Y. M. C. A.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2617, 27 September 1909, Page 2

Y. M. C. A.

ADDRESS BY MR; JUSTICE

COOPER

The accommodation at the Y.M.C.A. was taxed to the utmost yesterday afternoon, when His Honor Mr. Justice Cooper delivered an address to men. Mr. J. R. Kirk presided, and said they were proud to have a man of His Honor's exalted station identify his name with their association, and it gave them great pleasure to have Mr. Justice Cooper there to address them. His Honor said that the pleasure was reciprocal, and he felt .it a great privilege to speak to so many young men. The Y.M.C.A. was a great organisation for good and the community should be indebted to it, as it showed that true religion could go hand in hand with the work of the world. The title of his address had not been announced, and lie was going to say a few words about themselves. Ho was addressing young m|en just on the threshold of life, entering into manhood. Some of them were acquainted with the temptations they would meet in the future, but some were not. He wanted to speak about their three-fold constitution, they were not merely human creatures, animals as it were, but they were possessed of a three-fold organisation, the body, tlie mind, and the spirit, and these three should be trained. The Y.M.C.A. throughout the world recognised this. It was not altogether a religions organisation, although its vindication was in the life of Christ. It considered the physical, a.s well as the mental and moral part of the young man, eaeh one of these sides required to he educated, trained and supported. In the first place, ho wanted to say something about the physical side. He believed in muscular sports, as there was such a thing as muscular Christianity. He did not sympathise with voung men who would not tako part in manly sports, but prided themselves on account of their spiritual character. The Y.M.C.A. did give great attention to this side of life, with its football and cricket clubs. They also had gone further in Gisborne than in some other centres, and provided a billiard table. He did not object to this in connection with a Y.M.C.A., as it helped to draw away men away from the uiiliard saloons attached to hotels. But while they should strive to become physically healthy, they must not give toe great prominence to this side. They were in danger in this Dominion of going too much into sport and pleasure, and young men especially were starving the higher power they possessed. While they ought to develop their physical powers and enjoy strong health, there was another duty they liad to perform if they desired to fulfil their duties as citizens. They must cultivate their minds. He was afraid that with many young men this was overlooked. They did not train their minds as much as their bodies, and the love of pleasure was acting as a detriment to the young generation throughout the Dominion, keeping them from setting aside enough time to enable them to take an intelligent part in their duties as citizens. He had no doubt that as Gisborne grew they would have libraries, not only of fiction but of books that would enable them to know themselves and their duties. There was a tendency in these days.to read too much trash, lie would not say vicious hooks, flit-hough there were a good many books on the vicious side. He was afraid young men gave too much attention to sport, and naturally turned to light iiterature, but they should remember a healthy mind, as well as a healthy bock- was necessary to a young man. The third requisite, even more important than the other two, was that they should train their spiritual being. They all knew there had been many nations in the past that had gained the highest standard in physical training, art, and science, as it was then, hut they had neglected the spiritual side, and naturally the result had been degradation. and, eventually, national death. He mentioned this because many people believed that religion was not of national importance. It had been said the Christian religion was weakening in its influence, that what they wanted was higher education, and that if they trained children in science and they had healthy bodies they would get along all right. But there was something else wanted as well. The highest point was not reached unless man gave reverence to God, and that was why he believed in the Y.M.C.A., the very name of which showed they looked upon Christ as their father. He wanted the young men especially to believe there was no shame in being truly religious, because no one would really reproach them for believing in Christ; and the battle of life would be mucli easier if they felt behind it the love of Christ. It was the duty of young men to venerate God, hut because a man did not openly express his belief in Gcxl, it did not follow that lie was not good. He (His Honor) believed that everyone who did his duty and was truthful and honorable towards his fel-low-men had a part of God within him, but if a man openly, believed in Christ, be would be the better for it. _ln conclusion, he asked them to consider the three points he had mentioned, to lead a pure life, and cultivate physical prowess, but not unduly, side by side, to educate their mental powers, as in these day of competition they required a strong mind to be above the common ruck, and to believe that the only true happiness in life was to be found in a true and sincere belief in the fatherhood of God.