1. In simple consistency with her own principles. Not only to touch them
where she must, but where she can. Not to regard them as aside from her
peculiar work, but as constituting a peculiarly important and interesting
part of her work. She professes to labor for the salvation of men, where
can she find excuse for failing to provide _special_ appliances if need
be, for the salvation of young men? She professes to be an _educator_ as
well as an evangelizer. Here is material in its most inviting shape, and
at the stage best adapted for her moulding. She professes to provide for
the extension of her doctrine and spirit. Can she, with any show of
reason, neglect the force furnished her in this mass of youthful energy
and enthusiasm. She professes to rescue men from danger. Does she see any
danger more imminent than those which menace young men, any temptations
more seductive, any ruin more pitiable? Does she see any more susceptible
of these influences than youth with their high spirits, superfluous energy
and glowing passion? Does she see any victims which appeal more powerfully
to her compassion than these sons and brothers in whose success and virtue
are bound up the hopes and affections of thousands of parents, every one
of whom cries to the world and to the church, “deal gently for my sake
with the young man?”
2. But the church ought to deal with them, in the absence of other
appliances to reach them. The church has few enough, far too few; but
there are fewer elsewhere. Take business. What does it furnish? It deals
with the young man. Not always gently either. It deals with his youthful
strength; with his clear and active brain; with his enterprise and energy.
It uses these to build up trade and accumulate wealth. It deals, I say,
not always gently. It is often exacting and severe. It often binds burdens
too heavy for youthful shoulders. It often refuses leisure which health
imperatively demands, and denies compensations which might furnish less
temptation to crime. But I am not here to speak of these now. How does it
deal with the young man morally? Does business take into the account, to
any great extent, the fact that young men are moral and intellectual
beings? How much leisure does it afford them for mental or religious
culture? Alas, with the most charitable view of the case, with the noble
exceptions clearly recognized, business presents a sad aspect in this
regard. The maxim “_business is business_” is carried too far. What the
_world_ may think or do in this matter is not the question here; but to
Christian men, who believe or profess to believe that religion belongs
everywhere, business should be something more than business. How many
Christian business men recognize in its contact opportunities for the
exertion of Christian influence as well as for making money? How many see
in their clerks something besides the hired arms or brains to carry on
their trade? How many recognize them as beings with social instincts as
well as with sharp wits; immortal souls as well as clear heads;
susceptibilities to temptation as well as to self-interest; young men who
are to fill a place in these democratic communities, to cast their votes,
exert their influence, be each the centre of a greater or smaller circle,
be fathers to train up children and perpetuate their own moral character
and sentiments whatever they be? How many consider the influence which
their position of employer gives them over the moral destiny of these
youth; the power they may wield through the truly affectionate and
confidential relations subsisting between them? How many concern
themselves as to where their clerks go after business hours, what
associations they form, whether they have a place of worship or not? How
many of you business men, here to-day, are in the habit of asking the
young men in your employ to accompany you to church, or to Bible class, or
to prayer-meeting?
Take the community at large. _Its_ influence, if exerted in this
direction, must be chiefly confined to furnishing some counter attraction,
moral, but not necessarily religious, to the attractions of the haunts of
sin. And a great work can be done here, in which men of the most opposite
religious theories, and men with no religion at all can unite. There, for
instance, is the temperance question. There is a variety of views on the
subject; but all agree that intemperance is an awful evil, and one which
all moral and religious men are called on to resist and suppress by every
possible means. _We_ believe that the only effectual method of reforming a
drunkard, or of keeping a man from becoming one, is to make him a
Christian. That will reform in _all_ respects. But we cannot bring the
community to agree on this platform. Here then is one where all can unite,
namely, in organizing some force to overbalance the attractions of the
dram shop. It need not be distinctively religious, only free from vicious
associations. The saloon keeper understands perfectly that not one young
man in ten comes to his haunt originally to drink or in which to gamble.
