Year: 1879

Young Mems Christian Associations.


We learn from reports presented to the
International Convention Of Young Mems
Christian Associations, in session at Baltf-
more, that returns have been received by the
secretary from 553 Of the associations, 4s0 OF
which have an aggregate membership Of
65,42O The total value OF the property be-
longing to or due them is S2,297,4


These are pretty large figures, but after
all slxty-fve thousand young men form a
very small proportion Of the whole num-
Der in this country alone. II these were
oil OF our Christian youth, tho future
OF Christianity in the United States
would be dark indeed. The associations
certainly cannot be said to have grown
rapidly in membership since the first OF the
international conventions OF which the pres
ent Baltimore meeting Is the twcnty-third.
In that time n generation has grown up,
and millions OF young men have reached
their majority and gone into the serious
business Of life. Still, though this has been
what is likely to remain tho best period in
the history OF these associations, at the end
OF the time their paper membership foots
up 80 small total. With religious congre-
cations in the United States numbering, ac
cordng TO the last census, over seventy
thousand, and churches capable OF furnish
ing sittings for over twenty millions Of
people. there are not as mahy young men
attached to the Christian associations as
there are church edlnces in the country.


Why are these associations so unsuccess-
ful in drawing to them the professedly
TbrfCtiap xrnnfb ~ an Tho
political parties gather them easily enough
into their clubs and there are hundreds Of
other clubs for social and literary purposes,
besides organizations for sport and for mill
itary drill, fire companies, target companies.
secret societies and workingmen's unions,
which have no trouble in keeping their
ranks full Of earnest and Interested men in
the flush of early manhood. 1t is natural
for young men to combine for the pursuit Of
what they really desire or are interested In;
and therefore is 1t not safe TO assume that
comparatively few Of them care much or
anything FOR the Christian associations. al
though they were formed expressly 10 coll
lect and aggregate their zeal and energy?


The trouble with these organizations Is
that they are too full OF cant to please the
vast majority OF young mon. They draw
distinctions between people which are nom
inal rather than real, and religious frauds,
hypocrites, Pharisees, busy bodies, and weak
lings have too much to do with their man
agement The zeal for other peoples souls
Is all very well, but there Is such a thing
also as minding your own business, and IL is
possible to nauseate sensible men with un-
| timely talk, and TO rouse their anger by max
ing your own conduct the standard for them
to go by. Men Judge OF each other by what
they see in the ordinary intercourse OF life;
and though mean and disagreeablo fellow
may pray never so fervently In the prayer
meeting at the Young Mems Christian AS
sociation, he can have little influence, re-
ligious or otherwise, with his acquaintances,
who know him for what he is.


or course, there are excellent men In these
associations, and good many OF them; but
1t can't be denied that people are apt to in
quire concerning the true character and an
tecedents OF man whose voice Is loudest
at their meetings. Young men, too, have a
notion that their quarters are dull places.
where one stands a chance Of encountering
oflicious fellows who will seek TO sound feel
ings and ideas which they rightly prefer to
have left unfathomed by strangers. And
beyond dispute there is an oppressive "a
mosphere about the places, and an unnatural
tone which is repugnant TO a right mind.


The Young Mems Christian Associations
by providing, where they have provided,
attractive reading rooms and halls for very
harmless games, have unQuestionably done
the public a service, aud their bureaus for
| furnishing employment and committees for
tending the sick have served n good pur-
pose But they have not succeeded in win
ming the hearty good WILL or even in over
coming the positive aversion Of our young
men as a class. We have here in New York a
great and handsome building for the Young
Mems Christian Association, and there are
cities but there is no disputing the fact that
the influence welded by these organizations
is comparatively small They are avoided
by tho majority of young men.


Churches, too, prefer TO keep their young
men active at home, whore, perhaps, they
can work best These and other causes have
made the Young Mems Christian Assoca-
tion movement, so far as valuable and sub
stantial results are concerned, ono OF the
least successful Of the religious enterprises
| OF the last quarter OF n century.


Tho Convention at Baltimore recommends
that the second Sunday IL November in
each year be made day OF special prayer
for tho divine blessing on the associations,
and they certainly need 1t. But however
much they may pray. they won't get the