The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-27
THE Y. NJ. C. A. ANNUAL
EXERCISES HELD IN TWO CHURCHES
AT THE SAME TIME.
Reports Of the Secretaries Show n
Fire Condition of the Association
debt to BE Paid This Year.


and the First Baptist Church, the minis
tiers of the two churches exchanging pulpits
and delivering the. annual addresses. AT
the Central-avenue Church the boys choir
of the Y. VI. c. A furnished the music.
The reports Of the corresponding and finan-
cial secretaries showed a wonderful i'm
provement in the condition of the associa-
ton in every way. The report of the for
mer alluded to the IaS. that General Har-
rison was president of the association for
two years, and that the association was
proud to say that it's most honored ex-
president is also ex-President Of the United
States. The present membership is 800.
The report of the financial secretary
showed that the receipts of the association
during the year 1895 were $500, from which
the following expenses were paid: Salaries.
wages, etc.. $..31697; special religious and
other similar work, $1,203.20; maintaining
the building, $2,30450 All bills have been
paid and there is a small balance left. The
receipts for the year were $1,000 more than
for the year 1894, caused mostly by the
large increase in membership.
These figures refer solely to the ordinary
receipts and expenses of maintaining the
association work, and does not include the
building fund, which amounted to almost
$1,000 more. From this fund $1,000 was paid
on the mortgage debt, the balance of which
will be paid this year. Interest, taxes, i'm
provements, street assessments and insur-
ance cost almost 5000 more and there is
a balance of $6i1. 06.
In comparing the work done in 1894 and
1895 the reports show the following, the
first number in each case being for 1894 and
the other for 1896: Number that attended
the gymnasium, 9,74f-11, 1863; number in reg
ular gymnasium classes, 3,295-3,79o num-
Der of baths taken, 2,s62A.7lS; number at
drawing, bookkeeping, ETC., 393-l,S67; at
tendance at lectures, 7,700-11, 900; attend
ance at religious meetings in 1895. 1856.
D. Eson pastor e Of tne First Baptist pf
Church. In part he spoke as follows:
Il had no idea what the work of the Y.
NJ. {. A. was in its far-reaching influence
until after L came here and took an active
interest in it's work. find that it has
property valued at more than SIG, 900,
and spends each year in its uplifting work
more than S,000,000. indianapolis should be
proud OF the local association. l have felt
since coming here that / ought to be proud
of Indianapolis. but since have seen what
is being done by the Y. NJ c. A. l am
doubly proud OF the city. L indorse this
association because it is nonsectarian and
nterdenominational. 1 have found that ev-
to be of one denomination if that one is
of their own choosing, but will not accept
it otherwise. We should all stand by our
own denomination, but one that absorbs
the whole man. his every power and ener-
gy, is cramping that man and making him
unfit for the society of the world.
therefore 1t is a good thing for man
to get among new surroundings and en-
vironments. 1t is not best to stay in one
place all the time. am glad / am in a
Methodist Church tonight and / will be
Methodist all over as long as stay here.
When a man lives for his own church, and
only for his own church to the exclusion Of
he Is q mean contemplate mani can
scarcely say Christian.
That is why 1 like the Y. M: G.: A. 1t
is taking us out of our close habits and
showing us a broader field for our work
Some people think they have whole God
bit left for the others. If If YOU will bring
some one into the church of God just be-
cause 1t is His church, you will have a
greater joy than to bring Him in because
Ii is your church.
This is the work that is for young men
and young men should stand by It. Look
out into the world and you will find ii is
a world of young men. 1t just suits him
Everything that belongs TO the world, all
its pleasures, joys, music, sunshine, suits
the young man and belongs to him. Have
you older people noticed how 1t drops from
you; how its chill blasts cut you?
'Infidels taunt the Christian Church and
say: You promise everything for the flu
ture world but give nothing now Nine Of
every ten churches have nothing for the
young man now, but the Y. Nj. G. A. has.
The church is beginning to look to the pres
ent and not offer all in the future, but
the Y. NJ. G. A. found this plan long ago.
1t believes in building up physically
strong Christian. The boy usually says:
Religion is a good thing for girls, for old
people. for all when they are sick, and
you must have it when you die and I in
tend TO have it then, but not now The
Y. NJ. G. a. makes il attractive to the boys
now and offers them with it good physical
training, many pleasant hours and acquain-
tances that make life pleasant. 1t is for
this and many other similar reasons that
can so strongly indorse the Y. NJ. c. A.
1t takes nothing from the church, but adds
wonderfully to it ard should be aided and
assisted in every possible manner by the
churches"
w. p. Fishback was called upon to make
an address. His talk was entirely of a
humorous nature that cold print cannot por-
tray, but it was all to the point and gave
great encouragement to the work of the
Y. NJ. c. A.
At the First Baptist.
The Y. N. c. A. anniversary exercises at
the First Baptist Church were enjoyed by a
large audience. The address was by Rev.
II. A. Buchtel, pastor of the Central-avenue
NJ. E. Church. The subject 1.-The Value
of the Young Mems Christian Association
in the Solution of the City Problem" In
addition to Dr. Buchtels remarks, a pro-
gramme of music was carried out by the
large choir.