The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-26

The sixteenth annual Convention OF the
Young Mems Christian Association OF the
United States and British Provinces began
its session Wednesday morning in Washing
ton. tits probable that the Conference will
continue until Sunday evening, and the
indications are favorable for an unusually
large gathering Of delegates.
When it is borne in mind that the young
men who form and fill these conventions
are the representative men of the churches,
Sunday-schools, and mission and benevo-
lent enterprises of the whole country that
each one has been selected and sent as the
champion Christian worker, so to speak,
of the association accrediting him-and
that eight hundred or thousand of these
olive" men are gathered into this single
annual conference, it is not difficult to be-
lieve that their proceedings are full Of
practical interest. Never has one OF these
conventions failed to leave behind it last
ing impression of solemn earnestness, and
in many instances religious revivals have
been their legacy to the churches thus Wis.,
tied and influenced.
There are some 800 Young Mems Chris
tian Associations in this country, (includipg
the British Provinces,) of which number
about 400 have thus far made reports to
this Convention. These return an average
of 200 members; and, if this may be
taken as the average membership of all
the societies, it will be seen that grand
army Of 100 900 of the most Influential
class of our citizens is enlisted under this
standard. In 1869-70 the Executive
Committee reported 2O7 new associations
organized during the past year, however,
some have died of general debility, and
fewer have been formed than for several
years past.
But it is understood that the growth anc
strength of the societies, as body, have
been unusually marked with encouraging
features. The average membership il
larger, the religious interest deeper, the
general usefulness greater, and the value
of property, libraries, buildings, and othel
accessories held by the associations, much
higher now than year ago. While few
weaklings have succumbed, because they
had no reason to be born at all, the many
which really had mission, and meant t.
fulfill it, have become stronger in all i'm
portant respects.
This Christian association movement Il
one of much more moment than most pee
pie seem to think. What has been dom
BY the New York Association, az regard
missionary work among young men, il
lust what, in all our larger towns ans
cities, similar organizations are CONSTANT.
attempting to do. And when we contem
plate the united energies of 100000 Chris
tan young men, banded together for sucl
purpose, doing their work in the mos
direct and systematic manner, it become
obvious that there is an agency for good
whose influence cannot be- small, workin
upon mass which sadly needs its whole
some action.
If the Convention would turn its atten
ton to the Southern field, and send a
equally efficient exponent of its principle
to mould anew the material there lyin
dormant, or else raging restlessly, som
good might be done OF a sort SO practica
as to suggest the possibility of our OWN
national debt of gratitude to the beni6
cent power of the Young Mems Christia
Association.