Year: 1859




The Young Mems Christian Association
of Brooklin, held its anniversary on Tues
day night. Among the speakers was Hen
~ ward Beecher, who discouned Is fol-
lows:


It was no great credit TO be young
man; every body has to be one. But the
credit was in making it appear they were
old in wisdom and Christian grace. He
wished to put young men on their guard
against q certain pinched self denial that
is too prevalent Some people are like
very religious machines. Il is not only
the duty Of young man to be christian,
but to manifest all the grsces of Christi
anity. it was BY. the conduct more than
by the primative Christians that Christian
ity was made palatabie. Some people
seem to think religion kind of garb put
on; yet religion is chiefly in the elements
of rectitnde, love, worship or veneration; !;
and instead of going about to show how
religious one is, it is to be shown in their
actions. There is great difference be-
tween religion and righteousness; the man
who acts Christianity is the true Christian ;
that which merely talks religion is not .rue
like that which acts. That newspaper for
instance, that discusses all ordinary affairs
BY the light of true christianity, is most
truly religious paper; the one filed with
gingerbread piety, old wornen's stories, and
all sorts Of rattle trap pious things. He
said that another very important matter,
q truly religious matter, is the subject of
health; nothing is of more Importance to
the young man. A young man needs
strong, vigorous health; he wished TO ask
the young men of the Christian Associa-
ton, if while they were exploring the rum
holes and gambling dens, while they were
circulating tracts, if they had all consider
ed what the thousands of young men and
middle-aged men we're doing in the matter
of health. How is the young man to get
the proper exercisef In billiards there is
not exercise enough. There is nothing
more healthful than bowling; yet he would
soon be bowled down in society should he
go into any of the saloons in Brooklyn.
There was rowing, and all the various games
of ball; aud if the young Mems Christian
Association of Brooklyn would only take
the subject in hand, they would be taking
step far in advance of any other city. He
urged the importance of this matter most
strongly upon the Association. He said
that young sit up too late-though be did
not follow his own advice, nobody ever did
he thought no young man should see the
backside of 10 o'clock at night. He sug-
gested that perhaps the procuring of books
for library was not the most important
to the association. The faces of our young
men are blanehed white enough already,
and their chests almost collapsed. When
he came to look at the books of that Ii
brary, he should not look to see how many
volumes of theology they had, but how
many books they bad from which a young
man could learn something of the world
into which they were born, and about that
body upon which their natural and spirit
ual interests depended. If the church
does not permit this matter, it will go on
with the church; God is not half SO care
full about the church as church members
arc. He thought they should thus glorify
God, in everything that makes sound
body as well as sound morals.