St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-03-21
Y. M. C. A. ANNIVERSARY.


Music hall was well filled on Thurs
day evening to listen to the general
secretary's report and addresses on
the occasion of the thirty-third ami
versary of the ST. Johnsbury Young
Mems Christian association. c. E.
Putney, president of the association,
presided; the devotional exercises
were conducted by the pastors, and
music was furnished by a male quar-
tette consisting of w. c. Tyler, P. F.
Hazen, E. A. Silsby and F. H. Brooks
The services opened with singing
by the quartette. A scripture read
ing led by Rev. E. T Sandford and a
prayer by Rev. E. T. Fairbanks fol-
lowed. President Putney gave a
brief address of welcome and said
that it was not necessary to instruct
this audience in Y. M. c. A. work or
enlist their interest. Referring to the
loss of Secretary Page he said that
on the night that the directors ac-
cepted his resignation they secured
another general secretary so that
there had been no interruption in the
work of the association.
E. N. Folsom, general secretary,
followed with his report which is
given in full.
In presenting to you a report of
the work done by the association
during the year ending March 1, 80.
| must confine myself largely to gen
eral statements, not being familiar
with the detail work done during the
months before | came among you.
In an association so thoroughly es-
tablished and equipped for work as
ours, where men know as much as
men can know the value of souls,
where committees work to honor
Christ, where officers are consecrat-
ed to the King, where churches are
in hearty sympathy with the work,
where pastors willingly hold up our
hands, where there are so many souls
of bright young men to be won to
the Master, what needs to be done
but work? So far as the results of
what has been done may be seen, the
years work has been blessed of God.
During the year the voice of God,
speaking to your former secretary,
Mr.. Page, directed him to another
and larger field of labor, where, let
us hope, he may be of large usefulness
in Gods church and where our pray
ers have followed him with kindly
love What he did and what is be-
ing done now is not the work of in
dividuals, but the Masters work and
He will not suffer His own cause to
languish He has, however, in the
year that has passed been pleased to
honor the efforts of his servants here,
and has shown his power in the sal
vation of young men.
There have been two meetings each
Sabbath, also meetings for boys
weekly, and a class in conversational
Bible study, all at the rooms, and
meetings in the outside districts
where many workers have been fur
nished by the association. An idea
of what religious work has been done
will be better understood if | refer
you to the statistical record. The
attendance at the Sunday
meetings has been 26O2,
the average being so, a larger aver
age than any that has ever come to
my notice in a town no larger than
ST. Johnsbury The aggregate at
tendance at the Sunday morning
meetings has been TAT, an average
of -. Three young men
have been led into church member
ship and several conversions have oc-
Cured, some of which give evidence of
religious life. The aggre
gate attendance at the boys meet
ings cannot be definitely stated as
the statistical record is not COM
plete. 1t has not been so large, how
ever, as we hope it may be another
year The Bible class has been ex-
ceedingly helpful and has been great
ly appreciated by those who are
most thoroughly cOnversant with
the methods used and who have par
in the study themselves
The average attendance has been
seven.
There have been as nearly as can
be estimated by frequent daily counts
73, 900 visits to the building. The
reading room is well supplied with
secular and religious papers, the pop
ular magazines and current litera-
ture. There has also been added |
during the year a small library of |
selected volumes, the value |
of which has been demonstrated by |
the constant use of the books by Wis
itors and members.
To speak in detail of the lecture
course given by the association dur
ing the winter would simply be
waste of words. It's popularity and
success speak for it Little has been |
done in educational classes. A class |
in vocal music was conducted by T. |
H. Humphrey during the early part |
Of the winter, and a class in penman-
ship is still in progress under the in
of the general secretary. |
The association has been a great |
help to many who were sick. Twen
ty-eight watchers have been supplied |
and paid nurses furnished for 81 |
lays. Personal visits have been |
made by the secretary and commit
tee, fruit and flowers carried to the
sick ones, and words of cheer and en-
spoken which have been
nonored and blessed of God
Situations have been secured for
sixteen young men, and several 9th
ers have been assisted temporarily
with clothing and other necessaries.
Thirty-six letters of introduction
nave been given. The invitation
has distributed 21 1873 in
gitations to the meetings and have
eft at the hotels for rcommercial trav-
,lers every Sabbath morning church
directories to the number of 589. We
nave seen direct results from this line