Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-14
A NEW YEAR STARTED.
Pittsburgh 7. NJ. c. A. Celebrates 1T
TWenty-SiXth Anniversary
BY A BIG MEETING LAST NIGHT.
A st. Louis Business Han Tells Of the
Work in the West.
THE ANNUAL REPORT ENCOURAGING

The Young Mems Christian Association
of Pittsburg was &c years old yesterday, and
the anniversary was properly observed last
night BY 1900 people gathering in the
First Presbyterian Church. The audience
included the most prominent divines and
business men of the two cities.
The address OF the evening was made by
Thomas S McPheeters, president of the St.
Louis Y. M. c. A. He is president Of the
McPheeters Warehouse Company, of st.
Louis. During the course of his address
he said: 81 am plain business man, and
to be standing here tonight to address such
large body of cultivated people causes me
no little embarrassment. I am going to
speak of the present condition of
young men. In the West the busi-
ness is almost exclusively in the
hands of young men. Our Governor,
lawyers and our men in all professional
walks are young men. I am from the West,
and you Eastern people will have to excuse
me if tell you anything you already
know. I spoke of the progressive young
men in our State. Now, on the other hand,
am sorry to say that two-thirds of the
crimes are committed by young men under
80 years uf age. The census of the United
States shows crime has doubled in the
past ten years. Has the population
doubled? In st. Louis las. year
2,045 arrests were made, and of
this number 1,521 were young men; 1850
were sent to Jail and 975 of these were
young men. I employed two men to watch
two saloons in our city in order to find out
the attendance of young people to these re-
sorts, and III four hours $50 men of tender
ages had entered the places.
Great Crime Among the Young.
seYou all remember the awful Maxwell
trunk tragedy of a few years ago; he was
young man. The Anarchists who were
hanged in Chicago were young men, and
many other awful crimes are credited to
young men. What will happen at this rate
in 100 years? This country will be in a state
of Anarchy, Socialism and lawlessness.
"Wbat young men want is companion
ship of the proper kind. If 1 see young
man who does not like companionship
become suspicious of him. They want re-
ligious improvement. There is too much
corruption. You cannot always tell the
u
by the way he does business with you, you
have to look at the church records to find it
out.
"The educational features of the Y. NJ C.
A. are a grand thing Doyou know there
are more young men attending night school
in the Y. NJ. C. A. of New York City than at
Harvard or Yale. There are more attending
our night school in St. Louis than any other
Institution in the State outside
of the State University. The association is
for sympathy. Not that kind OF sympathy
of sending flowers to a man about to be
hanged, but sympathy for those who de-
serve 1t. We use to hold big meetings in the
interest of Young men, but we have found
that personal work reaches the heart of the
young man better"
The report for the past year was read, and |
1t marks point in the growth of the asso-
citation never before attained. The member |
ship has now reached O. 143 in the Central |
and including the branches the |
number is 5000, q gain of $50 over last year. |
In the building the introduction of electric |
nishinS Of the @ paror % esriV % in n the ens Summer
has added to the general attractiveness. A |
addition was the orchestra, which |
in favor r.. The
ligious life Of the association has shared in
the growth, being more largely attended |
now than ever. |
Some Gratifying Reports.
An especial point of qualification to the |
members is the increase of attendance in |
the educational classes, the average being |
26 for each class, with total of 1883. The |
are that even these figures Will |
be largely exceeded during tho coming win |
ter and threaten to rival the gymnasium as
IN attraction for young men. The Commit |
tee on State and International Works has |
done its part. The subscriptions to this de-
during the past year were $637 So
Each year the gymnasium becomes more |
The daily attendance last year
was 1l3 and the average of the classes was
II. To the gymnasium ITO new dressing
boxes have been added. The course of the
has also grown in popu-
artty, the average attendance during last
season reaching l. 400.
This increase in membership and growth |
tells its own eloquent story of the need or
increased facilities. All that is needed to
aid the work is Tor some charitable person |
nents and devote it to this purpose. The
East Liberty branch is a striking illustra-
ton of the expansion that takes place when |
proper facilities are provided. The i'm
provements in the gymnasium increased
The membership from 1S9 to 40i. The COM
Railroad and the change in
the running of trains have caused the re-
noval OF most of the mon from Twenty
,ighth street where the rooms are located.
The association doesn't expect much |
increase from year to year in the WORK of
The Lawrenceville branch as their equip
nent is the least satisfactory. The report |
closes by mentioning the death of Trustee
Joseph Horne and stating what funds had
,een received and distributed during the
rear.
The week of prayer was opened yesterday
Itternoon by a city meeting at the associa-
ion rooms. William X. Jennings conducted
he exercises. Every day and night during
he coming week these gatherings will be
leld. They are in vogue all over the world
where there is branch of the Y. NJ. c. A.