Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-13
HOW TO SAVE THEM.
THE PROBLEMS WHICH CONFRONT
THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATIONS.
Meeting-The ParIor
Conferences. Reception, SO.

The second day session OF the sixteenth
annual convention of the Young Mems
Christian Associations of Virginia opened
in the Second Baptist church yesterday
morning at $50 o'clock with prayer and
testimony service conducted by Mr.. l.. l..
Marks. of Petersburg. After singing hymn
No. 23l. several prayers were offered by
delegates to the convention. Hymn No.
2s4 was then sung. and after several pas
sages Of Scripture were read ten minutes
time was devoted to testimonials by young
men.
At 10 o'clock the convention was
called to order for business by Hon. j.
Hoge TYLER, the president. who announced
the permanent committees az follows:
Credential Committee--W. ID. Voorhees, Chair
mani. Norfolk James Kcr, Jr., Staunton, and :.
j. Baton, Kandolph-M Macon College.
Business Comnittee-A. Il. Paul tchairmanl,
Portsmouth: j. !. Curtis, Fort Defiance; V. +.
Halt Hampton ; ID. j. Weisger, Manchester, and
Thomas Cooper. Winchester.
Devotional COmmittee-W. r. McCsughey
(chairnan), LyDchburg: II. +. smith, Richmond
j. II. Franklin, Pampiin; w. L. Britt, Richmond
College. and k L. Michaels, railroad secretary
Richmond.
chairman, Lynchburg: J. II. Grir1th, Jr., Theo-
logical Seminary; }. l.. Atlee, Jr., Danville; j.
III. Wilcox, Portsmouth. and II. NJ. McIlhauy,
Staunton.
Committee on State Committees Report-B.
NJ. Quarles chairman, Richmond; II. W. Rey-
nolds. Roanoke; Frank Alexander Staunton
w. w. Osborne, Berkley and s. Z. Eastburn,
Fredericksburg.
MIDSUMMER MEETING.
A conversation upon sour Midsummer Meet
ing" was conducted by Captain I. c. Morton
(grandpap), OF Staunton. Mr.. Morton SAID ne
thought the encampment had brought together
the di1eren. phases OF association work as no.
thing else that had been uadertaken. lie re-
membered with great pleasure the beautiful
sceno In the largo barracks where just before re-
tiring and Immediately after rising all the
young men could be seen kneeling by their cots
and returning thanks to the Glver OF al! g9ou gsi
and perfect gifts and 10 pray earnestly for His
richest blessings. lie spoke OF the excellent and
helpful Bible readings gwen by Kew. j. w.
Dean, Of New York. who attended the encamp-
ment Tor this purpose, and iaid before , ,ne con,
vention an informal proposition OF establishing
q permanent encampmcnt at Hampton. lie
spoke Of the difficulties encountered in obtain
ing quarters for the young men.
Mr.. Templeton, Of Staunton, was called upon
to give his impressions of the "Bble Study"
and Mr.. j. !. Curtis, Of Fort Defiance, described,
as far as expedient, the "Fatnily Aspect: or,
Nights In the Camp He referred 70 the way
that the nights were spent In the barracks, and
said that they wero compelled TO report at 10
O'Clock, aDd all lights extnguished at III un-
less this was done they were court-martieied.
lie also spoke OF the prayer-meetings, which
Were DelU ulgnllF, anu ht tuo tuii VI tho Oso'O
secretary all the men assembled around and
listened to the reading OF the Scripture
THE ATHLETIC WORK.
Mr.. Taylor Mccoy, Of Staunton, spoke Of the
athletic work as carried on at the encampment.
Mr Voorhees,, OF Norfolk, declared that he was
40 much pleased with tho Biblo study that ne
thought more time should be given to the educa-
tional feature.
Mr.. Wilcox. Of Portsmouth, was called upon
aud spoke on the advantages OF holding the en-
campment on the seashore. Mr.. WILCOX stated
that n more desirable location could not be OBJ
tanned than Hampton. He then spoke OF the
fish and oysters which could be caught around
the barracks, OF the facilities for boating, &C.,
and OF the healthful sea-broeze which was 30
beneficial 20 hygiene.
tie was followed by Mr.. Hugh Mcllhany, OF
Washington and Lee University, the young man
who had been in the association work since he
was IL months old. hr. Mcllhany spoke OF the
elegant bathing at Hampton, aud the excellent
roads for bicyce-riding, and referred to the BIZ
BILE study as being especially helpful"
Mr.. Adams of Fredericksburg, spoke OF the
social feature, bringing into prominence the edu-
catonal effect Of such a gathering on the outside
world and recommending the continuation OF the
annual recreation. Mr.. 5. A. Coulter, state
secretary OF North Carolina, was called upon to
speak ON the proposed summer school 10 be held
in Knoxville. Tenn, Juno 1899, 1892. This Is
designed especially for southern students, secre-
taries, and Christian workors, he said. ana the
plans adopted are similar 10 those In operation
at the Northfield School.
