CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 8120, 11 March 1892, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

_*• m tO UNO MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSO- i CIATTON. j fro thb Korros ot ths vsxas. ~ * Sin,— Although I am now settled quite away from Christchurch you vill not ba surprised that I have sttill a deep interest in all that concerns it and its -people. The kiad though tiulhess of aiany friends, in keeping mc supplied with the newspapers, would alonejprevent mc from forgetting tho old place. I have oec-_sionaily felt tempted to nse your correspondence columns »*!_ea I have soon questions there discussed in which X have felt a special interest. Hitherto, I have overcome my impulse, arguing that Christchurch could very well settle its own affairs ' without - interference from an outsid_r. Now, however, I thiak you will admit that I have some littlo reasoa for letting my voice be heard. Let aie assure you that it is only because of the Very deep interest which I naturally have in the question! involved, aad a, .perhaps, pardonable feeling that I kaow something more of it than soma who have written upon it already, that I vow seek to speak through your columns. That I may start fair with yon, may I atate a few particulars just to show whether I am v justified ia posing as an authority on the question at issue. For four and a half years I had the honour to practically shape the course of the Young. Men's Christian Association ia its relatioas to its membership aad the public, aad from the day oa which I took up that respoasible work uatil 1 laid it down, I do not remember hearing or seeing in print a single criticism in opposition to the work done or in the methods that were adopted in doiag it. I say this with such a feeling of gratitude to the public aad the Press of Christchurch that, ia ray aiiad at least, I put the possible charge of beiag egotistical aside as trivial. Yoa, Sir, aad your coateraporary have time and again readered mc entirely unsolicited aid both by your kindly criticism and wise suggestions, aud it was my very great pleasure' to find oa several occasions that you had made yourself thoroughly acquainted, either personally or by deputy, with the work which was being carried out by my Associatioa. Of myself personally I had only the very kindest things said, and when I left Christchurch it was with the consciousness that I was leaving a work which had'been almost entirely established during my Secretaryship, and that had the approval of my Board of Maaagemeat, the public—or that portioa of it which thought about the Y.M.O.A.—- aad, aot least, of my own conscience. Now, Sir, I have not heard any report which even hints that the work of the] V.M.C.A. is less vigorous or effective thaa whea I had to do with it. You, iadeed, ia your leading article took occasion to point j out that .fact, only suggesting that some I other organisation should take up a kind of social work which the V.M.C.A either : would not or could* not do. I No oae is more alive to the fact thaa I| that the V.M C.A. does aot reach the class of young men mentioned by you. My anxious thought was often directed to them, aad just j as often I was driven back to believe that j the machinery of the V.M.C.A. was quite capable, for doiag for them all that their I most zealous well-wishers could desire. But I the fact remaiaed that it was not allowed \ to do so. And there to my mind lies the crux of the- whole question. The majority of young men all the world over have a most distorted notion of what the V.M.C.A ia ! Time and again I have had my manhood insulted by men whose ignoranco of the Association was only equalled by their uumauiy disregard for the teelings of other people. Because I belonged to an Association which dared to call itself Christian, and' which sought to teach its members the greatness of Christian manhood, I have been called names of the most unsavoury kind, and my motives; and even honesty, called in question, and'•'-_ didn't kick the fellow either, although I dare say I waa quite big enough to do it without any fear of the consequences. I have loag ago come to the conclusion that the V.M.C. A. _ most bitter enemy is tho ignorant detractor who will aot bo convinced that L. "doesn't kaow all about it." , Nov.