The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-23
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.
Many of Them Doing Good
Work in New Jer-
SeY.
7. NJ. C. A. HEADS THE LIST.
Interesting Statistics Concerning
the Organization Gathered from
Authentic Sources.
Special to the Jersey city Ne,es.

TRENTON, Dec. 20, 1S91.-A worker in
the religious association field has gath
cred some statistics which those interest
ed in such work will find of value. with
particular reference to the Young Mems
Christian Association. Other orgauiza-
tions, he says, are In many ways doing
work in which the Young Mems Chris
tion Associations were practically the
pioneers, and they are doing well. In the
beginning they undertook to 90 too many
things, and the result was unsystematic
this has been changed. In 1886 it was
found that the work of the associations
generally was for the young men to do,
rather than for young men. Mission
Sunday schools, tract distribution and
Gospel meetings FOR all classes were car
ried on, and but few Bible classes and
meetings for young men were held.
Very little attention was paid to the
mental and social, and none to the phy-
sical development of young men. There
were few reading rooms, libraries, classes
and social gatherings, and no gymna-
siums. Now almost all associations are
devoting themselves exclusively to work
for young men, directed toward their in
tellectuai, social, physical and spiritual
development.
In 1856 less than dozen men were en-
ployed as secretaries, and not more than
two of these would now be classed rs
association secretaries. At present there
are I,083 actually employed as secretaries
and assistants. and 103 places are tenn
porarily vacant. Many of them have
been trained in or for the work and show
special fitness for it.
A PHENOMENAL GROTH.
Twenty-Five years ago there were less
than 100 associations; now there are in
America 1856 Then there was but little
organized work and but few committees,
now the policy is thorough organization
and thousands of young men in active
work. With the large development in
what may be called the secular agen cies.
the growth in the spiritual has been even
more marked. There is point and def
niteness in this work. and many young
men are led to Christian living.
In 1866 there was but one building
owned Dy an association; now there are
231. valued at S.. .946 085, besides other
real estate valued al $2. 1S0,025. and build
ing funds paid in TO the amount of $685., 100.
Twenty-Five years ago there were 10 State
or Provincial Committees or Conventions.
Now thirty-eght States and Provinces
are organized. holding conventions
annually, and sixty six men are regular
| ly employed, at Il cost of S133, ,0S9 per ye r.
| There are ninety-eight railroad organ
| lZatlonS, employing l32 2SecretarleS, ,oWnln
| fifteen buildings and having 1927 men,
ers; 100000 are now appropriated each
year by railroad companies for this work
on the lines of their roads, because of its
| effect in the improvement OF the service
rendered by their employees.
| There are 345 college associations, with
membership of 22.24l. owning seven
| buildings aud employing eight secreta-
ries. In connection with the college
work, fully $4,000 young men have been
| converted-two or three Thousand during
the past year-and much larger num-
ber have been LED into a more consecrated
| Christian life.
! Twenty five hundred young men have
| been influenced to enter the Christian
ministry. Several hundred others have
been led 60 devote their lives to other
| forms of Christian worK, such as the asso-
citation seretaryship. the city missionery,
etc. Over five thousand students have
volunteered for foreign missions. Over
three hundred of them are now at work
| in the foreign field under the direction of
different denomlnatiOnal mission boards.
Thousands of students have been ind Led
to take up systematic Bible study. Forty
thousand young men have gone from
these college associations into business
or professional life pronounced Christian
men with large Influence for good.