| Show THAT RELIGIOUS TEST proposition made to satisfactorily facto rily adjust alie test catli secretory mcleod gives advice to Father Cushnahan places angus wright on the rack and cracks up the inducements and advantages offered by the A it the good people in had any idea that the publication of ibe test oath of the Y M 0 A and the statement ol 01 leading mormons and catholics that they could not consistently take said oath would smooth out the kinks in the M controversy then they were in error as secretary mcleod opens the matter up again in the following communication editor brief statement in I 1 am sorry that my a recent issue of THE regarding the raie sion and constitution ot abe Y 0 A has been deemed unsatisfactory this organization has been before the public for over fifty years and I 1 was under abe impression that its principles and work were thoroughly understood that my statement though brief was superfluous Ferson olly I 1 should be very sorry to have any man join the Y M 0 A under a misapprehension and as the whole matter is of I 1 public interest I 1 crave permission and space to reply to some criticisms contained in your article of yesterday headed religious test not satisfactory in abe first place your statement it seems that some ot abe people who have subscribed towards the Y M not permitted to become full members is evidently based on misinformation the duty of issuing tickets reels with abe general secretary and I 1 wish to state positively that no one who hag applied for a full membership ticket since I 1 have arrived has been refused the statement made by mr angus crishi that prominent members of the Y M A construe abe test to mean that none but members ol 01 evangelical churches shall have the light to vote 0 hold office required attention I 1 thought I 1 made it clear that the well defined policy of the coguen Y M distinctly guarantees to every member irrespective ot church connection the right to vote or hold office in abe event of his signing the ACTIVE membership test with reference to the wording of the test itself as given in your issue of yesterday alie only part that seems to have excited hostile criticism is that which declares the scriptures of the old and new testaments to be the only rule ol 01 laith and practice rev father cushnahan is reported to have said concerning this here we are made to that the bible is infallible personally I 1 do not understand it without material modification every bible student knows that the many translations we now have ditlef in many particular they cannot all be correct in these particulars tic ulars that iff admitted the evangelical test in my judgment does not presume to put abe stamp of authority upon any version or translation we are quite willing for instance that our roman catholic members shall use the version recommended by abe reverend father cushnahan put we do hold and nothing can be gained by disguising the tact that taking into consideration the difficulty of legislating to suit all classes conditions and creeds making due allowance for all that may be said ae to the historical scientific and ethical errors of abe ea of the old and new testaments it yet remains that as a moral code a rule of faith and practice they do infallibly guide abe weary traveler to him who abe way the truth and the life and represents the only satisfactory basis of christian belief it ie perhaps unfortunate bat so much baa been said about church membership religious tests etc alie privileges of abe alon are primarily intended while we are very glad to have chorch members join ns for young men who are largely outside the influences ot churches the associate is our largest and in many respects our most important class of they have the right to attend all our business meetings their views and take part in shaping the policy of the association the Y M 0 A cornea to a community ae it did to this at a time when no doors outside of liquor ea loona gambling houses and places of desort were open every hour 0 the day seven days in the week to young men without to religious belief or the absence of it and makes a briness bu iness proposition to young men and business itkina to young men we are a to offer you opportunities of physical culture athletic sports health talks the advice and of competent physical director versed in the beet methods of scientific body building we offer you great social ad anthes ant Bes social receptions open to members and their lady friends pleasant social parlors and recreation rooms as your social headquarters we offer you great educational opportunities reading rooms and library evening classes in practical subject lectures and practical talks we offer you but we do not force them upon you hearty manly caspel meetings bong services bible classes under the leadership of men who hate cant but reverence jebus christ we place at your our boarding house record and our employment bureau and we offer all the at a cost of about ten cents per week if you think thia is a good investment join us to business men we ear this is a public institution for the benefit of the most important class in the community it is practically indorsed by business men all over the country to the extent of about in order to benefit all young men it bee been deemed diee to put the membership fee within the reach of all we do not ask you to indorse all our principles but as we are the only organization in the field with a record of success behind us prepared to do this work we solicit as a business proposition your support that is our appeal it is the first time in my experience which has ben considerable covering this continent that anybody has considered it impertinent or unreasonable in conclusion permit me tu pay that if rev father cushnahan and N 0 flygare T J ri C F mid deeton and angus T will come together in the YM CA rooms or ele where and agree upon a test of christian character satisfactory to them I 1 can assure them the association directorate will give it earnest consideration W mcle benl secy it is amusing to note that mr mcleod takes upon himself the whole responsibility lity of what has been eaid and done in connection with the Y M C A before ho arrived in thia city as well as what took place after bis arrival it is only fair to state that mr mcleod since hie arrival has done everything in his power to permit all classes of christians to join the M 0 A on an equal basis but the trouble is that the mischief was done before secretary mcleod came to aba city and for him to criticism criticise critic ise men of undisputed character af to what their was with officers and prominent members ol 01 the Y M 0 A before mr mcleod himself arrived in this city is an assumption hardly warranted STANDARD has been requested timo an again to give information on this and we detailed a reporter to look this matter up and abo truth ie that certain officers and members of the C A did state in no un certain tones that only members of the evangelical could hold offish and vote THE STANDARD editor informed mr mcleod of this fact but he insisted on his statement being published we therefore give these facts in the case mr mcleod takes advantage of tho occasion and in an easy etyle details the great advantages and inducements offered by the Y M C A all of chich indicated eliat the new secretary ie somewhat of a diplomat the article will be read now that the public ia considering si the matter with a beener interest than at any other time the question is have cormons mormons Mor mons oath blics and any right to object to the qualification of the membership of thermo theY MO A certainly not but in this instance bome of the gentlemen who started in with the Y M C A and helped the cause along fined that they can not take the test and remain consistent in their religious belief it the test oath could have been read to each person before be was asked to assist the cans then probably not a word would have been eaid in the papers eda the following is the view taken by an episcopalian s EDITOR permit me through your valuable columns as a of the episcopal church to ex prees an idea on that subject that ie now under discussion the test oath of the Y M 0 A it that in order to become a member of this organization or in other words to vote and hold office you have got to openly confess that the of the old and new testaments are the only infallible rule of faith and practice now uc der ordinary I 1 would have no hesitancy whatever in making profession of faita but in this instance I 1 positively refuse to permit the present president of the organization mr loar to establish a rule of balth for me with the bible as tho foundation and the structure bb you and my belo I 1 barnt the elieh teet confidence in the professions of mr loar religious or otherwise moreover the constitution of the Y II 11 0 A contains nothing like the teet aa appears in yesterdays STANDARD as tar as I 1 can see but perhaps our president interpret that with the same ability that be does abo scriptures now with a flourish of trumpets I 1 wish to say that I 1 consider myself an active member 0 this und shall insist on all any rights and begea such though I 1 evened the pretended test do I 1 intend and take the liberty of clasine with a mild remark that taxation without representation created the revolution and flung to the breeze 0 teavon our own stars and pee |
