Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-06-18
Young Mems Christian Association.

New HAVEN, Conn, June 18. 1882.
Mr.. EDITOR: The twelfth annual confer
ence of the Association of General Secreta-
ries of the Youn,; Mems Christian Associa-
tions of theUnited States and the Dominion
of Canada, assembled in this city yesterday
at 1880, p. N. The meeting opened with a
devotional service, after which, the delegates
were introduced. The Topic Association
| Services merely for public effect" was then
opened by paper prepared and read by W..
E. Lewis, State Secretary of Wisconsin.
This morning the regular business session
of the conference opened with devotional
service, after which, conversation Oh As
sociation history was opened with paper
prepared by Mr.. J. F. BORNE, of Newburg,
N, Y.
The next topic was, "Sectarianism snare
in Association work" was opened by pa
per 10y Mr.. r. Il. McCurney, of New York.
In the afternoon, the topic was, 1.-The
Secretary's relation to young men in his
work, showing fitness for the secretary
ship" opened by Mr.. W. G. Douglass, of
st. Louis. This was followed by devotional
exercises and a conversation on association
work
This evening the subjects will be, "Col-
lege Association Work." opened by Mr.. q.
X. ODER, of New York.
There are in attendance $40 secretaries
and young men vino are preparing to take
| up association work, as general secretaries.
Among others who are in attendance are
| Morse, Cree, Weidensall, 1ngersol, Wish
| ard, Watkins, Brown and Uhl secretaries
of the international committee State sec
retaries Sayford, of Massachusetts; Hall, of
| New York; Munhall, of Indiana Lewis, of
| Wisconsin, Bowen, of Maine; Brown, of
| Illinois.
When the Secretaries Association was Or
ganized twelve years ago, there were only
| about twenty secretaries employed i'll the
| association work, now there are two hun
bred and fifty seven, the number having
| doubled III the last two or three years
! Then, there were no secretaries in the
| Southern States, and but two or three in
| the west; now they are located i'll nearly
| every Southern and Western city. The i'll =
crease i'll the number of secretaries has only
kept pace with the growth of association
work III other directions.
Ia 1866, when the international commit
| tee was organized, there were no buildings
| owned by the association; now there arc
| sixty-six, worth -, 700, 900, and, with one
or two exceptions, they are free of debt.
During the present year, new buildings
have been erected at Rome, N. Y, costing
SIS, 900; Elmira, N. Y. Or. r. }, $4,000;
Watertown, N. Y, $50, 600; and there will
be added before the year closes, fine build
lngs at Boston, costing $500, 900; Buffalo,
1915, 900; Pittsburgh, $75, 900; Washington,
1872, 900; Newbury, N. Y, $4,000; and
Troy, N. Y, Or. RI, $1,000.
1t was ten years after the international
committee was organized that work among
railroad men, as a class, was taken up.
Already forty-six railroad association
secretaries are employed, and the leading
railroad corporations contribute $50, 900
per year to sustain the work among their
employees
In 1873, work among colleges as a dis
tinctive phase of the association work. was
taken up. There were but few college as
sociations at that time, now they number
one hundred and seventy-tive, and in every
prominent college in the country, except
three, they are work.
The international committee has recently
taken up work for commercial travellers, a
class that numbers 100, 900, and nearly all
young men.
Among German young men, of whom
there are over 500,0 600, four secretaries are
at work, and the international committee
are doing valuable work among the 500,
900 colored young men from the South.
In 1866 the international committee re-
| ceived and expended some $500. Now they
| employ nine secretaries and three assist
ants, and expend $2S, 900 per annum. Then
there was no State or provincial association
sectaries, there are eleven, having charge of
the work in as many States and provinces.
| New Haven, the City of Elms, is beau
tiful place, with its parks and trees. 1t is
the seat of Yale College, founded in zoe,
having now sixty nine instructors and ten
hundred and forty-two students. 1t gradu-
ates are scattered all over the world, and
are to be found as leaders in science, art,
| politics and the professions.
| The conference is the guest of the local
associations, and the people of New Haven
have opened their homes for the entertain
ment of the delegates.
The results of these annual gatherings
are to stimulate the associations and their
efforts to reach young men; to promote
Bible study and personal work, and to
quicken the spiritual life of the secretaries.
| A. B. B.