THE CHURCHES AND THE Y.M.C.A.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13361, 27 April 1911, Page 8

THE CHURCHES AND THE Y.M.C.A.

(Contributed.) In Hr asme of the evangelical chnrchca of Wapiti, a welcome m given to the estsKubmest of a Y.M.C.A. in this important lows. Th«* is so because it is hrimmd that it is capable m accomplishMg autre foe the physical and inteltertanl. social, and moral welfare of men . and idb than say other ia*|itutian. Xo dkr organisation can do so well its dioUnlnt work. True, it is non sectarian. Jd it is also aggressively Christian; the Hkm element predominates and perBBSs all its week. It has been properly ■krf, “The Arm of the United Chnreh ■Kwhtag Out After Young Men.” and as H| wmpliis a great uqed in modem HE and town life by providing a dab H| tern all demoralising influences. It K|i aameiakion which by its efforts in has jnstifiod its right to a perHpml yndtmn among the institutions of Kofin and growing towns of New ZeaMg. Like all other great organisations !■§ mefhsdi ham undergone srarchug and thowngh investigation, and »Mdhm sharp questioning, by these rariUnong that tha line between the Fjmnlav and meted should be clearly ■fipben. and that as a Christian institution Kjpmald mnfias Haeli to purely spiritual |HpU*ns, lent it Mould become -ecnlarisKmd voakaned in its monl and reliHEmv it Mould at once be admitted that ■pha methuda ham tha elect of diminishIK la any dsgrue its spiritual and morel ■jMg then it stands condemned. If its Hhmim. gymnasiums, football. swimming, cricket dabs, its educational, literary debating societies, reading room. —m in ill nA financial lectures, its Mid dab, its leiigioas Hible rtndv %kw*, theological chases. devotional ■fkniip, pcrooaal workers group meet Jlpa. etc. (its boys' club with its minis npßt a—««nat:oas having similar features fig those cituard abovei are incon-ist- ; Mfi with, or hostile to tji{ spiritnal Hi* jfißl activity of those joining, then it Bin not ander any pretence have the HHhmMes’ support. Dot is it not a fact ■Hit nurid wide testimony leaves ns with--1|» mam for a >tt d*>ul>t that Hk k sat tW ta-c- Chinches have provH. again and again that in those cities ■fifi towns where there has been a flourHpng yonag men , Christian association HBI poiceatage of Church attendance and ■Pfeitimm in Identity have been much LvrCtkai where ao association existed; instead of militating against attend--IMe at. and interest in Divine services it IM rather segmented them. If the diver■hm» of the institute were used a« snbstiIMn foe Christina activity then their 'Mfinence would be evil, hut ii they are Mfide tributary to the life of the spirit, Mktu they must he beneficial. I cannot conceive of a siser philandfinupy than that which provides and of|nia flo young men and boys wholesome HMrimm in ante places, -nth a.* a yULOA. anmlica. If recreation is a ■bhl need at human beings, and if we mt fffeamhm find thonaands of our ncigbfiring down to ram before our eyes IHhflh, that is not fall of deadly poi-on. Ha the instincts of Christian love should those who constitute the Churrbe.Hb onppset heartily aa institution that Bl pswvid itself adequate tosmect thi.> ■■rami reed. To save a soul from death pfißm by mens* of a gymnasium, etc., u :tlßl a see;:l.i r proceeding. The Church MBpfl is too dainty fingered to -upport -licit ■puns for the rescue of tmr youth from MpM wars of iksttructHfn “has not yet ■prod' how to “1-- all things to all [fipn that -he nay by all means save

