THE YOUNG MAN.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 216, 11 September 1908, Page 6

THE YOUNG MAN.

A FORCIBLE ADDRESS

Some pertinent remarks regardinging the Dominion and its young men were made at St. John's Church (Wellington) by the Rev. R. J. Porter, of Oamaru. He submitted that if New Zealand was to become greatthis state of affairs must be accomplished by the young men, " and the preacher," he went on to say, "who is indifferent to the welfare of the youth of his congfegation is no true friend of the Dominion." He spoke of the person who relied on a tailor to make him look like a man, and said some thought they could develop into men by certain physical exercises. He did nob wish to say any- { thing against any healthy oxercxses in which a young man could lawfully engage. He was fond of cricket and football, although he did not play them, and he was .in full sympathy with those who went in for Sandow exercises and physical culture. He was convinced it was a positive sin lor a man to be puny and narrowchested and delicate when by judicious exercises in the open air he might be strong and vigorous and healthy. But they should bear this in mind: it was possible for a man to be strong and healthy and vigorous, and yet be deficient, in all the nobler qualities of manhood; it was possible ■ tor a man to be a splendid creature but only a splendid animal. One of the qualities that went to make up manhood was consciousness. It was taken very little notice of nowadays; in fact, he had heard of it being associated with weakness. AH that was a suggestion of the devil. When wo trampled, consciousness at our feet we trampled one of those things which distinguished us from the beast, and we wero not worthy of the name of man. Another quality of manhood was decision of character, or the power to say "no" at the right time. That was also one of the characteristics that distinguished man from the lower animals. A strong, straight "ho" meant a strong, sturdy character; a ready " yes" often meant a weak, flabby character. The man who said "no " and "yes" at the right time was the man who was respected in the long run. If a mail had lost this power he had lost the noblest feature of Ms manhood. Who were those wrecks floating on the- surface, of society? They were just the men who had lost the power to say " no." Sympathy or kindness of heart was another , quality of manJine&s. It was not the loud-voiced, overbearing nature that was manly; bullies wore always cowards. To use the words of the poot, '•the bravest are the tenderest, and the loving are the strong." True religion was the basis of manhojd He was not surprised that some people separated religion from manliness. Everyone came across now and again unmanly-looking namby-pamby Eeople, men that others had very ttle respect for, men who would never be taken for religious peopie but for their talk on religion. But they must not confound Christianity with them. If we were to become [ men in the real sense of the word we ' must become a religious people. Tjuless we had a love of God in our hearts we had no right to speak of being manly.