The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-06-04

lied in tho United Siaies. "Givo II
twelve months" was said Of tho first
association, but II has lived. and no re.
lIgiona organization, having an indie.
pendent existence and owning property,
over made such progrGst In tho first
fifty years Of its existence. Tho Chris.
tl9n Endeavor Society, tho Brotherhood
OF St. Andrew mud other organized
bodies Of young people, tho lnior-semi.
nary Missionary Alliance and tho Stu.
dents Volunteer Missionary movement
nrO all indirect outgrowths OF tho Young
Mons Christian Association.
'ThGrO arO In North America 1907
associations; In Germany 1905; In
Great Britain and Ireland SiS; in lfol.
land IA; In Switzerland ISL; France
l02, and thoy ure scattered all ovor the
world, making n total OF BLOC, with h
membership Of half . million young
mon. There aro loo secretaries aud
physical directors employed by tho Nv.
sociatiOns OF tho United StateS and
Canada In Paris, in lcrlin, in Toxic,
in all tho great cities OF christondom
are TO be found buildings dedicated 10
tho welfare, the education. aud tho sal
walton OF yonng men. There arc ninty-
six IN England aud POI In our own
country valued Mt moro than SO, 900. 1000.
Tho Chicago association was tho first to
erect Il building 10 1867, and the same
association n few months ago entered
tho finest and most costly building yet
dedicated to the welfare Of young men.
This structure r]eprogents u cost OF
ST. Q0,O
"lhe chief characteristic OF the asso-
citation has always bceu its spiritual
work, but 1t aims to promote the wei.
faro OF young mon physically, socially,
intellectually and spiritually by tho uso
OF all practical and consistent methods.
Tho association ia admirably adapted to
benefit oil classes Of young men. A
mighty work has becu wrought, but it
Is only tho beginning OF what will yet
hG Its future ia big with promise.
What prophet can fttingly ~iorctell it?
ut was Il great occasion TO tho He
browa OF old whom the jubilee took
pace. This is 4 great occasion
Tor tho Young Mems Christian
Associations. To-day st. Pall's stately
cathedral ~rcsouuds with n tri-
utnphal service OF praise. Men from
all tho nations OF Ch%ristondom and
from tho great mission fields OF tho
Orient are mingling their voices in
thanksgiving because the spirit OF tho
Lord came down upon the young dry
goods clerk In London fifty years ago.
"We often hear young nen say they
would give themselves to Christ, but
they fear it would spoil their prospects
in lie they would bpcome christians,
but they waut TO succeed in business.
George Williams is u living contradlc-
ton TO that idea. Fifty years ago he
was an humble clerk. Now no is 4 mill
ionairo merchant o! the great city Of
London. lie is the hoad OF the dry
goods house he entered fifty years ago
when Il young man OF twenty. He has
in his employ in that establishment five
hundred clerks. For these fifty years
he has remained in active touch with
the association he organized. lie is
abundantly honored holding tho presi.
dency or Craftsmanship OF no less than
thirty religious and philanthropic
societies. ln recognition OF his service
as founder OF the Y. N. G. A.. q few
years ago Il society connected with tho
French government awarded him tho
gold medal given annually to some
great beneiactor Of mankind. Just re-
Gently, her majesty. the Queen OF
England, has been pleased to confer up
on him the dignity, OF kniGhthood. Mr..
Williams ranks prominently among
that splendid company OF %philantho.
pists and earnest christian workers
that tho English nation has given to
tho world.
To-day at the great jubilee he is hon.
ored by men from America, from Great
Britain, from France, Germany. Italy,
from Sweden and Russia, from Egypt,
India, japan, from Austria and the
isles OF the sea. and from Jerusalem
where our master labored and gave his
life for men,"
After tho singing Of Hymn No. 81,
Mr.. Guy K. c. Allen delivered nu elo:
Quent address touching on the present
work Of associations, what the local as
ISOLATION is doing for the welfare of the
young men OF Wheeling, and VIVA, the
others are doing in America and with
college students, railroad men and men
in all avoca,ions. Tho talk was inter.
esting throughout and was listened to
with great attention.
Mr.. Alfred Paul. spoke OF the future
OF the associations, dwelling on the
possibilities OF association work. This
was another interesting discourse. At
the conclusion Of the services, Rev. A.
j. Trey, OF tho First Baptist church,
dali verad thu bnneliction md nrnyar