Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-10-17


the same subject.
The time from $3.50 to 10 o'clock was occu-
pied in prayer-meeting led by Mr.. Fleury Of
st. Adams
At 10 O'Clock Mr.. Watkins took the floor,
and, adopting the question plan, elected the
following information concerning "Interna-
tonal Work, or the Y. NJ. Q. AS Of the
World" The first Y. NJ. c. A. was formed
in London, Eng, by Mr. George Williams,
June G. 1874 Mr. Williams went TO London
from Bridgewater, Eng, when quite young
man, and entered large tailoring establish
ment. He began the work by holding prayer
meeting, to which he invited the young men
Of the factory where he worked. The good
work spread to other establishments, and on
the above date these were all banded into one
and known as the Y. NJ. G. A., with the def
mite object Of evangelical work among young
men. This, which was only germ in 1874,
has grown until to-day there are something
like POO associations, Of which 800 are in the
United States. In 1S54 an international com
mittee was formed, which now consists OF 30
members, with ten secretaries, whose work is
divided into different departments for color.
ed young men, for commercial travellers, for
railroad men, for Germans, for collie ges.
Each Of these secretaries is specially adapted
to his department of work. Many other in
teresting facts and statistics wers brought out
in the course Of the conversation.
A letter from George Williams, founder OF
the Y. NJ. G. A.. was then read, And here it
may be well to state that Mr Williams has
risen to the head Of the establishment where
he began as clerk, and that his interest in the
Y NJ. 9. A. remains undated.
At this juucture Conversation No. ?, How
can the Y. NJ. c. A. meet the physical men
tai and spiritual wants OF young men in small
towns p was opened by a paper read by A.
NJ. lngham Of Brattleboro. He thought the
spiritual wants could be met by young mems
devotional meetings young mems Bible class
eH and workers training classes-specislly EN-
phasizing the latter.
The afternoon session was held in the Con-
gregational church, beginning at . o'clock
The minutes we're read and, with a few amend
ments, adopted. Mr. Beckwith, secretary Of
the Burlington association, then resumed the
conversation introduced at the close of the
morning session by reading a paper entitled
How to meet the mental aud physical wants
Of young men in small towns 2" He advised
the establishment Of reading rooms supplied
with various games. room could be pro-
vided at small cost and reading. matter could
be got at very cheap rates. As to the phys-
cal, have some cheap gymnasium apparatus,
such as dumb bells, etc, which, IL rightly
used, would be Of great benefit in developing
young men physically.
At 2:3O prayer meeting was held, Mr.
Brown Of Burlington leading. This was fol-
lowed by Conversation No. 4, Work among
railroad men, led by Mr. Guernsey of Rut-
land. Mr. Guernsey spoke of the vast size of
the railroad interest aud the great number of
men employed. Mr.. Guernsey detailed the
wolk Of some of the crews going out of Rut-
land which showed how hard the lot of the
railroad man is, He said railroad men may
look rough, but they are men OF warm hearts
and Of great courage. We ought to pray for
them more than We do, for we little know of
the great responsibility and care that rests on
them. The y. NJ. c. A. S of Vermont have
done something for the railroad men, and
hope to do more in the future. Remarks
were made by MssErs. Hail, Watkins, Sage
and Lawrence.
Work among students" was next taken up
by Arthur Fairbanks of Dartmouth college.
Mr.. Fairbanks said the Y. NJ. c. A. was of
great benefit to d young man who entered
college, especially If he came from a Chris
tian home, as when coming to college he was
very apt 10 become Indifferent but if early
taken IN charge by the association his reli-
gious life would be kept up and he would not
easily succumb to the many temptations of a
students life. College work is necessarily a
little different from ordinary work. There is
great deal to be done in colleges, and the
work for the coming winter was very promis-
ing.
Mr.. Lee of Mildlebury college said that a
student was different from any one else he
had peculiar temptations, and there was
tendency among young men TO come out of a
college course, perhaps with enlarged mental
faculties, but with their religious life all dried
up. He thought the young students OF to-day
should have our earnest prayers, for they will
/ he ha lau fnAgag
dents of to morrow. He hoped the assoca-
tions assembled would not forget to pray for
them in November and January. Austin Ha-
zen, j., of Vermont University E. A. Morse
of st. Johnsbury academy, and others, spoke
briefly.
The question drawer, conducted by Z. w.
Watkins, came next. Many questions were
asked about association work and policy
which brought out various interesting sug.
gestions.
Conversation No. 3, "How much and what
general work shall We undertake 2" was con-
Quoted by Geo. W. Hall, state secretary of
New York. Mr.. Hall took the ground that it
was good thing TO do general work after an
association had been established, but that the
first and definite object of the association
should be to reacn and redeem young men
Mr.. Hall spoke TO the point on this subject
and every one acquainted with him knows
that he believes in doing definite aggressive
and persistent work for young men.
Mr.. Sage then presented The Watchman,"
the standard paper Of the Y. NJ. c. A, and
Others followed, saying that they could not
keep house without it,
After singing and the benediction the meet
ing adjourned
The sixth session opened in the Oongrega-
tionAl church at 7.l5 Saturday evening, with
praise service conducted by Mr. Fuller of
Burlington, Mt j. L. Hall at the organ and
MIR. Shearer with cornet G. II. Sage read
thoroughly practical paper on what can We
do for the boys 2" which was listened to with
an interest which it is to be hoped will result
in more extended work in this direction Rev.
II. L. Hastings was then introduced, aud de-
livered q stirring address on The inspiration
of the Bible" Mr.. Hastings has published
this address in q neat pamphlet form, aud its
circulation has reached over 100 600 copies
Want Of space forbids further mention
The Meetings on Sunday.
Sunday services were as follows: Oonse-
Grafton meeting at $50 at the Y NJ. G. A.
rooms, led by C. H. Sage. AT 1880, address
es by Rev. II. l., Hastings at the Congrega-
tional church, Z. A Lawrence and E. W. Wat
kins at the Baptist church, Rev. Geo. A. Hall
and w. A. Guernsey at the Methodist church.
and Rev Henry Fairbanks and Edgar Beck
with at the Congregational church, West
Brat'leboro. At l. 80 P. NJ. Rev. H. L. Hast
ings spoke in the Baptist church at west vii
lage. At o'clock Rev. George A. Hall con
Quoted meeting for men at the Methodist
church, and at the same hour a meeting for
ladies, conducted by Z. W. Watkins, was held
in the chapel Of the Centre church, at which
Mrs. Fairbanks of St. Johnsbury and Mr..
Beokwith of Burlington spoke of the various
ways in which women's auxiliaries may aid
the Y. NJ. G. A. in its work.
Sunday evening, at 80, after brief song
service at the town hall, Rev. II. L, Hastings
again addressed large audience, his subject
being Temperance from Bible standpoint"
after which came the farewell service of the
convention. This service was led by Col j.
j. Estey, and consisted of brief remarks from
delegates aud others as to impressions receiv-
cd during the convention. At the close the
dalauatae with paeunh q th.a Ioool ,-,,ofo-