THE GLORY OF YOUNG MEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 275, 20 November 1899, Page 2

THE GLORY OF YOUNG MEN.

In St. Andrew's Church on Sunday evening, 12th November, Rev. J. Lothian,preaching from the text Prov. xx. 129, said:

But a few weeks ago the citizens of this land gathered in thousands at our chief ports to witness the departure of a band of their strongest and bravest sons for a distant shore, who went forth in the glory ■of their strength, in the prime of their early manhood, to do battle.for the rights and liberties of their kingmen in at> other colony, and for the honour and integrity .if that great Empire whose sons they are proud to call themselves. Bred up in the free, out-door, invigorating life, with all its athletic opportunities, that surrounds the majority of the youth of this country, their manly appearance and splendid physique presented a sight which was looked upon with genuine pleasure by their friends, who. cheered them and gave them their best good wishes as they set forth to do or die for their country's rights. There is no doubt but that the statement In the textref ers just to the exultant feeling of health and strength which belongs to young men in the position of those of whom we have spoken. And there is no doubt as to the general truth of tbe statement itself, that "The glory of young men is their strength." It is the law of nature that it should be so; and you know there is a proverb somewhat to the effect that if a man is not strong, healthy, and wise at 30, he will never be strong, healthy, or wise. It is a moral duty, especially for young men, to attend to those meaii.s and laws whereby the great end of life shall be attained—a sound mind in a sound body—and all manly athletic exercises, judiciously and properly conducted, free from evil surroundings and passions, together with temperance, cleanliness, and purity of life, are the means to this end. In fact, cne of the characteristics of the great nation to which we belong is just that such attention has been paid to the cultivation and development of a good physique amongst our young men; and we know by history and experience that our Empire, with all her colonies, owes not a little of her greatness to that vigorous early training and manly upbringing of her sons, which have made their deeds of valour and endurance the admiration of the world. The very feeling" of strength and health in youth is one of exhilaration and delight. #It is then that the bodily powers are strong and the pulse of life beats high, and the whole frame is buoyant with spirit, and the young man goes forth with zest to ■work "or pleasure, as if nothing could ever move him, and as if the abounding life within him would never pass away. Oh! youth is indeed the season of strength and self-confidence and of the daring spirit. Happy and blessed is the young man who, possessing all these precious gifts, is led to consecrate them to goodness and to God; and who nobly disclaims to use his strength'and health for mean, selfish, or ignoble purposes. And there are two great facts that must ever be remembered concerning this same gift Of bodily strength, for It is a gift—a means to an end —a'blessing—a talent lent of God for a season. ■ For, in the first place, though a man may glory m his strength, yet must he not forget that but a little while ago he was but

a weak and helpless babe, unable, almost, without the help of loving arms, to live for a day. Neither must he forget the uncertainty of the duration of this splendid gift of strength in which he glories now. To-day ue may go forth to perform his duties in the full glory of his strength, and to-mor-row he may be laid upon a bed of weakness, more helpless than the tender infant. Yes; • the glory of our nation and of our young men should be their strength—using that term in the very widest sense, to embrace not only physical strength, but also strength of mind, of character, of principle, as well as that divine strength which, cometh from above and which lies at the foundation ot all other strength. By merely cultivating or developing the bodily faculties you may neglect the higher and nobler part of'man's being —his mind —_iis soul—without the cultivation of which he can never hope to make progress towards "the measure of the stature of the perfect man." You might thus, for a time, get a race of spleudid men physically —a race of powerful animals, but dull of intellect, weak in their moral sense, and destitute of spiritual life. The courage or manliness most needed daily in this age is the courage of Christian manhood—the courage that makes us all willing ito say with the brave apostle, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation" —the courage that enables a young mam for example, to take his stand upon principle before the world, and before bis companions, and brave the jest, the scoff, and the sneer of those who would entice him from the path of honour and re.etitude. Another element of this strength, in which men should glory, is -magninimity —greatness of heart and mind, generosity and charity, and a. noblemindedness which rises above that which is petty, malicious, or revengeful, which makes a man disdain injustice and all crooked ways, and leads him to make sacrifice of self for others' good, to be thoughtful, kind and considerate to all, and to be infinitely superior to wanton injury and offence to any of his fellow beings. And truth —that is one of the greatest elements of moral strength. "Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour"; and not only speak it, but live it. Sincerity, fairness, straightforwardness, honesty of disposition through and through, are divine attributes in which men should glory and be strong. One more element that enters into the composition of real strength is purity —noble purity of thought and word, and purpose. Thore are two sets of tendencies which beset every man's path, and especially every young man's entrance into life—the one gross, animal, vile, debasing, the other spiritual, pure, noble, God-like. And, oh! how much depends upon the attitude a young man takes towards these at the morning of life's march. Upon his action then and the choice he makes will depend his peace of mind for time and eternity. Well will it be for him if he. by God's grace, can firmly take his stand and thunder forth in the name of the Lord what Carlyle calls "the everlasting no" to nil the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Tn concluding, let me in all earnestness nnd affection appeal to the young men nf this new and highly favoured nation in His name and for His sake, that they stand forth and offer themselves as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation, ready (in. willing to endure hardness and to face every spiritual foe at' His command, and T have good hope that many of our young men will bravely respond to the Master's call.