Ideal Young Men | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 2, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 26.

Ideal Young Men.

THEIR TEMPTATIONS AT THE POPULAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

THE following discussion by the Congregational Club of San Francisco, we clip entire from the Chronicle of that city. It is a practical discussion of an eminently practical subject.

"The attendance at the Congregational Club was not as large as usual yesterday, some of the ministers being away on vacation, but the meeting was one of more than average interest. Rev. Dr. Dwinell presided and called upon Rev. Aaron Williams to open the discussion, which was upon the sort of young men needed and how to get them. Mr. Williams described a very high ideal of manliness and godliness combined, and expressed the opinion that pastors and teachers should take special pains to cultivate the moral virtues in young men. As it is now, few comparatively remain under their care and influence.

"Dr. Mooar took no exception to the high standard set up for our young men by Mr. Williams, nor did Rev. John Kimball, who followed, but the latter expressed the opinion that the young men of San Francisco are somewhat fast and pleasure-loving and do not look on living as so serious a matter as they ought.

"Rev. George Morris observed that in order to have such high-minded, moral, and religious young men as had been described it was highly important that they should be surrounded by good influences. From reports which had come to him, and which he believed to be true, young men who were sent to our State University were not so surrounded. A case had come to his knowledge where a widow lady's three sons had graduated there, and while students had become gamblers and drunkards. Though there was a law of the State against it, liquor was sold in close proximity to the University, and even on the University grounds wine was made and stored up in cellars under the supervision of the University authorities. Under such circumstances he would not consider it morally safe to send a young man to Berkeley.

"Rev. Charles Savage, of Berkeley, replied that he hardly knew where Mr. Morris could send his son and have him perfectly free from temptation. It was true that students at Berkeley sometimes learned to drink and gamble, and so they did at some of the best of the New England colleges, but these were only exceptional cases. He did not think morals were worse or temptations to immorality greater at Berkeley than at other universities.

"In reply to a question of Rev. Mr. Morris whether liquor manufacturing was carried on in connection with any of the Eastern colleges or universities, Mr. Savage said he did not know that it was; and in answer to the inquiry whether the university professors were personal abstainers, Mr. Savage answered that he had never seen any of them drink wine or have it upon their tables.

"Dr. Mooar observed that if they abstained altogether from wine they went further than some of the San Francisco ministers.

"Dr. Dwinell liked the high ideal of the young man we need, drawn by the opening speaker, and, though few would reach that standard, it was not too high to aim at. He was not disposed to be discouraged with regard to our educated young men. Some that were a little fast now would probably turn out well. The percentage of first-class men in our colleges and universities was increasing.

"Rev. Mr. Williams claimed his right to close the discussion. He wished to say that it was because he wanted to save young men from demoralizing influences that he had opposed the Young Men's Christian Association gymnasium when it was under the management of that notorious sport, Harry Maynard. He was gone, to be sure, but the bowling alley remained, and young men went, he knew, from bowling there to bowling in the dives and gambling dens of this city. He considered it a great shame that such temptations should be thrown in the way of young men in connection with a professed Christian institution."