christian association work there goe
" ~ on side by side the practical, spiritua
u training. OF course within the Youn
- Mems Christian association walls ther
~ are spiritual drones, just as there ar
= Ioafors and doadbeats in every huma
- beehive. but if a young man is read
FL" tn do his share Of spiritual duty almos
as soon as he enters the assoclatio
= walls he is set to work, and that
- what many of our churches Go not d
~ with all their members who are willin
- TO work. II you enter Young Men
- - Christian association like that in Ne
- - York you are accosted by the men wit
+hpsa words. What are you ready
~ ~ do for Christi VIII you distribut
'is cards? viii YOU join the young me
- who every Sunday 90 and hold SER
os ices in the city prisons? Will you Wis
-. in Christs name our city hospitals
~ And everywhere a young man turns /
is has the opportunity for Christian wor
-. in this society if he is ready to harne'
nj himself up to Gods service. Can yo
nj not. o man, appreciate the good tn
~, Young Mems Christian association
- able to do when it can take your
, - man at the most critical time Of b
life. ~hen lie is perhaps away from a
ON home influences, and start him forth