A PAGE FOR Y’s.

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 237, 18 March 1915, Page 13

A PAGE FOR Y’s.

Extracts from "Union Signal," Young People’* Branch.

"it is glorious to man the lifeboat, but better to build a lighthouse.” Gain for 1914, 3#57 members; goal for 1915, 5000 new members. The year is closed, the record made, The last deed done, the last word said; The memory alone remains Of all its joys, its griefs, its gains; And now, with purpose full and clear, 1 turn to meet another year. Already we have turned to meet another year, and, as 1 think, back over the encouraging progress of our young peoples branch during the* one just past, the new year seems bright with promise of things yet to be done by the great band of enthusiastic young people eager to do them. I am quite sure that every one of u*> who has had eve. so small a part in the campaign thus far carried on is rejoicing heartily over the vote recently taken in the House of Representatives (this applies to America), which shows us clearly that our cause is marching on. The plans we have laid for the new year are as good as we can make them, and with every State V I*. B. Secretary, and every individual Branch, and every individual member working in the place appointed, and with the help of Jehovah, our Leader, they shall be accomplished. Word has come from almost every State in the Union of the desire to push the young peoples work this year. The reason for this is that we are realising the great need of fresh young soldiers in our holy conflict —soldiers who will dare to fight in the very forefront of the battle for God, and Home, and Every Land, taking always new recruits with them. And so the call goes up for more and more young men and women who, being total abstainers themselves, are willing and

anxious to discourage the use of and the traffic in alcoholic liquors. 1 want

to give to our young people everywhere a few words of John Bright. “You are perhaps waiting to do some great things; you would bleed and die for your country. Citizenship does not demand such act of heroism. Do the small things, and the first one that comes to you, and a second will immediately come.” Let us each do the small things and the first things as they come to us in this great work, that we may be ready for ihe things which will follow another year. May not our individual watchword for 1915 be—“ Others?” Miss Amy Swankie-Cameron, in a beautiful letter of greeting to the Y.P. B. Conferences, made a request ot the American young people, which can be equally applied to our \ ’s of New Zealand. “Will you," she writes, “ask the young White Ribboners, for me, if they will definitely resolve to pray, to talk, to work, during the whole year, so that the young life of your land may be influenced for peace? For if those who come after us grow up in the strong determination that wars shall cease, never again will the war-demon be allowed to raise its head, and peace will reign throughout the whole wide world. May God grant it!" Let us not forget this heartfelt appeal from the World’s Y. Secretary, who has given of her very best efforts to the promotion of our work among young people the world over.

Among the many plans laid down by our American comrades for their years’ campaign are one or two that might easily be copieu by our Y’s here, or will at h ast offer suggestions that will satisfy the oft-repeated cry, “Please tell us what to do.” That each State not already engaged in Branch work be urged to appoint a Y.P.B. Secretary, and appropriate a sufficient sum of money to enable her to visit and organise Young People’s Branches. That each Branch present prizes or other honours to the individual secur-

ing the greatest number of paid members during the year.

That April, the birthday month of our first Y. Secretary, Mrs Francis J. Barnes, be especially recognised as Y.P.B. campaign month, that all through the month an especial effort be made to secure ne w members, and a new organisation, as a birthday offering to the Y.P.B. of the W.C.T.U., and that as an aid to this membership campaign, “birthday post-cards be prepared and circulated to all Secretaries, who will urge each to secure at least one new member, and in order to push the* plan still further, that April 14th, our Y.P.B. Red Letter Day be observed by an especially prepared programme and social meeting, and that at this meeting “I Won One” buttons be presented to all who gained new members during the month, a button for each new member. That all Branch members, wherever possible, enclose campaign literature in personal correspondence, and that they u>e the “Liquor Traffic Must Co" on such correspondence. That a Glee Club be organised for specific purpose of helping in all meetings, held either by W.C.T.U. or their ow n Brain h work, and that they obtain “outside*” young people to help. That Branches everywhere render spec ial aid to the W.C.T.U. in placing posters, parades, and other spectacular demonstrations, netting a>ide a special poster day. I trust these notes may be helpful to our young people. I would like to urge them to follow their American sisters. Set a goal for 1915, and gain it. At the Worlds Convention Mrs Peterson told how she asked the Lord for just too dues-paid Y.P.B. member in T v exas, anl then started out, and worked night and day to this end. The Lord gave her twice that number 757. Wake up, Y’s, the Lord wants you, we of the Mother Unions want you, thi people under the heel of the Liquor Traffic want you- There is much to do. Up and do it NOW !