, 1863-04-28
Anniversary of the Young Mems
Christian Association.
REPORT or THE PRESIDENT, DR.,
KDlLfSTER.
ADDRE&S DE REV. q, NJ.
HUMPHREY,

we're closed and their congregations filed the
hall to overfowing. The pastors were present
occupying seats on the platform. After sing
ing, Rev. H. n. Bishop read from the Scrip
lures, and Rev. ". IT. Patton led In prayer.
The President then read hi. annual report,
substantially as follows:
REroRT OF THE PRESIDENT.
After tracing the objects Of the Association.
the speaker said: We have been happy In the
bcstowment Of charities, About 2, 600 appll-
cations for relief have been presented, and We
know Of no fnmf1y in our city which, during
the inclenent weather, suffered from cold Or
hunger. None whom Q judteious friend would
S52 hs 1eEs S bssp ee na tuned eonyea ay s@ & tssy
means to permit such result, have abundant
cause for gratitude rs the thanks Of the poor
and we hope the blessing OF God shall re-
ward their generous contributions,
Less than year since, at meeting largely
attended by the clergymen Of the leading
churches Of the city, it was resolved to invite
the Association to assume the oversight OF
the city tract work. The proder was accepted
so far as the churches would supply the pecu-
MARY means. and this field Of labor was in
visited tie Tract Societies Of Boston and New
York, and representing our Immediate neces-
tiles, Obtained donation for six months dis
tribution from the first, and liberal contri-
button from the last Society. We asked the
churches to select the tracts to be distributed,
Us they formerly did,. and they did SO. We
promised our earnest effort to secure the
tracts selected their proper distribution, aud
We think with abundant success.
A central room was obtained adjoining
those occupied by the association, and the un-
divided services Of our Brother E. " Hawley
we're secured to superintend the work. From
his report CLEAN the following facts: His
11hr e,It.5 Il 5S-$-S
suitable districts, and then to ask the churches
and Sabbath schools 10 take charge Of the
tract distribution In districts assigned to them.
To this call but eighteen responses were vol
UNFAIRLY made. Then commenced the labor
which, NC had foreseen, and for which his
tions. Gradually have bis labors been Sue
cessful, till, in less than the year, he has en-
listed corps Of visitors scyerally for forty
two Of the fifty districts.
The visitors now engaged in tract distribu-
tlon, reporting through, their Superfntendents
TO him, number 4S4, and they have made, in
little more than six months, 50, 600 yisitations.
English and =, ,000 pages Of foreign tracts;
have induced 3l4 persons to attend church j;
brought $50 children into the Sabbath school;
relieved numerous cases OF want; bestowed
Testaments and Bibles when duty required; !;
and furnished for many INDECENT, places Of en-
pioynent.
The mites Of the widows are doubtless al
ready in the treasury; but where are the
'hank offerings Of those, prospered in bust
ness and strangers to want? We have 4 cheer
ing report from the Devotional Committee.
The noon-day prayer meeting at tho rooms Of
the Association has been well sustained
throughout the year.
These meetings have been precious 10 many
souls. We have reason to believe that large
number Of persons hare been converted
through this instrumcntality. We are pleased
to notice IN increase Of interest in these meet
ings on the part Of our city. clergy; several
are regular in attendance, and large number,
pressing as are their other engagements, still
! lind time to attend occasionally.
The War Committee has been continued
the same since the first appointment, and ita
| records are replete with interest. Twenty
seFen war meetings hare been held in the "a
| r1ous churches, which time will fail INC to
cnumcrate.
The collections received at these meetings
Tue en.oat} g. received for lie m:mbc1sIio.
| Cash received for rrecrEitiug ......... TO{
Hospital stores fom L. S. Oh. Commission 2oi
oi Took and papers s M fson the i,E,5 sans =:
| Fran the Am. Tract Society. ........... Isl
From Am. Tract Society Of Doston. &c;
Reformed Dutch Church, y. T.. in books. 15t
| Donations from citizens of Chicago. ....... GG
The entire receipts Of this department for
THEY have distributed to our soldiers in tit
service IL, 500 hymn books Of their own pub
1fcation, $3.50 testaments and bibles, 3,S2(
hound books, 2,4c0 magazines, g, COO papers
and BIZ, ,0CO pages of tructs.
