The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-31
SPEECHES MADE AT
Y. N. C. A. MEETING
CONTINUED from Page IL

~ hii Wy 'OHIulcu lHlO the pdCu'
which lead to mature manhood,
lstood on the banks of the great an
CRY Missouri river, in Kansas City
Mo. Much drift wood foated dowr
the river, going knew not whittier
but probably finally into the oper
sea. An eddy caught some of this
drift wood, and brought it ashore
where it might be used for the bene.
INT of mankind. | was a lad, away
from mother and father, and home
Influence, and |, too, was as a piece
OF drift wood, drifting l knew not
and thought not where, but drift
ing, drifting, drifting, always down
1.-THE stream Some fortunate eddy
drifted me ashore" and into the
rooms of a Y. NJ. c. A. in that
city. There was big-hearted man
in there, whose name I have long
since forgotten, but he loved his
fellow men, and took special in
terest in boys, and especially boys
who were drifting. will never
forget how his arm felt as it slipped
about my shoulders, nor the kindli-
ness in his voice, as he whispered
something in my ear, and, not know
ing my name, called me kid. :"
From that minute l ceased to drift,
and have tried to be something for
the benefit of my fellow men.
Whether or not have succeeded is
for others to say, but the evidence
that l am trying is proven by my
presence here.
have never been in Y. NJ. G..
A. meeting from that day until now
a lapse Of more than thirty-five
years
Since then whenever have seen
some boy or girl whose name | did
not know, my heart mas gone out in
love Tor them, and have always
addressed them as kid" This al
ways means that Il love them. All
this BY way of explanation.
In this connection, and before |
resume my seat, | wish to nominate
as permanent chairman of the Y.
M. c.. A. in Lakeland a man who,
in many ways, reminds me of the
big fellow in the Y. NJ. c. A. room
in Kansas City, who slipped his
strong arm about my shoulders and
whispered in my ear, and called me
Kid" reminds me of the man who
rescued the piece of human drift
wood. The man I have in mind, and
whom I am about to nominate, is
one who loves his fellow man, and
who, while I was for several years
associated with him in some private
business matters, was constantly
seeking to rescue some drift wood
from the turbulent stream, which
was ever running toward the. sea.
This man would make an ideal chair
man of an organization Of this kind,
and I, therefore, have very great sat
isfaction in nominating the Hon. H.
D. Bassett.'
Mrs. G. G. Wilson's Address
To say that this is one of the hap
piest moments of my life does not in
any measure express my feelings.
Since I came to your city nine
months ago and took Sunday school
class in the Presbyterian church 4
have been impressed with the need
the great need-of Y. M. c. A.
here. We have so many young men
here without home ties and when
not at work no place is open to
them except places which will in
time ruin the best man. / find here
the best boys. taken as a whole, /
have ever found anywhere-clean,
ready to be shown the right way;
anxious to further the Lords cause. |
We must remember our boys of
today are our men of tomorrow 1t
is their due that they have the
best that we can give them and
feel that in having Y. M. C. A.
here we can do more for them than |!
in any other way. The money will
come. When the dear Lord finds out |
his people are in earnest in trying |
TO carry on his work the money
comes. He sees to that. The mar
row gate is plenty wide for US to go |