Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-19
Y. M. CA. 20th Anniversary Service
Work of the Year Reported by General Secretary Starey All Around Gain is Shown-Abe Address Upon The Value of Man by Rev. Joel B. Slocum.

ire was held so cheaply as at present. This is an age of machinery and ma terial thingc. A contrivance of levers and wheels does the work of dozen men. It Is an era of towering cities, gigantic ocean liners, magnificent rail- way systems and the far reaching power of combinations of capital. Here and there you will find Q, man with his hand on a lever, but for the most part It would seem as though he were a mere incident. There are thousands of suicides committed on the assumption that human life is of little or no ac- count. This assumption. though terri ply out of harmony with our Christian ideals, is nevertheless justified by a certain kind of logic entertained by the unfortunate.
 Human Life Priceless Value.
 But there is another point of view which recognizes the priceless value of a human life The avenues of our activity are crowded with danger sig nals. X single operative becomes en- tangled in the machinery and a thou sand fellow human beings offer their assistance. A little girl picked up a couple of small tin pails. of nitro glycerine thinking they were water. No explosion occurred but the men were so unnerved that they were dis missed for the day. A white gloyed lloIlu IS lIICeu. anu LHP S1SdHllC StISbtIl Of city's traffic waits because men and women and little children who are more precious than gold must cross the thoroughfare. An immense crowd gathers on one of the streets Why ? A human being is hurt. One day last week Norwich was suddenly plunged into mourning. The reason? Two lives more precious than all the gold of our banks and of our mercantile institutions were suddenly taken by a fearful accident And so illustrations might be multiplied to show that a man is more precious than the ma t@rial things which surround him even in this intensely nlaterialistic age.
 And how has this valuation of 9. human life come about? Through the great Master of men. So greatly did He love man. that He gave LID His own life in order that man might be- come a member of the family of God. His hearers to the fact that nothing escapes the notice of God that He sees even when the sparrow falls. Then looking into their eyes. He exclaimed: 'Ye are of more value than many sDarrows-' There can be no doubt that in the thought of God man is of indifinite value
 Realizing Gods Plan.
 The practical questions which con ceFh us lonlShE are, Wn3T IS man z value to himself to his fellow men, and to his God? The answer will de- pend upon the success with which man realizes Gods plan. We are still pioneers in a world that God has filled with mysteries. He has put healing in the trees, but He asks man to eX- tract if. He has locked uD great treasures in the earth but He has gir- en man the key. And man is prov ing true to his great opportunity He is making marvellous progress Tn spite of the rnaterialistic influences of our time, man is showing the world that character is more precious than cash.
 I'll fare the lands to deepening ills a
 prey.
 Where wealth accumulates and men
 decay"
 During his sermon MT .Slocum high 1y commended the local Y M. C. A. and it's splendid work.