SECRETARIES NEED REST.
Mr.. e. T. Dadmun, assistant State secretary.
spoke OF the recreation and rest needed by the
secretaries and other young mon In various
branches Of business life, and referred 70 the
difficulties OF handling 30 large gathering
without the proper facilities, and urged upon
the convention the great importance OF pur-
chasing property and establishing an encamp-
mont upon permanent basis. Mr.. III. %. VIII
Iams, State secretary, was called upon and said
ho Ioi n II his henri and QlyO-
Gated its permanent establishment.
Hymn No. ~ was sung, after which Major
Tyler excused himself from further attendance
upon the forenoon session, as he had to repair TO
tho Capitol, whore his duty, as president OF the
Senate, called him.
THINGS TO AVOID.
Mr.. w. W. Vicar, Of Norfolk, the first vice.
president, was called TO the chair.
The next feature OF the programme was
paper at i1:30 O'Clock by J. Calvin Moss. OF
tynchbure on "Religious Meetings for Young
Men--Things TO Avoid and Points TO Emphasize"
The discussion OF this paper brought out some
decided differences OF opinion on certain points.
Mr. Moss said he believed invitations should be
extended TO the unconverted at every meeting.
Mr. Dadmun differed in this opinion, while Rev.
NJ. B. Williams, Of Atlanta, Ga: r. q. Elsom, OF
Fincastle. and Mr.. w. w. smith sustained the
position Of Mr.. Moss.
Rev. Il. w. NcCorkle, OF Clifton Forge, put
forth query, How can the largest attendance
be gotten at meetings ?" Mr.. Moss said he thought
the best way OF obtaining large congregations
was by extending personal Invitations. Mr..
Coulter then offered a practical suggestion that
he thought the best way was TO distribute blank
cards 10 each man as he enters with the request
that he write his name and address and return
II. Then II he Is absent next sunday notify him
by postal and invite him to come back.
Mr.. Michaels stated that he thought the mosc
important thing was TO make the meeting 30 in-
interesting that men would be drawn 70 IT,
hymn No. 90 was sung, after which Mr.. III. y.
Williams introduced 10 the convention DIR. ". w.
Iandrlim, pastor Of the Second church. who had
been unable TO attend the previous sessions OF
the convention.
PROBLEMS THAT CONFRONT THEM.
Mr. Williams, State secretary. then conducted
a conversation on the reports Of the associations
In order 10 bring out the "Leadtng Problems
which Confront the Virginia Associations"
lie said above all the great problem is the
leading TO Christ OF the associate membership
by the active Christian workers. Tho number
OF fprofessed conversions during the past year was
far below what il should have been, and how %
increase them was a momentous question.
members into work. The small percentage Of
men Ia Bible-classes was far below what
AZ should have been, only about z
per cent. Of the membership appear
ing to be interested 10 this mode OF study.
ing Gods word. The last problem mentioned
was the importance of seeing that when young
members profess conversion they become men,
bers OF the church.
After tho report OF tne buSlne5s ComiuIltee
and reading OF notices by the secretary reso-
luton WAS adopted instructing the secretary to
forward telegraphic greetings 10 similar conven-
tions which are IN session Ia different States.
The meeting concluded with Bible reading
nv Mir. NJ b. Williams and was dismissed with
the benediction by DR.. A. L. Dickinson.
The Afternoon Session.
The convention reassemtled at half-past 3
O'clock with Mr. Vicar In the chair.
After the singing OF Hymn No 62 aud an invo-
cation by Rev. j. T. Nastin, OF Crewe, Mr. a. b.
Paul. general secretary Of the Portsmouth asso-
ciatiou, was introduced and read paper en-
.lhe Gymnasium-Its Place ana Value In Asso-
citation Work" Mr.. Paul said the gymnasiums
OF the associations OF the State are not such old
and tried efforts within the association walls as
some MAY think. The physical department Is
one of the latest phases OF secular effort which
has been adopted by the association. for several
Years ago not one gymnasium was reported,
while i'm 1891 there were 3S3 in operation. with
ofty-one associations In addition, paying atten-
tlon 10 the physical welfare Of young men. And
we must not forget that spiritual enlightenment
should teach men to put forth this same effort
and care 10 make their bodies ut temples for the
indwelling OF the Holy Ghost.
The topic brought out an animated discussion
In which tho gymnasium was shown TO DO not
Ia