The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-02-06
Y. N. c. 4. IS OF ACE
Twenty-First Anniversary Celebra-
ted by Local Association.

The Oskaloosa Y. M. c. A.. celebrat
ed its twenty-frst anniversary in ar
propriate exercises Sunday afternoon
and evening. It has just become 70
age" and In its recent growth hai
become so changed that 1t could hard
| ly be identified with the humble or
ganization which first stood on II!
feet twenty -one years ago. During al
of these years of progress, however
It's work has followed the same pri
mary lines in striving to win men fol
Christ. This prime object has neyel
been forgotten, although In the crea
ton of new departments its field OF
usefulness has been greatly enlarged
and its membership now includes q
large number of boys, while its bene
fits are four-fold, training the young
men socially, physically, mentally and
spiritually.
In the afternoon a mass meeting fol-
men was conducted in the Central NJ
E. church at which the attendance
numbered between two and three
hundred. Prof F. w. Else. of the
board of directors, took charge OF
the service, while DR.. J. |. Tony led
in the singing. Miss Jennie Fry
served as organist. The speaker OF
the day was James II. Banks, state
secretary of the Missouri Young
Mems Christian Associations, who
spoke fromthe 18th chapter of Luke,
taking the story of the crucifxion OF
Christ as a text, His subject was
The Clothes or the Man." ~
Mr.. Banks was given close atten-
ton during his address and he sue
ceeded in holding his audience re-
markably well while he pleaded for
the Savior who died that men might
live, prosper and be saved from their
sins He rebuked the non-Christian
business men for accepting of the
fruits of Characterization in the way
Of temporal prosperity without giving
Christ any credit, for in so doing he
believed them to be in the same class
with the Roman soldiers who gambled
Tor the clothes of Jesus while he hung
suffering on the cross.
The secret of all mems lives, said
Mr. Banks, is the seeking for salts.
faction. They may try first one course
md then another, but their restless
aess and sins are but efforts to Sc,
cure this satisfaction. There is but
one satisfaction and that is in the
acceptance of Jesus Christ, for in His
following there is pardon, peace and
power
In the evening practically all OF
the churches of the city united with
he Y. NJ C. A. in the service at the
Grand opera house when Mr.. Banks
again spoke. On the platform were
seated all of the pastors of the city
churches which had united in the ser
vice and the members of the associa,
ton board of directors, together with
the Congregational quartette, who
rendered a pleasing selection and led
he song service. The invocation was
given by Rev. E. r. Purdy of the
Friends church.
Mr.. Banks delivered a powerful ad-
dress on The Present Day Problem
which he believed to be The creation
and maintenance Of correct stand
ard of citizenship" In the solution
Of this problem he believed would be
found a remedy for every social and
political evil. He expressed his
thoughts clearly and forcibly and ad-
vanced a logical and reasonable the
ology based on his idea of correct
Christian citizenship. He also be-
lieyed that it is more important, I'M
der our present system of govern
nent, to educate the men and instruct
them as to the correct standard OF
citizenship rather than the women
For man represents his whole fam
ily at the polls and in business and
when his conception of his duties and
privileges are correct. the desired re.
suit will have been accomplished.
From this thought Mr.. Banks drifted
TO the importance OF the training OF
the young men and from that 10 the
work of the Young Mems Christian
Association. In closing he paid fiat
tering tribute to the local organiza.
lion and many Of the men whom ii
1as sent out into the world.
Concluding the service Mr.. Claire
Gordon sang a most effective vocal
solo. accompanied by Miss Mae Mil
lar, pianist. The benedietion was OF.
fered by Rev. Zendt of the Christian
church.