He wants a warm and pleasant room to sit down and chat with his companion;
to read his evening paper, or it may be to procure a meal. So this
minister of corruption proceeds to make provision for these natural and
healthy cravings, that, through them, he may excite those unnatural and
depraved desires, the satisfaction of which constitutes his chief source
of profit. He furnishes his rooms tastefully and comfortably. He provides
food of all kinds prepared to please the most fastidious palate. A small
sum will secure a quiet and cosy retreat where the youth and his friends
may pass an evening. But he furnishes the bar with its tempting array of
liquors. He gathers there his array of well dressed and gentlemanly
confederates who are always ready to challenge to drink, and to sneer at
the principle which refuses. He has his licentious pictures to stimulate
the passions, and abundant facilities for their gratification. And
thousands of youths who went thither at first, only because they could
find no other retreat, have come at last to frequent it for the
gratification of the basest appetites, and have gone from its doors at
last, hopeless, homeless drunkards.
Now suppose a community should say (and no individual with a shadow of
moral sense could say otherwise), the rumseller takes an unfair advantage.
He unites things which may just as well be separated. There is no
necessity that all the light and comfort and retirement should be
associated with liquor and licentiousness. Let us furnish these to the
hundreds of poor young men who have no retreat but their offices and
boarding houses. Let us build a house or hire a large suite of rooms. Let
us have a suitable person employed to dispense proper refreshments at a
reasonable price. Let us have a reading room furnished with the best
papers and periodicals, and with a good library. Let us have a
conversation room, where young men can chat or play their game of chess or
backgammon. Let us have a ten pin alley, and even a smoking room. Would
not this be in the interest of temperance as well as of many other
virtues? Would it not keep scores of young men from the gin palaces? Could
not society, independently of any religious views, easily inaugurate and
carry out such a plan? It has been done, and has worked wonders. The
slight approach towards it made by our Young Men’s Christian Association,
saying nothing now of the religious adjuncts, has proved what a strong,
well organized effort might effect in this direction. And yet what has our
communities of this character? What organized appliance have our cities
anywhere to act upon young men? There I know are the Young Men’s
Associations, and they are good as far as they go; but they make provision
chiefly for intellectual wants. Their libraries, and reading rooms, and
lecture courses are doing a good work; but after all it is for the
community at large, male and female, as well as for young men. There is a
lower class of wants peculiar to young men, and to young men of a certain
class, which will be supplied somehow, and which a proper effort may
supply judiciously, without injury to the youth, and in a way to create
wants and lead to associations of a higher character. If the moral and
Christian part of the community do not supply them, the immoral part will.
3. But the church ought to deal with young men, _because she has the
means_. She has organization. The community at large is not organized to
carry out such efforts. Special organizations have to be made when such a
movement is undertaken by it; and even then the _personal sympathy_ and
cooperation of individuals, except perhaps through their purses, is not
secured. A moral movement agitated outside the church requires a good deal
of time and effort to bring it into contact with men’s minds, and to get
them enlisted in it. It has to work principally upon individuals. But the
moment a question of moral reform starts with the church, it works from
the very first upon and through an organization. That is the reason why
the agents of all great benevolent enterprises and reform movements try
first to get before the churches. The subject is presented to masses. It
reaches the larger part of the community through their religious
detachments, so to speak, and by the mouth of their chosen and respected
religious instructors. The organization is already formed to discuss the
question, to decide upon it, to raise means for carrying out the
enterprise, to delegate men to represent this or that branch of the church
in it. Added to this is the personal sympathy evoked. As a moral question
it is brought home to the church on her own ground. If it concerns the
salvation of men, every individual, as well as the church at large has to
do with it. It appeals to him as a man and as a brother; to his prayers,
to his pocket, to his effort.
The church has the wealth. I need only say, that the church represents by
far the largest proportion of the money of our communities. Take our own
city for instance, and count up our wealthiest men, and you will find that
the most of them are not only members of congregations, but also members
of churches.
