The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-06-09
Y. M. C. A.
Thirty-second Anniversary of the
Portland Association.
A Large Audience Enjoys the Order of
Exercises.

City Hall was well filed last evening at the
celebration of the thirty-second anniversary Of
the Portland Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton. The chorus choir connected with the as
ISOLATION opened the exercises with well rem
dered song. Rev. DIR. A. K P. Small read
from the Scripture and prayer was offered by
the Rev. X I. Bayley. After singing by the
boys choir the president OF the association,
Mr.. A. G. Dewey, spoke a few appropriate
words OF welcome, thanking the friends of the
society for their hearty support and expressing
his knowledge of the good done during the
year. The president then called attention to
few important facts in regard to the associa-
ton. II is first eminently Christian organi-
cation, and does much in drawing the young
men, to whom it especially appeals from the
street to pleasant places of meeting while
affording common ground for persons of diff
ferent religious denominations to meet in and
lay plans for forwarding the good work of
Christianity. In closing the president re-
ferred to the able support rendered him by the
officers and extended to them his hearty thanks
for their efforts. He then introd uced the Rev.
Henry P. Winter, general secretary of the as
ISOLATION, who presented his annual report
which gives clear and exhaustive account of
the work performed and of which the follow
ing is an abstract
GENERAL sKcRETARY's REPORT.
From the tressurer's report, it is found that
the receipts for the year have been S3493 "a.
the expenditures $3411 81. There is now
debt OF $500 on the association, but arrange
ments have been made for its liquidation.
Three hundred members have joined the asso.
Hnp ifU fFtaA 81.
bership in the adult department 1850. This is
very gratifying exhibit, as out of all the as
sociations in the country there are only six
with larger membership.
During the year death has removed ten OF
the members of the association. as follows:
Joseph Bradford. Charles FL. Merrill, A. s.
Fernald, William Weeks, VIM. Themes,
Capt. j. B. Coyle, Howard G. Thomson,
Charles III. Blake, Robert Douglass, John
Franklin Reeves: Capt. Coyle was liberal
contributor 20 the association, and his voice
was often heard in its deliberations.
The association has done the regular work of
such an organization during the year. The
rooms have been open, and young men have
peen provided with lodgings, and meals, and
situations found for them. The sick have
been visited and cared for, and railroad
and steamboat passes have been procur-
ed Tor those TO whom they would be of aid.
Including the Moody and Sankey meetings
last fall, which originated with the associa-
in contact with the religious work. The diff
ferent organizations of the members of the
association have prosecuted their labors sue
cessfully.
In the boys department. much good work
has been done. There are now 1892 names on
the membership rolls, making this the largest
boys department in the country. The associs.
ton with very few exceptions has the name of
the parents or guardians of all these BOYS,
and has endeavored to get such So we're not
regular Attendants a 80
Join some school. These endeavors have been
uniformly successful. The boys department
contains large number of newsboys and boot
BLACK, many OF whom are among the best of
the members. Among the organizations con-
nected with this branch OF the association are
the BOYS Literary Society, Boys Cadets.
formed in connection with the Literary So
ciety; Legion of Honor, Chorus Choir and
Drum Corps. The signing of the triple pledge
against the use OF liquor, tobacco and pro-
family is optional with the boys, but has been
largely signed.
The regular lectures and entertainments
have been given during the year.
REV. DR. NC KENNELS REPORT.
Rev. DR.. Mckenzie of Boston was then in
troduced and spoke substantially as follows:
| would like to know more of the Portland
Young Mems Christian Association and am
pleased to learn that the boys of the association
are doing so well. Interchange of courtesy
among the boys is something very new and
pleasant.
We are living in an age of great light and in
stirring times. Prosperity is great though
business is jast now going through Temporal
~ depression. One OF the most important
things OF the time is the scientific questioning
now being so persstently carried on. Some
people are afraid that these investigations will
do something to undermine their religion, but
during al the questioning not one religious
truth has been disturbed. There are ALWAYS
aarmists who see trouble in everything and
predict the worst These people complain til at
the age is restless and not medtative, but the
restlessness ls not that of a balloon and we
have meditated enough. The time has come
to do something and this is the conclusion
reached by the founders of the American
Board OF Foreign Missions, an organization
not yet eeventy-fve years old. We should not
be afraid but hopeful. Now 1t is from this &C.
tlvlty and restlessness that these associations
have their being. And it is right that the
young should take part in the affairs of the
world. The old men have little personal in
terest IN the state of the world They are
soon to pass away. But the young man who
negiects the work Of improving the
fool. like to see these young men come to
the front and take the helm, And here T
would remark that the young man is the man
whose heart 10 young whatever may be the
color of his hair So we gather into our asso-
Citations those who are OF all ages as reckoned
by the worlds standard bat young when called
upon in the good work,
Entering the details of our work noticed
that in the reports on the condition of your as
ISOLATION there was no mention of a gymnasi-
UNI. This will doubtless come in time. and If
should come, for before mental activity must
be bodily streDgth, and the man who has the
strong body is the best man to do the good
work. Education Is the capital of success, land
many men fail for the lack of capital, the lack
OF the requisite knowledge to succeed, a man
must be educated, land how is this to be brought
aboutY Books are one Of the great helps; al
most as great as men. 1t Is almost as hard to
select book assit is to write one, and it is now
part OF the work of every librarian to help the
boys select good books. 1t is in this selecting
the best that much of the work of the associa-
ton does great good. 1t is unnecessary to tell
the young men to read. Everybody reads. But
what to read is great question. Tell me what
boy reads and will tell you what kind of a
boy he is; tell me how he spends his money
and will tell You what kind OF man he will
be likely to make. The great scholar, Eras-
mus, bought bis books first and his clothes af-
forwards. The boy who wants to do great
things must buy books.
From men, however. more knowledge is
gained than from books, only you must pick
the men. Some men can impart knowledge,
Others can tell you nothing. suppose in your
ASSOCIATION there are men in many
question them and draw from them
part Of their knowledge. In speaking
of books, should speak OF that book which is
the centre of this associaton-the Bible. /
think sometimes it would be good thing to
set boy to reading the Old Testament and
see what he would get out of it, l think he
would know the best part of what we know TO-
day, although he would not have knowledge
OF many things. He would learn who made
the world in which he lives; the principles of
history, which are far more important than its
events, would become firmly fixed in his mind.
No system of ethics surpasses that OF the Old
Testament, and he would learn OF men also.
Each nation has its great men, but there are
no grander figures in history than those which
appear in the Old Testament Warning would
be also afforded him in the case of Sampson,
who wasted his strength, and in the other cases
in which the book abounds.
Intellect must be combined with will and
conscience to be of use. Intellect alone is like
canal boat with no horse to draw it. Will
by itself is like steamboat with the cook for
captain; and intellect and will combined with
out conscience is like the large and elegant
ship with no compass. II, then, our associa-
ton can combine and strengthen these three
elements, great good is accomplished.
One thing more would like to add, and that
is in regard to the length of life. The plans of
life ought to outlast the seventy allotted years.