What is the YMCA / YWCA?

The Y.M.C.A. was begun as a strictly Christian movement having for its object the conversion and godly care of the youths flocking into the great cities of the empire. Here and there, under the influence of a godly, earnest secretary, this is maintained, but in many cases, alas! it has degenerated into mere worldly clubs.

The following, reported by a leading Daily, sadly confirms this. Some time ago a luncheon was given in London to inaugurate the scheme for raising £100,000 for the erecting of central Y.M.C.A. premises in London—a scheme which prostituted all that was professedly Christian to the world in its shameless methods of attempting to raise this sum.

The late Earl Grey was called upon to speak, and he is reported as having said: “I know there are some who believe that the Y.M.C.A. is nothing more than an evangelical association, chiefly remarkable for the texts upon the walls. I have been to several Y.M.C.A’s and I have never seen any texts in the rooms of the clubs. It is nothing more thin a young men’s club.”

During the war, many of the Y.M.C.A. huts were simply social clubs. Sing-songs, concerts, games, etc., were to the forefront, and in many cases the gospel was studiously kept in the background. An officer got up at the end of such an evening, expressed his gratitude for the efforts made to brighten their lives, but deplored that no attempt was made to present to them the gospel. “We are soon going to face the horrors of war,” he said with manly directness, “and we need to be prepared to die.” The gospel only could furnish that preparedness.

There is no doubt that a great conflict is impending. There are signs of it on every hand. For instance, the Soldiers’ Christian Association has severed its connection with the Y.M.C.A., because of the flagrant unsoundness and worldliness of the latter. There has been a secession from the Y.W.C.A. for similar reasons, forming itself into “The Christian Alliance of Women and Girls.” There has also been a secession from the Church Missionary Society on the part of missionaries and Christian subscribers, who have formed a Bible Churchmen’s Missionary Society. Again, a similar secession has occurred from the Baptist Missionary Society, the secessionists forming themselves into “The Baptist Auxiliary of the Bible Missionary Trust.”

No one can deny that while the increase of sects goes on without apparent abatement, yet along with this there is a marked and decided tendency to union for all kinds of objects dear to the Christian. Missionary societies, Bible societies, Tract societies, Sunday-school Unions, Young Men's Christian Associations, and such like, ignore on the one hand what they recognize on the other, and aim to unite Christians as such, to accomplish results which the divisions of Protestantism have hindered. And in movements of this kind there is much that one can very heartily rejoice over. Who can doubt that there is working . a real desire for Christian fellowship, a longing for liberty beyond the artificial limits imposed by ecclesiasticism, and a yearning for greater and better fruitfulness than the strife of sects would allow? Who can doubt also that in this way the zeal of many earnest workers has been kindled, and that much has really been, and is being, accomplished? Intolerance has been softened down; sectarian rancor mitigated; and a busy activity in evangelistic efforts especially induced, which the Lord is using for blessing to numbers of souls.

In the present day, when nearly all forms of recreation and entertainment have their special clubs and organizations, a young Christian is often very hardly pushed to join one or another. Some, indeed, may join willingly from various reasons, such as better to enjoy themselves, or perhaps thinking to do others good by a little Christian influence, etc. Instances, however, are exceedingly rare where any good has been effected by this means; too often the result is the other way, and the Christian soon acquires the worldly tastes that characterize his associates. When this is the case, he has only himself to blame for taking the wrong step at the outset; for with the Bible (2 Cor.6) in our hands, we must characterize as wrong, contrary to, and beneath true Christian walk, any alliance for pleasure with the world.

And yet in spite of this we rejoice to see many spirit-filled lives of men and women, who are seeking to serve the Lord in many ways. We see Christian men and women in associations that are not scriptural, and yet acting in a spirit beyond their associations. It is delightful to meet such. Think of the army of missionaries, who give themselves to the conversion of the heathen and their edification, their building up in Christ, after they are converted.

Christian fellowship, as taught in the word, is often very little thought of by young converts. They follow, generally speaking, where it will be most convenient or most agreeable to themselves, without any exercise of conscience, as to whether they are following in the footsteps of the flock. They may be right, or they may be wrong, as to their path, but they have never prayerfully examined the word of God to ascertain His mind on the subject. Had the church continued undivided, as it was at Pentecost, there would have been no need for such exercise and examination; but seeing the professing church is now broken up into so many sections, it becomes every child of God to search the scriptures, that they may know and do His holy will.

In the first half of the nineteenth century there began a blessed movement of the Spirit of God, calling attention to and reviving long-forgotten truths, leading men and women of all ranks to renounce unscriptural ecclesiastical associations, and to meet together in Christian assembly, gathered to no other name but that of their risen glorified Lord, and knowing no other fellowship but that which the Word of God teaches.