4. The church ought to deal with young men, _because she represents the
only restraining and reforming power_.
No reform that is not Christian in its essence is radical. No restraint
that is not Christian is permanently effective. Other influences are
partial in their operation. They modify one side of character. They
protect it partially at one or two weak points. They touch the outward
developments of the life merely; trying to regulate it from the
circumference. This goes to the very seat of life, purges the fountain
head of impulse and desire, creates a new man to do new works, and does
not simply ingraft new works on the old character, putting the new piece
into the old garment. This brings the thought and will into conformity
with the law of Christ, and develops the man _as a whole_, makes him
something, as well as restrains him from evil. Without this, who can say
that any restraint will be effectual; that any memories will be sacred
enough, any admonitions forcible enough, any associations attractive
enough, any moral purpose strong enough to keep one pure? Alas, the shore
of life is strewn so thickly with wrecks of youthful hope and promise, the
annals of crime embrace so many youth of noble aims and high attainments,
reared under the holiest influences of home and sanctuary, that we may
well ask—who is safe?
While then, I would not discourage an effort at reform made in good faith
by society, yet without any distinctively religious character, while I
believe that many such efforts have done good in their sphere, I say
distinctly, that their sphere is not large enough. Their influence does
not reach deep enough. They help reform or restrain certain developments
of the life; but they do not inaugurate any positive moral development.
Nay, the very fact that many of them are forced, as a condition of their
existence, to denude themselves of anything but the most general and vague
religious character, makes them incapable of fostering any high moral
development. To take the instance cited a few moments since. The community
establishes a coffee room, or reading room, or resort of any kind for
young men, without the vicious attractions of the fashionable restaurant
or saloon. It does a good and laudable thing. Its influence is good as far
as it goes, in keeping young men away from worse places. But the moral
influence exerted, depends entirely upon these outside appliances. In
other words, this institution keeps them from evil so long as they can
have recourse to it, but does not implant within them a principle which,
in the event of their being deprived of this privilege, would cause them
to forego their comfort and recreation, rather than seek them amid
debasing associations.
On this point then I am avaricious. I want the church to control all
schemes of reform. I want them to originate in the church as their only
legitimate source, so that in every effort put forth for the protection,
or restoration, or training of youth, the gospel of Christ, the only power
which can ever thoroughly regenerate individual or society, may be
paramount: so that the effort may be not only a conservative but an
aggressive force, winning youth to Christ as well as keeping them away
from Satan, creating positive developments of character as well as
securing simple safety or harmlessness, narrowing the boundaries of the
devil’s empire as well as keeping Christ’s from infringement. For this
reason I am anxious that instead of its being left for secular
organizations to inaugurate such movements, the church should enlarge her
Christian organizations so as to take in and sanctify every force that is
requisite to meet the demands of the various characters with which she has
to deal.
And just at this point, I want to call your attention to a thought which
bears especially upon our city churches.
It is commonly thought that the city is the fountain head of all vice, and
with some reason I admit. Parents have a traditional horror of sending
their sons into large cities. They think they are going into the very jaws
of death and destruction. They draw a fearful picture of the gayeties and
the temptations of city life. They look upon young men reared in cities
with suspicion. They are inclined to regard them all as loose in morals,
and as taking naturally to sin.
Now I do not believe that, as a rule, young men or any other men are worse
in cities than elsewhere. Sin is pretty much the same thing, I apprehend,
among grain and trees, as it is on sidewalks. Propensities just as
vicious, passions just as furious and debased, exhibitions of vice quite
as disgusting, more so, perhaps, because more coarse and pronounced, are
to be seen in farming districts and in country villages as in cities. The
appliances of vice are quite up to the proportion of the population in the
former, both in quantity and in quality. A good deal of injustice is done
the city in this respect. It is often said that a young man’s ruin
commences from the time he leaves his quiet country home and goes to the
city. But the fact is that, in many cases, the city only completes what
was well begun at home, begun in evenings spent in country grocery stores,
and on the piazzas of village taverns.