Jafat docs a«t the philiM phr «f this ||>wwt go deeper -.till' Dnc« it pot IBM OM tW truth tbit ('brut has rcyt» the whole world, that it all beto Him: its iadwtript. its pins ; Bto, aits, .Is social mstitntions. etc.. that it is the date of every Christian ;# aaad as organ notion that claims it ■lt Bha. to sap it is His honour? It [pm tW dmneaa of lore displayed is ’■■wly tastes sad simpler recreation*, so t tkal sB sat, all stadr. all social ser- [ Wm, which has tor its object the betterf jpl d man. rightly performed, are i §aai thaa abolishing the conveatial dis- | pMtiaa Main the sacred and the reeabnW- TW snot ideal ion of all life is the ImSd hmsinesa of the Church, therefore PI aa ansiotioß that provide* HUaam iwcreatmo. useful stndiro, and Hjji fhamM, she is rendering one o? HI MgWat miikts that she ran render B tha pRSMt generation. This is not a Haamr pnmrlmon; it is part of the Dirine HMto» M the Charrh will surely reeogaad tea at »♦ as shrh. BA asdtsr of me of the' largest and mo«t Bwdhl af modern rhurchea said rramrtrniag tW Y.M.C.A. sear his IBaarh. “That great fear was expressed |f timid souls that th' adoption of the ■nmid4able, the -simmag jpnfc» amd football club, etc., would demart fmm tW spiritual, but experience ,psa pas rod that os the contrary, all these ■glliauts. clean sports predispose young JMfh is firoar of religion. and had Sstaed sughtily to build up the Church." hasthcr paasiag feature to costeni- ' jlsto is the improvement in the manners r ind marak of the attendants of such an pdifirtaa. Rmsteroas behaviour, pro,fluily. hettiag, and all manner of nngonibmesly conduct is ->tn< tly prohibited. Mad tins gentle constraint U not without W wining cgcct. Men who are rompell’44 to he polite for two or three honn ‘•niy erenisg aconite a certain polish in •A dart time which is gratifying to thein(|dits and their friends. This polishing 'BPaaam is one of the peculiarities -of this ’Wginimtien. Then there arc also Messed JBwfcmtias farmed between sterling PMim jmm man, and those who are in* dsridad Christians. which under ordinary i iwaanfaaiia woaid be impossible. Tan mast has man before you can exhort to lead them, aad when yon ome pain thru ranidenre and goodwill, it is Idnidng ham snsiiy ianr of them can I* M. and its an infrequent thing t<« no an iniinnaid attendaarc of rowng meu n ywnr sahhath service*, who prior to ml waariatißn and fellowship were ■mag tW sahhath dearcrator*. Conreritna among this class are BMire frequent ten tWy wtmld are been but for the (44. Anting mark of the Christian mnng mm of IW association ram mg in ■atari with the nn-Chnsiian in the var•4 mirtingi of the Y.M.C.A. TWanghmrt the entire acticities of the inmitoliaa lW_ rarreat makes strongly ■maids the Cross, aad above all else I placed the regeneration of the mdiciInal by the power of God. This genial, bmifmgt, common-sense religion is nmy altractiwe to reng people, aad if Urn Marten were here to-day in haman imm as we are. He wonld be in the van ■f tho sweat “forward omermmt’’ of a TJLC-A. foe Waagaaai. Then again. IW T.M.C.A. helps to solve the great pswhlrm af evangelising tW masses. It atfimls tn iUrif a largo aam her of yang people who nnder ordinary conditions of anr Chnich Ufa woaid not he hrooght within tW inlamce of tW Gospel. This hns invariably horn tW ease wWrc it has Wtn sdohWiil: ft pate ite warm hand, dh* fib tW Wort heats of tW Barimr. into tW hand «f IW dptiennl, IW «Mpls4, tW fallen, sad lends them on to M4n« and trnr natality.

To the superficial critic the erection and working of such an institntkm may seem a large outlay of money, time, and energy for the results accruing from it, hot to such we say that no mathematican can over tabulate the good achieved. The true value of such work lies not in the material, or even in tj>e spiritual, help which may be given to a number of individuals It lies rather in that indefinate yet potent influence which like a subtle fragrance pervades the whole community, and counteracts the malaria of scorn and doubt which like a deadly nightmare tkicatena the religious life of many of the young men of our times. Such then being the prospective mission of the Wanganui Y.M.C.A, it need not nuke an apology for its coming. The fields are wnite for such harvesting, and we welcome such as n faithful ally, feeling assured that the Evangelical Churches of Ibis town will not be wanting in their prayers, cooperation, and practical support, believing as wh do that the moment for the successful launching of such a splendid moral acquisition to onr town, was never more opportune than now.