The independent-reporter., 1910-05-26
MAINE HAS HIGH
MORAL STANDARD
Wanted - More Men
In Our Churches
Laymen's Movement a Vital Interest
to All Men.


sentative citizens Wednesday evening,
two stirring addresses were given by
Robert A. Waite, one of the Interna-
tional Y M. c. A. Committee and
Charles Nesbit of Washington, D. c..
business man and one of the lead
ing men in the Laymen's Movement
These men came to Skowhegan under
the auspices of the Skowhegan Lay
mems Movement Committee. Judge F.
F Lawrence of the committee pre-
sided over the meeting. In the open
ing remarks Judge Lawrence spoke
of the manifested strength and spirit
that were being shown by the men
OF Skowhegan in this movement, and
he believed that the men of Skowhe
gan were working for the advance
ment of better things.
Mr.. Waite's main thought in his ad-
dress was Cooperation. He dealt
largely with the boys but laid great
stress ON the idea that in order for
the boy to make a useful and good
man that the churches, schools and
all the organizations for good, should
cooperate to make the boys of the
town better. The church cannot do
1t alone nor can the school, but the
combined forces of all the organiza-
tions. He said that community
needed boys with good moral back
bone, not one with brain alone or
muscle alone but with all these good
qualities combined with Christianity
boy must have self government
He must have a standard of ethics
Mr.. Waite said that the church lacked
social and recreation life. He be-
lieved that all of the sports and
plays should be run by the churches
Play without religion is characterless
Parents should not neglect to talk
with the boy about religion. There is
no subject that the boy likes to hear
about more than religion if one will
talk to him sanely on 1t.
Mr.. Nesbit Is a frank and an hon
est speaker. One cannot help but
feel impressed with his sincerity. Mr.
Nesbit said that a movement grows
out of a necessity. 1t is when peo-
pie see that 1t is for their vital inter
est that they begin to work on GER
tain issue. Men everywhere are be-
ginning to see that the Laymen's
Movement is for each mans vital in
terest-that it's for the interest of
the world and the community; that
the best men Of the Country are be-
ginning to work along these lines.
The aim of the Laymen's Movement
is to work in cooperation with the
churches. The first Laymen's Move
ment meeting was back in the year
800 when 10000 French gathered to
consider about the Mohammendans
who had said that they were going to-
force their religion by the sword.
This was time when the people of
France saw a need and they were
ready to gather in large numbers and
consider the matter.
Other nations are looking upon the
United States as a moral power said
Mr.. Nesbit. 1t has been a world pow
er since 1776. 1t started on princi-
Piles that makes nation a world
power It's principles were founded
on moral ideals. The Laymen's
Movement purposes to make the
world better from a belief in God. Mr..
Nesbit said that he was in the Phil
ippines a short time ago and he saw
six natives of India. He went to
them, being able to speak their Ian
guage, and asked them why they were
there in the Philippines. One of them
said "Sir, l heard that a new flag
foated over this country and where
this flag was there was liberty and a
chance for everyone"
Mr.. Nesbit laid emphasis on the
fact that before he came to Maine that
people in the license states told him
that more liquor was sold in Maine
than any other state and that there
was more drunkenness. He said that
in the five weeks that he was travel