The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-11-22

or other places of the east, and inquire for an
association of this kind. Yes, even in the
native city of Christ, Nazareth, we hear of
an organization after this character. And
to-day, is sailing the ship across the broad
Atlantic, with that noble character, John L.
Swift, who bears gift of $40, 900, from the
young men of America, to build Y. Nj. T..
A. building i'm Toxic, Japan. They are
doing great work in our own country.
There are i'm America alone, some 200, 600
young men belonging to such associations
as you have here in Owosso. In crossing
the bridge connecting the cities of Cincin-
natl and Covington you read this sign
"All professions crossing this bridge must
break STEP" There was only the one inter-
probation. The men who put it there knew
what they were doing. 1t was to avoid the
danger that would be caused by the steady
tramp, tramp, tramp of so many people.
Now if there could only be steady
tramp, tramp, tramp of this army of 200,-
900 young men we might well imagine
satan saying to himself truly, myself and
kingdom are in danger" Are the members
of this association keeping step? The Y.
M. G. A. buildings of the land numbered
156 short time ago and at this date there are
probably IT'S. The wonderful adaptability
of these buildings to meet the wants of
young men is great thing. Think of the
privileges offered as a last thought:
furnished reading rooms, gymnasiums, etc.
Most of the Y. M. G. AS have general
secretary, paying him fixed salary; truly,
the work is assuming much plan and system.
This work has been established in one or
other of its forms in our colleges also; it
gives the student higher and nobler ed
INN unlI Cfr NI,xos nj lAIx
In the state of Michigan alone, there are "a
associations, with membership of five or
six thousand.
only hope they may continue in the
good cause of bringing souls to Christ.
When look back upon the history of the
world, cannot help rejoice that we are
permitted to do the work. May God bless
us in it.
ADDRESS OF REV. f. l.. LITTLE.
The Y. NJ. G. A. has a single definite OBJ
ject. Young men at work for young men.
In convention at Boston in 1864, the
question was put prominently before the
meeting, ''HOw can most be done for young
men ?" Two years later Cephas Brainerd,
an honored worker in Y. M. c. A. empha-
sized this fundamental idea, ''What more
hopeful or inspiring object could young men
set before them ?" This is the prime object
of this association in the midst of us.
What then is the relation which it sus-
tains to the local churches?
First, it is not antagOnistic, nor is it i'm
any sense rival, but is doing work along
line with common leader, COM
mon foes and common aggressive weapon:
the sword of the spirit, which is the word
of God.
Second, the Y. M. c. A. is helpful to the
local churches in any community, indirectly.
There is principle in physics which is
called induction, by which one body charged
with electric energy or magnetic power,
eXctes other bodies in its vicinity similarly.
So with Y. NJ G. A. working along its
legitimate line, its members aglOw with the
light and indwelling of the spirit of God,
charged and surcharged with Christly love
for the souls of young men, 1t is mOarlly
certain that the local churches and the COM
munity will be benefited.
Thirdly, the Y. M. G. A. does a pioneer
work, forms devoted picket line, entering
our factories, going among our clerks and
statesmen, among all classes, on the holy
and blessed errand of winning young men
to better life. The ultimate aim is to see
their members at length members of some
evangelical church, (which maintains the
scriptures as the only infallible rule of faith
and practice-the true divinity of our Lord
Jesus Christ and salvation through His
at0nement alone from everlasting punish
ment"
Fourth, the members of the Y. NJ. c. A.
sustain direct relation to the local churches.
All such, loyal to Christ, will also be mem
bers of some local church. Though loyal to
the association, they will always put the
church above the association
Fifth, the relation between the associa-
tion and the local churches is q reciprocal
one. The churches owe il assistance, SYM
pathy, moral and spiritual endorsement.
Christian people of the community should
be ready and willing to help in supplying
the means for sustaining and enlarging the
work.
REPORT OF PRESIDENT c. S. ENsMINGER.
Any organization which has gained the
prominence in the world which the Y. M.
G. A. occupies to-day has more or less
interest to the public as to its origin and
growth. Let us turn backward in the
history of the association and see what we
find touching these points. We go as far
back as 1914 and find in large dry goods
in the city of London, one
Geo. Williams, junior clerk of the estab-
lishment and an earnest christian young man,
who wished to do something for the evangeli-
zation of his fellows. The association which
was formed through his efforts was the first Y.
M. c. A. known by that name. God blessed
the efforts and other associations sprang up
here and there throughout the United King
dom of Great Britain and even came across
the Atlantic and we find that the first asso-
citation in America was organized at Mont
real, i'm 1851; the first i'm the United States,
ut Boston, few months later. The year
following, associations were established at
New York, Washington, Buffalo. and Balti-
more. There are now in the United States
md Canada 1,273 associations with an ag-
yregate membership of about 10000
These associations own total net property
,f IS, ,944,6S5. 156 of them own the build
ngs they occupy. 522 have libraries ag-