Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-07-19
From our Special Correspondent.

SOAh'Jj - - -
From our Special Correspondent.
YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN AssOCIA-
TION---14th ANNUAL CONVENTION.
PORTLAND, July Is, 1869.
After much trouble, but still more
enjoyment, find myself in this beau
tiful New England city. The change
from Boston is most agreeable one,
especially to stranger for here, by a
little inquiring, you may manage to
find your way from point to point ;
but L defy any human being to make
head or tail out of Boston, unless from
his earliest infancy, he has made its
narrow, crooked streets, and its vexa
tious lanes and alleys his special study.
Aside from this, Boston is indeed q
noble city, and possesses points of in
terest, second to none in the United
States.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton, treated with the most generous
hospitality, the delegates passing
through on their way to the convention
These numbered about one hundred,
and were divided into two parties, one
of which was invited to drive through
the city and surroundings, and the
other to an excursion in the harbor 1t
may not be out of place to mention
that at Mount Auburn Cemetery, some
six miles from Boston, we saw the
grave of our distinguished fellow cit;-
zen, Josiah o. Stearns, which forcibly
though sadly reminded us of the tim e
when we used to see his familiar form,
moving to and fro among us.
But you want to hear about the con-
vention, and digressions are ou5 of o.
der. On reaching the rooms of the
Portland Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation, we found prayer meeting al
ready started, and it was then but six
o'clock, Wednesday morning The
rooms, may say, are very fine, large.
well fitted up, and very numerous oc
cupying good part of the floors.
A collation. was prepared for the dele
gates as they arrived in the morning,
and by the noon trains also, the neces-
sary materials for those wishing to
write. Another most in teresting pray
er meeting was held in the Free street
church, from eleven to twelve O'Clock,
under the direction of Rev. Geo. A.
Hall of Washington. The convention
proper assembled at three o'clock in
the State street Congregational church.
The convention was called to order
and prayer offered by II. Thane Mil
Ter, of Cincinnati, the presiding officer
for the last three conventions. God
bless the blind, cheerful, warm-hearted,
earnest follower of Christ. After the
opening exercises, he addressed the
convention most feelingly and apprc-
priately, giving most encouraging ac-
count of the progress of the work. In
1866, the total membership of the
Young Mems Christian Associations in
North America, was 10000 in 1867
80, 900; in 1868, 10000; and this year
10000. When,' he said, sit is
known to me, that during the past year
3, $50 new conversions are attributable
under God, to the work of these bands
of christian young men when it is
known to me, that the associations now
hold property to the value of So, $50, =
900, 1 feel it in my own heart to say,
"The Lord hath done great things for
us, for which we are very glad.
At the conclusion of this address
committees were appointed on perma
nent organization, and credentials, the
chairman of the latter committee being
Mr.. w. J. Carlton of Elizabeth. Mr..
Miller having peremptorily refused the
use of his name as presiding officer,
the committee to the great satisfaction
of all the delegates, reported the name
of William E. Dodge jr., of New York,
who was chosen amid intense enthusi-
asm. After prayer and singing, and
business announcements, the conven-
ton adjourned to attend the Welcome
Meeting at half past seven in the City
Hall. This meeting was grand sue
cess, in every sense of the word, there
being at least two thousand people as
sembled in the spacious hall, which WIGS
most tastefully decorated; the flags Of
the United States, and Great Britain,
being intertwiaed, and beautifully fes-
tooned in the rear of the stage, aud
overhanging the word Welcome" in
large letters. Hon. Woodbury. Davis
presided his remarks were brief and
well chosen.
PRAYER WAS offered by Rev. Mr. Bal