But there is another aspect of this matter which would perhaps startle
those who think that all piety and orthodoxy reside in the rural
districts; and that is, that the city, _as it is_, affords far greater
encouragements to well developed piety than the country; and that if the
church were fully awake to her duty towards young men, and actually
employing all the means afforded her by her wealth, organization and
influence to shield, restrain, influence and reform them, the city would
be the safest place on earth for a youth. If the city is the stronghold of
vice, it is in the church’s power to make it the stronghold of virtue. For
it is admitted that, in other respects, the city affords superior
advantages. Young men leave the country store and come thither if they
desire to learn business on a large scale. They are obliged to seek the
city for large literary opportunities. The great popular literary
attractions seldom move out of the track of the cities. Here the pulse of
life beats quicker. Men live faster. Thought is more energetic and prompt.
The same is in a measure true of religious life. It develops more
activity, more benevolence. It invests religious instruction with more
attractions, and throws more life and power into social worship. Go into
such a prayer meeting, for instance, as you can find in scores of churches
in our large cities, where the large numbers present augment the sympathy
of each with the common object, where thoughtful, practical, energetic men
pour into the common treasury streams of fresh, living thought, where the
singing is an inspiration, and say what you will, a man will be stirred
and stimulated as he cannot be in the thin assemblies of too many country
churches, where the minister is chiefly depended on to give interest to
the meeting, where the singing is faint and slow. I know God is often in
the one place as in the other. I know there is true religious life there,
and that souls are converted there. But so long as men remain human, their
piety will not be insensible to such influences. So too, the influences of
the city churches tend more to develop young men. My impression is that in
country districts age is a prime qualification for responsibility; young
men are kept back, and not expected to bear a prominent part in religious
services until later in life. With us, it is part of our creed to educate
young men by responsibility. We love to hear them speak or pray, not only
because they bring us good and fresh and profitable thoughts, but because
we know that these exercises are developing them into strong men for the
future leaders of the church. Not only so, but our larger religious
machinery, the wider sphere of our activity, furnish places for them to
work. We must depend largely upon them to carry on our mission schools,
and to carry out other practical schemes of benevolence. Under these
influences, I say, they develop faster, and as I think better. As a rule,
the young man of a city church is more capable, more efficient, than one
of the same age and of equal natural abilities in a rural district.
But then these influences do not reach the class of unconverted youth
directly. They have no interest in prayer meetings, little in sermons.
This is the plain question before us then:
III. _How shall the church deal with the Absaloms_: the erring youth or
those of no religious bias, the careless and pleasure loving? _There is
such a class._ Are you surprised at my stating a fact which seems self
evident? I state it because it seems to have been practically forgotten.
Some men frame their schemes of reform on the principle that every one
must be appealed to by the same influences which appeal to them. For
instance, when it is proposed to furnish, under Christian supervision,
certain innocent appliances which may counterbalance the attractions of
the saloon, and perhaps lead to the exercise of some more distinctively
religious influence, we are flatly told by some that there is no need of
recreation. Youth are on the brink of the grave, and should find enjoyment
in singing psalms. Others tell us there is recreation enough in the
contemplation of the heavenly bodies, and of the beauties of nature, and
that these ought to satisfy the soul without its having recourse to lower
joys. Now you and I like to sing psalms. They are suggestive to us of many
rich and comforting thoughts. Some of you can find sufficient enjoyment in
the beauties of nature, not only because God has opened your eyes to see
him in all things, but because study and knowledge have prepared your mind
to discern and appreciate the wonders of creation. I don’t think you
particularly loved to sing psalms before Christ touched your heart. And
the practical point we have got to meet, and meet as Christians and with
Christian methods is, that there is a large class that cannot be appealed
to by the beauties of nature and the charms of literature, and the glory
of the starry heavens. Have we anything to do with these? Just as
indubitably as David’s army had to do with the erring Absalom. And we have
got to deal gently with them too; not force them upon the procrustean bed
of our methods, and give them their choice of these or none. If the church
says to these unconverted, careless ones, “If you will not come to our
prayer meetings, if you will not listen to our sermons, we have done our
duty and cleared our skirts, and you may go on to perdition as fast as you
please,” I say the church is awfully in error. Her skirts, are in that
event, soaked with the blood of ruined youth, and it cries aloud against
her from the ground.
