MASTERTON WESLEYAN CHURCH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4400, 31 July 1893, Page 2

MASTERTON WESLEYAN CHURCH.

"Model Young Men." The Bov S. J. Gibson preached in tho Wesleyan Church yesterday to large congregations both morning and evening. At the latter service the Rev gentleman delivered an instructive address on " Model Young Men," taking for his text the first epistle of 6t John, 2nd chapter, 14th verse: " 1 have written of you young men because you are strong; the word of God abidetk in you, and you have overcome the wioked one." He assorted that you'll was the time when character was formed, and noble ideas and purity of soul in after life were always the result of a well trained mind. In speaking of an ideal young rami, he would not ireiition impossibilities, but only what was in-tlie pewer of . every young man to attain. He referred at length to th 9 charaotors, who. could not by any stretch of imaginatior. sver attain to be models, such as the larrikins, the loungers at street corners and publichouses, the gambler, the frequenter of race-courses, gambling saloons, and those who were cursed with the craving for strong drink, A character was easily lost, but to regain one was a very different matter. The apeaker's idea of a model young man was summed up in four words, "grit," "go," "gumption,"and "goodness." By "giit" ho mennfc endurance, , patience and coutentinpnt. No one [ could pick and choose his own sphere in life, but should make the moat of 1 circumstanoes, and always look for--1 ward to something better. Some men were entire failures because they were | not content, acting like rolling stones I and gathering no moss. The speaker , urged his hearers to be firm, and liavo ■ the"grit"to say "no" to every form of wrong. The model young I man should also lie of a cheerful | disposition, and not make every--1 body miserable by constant grumbI ling. He should also have an am- . bifcion in life, and not be slow to avail 1 himself of an opportunity when it presented itself. Common sense was > ueedful and many did not know when ' to endure, to stand, or to fight. Foolish things were often done by the 1 most careful, but all should profit by ' their mistakes. The speaker told the young maD to avoid the man who j makes no errors in life \ to learn i from experience, and to raoh examine 1 their every day life, profiting by the mistakes, and seeing themselves as ® others saw them, l'o find out; pos--1 sible the particular taleut- God had J given them, and to use it to the best of their ability. To avoid tho 0 path of evil men and learn all that could minister to the comforts of their ■ fellow creatures, He did not believe t in tlie goody-goody-man, afraid to go 8 iuto the cricket or football field for ® fear of hearing something out of , placo, Thiß was not the model man. 1 He should be truthful, virtuous and i pious, and aboye the ungodly habits 7 of sneering, fault-finding and spenk--5 ing in a manner which would hurt ' thefcelingsofothers. Heshouldhayea | pure heart, and lead a pure life, f Many temptations stand is the way s of the young man, and he strongly i and earnestly urged those present to s be careful, and be determined to lead r a higher life, upholding the light and 7 opposing the wrong. Their work and ; strength was ■wanted in the future of , this bright Colony, and they should j be earnest, faithful and true in their s duty to God. The rev, gentleman i illustrated his discourse with word 1 pioturua from the lives of the world's ' heroes, and tho number of young men in the congregation profited con- , siderably by the address.