The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-16
Annual Meeting OF the Young Mems
Christian Association.

Christian Association.
At $50 last night the twenty-second nm
nual meeting oisthe Young Mems Christian
Association ofsRichmond convened in AS
| ISOLATION Hall.1. ma
The meeting was called to order by J.
Taylor EllYson, the president. After the
reading OF tho 'scrlptures by Rev. S. A.
Steel. OF the Broad Street Methodist church,
Rev. Mr.. Schaefer, OF the Lutheran church,
The President then read the follow ing as
his annual report: ..4...-
THE STY-sEeoSD ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
PRESIDENT oFssTHE YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN
ASSOCIATION. ,-.. .....
To the Directory and Members of the Young
MEMS Christian Association:
The recurrenceo Of another annual meeting
makes It my duty to present to you 4 state
ment OF the work OF the Association during
the past year. q.
It will be gratifying to the members to
| know that our rooms continue to be 3 pop
ular place OF resort, rs is attested by the
large number of visitors who daily frequent
our rooms. 1t is estimated that more than
twenty-six Thousand persons have visited
the hall during the year, making daily
| average Oh lluH
During the winter. six lectures and read
ipgs have been gwen under the auspices Of
the Association, by Rev. A. A. Willetts, D.
D., Professor - Reade, Rev. j. L. NJ.
Curry, u. D., and Mr.. Martin Farquhar
Tupper; which were generally well attend
ed and highly satisfactory to the members
and friends Of the Association.
The treasurer's report will furnish de-
| tailed statement OF our financial condition.
The receipts for the year have been ST.
1920, and the expenditures $l,730.I0-
| leaving balance in the treasury OF S12.G0.
| 1t is proper, however, that should call
attention to the fact that there is still due
on account Of the Indebtedness OF previous
years S9IS.10, for the payment OF which
some provision should be at once made. A
small contribution from each member
would be sufficient to pay all that is now
due bv the Association. The existence OF
this debt is 4 barrier in the way OF any pro-
gress in our work, and it is essential to our
prosperity, il not indeed to our existence,
that some measures should be promptly de-
vised for the payment OF all claims against
us. Our income from dues and other
sources Is more than sufficient for all cur
rent expenses, so that il we liquidate
our present Indebtedness we shall be
free from the apprehension OF future
embarrassment. This is one OF the few
associations in the land that is not accus-
toned to appeal regularly to its members
for means to carry on its work. Very few
Of our leading associations rely upon re-
ceipts from members dues, but are accuS-
toned annually, and sometimes oftener, to
solicit special contributions from their
members and friends. We should, there
| fore, not be discouraged, for with united
effort this debt can be speedily removed,
and we can thus prepare the way for more
enlarged sphere OF usefulness.
Two hundred and fifty volumes have been
added to the library during the past year,
making the number Of books on our shelves
6,792.
Since our last annual meeting Mr.. p. +.
Howard has been elected assistant libra
rian in place OF Miss Bette Wood, who had
50 worthily filed that position for several
wears past. Miss Wood during her term OF
service was earnestly attentive to the inter-
ests OF the Association, and your directory
parted with her with much regret, and only
because there were certain duties incident
to the office which could be more satiSfac-
torily performed by gentleman. Mr. How
ard has commended himself to the members
by his uniformly courteous and Christian
like demeanor, which, added to his we'll
known qualifications, will doubtless insure
faithful discharge OF the duties assigned
him. - ,."'.. -s'.'
The religious work OF the Association
has suffered somewhat from the lack OF la-
borers. Brethren Lockwood, Shepherd,
Bigelow, Hagan, Munford, and Sleight, de-
serve special mention for their earnest and
untiring efforts to carry the Gospel to the
needy and destitute in our city. Mainly
through their instrumentalty services have
been held on the Sabbaths during the year
at the pententiary and almshouse; cottage
PRAYERS during the week, besides occasional
services at the city jail, and open-alr meet
ings during most of the summer months.
Great is the religious destitution even in
our favored city, and frequent and urgent
are the appeals for religious services. The
force at the penitentiary Is wholly made
quate, and at our jails and in many portions
of our city there is great need for faithful
Christian effort. Souls are to be saved, and
are there not in our meeting tonight young
men who are ready to pledge themselves to
enter upon this work? Great is the prvi-
lege and great Will be the reward OF those
who diligently labor in their Masters ser
vice.
The great need OF our Association is
| proper conception by many OF its members
of the true nature OF Association work.
Special effort for young men is now gene
rally understood to be the aim OF every
well-organized Young Mems Christian AS
sociation. Whatever else is done should be
made subsidiary to this end. The sal
vation and improvement OF young men
should be our chief concern. To contrl-
butte to this result committees should be ap-
pointed to visit regularly our hotels and
boarding-houses to seek out young men
when they first come to the city. to bring
them to our rooms, carry them to our
churches and Sunday schools, and surround
them with Christian influences at time
when they are most susceptible to good or
evil impressions.
Many young man could be thus rescued
before he has formed vicious tastes and been
polluted by unhallowed associations.
TO still further aid in this work commit
tees Of reception should be appointed to be
in attendance at our rooms to welcome the
stranger. Bible classes should be organized,
and stated religious services held at the
rooms Of the Association. All these things
would contribute not only to the spiritual
growth OF the Association, but to its mate
rial prosperity. The community, seeing
that we were power for good, would the
more readily yield Us 4 generous support.
To accomplish these things, however. 1t
is necessary that some one should devote
his whole time to the supervision and di.
rection OF the work OF the Association. All
of the associations in our larger cities have
such an officer, who is usually designated
general secretary. 1t has been found i'm
practicable to carry on Association work
without some one to give direction to the
work, I confidently believe that the en-
nloyment OF an efficient general secretary,