What are we to do then? If the church has a duty to this class, has she
also means to discharge it? Is it in her power to make the city the best
place for irreligious as well as for pious youth? I say, yes. But she will
be obliged to enlarge her scheme of work. She must sanctify new forces to
this end, if she has to take them out of the devil’s hand. She must
institute new attractions, under her own control, to draw youth within the
sphere of her influence, and to hold them when drawn. She must employ
forces with a view merely to restrain from worse influences, until she can
bring direct religious influences to bear. Without compromising principle
one iota, abstaining from the very appearance of evil, she is nevertheless
to press into her service everything that she can separate from low
associations, everything that will enhance her own social attractions,
everything which will amuse, interest, instruct, to keep these away from
the palaces of hell, and to draw them into contact with the influences of
the gospel. The wisdom of Christianity is shown in its dealing with men as
they are. In reaching them at their own level; and the church will best
show her wisdom by not trying to be wiser than her Lord. The mountain will
not go to Mahomet, and Mahomet must go to the mountain. We have a variety
of characters to deal with, and must use a variety of means. Gather such a
band of youth together, and preach to them that they ought to be satisfied
with the beauties of nature, or with books, or the like, and you simply
drive them the faster from religious influences, and cut every tie between
you. Here is one young man who loves books. Let the church give him books.
Let him know that he receives this high and pure pleasure from the hand of
Christianity. Here is another that loves pictures. Let Christian art adorn
the walls, and Christian liberality pay the price. But here is another of
a lower grade of culture. Not vicious, not specially inclined to
dissipation, but finding little interest in books or pictures. Throw him
among these higher influences, of course, for they will insensibly educate
him; but if a checker board or a game of dominoes will attract him, and
keep him for an evening away from the liquor saloon or the theatre, pray
tell me why Christian hands should not furnish him these, and a pleasant,
quiet place in which to play his innocent game, where no profanity greets
his ears, where no bar presents its seductions. Another loves music; why
should not Christian liberality furnish him the gratification of this
taste, and Christian hands and voices join with him in swelling the
harmony in which his heart delights?
It is, of course, impossible for me to go into details here, but the
general principle I think is clear. It seems to me that the only way in
which the church can reach any large proportion of these young men, is by
the judicious union of attractive and direct influences; by bringing under
her own control and using all those appliances which appeal to the social
instinct, to the taste, to the intellect, to the necessity for recreation,
freeing them from debasing associations, and thereby drawing the
unconverted youth within the range of direct religious influences. She
must be content to keep them out of the hands of evil for the time, if she
cannot fully commit them to piety. But then, let it be clearly understood
that these things are to be under the control of religion. That the
_salvation_ of the young men is the great end toward which these are only
means. The moment our Young Men’s Christian Associations, to which we must
chiefly look to carry out this plan, let their rooms become mere lounging
places; the moment the prayer meeting is dropped; the moment the young men
cease to be on the watch for opportunities to speak the word of religious
counsel, that moment they are no longer the allies of the church; they
will have become no better than clubs. I want to say to the young men of
our own association who have so boldly and, thus far, so successfully
carried out this theory, you must guard yourselves here. The Troy
Association has drawn the eyes of the church throughout a large part of
the country upon itself by its course in this matter. It is thought by
many a bold experiment. By many it is openly denounced. Many predict that
the result will be the ruin instead of the salvation of young men. If you
would silence and convert your opponents, if you would convert the
wavering into enthusiastic supporters of your policy, guard well the
religious side of your work. Infuse the gospel spirit into everything.
