Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-03-11
H. E. HODGE SPEAKS
ON THE KILLING PACE
Large Gathering Heard Him at the
Auditorium.


Largest Of all the meetings held I'M
der the auspices of the Men and Re
ligion Forward Movement here was
that Of Sunday afternoon at the Au-
ditOrium when an audience Of over
500 men practically filled the seating
capacity Of the house to hear General
Secretary H. E. Dodge Of the Fall
River Y. NJ. c.. A. speak upon the
topic, The Pace That Kills.
Mr. Dodge's talk was a sledge ham
mer presentation Of facts on three
special sins of men. which he desig-
mated as whiskey, gambling and i'm
purity. He spoke with a directness
and in terms that his hearers could
understand and held their undivided
attention for over an hour.
The meeting opened at 9 o'clock
with concert by Tubbs' band, while
the audience was assembling. Pres
ident James L. Case of the local Y. NJ.
c. A. presided. After the singing Of
two hymns when the band concert was
over, the scripture lesson was read by
Rev F. w. Coleman of Trinity Meth
odist Episcopal church, and prayer was
offered by Rev. P. c. Wright of the
Central Baptist church. Chairman
Case gave an explanatory work of the
movement, and a collection for the ex-
penses of the meeting was taken.
After a hymn, General Secretary T.
r. StarlIey of the Y. NJ. c. A intro
duced the speaker, referring to him
as one who should speak with author
ity upon the subject, since in II years
as Y. NJ. G. A. secretary he had had
abundant opportunity for observation
in his contast with the lives of men
Of this day.
We are living in q rapid transit
age in commercial life, said Mr.. Dodge
in opening. but we are paying a fear
full price for it. Yet, rapid as is our
pace in that line, we are going so
much faster in sin that it is like com
pairing the Twentieth Century Limited
with The first locomotive The aver
age youth Of today knows more about
sin than Methuselah ever knew in
all his life and the young man of 20
can give his father cards and spades
and let the old gentleman stack the
deck, and yet beat him out in his
4 knowledge of sin. AS to whiskey, he
said the only course was to keep away
from 1t, if you have any ambition for
the future. Now, as never before, the
industrial world is requiring the clear
brain and the steady hand, and the
men whom he had seen merely taking
quiet social glass in hotel barToom
would some time find themselves
passed by the man who doesn't drink.
Referring to gambling, he said that
he believed that unless Norwich was
unlike other cities he would have no
trouble that afternoon in going out
and getting into a game. The crowd
smiled audibly in evident apprecia-
ton of the point. If you want to
lead a winning life you've got to cut
out the gambling he said.
The major portion Of his address
was devoted to the sin of impurity
he drew an appalling picture of its ter
rible effects. which he said had al
ready affected so large a proportion of
the men of the civilized world that
the specialists were authority that so
per cent. of all men have suffered or
| suffered now from its effects. He
| dWelt upon the duty of fathers in
instructing their boys upon this sub
I iect, but said there was hope in a
great campaign of education that was
being waged in this line.
1 Forgetting God. he said is the
/ cause of men doing these things, for
! they are sins against God You must
| stand for a clean life, for only he can
strengthen you and keep you through
| every hellish temptation.
| MIR. Dodge concluded with a word
/ Of prayer, and in resopnse to his invi-
! tation several men came forward to
/ express their purpose to heed his
words. The closing benediction was
/ pronounced by Rev. Mr.. Coleman.