Show incongruous A FRIEND has sent us a dipping clipping from the waterbury conn american the article refers to ence shown toward the young mens christian association in charleston it was represented as afflicted with rapid consumption from unadulterated lack of interest the fact bet was greatly aly deplored by those who desired to see it flourish and various plans were presented forthe purpose of infusing new life into it one of these was a baptist minister who advocated the introduction of card playing and kindred amusements so as to attract a greater number of the young the proposal was impetuously shouted down by those who held views more in keeping with stricter orthodoxy the american not only coincides with the baptist innovator but goes further it sees no objection to the introduction into those associations of card playing billiards and other amu amusements indulgence in which is generally the initiatory step to out and out gambling in other words in order to meet the requirements qu quire irementa ments and tastes of the youth of the age young mens Chrls christian dan associations should be transformed into christian clubs the wisdom of the position of the american is open to more than doubt it is decidedly objectionable yet people even in a community like this are to be found whose views while not so extreme are kindred to those of that paper we refer to a disposition to favor the mixing of religion with elements that we are foreign to the letter and spirit of christianity the americans icons s theory reminds one of the rhyme the noble duke of york iffe he bad ten thousand thoua and men he marched them up the hill and he marched them down again when they were up no they were up when they were down they were wow down whet when they were half way up they were neither up nor down so there are some people who to accommodate the spirit of the times desire to bring the religion established by jesus christ half way down to the level of the world the leading idea associated with this operation is that while there are many who would be indifferent to religion while it occupies the high plane to which it legitimately belongs they would take it when presented in a mixed shape this experiment has been tried so history informs us ua on many occasions in the past the same source conveys the lesson that it has failed as often as it has been attempted the logical inference is that the same fete fate is in store for every present or future endeavor in the same direction it was the descent from its exalted position to accommodate the genius and predilections of the world that caused the apostasy of the ancient church until not even the skeleton of its former self remained but merely a few fragments of bones with here and there a a decayed tooth attached to an empty skull look at the theory of the american caal f in order to bring up to a halfway point a larger number of the youth it would have certain innovations that are not at all religious and have been proved to be mischievous in their tendency introduced trod into a professedly christian organization it would thus place the stamp of christianity upon that which is foreign to its spirit but besides placing a brand foreign to their nature and tendency upon certain amusements observe the illogical character of the proposal in another aspect while the object is to bring the more loose among the youth up by placing these attractions before them no account is taken of those who are above such practices and the tendency that would exist to drug drag them down how far the descent of many of them would reach cannot well be estimated so while such innovations might within the range of possibility entice some out of the saloons and gambling houses by means of opportunities of engaging in cards and billiards under the sacred stamp of christianity it would be within the probable that others who would never have thought of engaging in such indulgences would be led to the saloon and gambling houses bouses by getting their first taste of such questionable exercises under religious auspices there are private families who profess better things that engage in pastimes similar to those named in the foregoing the excuse offered by their heads is that the object is to provide ln innocent entertainment around the fireside and thus prevent the boys from going to questionable places paces to engage in the vicious phases ot the same amusements the question arises as to whether the appetites for such pursuits have not been often created and whetted for forbidden fruit by such home facilities it is the duty of every parent to seek to make home attractive to the young that they may be induced to spend most of their time there but there are many amusements which are perfectly innocent and have no smack of the saloon or gambling house that ought to appeal to the home tastes of the youth they certai certainly nl y will unless their inclinations have been badly perverted among the importations of recent introduction to meet the spirit of the times james 0 are what are called card parties an innovation in the christian household liable to lead to demoralizing results they present the temptation before the young to attend card parties in places upon which the police occasionally make raids into the homes where such parties axe are introduced at cef thedoor door the spirit of the gospel is likely to depart through the window |