Morning journal and courier., 1882-06-12
LOCAL NEWS.
The Secretaries Conference.

The Close of Their Meeting-some of the Closing Featurss-Iutual Hints and Helps from Treasure Houses of Per sOnal Experience-PreachI for Re- sults and Suggestions to Methods Officers Elected.
 The forenoon session of the last business day of the conference of Y. NJ. c. A. general ] secretaries convened at the Atheneum at 9:3O 8. m Thomas S. Cole, secretary at Quebec, occupied the chair for the forenoon. "Close to Thee' and "Jesus, Keep me Near the Cross" were sung and Secretary Hersey, of Providence, led in prayer. At 9:45 Claus Olandt, of New Orleans, read paper on ''Ths Duty of the Secretary to the German speaking young men of his community" He said Every secretary is bound to work for, not Anaeric0'o young men, but y0ot1lg men, and every secretary has Germans within reach. Get hold of an English speaking German don't gush, don't overdo, treat him in manly way attach him to you, make him member of the association. Remem- Der that his notions of church membership are non American be cautious show him John IT, 8. Bling him to know the Saviour personally. Through him you can get others. Form a committee of three or four. The work is slow but sure. This is not the ory but experience.
 The paper was discussed by Secretaries Brown of Illinois, Hatch of Erie, Smith of Toledo Hall of New York Cole of Quebec, Below of Cleveland, Squires of Buffalo, Will liams of Ohio, Kesler of St. Louis, Cobb of Indianapolis, Witte of New York, MoBurney of New York, Vanarsdale of Chicago, Good 1 man of Toledo, Warburton of Syracuse Morse of International, Lewis of Wisconsin, and Wilkie of Brooklyn.
 Secretary Kesler said If you ask a Ger man. ''Are you Christian ?" he will reply, 1 ''Am I a heathen ?' All Germans think they are Christians. Don't speak to him about his soul Get him into your meeting; exhibit l the spirit of Christ to him convince him by | your fervid devotion to Christ of his need, so that he'll cry out, What is it which moves you? Can't get it ?" In three years our number at St. Louis has grown from 40 to | 300. Of 125 voting members, 80 are really active. We enlisted lady auxiliary members; they got their husbands interested, and we are now reaching young men, We are doing much Christian work. Go for the Germans When once got they'll work We are branch of the Y. NJ. c. A, having separate officers, l but subordinate.
 Secretary Cobb, of Indianapolis said A German boy was injured and in hospital. I went to him promptly; his eyes were closed. I placed a sweet bouquet on his pillow, say ing, My dear boy, the Lord has sent you this bouquet." I repeated it day after day. Said he, "Who are you?" 'I from the Young Mems Christian association "Is this your religion? ?" Ut is" He wanted it. He is now an earnest servant of the Lord.
 Secretary McBurney, of New York, advo- eated German prayer meeting in every as- sociation as thoroughly practicable and great Iy needed. He considers German branches as out of the question, except in certain cities
 German Secretary Witte, of New York, op- posed independent German Y. NJ. c. Is, | urging experience as proving the greater util- ity of German branches, and testifying to | the aid received from the New York associa- 1 tion.
 Secretary Cole said there were B, GOO French Catholics in Quebec, and Secretary Webster reported 5000 in Biddeford, Me. I Secretary Wilkie, of Brooklyn, said that 65 Scandinavians Gall Christians but one). are brought under the association's influence. Secretary Witte and others showed differ ence between German born and American born Germans, in that the former prefer tho German language and the latter the English. Secretary Smith, of Toledo, spoke of the German talent for musical programmes etc. Secretary Goodman, of Toledo, said Ger man pastor had volunteered to teach German to American born and English to German born Germans, at the association rooms. Secretary Olandt, in reply to question, said, If German young Christian speaks German, his special mission is to his own countrymen in ths German speaking meetings; love to Christ should constran to this, if nothing | else does.
 Saviour, thy dying love-" was sung, and Secretary Budge, of Montreal, gave ex- cellent Bible reading on "Our need of wis i dom," "Our need of genuine love to Christ and young men," Our need of fidelity to our members and to the systematizing and | development of our work" Prayer was led | by Secretaries Williams, Morse and Bowne, and the services closed with Nothing but leaves"
 At 1O:45 I. E. Brown. State secretary of l Illinois, read paper ''The State secre- tary in his relation (a) to his State commit
 tee, (b) to railroad men, Co to college stu dents, (d) to commercial travellers" He said: It is presupposed that the right man,
 qualified, Is on the threshold of service
 First, his relation to tue State committee.
 He is it's employe, to execute its plans. But
 he is not to be passive; he must superintend
 the work, and so must become thoroughly
 informed upon the State, the associations,
 and many individuals of all classes. He
 must post and guide and inspire the commit
 tee. He must have an eye upon the financial
 side of the work, assisting in forming parlor
 conferences etc. Secondly the socalled {