Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-20
= IN -FOUR YEARS.
What Secretary Pugh Has Done for the Y. II.
C. A. In That Time.

Snristian ASSOCIATION the ract tnat IL was the
fifth anniversary Of the connection Of Mr.. Jas.
E. Pugh, the secretary, with the association
was alluded to. The interest Of the occasion
was increased by a statement made by Mr..
Pugh showing the progress made in the work
of the association during his term Of service.
Among other things Mf. Pugh said:
The results Of these years Of effort are due
to the Divine blessing and cooperation of all
who have had the interests of young men at
heart. am free to say that while they have
exceeded my anticipations they are far below
what would wish for this association.
INCREASE OF MEMBERSHIP.
1t will be difficult to put in few figures
or a short space of time what has been done
in these years. Five ycars ago there were
667 members enrolled; today we find 1918.
and from May, 1887, there have been 2.22l
names added to the list. A large number
have failed to renew for various reasons, among
which let me emphasize the lack of accommo-
dations. But that the association has been able
to touch and influence for good 2,Ss9 men be-
side the $50 boys in these five years is
strong argument for its more thor
names are or have been on the records of the
association and do not include the thousands
who have used the association for counsel and
direction or as visitors during this time.
Let us see how these 8, l39 men and BOYS with
the strangers have been multiplied in five
1887 physical events, attendance -. 155, 1877
1852 social events, attendance 3l0.627
3,Ol5 intellectual events, attendance. =. 66,6Ss
1855 religious events, attendance. ...... S9,6sg
9,66O events. Total. SO, 199
Professed conversions. 235
There have been in the last three years 800
young men enrolled in the educational classes.
The magnitude Of the work done in our bust
ness school is not realized. the number of
young men this year being 1913.
The growth of the work can be estimated by
the increase in our religious work, which is
nearly four times as much as that Of the first of
these five years, and each department.
has had proportionate increase. The
only place where the increase has not
been in this proportion is IN the current ex-
penses. The whole amount placed in the
hands of the treasurer for that time
has been only $50. 1881, a sum greatly
below the most conservative estimated
value of . the work. A sum that
has enabled a stream of blessings to
touch SO great an aggregate as S22 1893 and has
maintained SO varied a work of such vast i'm
portance. it is worth while that that sum be
spent in two years instead of five.
ASSISTANCE FROM THE OUTSIDE.
One feature of the work in Washington is
greatly to be deplored. The extra expense
over and above what is met by the membership
dues has been met for these years by a very
few benevolent men. 1 do not believe that they
think that they have given too much
but if the number was increased. lust
SO much the more would be the possibility for
good in the organization.
In SIX years previous to this, 1912 not
more than thirty individuals had contributed
above the amount of the sustaining member
ship fee. This Is the place where there is great
need of reform, with big "R."
Could we give you the list Of those who have
contributed of heart and brain there would pass
before you the best that our country affords-
men whose names are written high in church
and state, and with them young men in the
humblest walks in life who NAV vet attain unto
the highest. The service rendered by these
could not be paid for with the sum of money
expended.
What shall be said of the assistance rendered
by the newspapers Of the city? They have rec
ognized that our aim is the public good, not in
dividual aggrandizement, and their columns
have been at our disposal for every item of
news. The gain in this particular has been be-
yOnd the per cent of increase in the five years.
What OF the service rendered to young men,
service that will have no place in statistics?
What Of those 236 young men who have gone out
to live for Christ? Could the unwritten phase
Of the work come before the business commu-
nifty and the Christian community, and should
increase the facilities with which such work
could be carried on And vet that which we
know Of good is worthy Of our present support
many times multiplied.
MORE HELP NEEDED.
The work Of this association is such that if
left undone by it it will not be taken up by any
other organization. The church. each church
by ITSELF could not do it, and so they together
have called the Y. NJ. C. A. into existence. and
this association work has assumed such proper
tons and the possibilities are SO great that it
must have help from larger number
1t comes to our knowledge of large sums of
money being given to the endowment of educa-
tional institutions and for various philanthropic
purposes Can any one think Of greater need
than an institution, open every week day, where
young men may receive counsel and be free
from the allurements of sin, where there shall
be incentives to q nObler manhood in a CITY that
has q 900 young men between the ages of fif-
teen and thirty-fve, who absolutely need such a
place. D.
The Young Mems Christian Association would
gladly measure up to the possibilities of the
field, and the careful, economical expenditure of
moneys given to it in these years should be suf-
fcient guarantee for the future.
Who shall help this work? The record of
the past five years must increase in the next
five or We shall be. unfaithful TO our trust, and
if it does it will be because each one feels tina.
tuc WIN 10 HAS, Tue responsibility also, ana with
the added blessing Of our Heavenly Father, if
1t is His will, five years hence a larger number
shall together look back over years of greater
prosperity than those of the past"
HIS SERVICES RECOGNIZED.
The appreciation of the services and the work
of Mr.. Pugh was indicated by the appointment
Of a committee to draw up resolutions which
would embody in suitable form the opinion en-
tertaincd by the members Of the association
These resolutions were prepared and after COM
mending Mr.. Pugh's labors the committee state
that ''wc recognize that the wisdom. zeal and
energy of the general secretary and his assist
ants in the work have been such that the work
reported has been accomplished at a money
cost SO small to be insignificant in
comparison with the results realized,
and to the end that, in the future, his
plans for the welfare of the young men of
Washington may not, as in the past, be con-
fined and limited in their execution by small
financial resource. We bespeak for him and them
the generous support OF an appreciative COM
munity."
CAPITOL TOPICS.
THE CHOCOLATE DUTY.
In the House today Mr.. Cochran of New York.
from the committee on ways and means, re-