164 A HALF CENTURY. 



THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE FUTURE. 

 Rev. Charles E. Steele. 



The religious life of the young people of our church has been so 

 intimately connected with the Young People's meetings during recent 

 years that we are led to inquire how they originated. 



About the beginning of December, 1864, Dr. Goodell invited the 

 young people to meet at his house. Although the religious interest 

 was not so marked this first winter as in the following, many who at- 

 tended these meetings came to regard them as the most attractive of 

 all their social engagements. It has been said that they were started 

 to counteract the influence of worldly amusements, in which some 

 were getting absorbed. However this, may be, Dr. Goodell did not 

 desire to antagonize the young, people in their amusement. He 

 was far too wise for that. He realized the truth which Dr. Bushnell 

 has so finely expressed, that too much of even innocent amusement 

 ceases to be innocent and becomes the vice of dissipation. His method 

 was to overcome evil with good, and in this aim he was signally suc- 

 cessful. Several conversions followed the first series of meetings, 

 and when they were resumed the next winter the interest became very 

 marked. During that winter, some who have become foremost in the 

 business life of this and other communities stood up to testify to their 

 new-found love for Christ. Mrs. Goodell contributed greatly to the 

 interest in leading the singing, often starting a hymn that exactly 

 voiced the common feeling. 



The last young people's meeting was held in Dr. Goodell's house 

 May 1, 1866, the attendance having outgrown the accommodations 

 there. Then for a time while the new church was building they were 

 held in Thomson's Block. Later they were held for many years in the 

 primary class room of the new church. Dr. Goodell's tact in develop- 

 ing the latent interest that he knew existed was remarkable. A sin- 

 gle incident will illustrate this. In an after-meeting in the ladies' 

 parlor, an expression of interest was called for. There was no re- 

 sponse. The trouble was that those present did not know just how to 

 take the first step. Dr. Goodell took a piece of chalk and drew a line 

 on the carpet, and asked all who really wi.slied to accept Christ and 

 be on the Lord's side to step over that line. Then they saw it, and in 

 gladly taking this step they found it was only a step to Jesus. 



Very vividly I recall the thrilling scenes of those years, the joy, surpas- 

 sing all other earthly joy, of seeing one and another committing them- 

 selves to the service of Christ. I recall the faces of many who contribu- 

 ted by their constant attendance and words to the helpfulness of these 

 meetings. There were Lamb, and Murray, and Seymour, and Lee, and 