Strictly enforce the rules which Christian prudence lays down for the use
of means and attractions not distinctively religious. Let the word
_Christian_ be in the largest letters on your sign. Remember your great
object, the duty thrown upon you by the nature of the case, thrown upon
you by similarity of age, by congeniality of taste and pursuits, thrown
upon you by the church, thrown upon you by Christ; the church’s head, is
the _salvation_, not the entertainment of the young men. You use these
appliances to entertain, only that thereby you may bring other forces to
bear, which may make them Christians, add their power to the various
churches of the community, and unite them with you in the work of saving
others. The moment you forget this, Ichabod will be written upon your
banners, and the cause of Christ receive a blow which all the good you
have heretofore accomplished can scarcely heal.
The practical working of this theory is the best answer to its opponents.
We have this answer among us to-day, and I am thankful from my inmost
heart that the Young Men’s Christian Association is to-day, what it was
not two years ago, among the great religious forces of our city. Those who
have opposed its later proceedings have some stubborn facts to get round.
These facts demonstrate this: that since the Young Men’s Christian
Association inaugurated the policy of _attracting_ youth to its
head-quarters, its _distinctively religious force has increased ten-fold_.
As one evidence of this, the city missionary says, “since we entered upon
our present plan, a larger number of young men than ever before have been
brought to sympathize with me and my work, are ready to sit up with the
sick, to visit the needy, to labor for the spiritual good of their
fellows. Our rooms have resulted in increasing the effective force of
spiritual co-laborers with me, more than _ten-fold_.” Last month, the
daily prayer meeting from twelve to one, was attended by an average of
twenty-two daily, mostly young persons, and generally conducted by young
men converted under the agency of the association. Some of you remember
the old noonday prayer meeting, and to such I need say nothing as to the
contrast. The call for this noonday meeting was signed by about fifty
young men. The call itself was drawn and circulated by a young man who,
six months ago, came to our city penniless, was made to feel at home in
our rooms, was furnished with employment by the agencies of the
association, came to the weekly prayer meeting, was converted, and is now
counted among our most earnest Christian workers. Young men are being
converted through this agency. I give you one instance out of a number. A
young man visited the rooms on Thursday night, and was invited with others
down to the young men’s prayer meeting. He went, and was deeply
interested, and immediately after the meeting returned to the parlor, and
was seen earnestly studying a Bible at one of the reading tables. At the
hour of closing, some of the Christian young men accompanied him home, and
urged upon him the subject of personal religion. They followed him up for
two or three days, until he gave his heart to God; and he has since been
an active co-laborer with the young men in the work of the association.
One more incident. A young man came to one of the members of this church
sometime since, saying, “I came to the city two years ago. I was a member
of a church at home; but here, no man seemed to care for my soul. I have
neglected my duty, have sought for no church home; but I was attracted to
your rooms. I went to the association prayer meeting. My heart was
stirred, and I became ashamed of my neglect and inconsistency; and now I
want to know when your next communion season is, that I may give my letter
to your pastor.”
I could give you others, but these speak volumes for the value of this
policy; and, from the bottom of my heart this morning, I say God bless the
Young Men’s Christian Association, and pledge them my poor efforts and
influence, and prayers to help forward the work so nobly begun.
I know not where to stop. My heart is so full that it seems as if I could
spend the day on this theme. But I must stop, and, in conclusion I say,
first to the church, accept frankly the responsibility which God throws on
you in the persons of these young men. You are the appointed agency, the
proper agency, and the only agency to save and restrain and protect them.
