Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1883-10-18
cry. IgALTER @. DOUGLASS.
From tie 81. Louis Globe Democrat S<pt 10.
4gprecfaiioH If the EnergV Gild Ability
az LouiS Christian to Con vert
fae UagOdig.

Il was currently reported last evening
:hgt Secretary Douglass OF the J. NJ. g. A,
was 70 60 to the village by the lake, there to
assume the sccretsryship of their Y. III. @.
4, which Mr. Hcmmingway has resigned.
Mr.. Douglass, when inteTrogated on the
subject by q reporte, 0f the Giobe-Dcgtocrcf,
iauginghlv replied: That's more than /
can say. The GloJs Democrat lust now
knows more about it than I 90, for l have
received 10 cell get. cs'De near
going there four year ago, ard have twice
hecn elected State Secretary OF the \. III. &.
4. # Illinois. I would have zone at the
time | mention but for the influence OF
friends here If should get the call, !
can not but acknowledge that there are q
great many attractions in Chicago. Their
assCciation IS p years CID While ours IS only
:. They have better building, morc men
and better equipments. These things, OF
course, cannot be disfegardcd Oh such an oc-
casion But eli my friends arein II. Louis.
AKA warmly attached 90 il; / &m on the
best terms with all the ministers, while IN
Chicago would be almos, stranger, know
iug nobody but Dr. Marquis i is true !
have been there several times at Conferences,
etc. and ha9c delivered addresses yet J
am really strynger there. 50 ! can't 5ay
whether / shall accept or not. II DO I'll
be looking around every day for the Gl2te-
Democrat reporter coming in the door and
saying Anything new today y
BIosR tPTICAL SKETCH.
Walter G. Douglass was born IN Charles
town. Jcitrson County, in wha; is now West
Virgiaia. in December, 1910. His early ed
ucaion was received in the academy OF that
town but during the war be vas With the
Confederate .osces. not, however, as q regu-
larly enlisted soldier. Alter the war he at
tended 81. Nm0thy's Hall, the leading mill
tary school in Md, since dis3anded. Not
content with the ordinary studies, he tcoka
full college course. and in his lSth year was
made Assistant Professor OF Mathematics
and Ancient Languages, while the 800 ca
diets were put under his entire control, BE
being invested with the rank ofMai0t. lie
was offered the Vice Presidency Of the Vir-
rinia Mechanical aud Agricultural Institute,
but declined Il, thinking himself too young.
He next studied law at Liberty, Va, and
owned and published one of the oldest
papers in the State, the Democratic bedford
S,sf'nel lie sat in the State Convention
during the Greeley campaign, and was con-
si5. raDlv noticed rs the Youngest delegate
there. In the fall Of 1874 be came TO ST
Louis where he continued 70 practice law
lIo nad married about five years before
when he was few days over 90 bis esti-
mabie wife. a daughter Of the Hon J. FOotc
Johnson, Of Virginia. In January, 1876,
while attending the Wh;ttle and Bliss meet
ings at the Skating Rink he vas converted.
and Immediately joined the y. II. c. l.,
q
Committee. The association was strug
Cling thing then, for il had only thirtynine
members as against more than / 200 now,
while for six weeks before Mr. Douglass
was placed on that committee only $. 81
was collected. In 1876 Mr.. Douglass was
elected Secretary ofthe association, and has
been reelected every year since Under his
administration the association has purcbGs-
ed o building OF is own; founded hes
pital and dCr6ted il 70 the Evangelical de-
nominations Of Ct. Louis; started reading
room, lecture and concert courses, q Rail-
road Young Mems Christian Association
with all these appurtenances, open-air ser
vices, ETC., and projected a gymnasium. II
need hardly be said that Mr.. Douglass has
been the leading spirit in all these enter
pfise=. and that his business ability has been
Of immense benefit TO the association. Is
the Germans say, The work praises its
master" Mr.. Douglass. though generally
/ discarding it, is entitled to the prefix Rev.
+ Re was regularly ordained evangelist by the
/ PresbyteTy OF ST. Louis Southern at their
May meeting in st. Charles. lie preferred
this to being circuEscribel to strict pasto-
ral work. ; hard fgh. was made, through
Misrepresentation, two years before When hC
was licensed to preach, but the ministers
had since learned to appreciate him, and nc
objection wss made 70 raising hin 70 tho el