* it may seem a funny tiling for one who -fas a'Y.M. C.A. Secretary to say, but it is nevertheless true, that from tho -day I entered, the doors , of the 'Ckr_Bt.ii.ir_h'' V.M.C.A., until the"day I left it, I a_ver gave one single evangelistic address to its members nor preached : a-eeri*_oa 1 I held a Bible class oa Sunday afternoons, ©ad occasionally when our fellows were gathered together I have spoken oa questions of religion, but never did I cram religion down the throat of ar_y: man that came to, our rooms. Ia some -tssociations I know I would have been seriously blamed for this apparent neglect, but my Board was convinced of the wisdom of the course pursued, and trusted mc to carry it out. Now,. with this feature left out of our-work, what remained for us to do? Well, I would answer, real V.M.C.A. worli 1 Tha ideal which we have set before us is the attainment of a.; manhood developed oa all it_ sides, and opposed to all that is. mean, debased, vicious, and sensual. Recognising that the spiritual part of a man is the noblest, we have sought to bring men into a high, clean, virtuous eaviroaineat, show-ing..as-far as weak humanity may that it is ..possible, to at least try. to ' follow in the foos-eps of that grandest ©fall men, Jesus, the Christ. To this end my own personal belief—and my work in Chri_.tchurch was based entirely oa it—is that preaching without practice ia a mightier hindrance than all the opposition of those who have no sympathy with us; and practice, with a e___4l modicum of preaching, is liteeiy to carry a much greater influence. I may have erred in iiot preaching enough, but this I will say, and I j say it with the greatest satisfaction, I have never yet met a finer, more genial, or manlier set of fellows than are to be found in tfae. : Chri -church V.M.C.A. The whole .tone'"'of the Institution was healthy, end "■draper's- assistants" — poor .maligned fellows—only wish their detractor- could feel ,the grip of our late instructor in the gymhaaium, ' T. S. Robinson. Mechanics, clerks, and all sorts of follows, when ones they get to know us were-just as esthu-iiostio in,the Association's behalf as they had formerly been indifferent. I have just a word or two to ___y *on two side issues which h&v e been edged into this discussion, aad on which I lie, vo a right to speak with authority. The Boys' Brigade did iiot die because of any gcody-goodintss in its management, but entirely irons that disease which. Sh&kespsare co feelingly terms "the cursed want of pence." It i. most lameutable that tho very vulgar question of " money " should be _,ue__ __ mighty i factor ia the success, or other ..ise, of movements which may bs thororguly good in themselves. Until fclis. day oa which the. Boys' Brigade Com._-. Li- ■ rcitictantly | cioasd i._s doors iiud sadly dip/.i*_. their hands into their jiockela "for a&cmt five pounds each to pay its debts with, tho movement was a success, go fir as the hoya were concerned. At the inauguration of the movement; the public g..ve generously and applauded most vigorously. But that was the last we gat from tUc-n, and so to save a mora lingering death", we killed the poor thing and paid the funeral espouse... Then, in regard to Professor Bickertoa, I r/o'd remember the coaver___£..on w© had in 'my room—earnest aai deeply interesting, and whea it was over wo parted with -mutual expressions of respect- and goodwill, he to inaugurate a moremeat whioh 1 could : not amalgamate with our Y.!_LCA. work, bat which I then sinearely wished him all "success in. It would take up too much of your valuable spacs to go over ths ground we;; travelled together that sight, but I know . he-, saw clearly that that which he looked upon a_ the end to be achieved by the proposed movement was simply a means so far as oar V.M.C.A was -on.en_._L For mc to leave my work that I might advocate and assist in theeatcrtaiasrent of young men as ths best -M»*j thai. could b© doae'for tiie.n, would have hm& to abandon a principle vs___!ch was men _ to tao thaa any eos_jne.iua._ioa that ¥rofcasor Bickorton or anyfcody elss could bestow oa mc. We were doiag &ll that Professor Biefcerta- projected ia car Y.M.O.A. at ■ that moment. While he waa talking io mc ths rooms- wera h stay ia ovary paxt with young fellows who had b4_a atttacted and were beiag eatertainod sad instructed, and beyoad that tre had ear ideal Christian -____j_heacL To faaay this iJeatl m%y eeem | mora or less* cMmericals tomcit isenslaently I .graa-i aad j_aetic_l, aad ia its pursolts I I see such a ho-po lor the "world that 1 pray fiom ay heart-_ha_fe &mvy iaiftJtutlaa whlsa ] fern-off d*g_«rdfj gerf_c_«_s?» may have the Memm ot Gad j

resting on it aad" th® help of aU good mea afforded it The days of tho Y.MTC.A aro j not numbered, aa some of your correspoadents seem to think or wish. I believe wo are only now siouldii g a movement which •will yet adapt itself to the needa of 010 aas j none other, has yet done, and lor aiyself 'I ! look'Witt honest pride oa my coaaectioa with it daring these few ycara ia your city ! which it gave mc the opportunity ol j knowing so .veil, and which it causes mc I now to regard with such affection. I Apologisiag for taking so ranch of your f valuable space, and thanking you again for the many kindnesses which you have done 11© oar -C.M.C.A-—Yours, Ac, I" T. H. Smba-Tos.