Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-05-24
Young Mems Christian Association OF
Alexandria. Virginia.

| 18th - . II
Young Mems Christian Association OF
| Alexandria,. Virginia.
The General Secretary Of the Young Mems
| Christian Association of Alexandria herewith
presents his first annual report:
During the year ending May goth, 1872. the
Executive Committee have reported the nalues
of tweuty-nine active and five associate meui-
bers, all of whom We're unanimously elected.
and during the same period we have lost one
member by death, Brother JAS w. Atkinson,
and four members have removed from the city,
making thirty net gain to the cmbershll', aud
the full number now on the rolls OF activity
one hundred and three, aud thirteen associate;
| in ALL one hundred and sixteen mcmbers.
The finances of the Society during the year
| have been most admirably managed; the sub
scribers to the monthly contribution fund have
with singular uDaumity and promptucss met
their obligations, and by this means the room
| debt has been discharged and Tor the future Il
| certain income for our working expenses pro-
vided.
Added to this, the liberality displayed BY
our citizens ut the anniversary meeting III the
month of January and subsequent tokens OF
their generosity, has euabed US to form very
resnectab!e nucleus for building fund, and
last, but not least, the exceeding generosity
manifested by our people toward the Night
School, making it entirely self: supporting, not
drawing one cent from the conlinon fund: the
| treasurer of the committee having very re-
spectacle balance on hand, aud furniture aud
| books, &C., between two and three hundred
dours in value, whcrewlth to commence future
! operations. in the hands OF the committee. At
| this point it would be well to notice gratefully
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bert in granting for the use Of the Night School
the building at the corner Of Duke aud Royal
streets, not only free from rental charge.
but also making the Association at the close ut
the session gift Of the building itself: which
was sold for the sum OF forty dollars, aud the
amount funded for building purposes.
The Sunday prayer meeting. the time honor
ed aud most precious activity Of the orgauza-
ton, under the faithful mauagcmcutot ltscoul-
mittee, has held during the year, in the six
| churches offered tor their use. on alternate
Sundays, fifty two meetings, with all average
attendance of two hundred souls, thus making
an aggregate gathering of III, 4U0 worshippers
from all the evangelical denominations of the
city Never in the history Of this meeting has
there been more earnest work performed aud
greater interest manifested in the exercises.
The most pleasing feature in this meeting is
the regularity with which the youth OF both
sexes attend upon the services, and in goodly
numbers and lastly the most important object
is gained Sunday by Sunday, that is, the bring
ing together the lovers of Jesus upon one cUll-
mon platform Of prayer and praise.
The Association room has been opened BIB
evenings during the year tor prayer, but sad to
relate, in one half of these seasons has the
room had more than one occupant. May this,
| ,,nh hn
said ought but in terms Of encouragement, be
once more fostered and sustained by the mem
bers Of the Association.
The Aims House services, Is reported as fol-
| lows by the chairman of the committee, have
| been holden htty-one times, with an average
attendance OF fifty persons and live members OF
| the committee; number OF converted three.
| These meetings were at times very refreshing
and very encouragl ng, and at all seasons profit
able and pleasant, aud they have been iustru
mental in gathering together from the neigh
borhood very many who were without any re-
ligious teaching or training whatever.
The Mission School proposed 10 be establish
ed in connection with this activity, was not at
tempted in consequence Of the difficulty in pro-
curing suitable room for the purpose.
AT the Jail the services We're carried on every
Sabbath evening during the year with one sin
gle exception. The committee report as tol-
lows The number Of persons reached has
been small, but the result on the whole has
been very encouraging: number OF persons, 1t
of life, and some have found rest in Christ.
The actual result accomplished will be known
only at the day when all things shall be reveal
ed but we feel assured that not one feeble ef-
fort has been in vain, and that in the last day.
il not here, we shall see the fruits OF our labor.
The field is anlmportant one; access is obtained
under the most favorable circumstances to har-
dened hearts, and the Gospel is carried to ears
that would not otherwise hear its joyful sound.
We commend the work to your thoughts aud
prayers.
The Cottage prayer meeting, which was COM
menced in the house of Mrs. Stansbury, on the
night of April 4th, 1871, was, after many hap
py reunions, and with doubtless much work ac-
complished for the glory Of the Master during
the time for obvious reasons transferred
to the Village Chapel on the night Of August
! 18th, 1871, and then October It'll, 1871, was
closed, in order to permit the regular use OF
the house by the church to which it belonged
as mission.
The Bethel services were commenced at the
usual season during the summer of last year on
the wharf but were transferred to the rooms OF
the Corn Exchange foot of Prince street; a
change which was not wholly favorable to the
success of the mission. The meetings held on
the wharf we're we'll attended and much inter
est manifested in the services, but those at the
room were often disturbed, and many persons
upon whom some religious influence might
have been exerted, would not. or could not be
induced to attend on indoor exs rcis,
The open air prayer meeting was commenced
on June of last year. aud continued, every Sun,
day evening, on King street-6rst Sunday at
the corner Of King and Royal streets, and then
transferred to the northwest corner of King aud
St. Asapb streets-as long as the weather aud
length of days would permit. These meetings
we're largely attended; a full corps of the mem
bers present Oh every occaion, several Of the
city clergy, and members of the Theological
Seminary OF Virginia cooperating with the
committee. The services were we'll sustained,
and the hearts of the brethren warmed up By
occasional reports Of the beueicent results Of
their abors.
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