The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-11
THE v % NEN.
Their ~. and Their Weakness
az G W IS Being Done for Them.


W ii ancient sage has said "The
Glory of young men is their strength"
and While this is certainly true in one
sense, yet this very abundance of
physical strength has with a large
per cent of young men been respon-
ssible for degradation or shame to
which they have subjected themselves,
and, then many other young men,
through their admiration for manly
strength and power, have been led to
associations that were bad, and
through these associations, made a
wreck of their lives.
Many others have, through their
very vigor and irrepressible energy,
been the victim of passion and dis
sipation and gone to the bad It used
to be that if a young man desired to
undertake physical culture OF any
kind he must associate himself with
| the professor of the prize ring and
| circus, the plug uglies and profession
al athletes
Recently the church, through the
agency of the Young Mems Christian
Association, has been uplifting physi-
cal culture, until now in the most of
the cities OF any size there ! a we'll
equipped scientifically cOnducted
Young Mems Christian Association
gynasium, in charge Of a thoroughly
trained Christian gentlemen, upbulid-
ing the bodies Of the young men and
boys; teaching them how to care for
their physical nature and fitting them
for a more effective life.
One of the greatest needs TODAY in
Sumter is such a place for the train
| ing of our city young men and boys.
Some persons who are not rightly in
| formed think Of gymnasium work as
training for the circus or prize ring.
Such is very erroneous impression.
The Associations prescribe scientific
| muscular exercise to increase vigor of
| bodily function; to give strength to
live at ones best; to live abundantly;
to avoid temptations that come with
physical dissipation, or physical vigor:
to- give skill in controlling the body;
to make the body servant of the will
and the energizer of the soul. This It
does, not only through the teaching
of, the individual in right living, but
in promoting public hygiene, whole
some sanitary conditions and public
Fairgrounds.
There are GIL association gynasiums
in this country, which reached and
helped develop over 100000 young
| men and boys last year. A good
gymnasium with basketball and bowl
| ing alley would go a long way to-
ward building up strong energetic.
effective young manho., !. in our Citv
One Of the most isolated and tempt-
ed classes in our country is the college
boys away from home for the first
| time. Student days often determine
whether man will be useful or USE
less in the State and in the Kingdom
| of God. Christian men in the colleges
nave banded themselves together to
stand Tor the highest things Of life
and to bring a vital religion into the
lives of educated men. The student
Young Mems Christian Association
STANDS for deep and persistent study
OF the Bible, and of the expansion of
tie hlngdom of God in the world and
for truly unselfsh service to fellow
men. 1T has, in many colleges, COM
pleteiy changed the whole spirit of
the institution for good. There ore
In this country 763 such associations
with 6,100 members.