Connecticut western news., 1906-02-01

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 into Arabia and as Moses went forth to tend the sheep and Elijah went into re- tirement-to make themselves mightier agents for the Divine Master to use
 Thus I 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 pelled 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 ! and 10 D. m. he can study all the com mon school branches. He 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 all the higher English
 
 sition and English literature. He can learn there the industrial sciences, like electrical engineering or applied electricity, mechanical and architectur- al and freehand drawing. And he can sit there at the feet of French and German and Spanish teachers and learn to speak foreign tongues. \ dear friend of mine, who was member of the Chicago Young Mems Christian as sociation, said that when he was stu dent there few years ago every night there were assembled in classes within the walls of that association 800 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 a movement which ought to have your indorsement and mine. l. thank God that thou sands of young men are being better fitted for the Struggles of life through the influence of the night schools of the Young Mems Christian association, scattered all around the world.
 Life Work.
 But with the theoretical training for life's work found in the Young Mems Christian association work there goes on side by side the practical, spiritual training. Of course within the Young Mems Christian association walls there are spiritual drones, just as there are loafers and deadbeats in every human beehive, but If a 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 ChristY' Will you distribute cards? Will you join the young men who every Sunday go and hold serv- ices in the city prisons? Will you visit in Christs name our city hospitalsr' And everywhere a young man turns he has the opportunity for Christian work in this society if he is ready to harness himself up to Gods service. Can you not, o man, appreciate the good this Young Mems Christian association is able to do when 1t can take a young man at the most critical time of his life. when he is perhaps away from all home influences, and start him forth to labor In the Masters vineyard?
 Do you not realize that scores and hundreds and thousands of our church members who are now working in our large churches would never have been the valiant laborers they are for the church unless they first had been de yeloped in one of these institutional Tine strongest Christian worker in some respects that I ever knew was saved Tor 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 a prominent New York church whose pastor has 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- ship. I want to go to church to work. I will do anything you want me to do, but must work" Did he get it? No. Then MT. McBurney, then secretary of the Young Mems Christian association of New York city, set him at work He kept him always at work for the Lord and he developed him, until one day this young man was able to step to the front and be a leader for Christ. Thank God again, I say for the oppor- tunity which the Young Mems Chris tian association gives to the ordinary young man to go and labor for Christ at once, no matter how humble or ob- scure or how insignificant he may be.
 In speaking for this association I speak not as a Presbyterian, but as a Christian, to ask you and yours to CO., operate in the work of the Young Mems Christian associations wherever you may be. You have not had this work near enough to your hearts. It is mighty thing to save men, and it needs the help of all Gods children. Are you ready to help those Christian men and Christian women who are try ing to save the young men for Christ? The young men need you. Will you heed their cry, coming from this near by Macedonia?
 All 1 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 women's movement. It Is far better to reach out helping hand to the young girl who has come to town and is struggling to make livelihood before she slips over the precipice of tempta-