They have now OIL hand 6, 500 Tcstamcnts
| and II, ecu hymn books, inTenturying s., 1S1
They are indebted for publishing hylnn-book
| $500, and for Tcstaments and sundries 500
leaving BALANCE to their credit Of $3.50.
Twcnty.onc delegates from this association
have during the year Visited the different lat
tie fields, hospitals and camps, to minister t.
the sick and wounded soldiers Mt Shiloh Cor
in1h. Nashville, Columbus, Memphis, Helena
Murfrecsboro and Vicksburg-the wonnac
from home. the counsel Of Christian visitors
and the comforts which it were possible thu
hastily to bestow.
In the hospitals ut Paducah, Louisville, 81
Louis, Mound City, and the camps Mt Jackson
Springfield, Peoria, Rockford, Ottawa an
Cairo the sick aud wounded have had persons
visitation, in some instances for weeks, vii
assurances Of our sympathy and prayers
Fifty-1iye persons have been engaged in III
camps near our city holding $40 meeting
among the various regiments: One hnndre
and eiglty-tiye letters have been written
different persons in the army, to give the,
assurances Of our warmcst sympathy, aud t
strengthen them in their trials The two VII
its to the army Of the Potomac, by Rev. D
Patterson, will be long remembered both b
| luQEG WHO were Lie lnppY SUBJECTS OF IL
| kind Offices, and their friends st home.
The Association hare not only sent fort
members with comforts, but have sent men
| bers to do active service. Four companies
the I'D regiment were gathered from The 4
| aociation; also two companies in the 1851
|. The Association is represented IN the I'D by
Lieutenant Colonel, Chaplain, four Captain
five Lieutenants, and several non-commi
| | stoned officers. The Chaplains Of tho SSt
! and l13th we're appointed by the Association
The receipts Of q Ladies' Floral Festival ut
by annual dues OF members, have equal1s
; the current expenses. The Tract Departme]
only needs the contributions already promi5s
War Department hare ample assets aboyo Il
: biiitics. The Relief Department has met !:
: demands which Its founders designed, and b
= | q resCryc fund.
The President closed his report with m
oquent appeal, and introduced the Preside
, elect, B. F. Jacobs, esq.
4 hymn was then sung and Rev. z, ]
. Humphrey delivered the annual address.
!, ADDRESS OF REV. z. N. HUMPHREY,
, Rev. q. n, Humphrey addressed the Ass
citation substantially IS follows: He WAS gl
; to find himself Standing upon comm
:. rounded onIT BY the 1lock entrusted to HI
= By the common shepherd, he was Christi
only when minEling With associations Il
i this: Families gathered into churches a
distinct, yet IN their union, one. Church
f are complete in their spirit and their orgal
xation, yet when their members commiug
:, they ure one church. There is the came Il
q son why there should be distinct church
that there is that there should be distfr
,. families, yet the unity which underlies all
;, grand and yital unity. There may be n
son why in our present condition there shou
be, to the end of time, the smaller doc
j., feeding In separate fields; but in the gre
pastures and beside the still water Of Pa
l. disc We expect to own but one Shepherd, 81
l. NC will not too closely 6crutinize each othe
- dock,marGs while gathered on an occasi
x like this.
- BE allnded to the assertion, often na,
"a will be done By the Church In its organic
- capacity. From the nature Of the case, Il
was impossible. There may have been strl
s and iealousics engendcred By sect, but, II
l. withstanding ali the evils which may hs
arisen, truth has been watched, sifted, I'LL
$ man in its c1carest and most urgt
= forms, by reason Of the sects vii
n have assumed its special guardiansn
u sects will conane themselves mail
. to their limited circles. There
n but do not cnt each other, and there may b.
- grand circle enclosing all. We, then,
members Of these separate churches, NAV q
&c ought to step out Of our peculiar circles IL
ID the spaces between, aud walk together tn
:. for common ends, which can thus be bet
secured.
: After these preliminary statements, I
,, speaker said lie shonld con1ne himself to d
n | idea, viz: "Godlincss is mauliness -
~ othtr words, that nothing is so worthy Of
- as men, as to aspire to reflect the image
e. God In character and in Life. This is indec
4 central idea, in every evangelical church; I
IL it Is committed to you specially
- illustrate and enforce It, because !