The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-11-06

Footing in Henderson The
Association Will he Greatly
Strengthened by a Liberal Sub
scriptien Fund and the En-
pho, ment OF General Secre-
tary.
Ever since the organization of the
Young Mems Christian Association in
Henderson, the need of guiding spirit
some competent man familiar with
the work to take hold of and build up this
important branch Of Christian endeav-
or in our. midst has been sorely felt.
While the various officers, all of them
good men, whose devotion and ability
we would not undervalue-have done
all they could to develop it land they
have done well under the circum-
stances) they had their own private
business to attend to, and as matter
| of course the interest of the Association
could not be looked after as closely as
it would have been with. man in
charge who should give his entire time
and attention to it. Then again funds
for the employment of such person
were lacking. The time did not seem
ripe for it. Our people had not been
made to see the great work the Asso-
citation was capable of doing for the
yehng men Of the =, town, and what it
would do under favorable circum-
stances. But the coming together of
the various Associations of this dis
trict in convention here last week fur
nished the opportunity for practically
presenting this question to our people
and it is matter of real pride and
qualification to the GOLD LEAF that
they responded so promptly and so
literally.
At the NJ. E. Church Sunday night
after the closing exercises were vir-
tually over State Secretary Coulter
said he wished to see the Henderson
Association in a more prosperous and
flourishing condition, but this could not
be without some good man in charge
of the work as general secretary. One
who thoroughly understood the Y. NJ.
G. A. work and who would devote his
whole time to it. He wanted to see
such man employed in Henderson,
and favorably impressed as he was
with our beautiful and growing little
city, where there are so many excellent
young men, and with the courteous
bearing, warm hospitality, culture, in
| telligence and business activity of our
people, he would not go away satisfied.
nor indeed would he feel that he had
done his whole duty unless he brought
| this matter to their attention and gave
them an opportunity of subscribing to
fund sufficient to put the Association
rooms in better condition and employ
ing "a general secretary to take charge
/ of the work here! He asked for 81 200
and said he believed he would get that
amount. And he did in very few
minutes. Several subscriptions of 800
were given, and then $50 and $25, and
$40 and IS and ON down to the bas-
| ket collection. As we sat there and
heard the noble men and women of our
town responding with such readiness
and liberality to such cause, we felt
proud of them and our town. AS Mr.
Coulter expressed it the putting of
dollars and cents into character, -con-
tributing to the growth and develop
ment of the morals of the young men of
| the community-was an investment
that would come back to them in better
men and better employees. This to
say nothing of their spiritual welfare
was enough to make thinking men man.
ifest a lively interest in the work of
the Young Mems Christian Associa-
| ton.
Having succeeded in raising the nee
essary funds to justify the employment
of a general secretary the next thing
to be done was to find the right man.
Fortunately there happened to be a
gentleman visiting our town at the
time who was personally known to Mr..
J. r. Young, former President of the
Association, and to DR.. F. r. Harris,
| who is now President, as being such
man as they wanted. The gentle
man of whom we speak is Mr.. T. G.
Diggs, of Chester, Va. who was for
about two years general secretary of
the Y. NJ. G. A. at Goldsboro. Mr..
Young and Dr. Harris had been with
him in conventions at Goldsboro and
Wilmington and knew something of
the man and his methods
A month or two ago he had been in
vited by Mr.. Coulter to attend the
District Convention here and assist
him in the work. He promised to do
so. Two weeks ago Mr.. Diggs received
a flattering offer from the Y. NJ. c. \.
at Brunswick, Ga. to take the posi-
ton Of general secretary. He wrote
that he was not in position to accept
then having promised to attend the
convention in Henderson last week.
but would wire them as to his decision
from this place Monday. He packed
his trunk and brought it with him as
far rs Weldon. expecting to return
that way en- ronte to his new field of
labor, which he left home with the ex-
pectation of going to after the adjourn