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

l,oOO prayer anu Soopcl uCCUihSo ioi youii5
men only are held regularly. In the mean
time the rest of the world has not been
asleep and we find that there are now QSS9)
3,7SS associations distributed throughout
the world, in North America and Europe,
in Turkey, Syria, India, CeylOn, China,
Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zea-
land, South America, etc. At the Inter
national convention which was held at Phil
adelphia last May, steps were taken to
greatly extend the work in mission fields
AS we watch the progress of any move
the elevating of our fellow man, there
springs up within the heart of every true
and loyal citizen desire to become familiar
with its workings, its history and its possi-
bilities. There is no occasion for me to
remind you that the Y. M. G. A. claims to
be, and is, i'm every sense of the word such
an organization as this. And believing that
no association with such an aim, can limit
its affairs or efforts to the comparatively
few who constitute its membership and
fill the mission for which it was designed,
we have asked you to come here tonight to
listen to few facts regarding the work and
hear the reports of our local association for
the year ending November 18th, 1889.
We believe, and have reason to believe,
that every good citizen of OwoSsO is inter-
ested in the welfare of the association. We
believe it because of the financial support
which you have given us; we believe it be-
cause of the many words of encouragement
with which we meet almost every day; we
believe it because you recognize it as pub
lie institution intended for the public good.
We have just closed the second year of
our existence as an association, and it is
with no small degree of satisfaction that we
review the progress which we have made
during that time, and especially during the
year just closed. We began the year under
very favorable prospects with an executive
board of six directors and five officers to
take the management of the affairs of the
association. They took up the work with
will and among the first items of business
transacted was to pass unanimous vote to
employ a general secretary-having met
with sufficient financial encouragement to
warrant such action. You are all familiar
with the carrying out of this action. A call
was extended to Mr.. Emory K. LOhnes, of
the East Saginaw association, which was
accepted and he assumed the duties of the
office on April 18th. Under his leadership
the work has moved steadily forward. In
a short time our gymnasium was fitted up
and has proven to be valuable addition to
the privileges of membership. The main
object of the association from the beginning
has been the salvation of young men through
faith in Christ. But in seeking first the
spiritual benefit of young men we have also
and sought to promote their in
tellectual, social and physical welfare
through agencies consistent with Christian
And the gymnasium supplies
the want as far as physical culture is con-
cerned. 1t is not play house, neither is 1t
a place to make circus performers, but
place where set OF machines and ap-
pliances of various kinds are placed, which
are so constructed as to give healthy and
needed exercise to every portion of the body.
Glasses are conducted at convenient inter-
walls under the direction of the general sec
retary. The gymnasium is membership
and should be patr0nized by the
very much oftener than it is.
The attendance in every department this
year shows very gratifying and encourag-
ing increase over that of the preceding
year.
not including prayer meetings and gym
nasium, S,305; attendance at gymnasium,
93S; so prayer meetings have been held
with total attendance of 1,139; average,
IA. Not including the young peoples so
ciety meetings which are held the first Sun
day in each month. 100 letters have been
written by young men. Last year we re-
ported 65 members, this year we report 151,
an increase of SO, more than doubling our
numbers.
The presence of boys ranging from 16
years of age down has become so great as
to at times exclude the young men, and we
have found it necessary, in order to accom-
modate them, to organize boys branch.
The organization is not yet complete but
within the next few days everything will be
in readiness, when the boys will have
room of their own; certain hours will be
set apart for their use of the gymnasium.
Their games and periodicals will be placed
in their room and care will be taken to pre-
serve order and to cultivate desire for
higher things. This department of our
work will be under the supervision of
committee.
There Is another department of our work
of which too much cannot be said in praise,
''Our Mothers" the ladies committee;
though but recently organized, have already
shown their interest i'm the association i'm
very many ways. Our finance committee
have also proven their fitness for the work
of them and deserve the gratitude
of every member of the association for the
results they have accomplished and the
willingness with which they have done the
work.
TO sum it all up we think we have abun-
dant reason to rejoice, and with the flatter-
ing prospects ahead of us, we enter the
new year feeling better equipped for the
work than ever before, and hope to come
up to our next annual meeting and report
much grander results than have yet been ac-
Will you help us? We need your SYM
pathies, we need your influence, but above
all we need your prayers.
REPORT OF GENERAL SECRETARY e. E.
LoHNEs.
The report that is herewith submitted
covers period Of little less than
eight months, or the time that has
elapsed since came among you.
| received call for this Association
under date of February 26. 1889 10 be-
come its general secretary. which call
was accepted. The work was not entered,
however, until April 10Th. The first
,wo weeks were spent principally in