Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-05-04
REV.DR. K|EFFER ON
THECHURCHANDM
Answers Speaker Who Criticised Com
munity For Not Having
Y. M. c. A.

Contributes an interesting drLlcle IN
the Reformed Church Messenger on
The Church and Men" The article,
which follows, was inspired by re-
marks made by speaker at the Men
and Religion Forward Movement
in Hagerstown some time ago.
1T was at a public meeting. suppos-
ed to be composed of representatives
of all the churches in the community,
and held for the purpose of consider
ing matters of interest and import
ance to all the congregations repre-
sented. The particular matter under
consideration at the time was the i'm
portant, il somewhat trite, question,
why so few men, comparatively, be-
long to the church, or even attend its
services. The speaker who was ad-
dressing the meeting, and who was an
expert on the subject, which he was
discussing, had much to say of what
the church ought to do for men and
boys. particularly in respect to their
social needs. What could the church
expect of them If it made no provis-
len for their wants as regards com
partnership, amusement, entertain
ment? The speaker was very severe
upon the community whose citizens
he was addressing, because it pos
sessed no Y. M. G.. A. building. For it's
neglect in this respect, he said, the
community ought to get down on its
knees and confess its sins to God,
until such a building should be pro-
yided with gymnasium, baths, swim
ming-pool and various arrangements
for the amusement and social enjoy
ment, as well as instruction. of young
men, he did not seem to think there
was prospect of accomplishing much.
Il appea Ito you, said he, to know
what place there is in this town to
which a man. arriving here as a
stranger, and obliged to spend a night
here, might go to find such welcome
and such companionship as he In his
loneliness would need There Is alb
solutely no place here for man in
such circumstances. What could he
do; where could he go; how could he
spend his time? He seemed to expect
a reply.
Some one timidly ventured to sug-
gest that the man in question might
go to the library Now this sug-
gestion, though he did not hear il,
though he was left to infer the max
ing of it from the speakers scornful
REPETITION of the words without any
comment whatever was interesting to
the writer; he felt grateful for it For
he has the honor to be the president
of the Board of Trustees of this Ii
brary, and, though it may seem unbe-
coming to him to say so, it is a most
interesting and important institution;
is well known in library circles
throughout the country; is in some re-
spects unique among similar institu-
tions; is vitality related TO the remot-
est parts of the county whose library
it is; is performing the functions Of
an important educational institution
in the community to which it belongs
In the writer's Judgment, the Wash
ington County Free Library is a place
were a stranger might spend an
afternoon or evening pleasantly and
profitably The suggestion, however
as has been intimated, met with no
favor; it was scornfully rejected; evil
IDENTIFY, it was not libraries that the
speaker had in mind AS he still seem
ed to pause for a reply, il was again
modestly suggested that the unfortu-
nate man might talk walk This
suggestion was rejected even more
intemptuously than the other. And
pD further suggestions were made.
ind the representatives of the com
Ilunity hung their heads in shame.
md the speaker proceeded to draw
tuch a pathetic picture of the forlorn
condition Of this hypothetical strang-
or. that one could almost have wept
over it,
Now, all this was very interesting
TO the writer; and it was interesting
TO HIM from a curious cause. He knew
exactly how that man felt; he had
been there many years before, he
had been that very man, in that very
town, under these very circumstances.
How we'll he remembers the occasion;
it is as if it has been yesterdy; in
fact however it will be exactly so
years, next August, since the expert
ence occurred Since ii is vitality re-
lated to the purpose for which this
communication is being written, he
must be permitted to make somewhat
eircumstantial reference to it here.
1t was on a Saturday afternoon that
he arrived in the town in question,
intending later in the day to continue
his journey. What difficulties arose
to Illustrate this plan, and forced him
to return to the hotel which he had
left, to remain Their until Monday
morning. it is not necessary to relate.
The point is that he was stranger
in a strange place. and that he was
left alone i'm a hotel from Saturday
evening tin Monday morning; and the
questioA is. how he Jared, what he
did. where he went. He is willing to
admit that the interruption OF his
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