You cannot shirk it, especially as city churches. Into these centres of
trade and education God pours the young men, and he asks you and me this
morning if we are ready for them; if, while business and education are
multiplying their facilities, the gospel of Christ, represented by the
churches, is multiplying its facilities to make the city the _best place_
for the education of young men in virtue. He asks these churches if there
is nothing significant, no message to her in the concentration of the mass
of our young men and the mass of Christian culture, organized power, and
wealth, at one point? Have these things no relation to each other? Yes,
brethren, they have. There is no evading it. The finger of Providence
points unswervingly to these city churches as the great sources of
Christian influence upon young men. Let us not fail to hear these voices.
The ten thousand appliances of vice, confronting the church with brazen
defiance, or with devilish ingenuity and secresy sapping the foundations
of manly honor and integrity, call to us, deal gently with the young man.
Fathers and mothers, the yearnings of whose hearts you read full easily in
your love for your own sons, whose happiness, whose very lives are bound
up in the honor and prosperity of these sons and brothers, call to us from
their distant homes in quiet villages, and on the open farm lands, call to
us with agonizing earnestness—deal gently for our sakes with the young
man. Our community, our country, calls to us. Oh, when I look upon society
and see what characters ride rampant there, when I look at government and
see the awful corruption festering there, when I see how men in power,
from the chief magistrate of the nation down to the humblest postmaster,
will sell their souls for party, and betray their country to its enemies
through lust of power, or something else, God knows what; when I see
drunkenness holding high carnival in the nation’s capitol, reeling in the
seat of the President, and retailing its maudlin declamation before a
sickened country from Washington to Chicago, I can only turn to God and
the future. Our only hope is in the work of the Christian church through
all its agencies, social, ecclesiastical and educational, moulding out of
the glorious material so abundantly at its disposal, a band of men who
shall convert the seats of power into seats of righteousness, and make
government and purity synonymous terms. The young men themselves appeal to
us. This mass of intelligence, clear wit, energy, tact, education; these
noble brows on which God has set the seal of power; these frank, manly,
generous natures, these enthusiastic impulses, all speak to us, saying,
deal gently with us, and teach us by the power of Christian love how to
use our power; they speak to us, and warn us against letting so much power
and energy and culture be turned against us, or left to hang as a drag on
our wheels. And Christ speaks to the church, Christ who loves these young
men, Christ who died for these young men; Christ who from his seat of
glory at the Father’s right hand, yearns over these young men, Christ is
calling to his church to-day, to you, to me, to all the pastors and
congregations of this city, “_take care of them, take care of them, deal
gently for MY sake with the young men_.”
Christian young men, you have heard the call, and in some sort are obeying
it. In proportion as you have not feared to use the range of gospel
agencies, in proportion as your love has been kindled for the souls of
these youths, and your hands and tongues have been devoted to this end,
God has blessed you. Go on as you have begun. Go on, not defiantly, but
firmly, boldly, prudently. Dare to be singular, if it will compass your
end. Take the word of God as your highest authority. Use no means that is
not sanctioned by it. Use none of doubtful expediency, but enlarge the
range of your agencies. Wrest from the devil attractions which belong to
you rather than to him. Leaven them. Separate them from the debasing
associations with which sin has identified them, and in the name of Christ
your Master, set up your banners, rally your forces and join the churches
in their work of salvation.
And you, unconverted young men, one word to you. For your own souls’ sake,
for the sake of your best interests, for the sake of the parents who love
and hope in you, for the sake of your country, for Christ’s sake, deal
gently with yourselves. Remember, the only true manhood is Christian
manhood. No restraints which the church can throw round you will ensure
your safety against temptation; no strength of resolution on your part
will keep you pure, if you be not the children of Christ. Come to Jesus.
Come this very morning. Come and learn of him. He will deal very gently
with you. His yoke is easy, his burden is light. The life he gives you is
full of the highest impulses and of the purest enjoyments—a living spring
of water—and the eternal rewards he promises are such as eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived.