The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-15
7. N. G. 4. GROWTH
Origin of the World Wide
Institution for Young
Men.
SKETCH OF GEORGE WILLIAMS
Wonderful development Of an
Earnest Mans Idea-News
from the Churches.

Ihe Young Mems Christian Associations
convention. now in Progress in this city,
II has been said. means a big boom for the
institution. branches of which are found
in every land.
An account Of its rise and growth was
made public by the Jersey City branch
a few days ago. which is full Of interest.
1t particularly is the history of one man,
Sir George Williams. who in 1887, was an
apprentice sixteen years of age, em-
pioyed In a dry goods establishment IN
~Bridgwater, England. He became anxious
for the welfare of his associates. and was
led to prayer and effort in their behalf
which resulted in the conversion Of q con
siderable number
IN 1871 he removed to London and be-
came a junior assistant III a dry goods
establishment. Here he found about eigh-
ty young men, fellow clerks. very few Of
whom were protesting Christians. and
many We're very profigate.
The same burning zeal for Christ. that
characterized him in Brldgwater. mani-
tested itself in London. The small band
Of Christians gathered, for prayer and
Bible study and frequent reading together
in "Finney's Lectures" in one of the
bedrooms on the premises after the work
" - q 7WdS ONCT tt Dclu& CQSlOIudfy
then for clerks to occupy rooms in the.
business houses where they were em-
ployed.) One by one they invited their
careless associates to Join them. Many
were converted, and the room soon be-
came too small to hold those desiring to
attend.
One day in conversation with a friend,
Mr.. Williams expressed himself as deeply
impressed with the Importance of introduce
ing religious services, such as they were
enjoying. into every large establishment
in London. This conversation resulted in
a conference between a few of the Chris
tian young men in Mr.. Hitchcock's estab-
lishment. at the close of one of their meet
ings. They then decided to call a meeting
of all the Christian young men of the
house for Thursday. June 8. 1874, to con-
slider the Importance and practicabiiity Of
establishing the work on a frrner basis.
AT this meeting it was decided to organ-
ize a Young Mems Association the OBJ
ject of which was. stated to be ITO inn
prove the spiritual condition of young
men engaged in the drapery and other
trades"
Sir George, the Queen knighted him
for his work. is now the head of the house
Of Hitchcock. Williams & Co. which he
entered as a Junior clerk in lS4l. ON the
death of the venerable Earl of Shaftes-
bury, in 1885, Mr.. Williams was elected
to succeed hin in the presidency of the
lis honp ppiyile assO 81 seeing ! fs Work men insti sniea
by themselves. SO widely extended and SO
fruitful in blessing as is the Young Mems
Christian Association. Associations may
be found in nearly every country of the
civilized world. aggregating in 1880. Also.
The Association movement both in
Frahce and Switzerland seems to be di-
rectly traceable to the London Associa-
ton. The organization CT the German
Associations began about 1882. Few Of
them. however, can strictly be called
Young Mems Christian Associations, in
the sense in which the term is used in
pership is chiefly. if not exclusively. con-
fined to some church or denomination.
Beginning. with. the Paris Conference in
Associations of all lands. and to some
extent have felt the influence of the AS
ISOLATION movement that originated in
london