Wants A $25,000 Home

It was a magnificent audience that gathered at the First M. E. church Sunday eve. to witness the first anniversary exercises of the Young Men's Christian Association. Almost a thousand voioes joined in the opening hymn of praise. Every seat in the liouse was filled. The galleries were packed. The presence of the large audience was a deserved manifestation of interest in the work of the Y. M. C. A. It must have given encouragenient to the officers and directora of tlie association, ander whose untiring care and by wlioso persistent efforts the first year of the local association has been one of continual growth and prosperity. The Y. M. C. A. orchestra, under the leadership of Lew II. Cleunent, played an overture, while tlie latest of the audience were being seated. It may not be out of place to saj' that tliere are probably few associations in this or any other state that can boast of an orcbestral organization as good or nearly as good as the one that Mr. Clement hasdeveloped in tlie few weeks that it has beenoi'iranized. Rev. T. W. Yonng, of the First Baptist 'church, offered the opening prayer, after whicli President Wagner, of the association, introduced Rev. W. H. Davis, of the First Congregational church, of Detroit, who delivered the anniversary address. Mr. Davis' sermón was ïot lengthy, hut it was good. It apealed to the young man to do his best n life. The theuie of his sermón was, 'Some -Motives of the Christian Life." ie words from which the speaker Irew the lessons he sought to teach vere those of Paul in Romans, "Called :o be Saints." The main thoughtof the peaker was as follows : When we speak of saints we comnonly think of dead people. The word mplies an uneomfortable feeling. It nakes us think of a desert or a monas tery ; of the philosopher witli a skull on the taille to remind hiin of mortality. Paui's idea of asaint was different from this. He#looked out upon a tailing, common people. It was of their saintliness he spoke. It was Lincoln who said, "God must love the common people because he made so manyof them." From these few words of Paul, "Called to be Saints," let me draw two inferences. In the first place, we have here the divine way of estimating men asto what they may become. Paul is so sure of people becoining saints that he speaks af the faet in the perfect tense. He thinks of men as to their possibilities. Jacob was a mean man; the rneanest man of the Old Testament. Yet the time carne when he prevailed with God, ind he became Israel. Peter was imnilsive. At one time he was utterly lepressed, and at another he was an ;nthusiast. Yet God honored him by seeing the possibillty in him, and he ;alled him the rock upon which he should build his church. How grand is his measurement in comparison with ;he measurement of men ! If a man iteal, we can never forget it. If he de:eives us once, we remember the ofense forever. How mèan it is in comarison with the great, generous, lating method oí God's grace. He sees the possibibility in man and forecasts it. The second thing to be derived froin Paui's words is the great working motive it presents ; to live effieiently and welj the life we have to live. Motives, are motors. They are the propelling foroes of our lives. The motives of the Christian life are man}'. Your motive may be fear, reward, gain, pride, honor, or fear of loss. Grander than all is the motive that appeals to the best in us. God expects the best that we can do. Nelson, at the Battle of Trafalgar inspired his soldiers to victory by hanging out an ensigu on which were the words : "England expects every soldier to do his duty." Young men, God measures you by your possibilities. God has put into your hands gifts, and he has great expectations regarding their use. You are all called to be saints. Keep ever in your view the prize of the high calling, which is pure and noble manhood. After Mr. Davis' address, General Secetary W. C. Huil gave a brief report of he history of the association, outlined he work now being done and what is xpected for the future. It was not difficult for the audience to guess what was coming when Fred H. ielser began his speech. He told of the inances of the association. He said il,200 must be raised for the work of this vear. All but about $400 was already in ight and he liad no fears for that amount. The ultímate object the association held in view was a $25,000 building of its own. Mr. Belser let the congregation off easy with a basket collection. Fqllowing Mr. Belser's talk was the singing of a familiar hynm, when Dr. Davis dismissed the audience, every member of which was far more interested in the fortunes of the Y. M. C. A. than when the services of the first anniversary began.