Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-04

Rev. Thomas Duncan. then Young man
| in the Trinity Episcopal Church. suggested
to his fellow workers in that church the
formation of an association in Washing
ton. Encouraged and asEisted by their ex-
ceilent pastor, Rev Clement NJ Butler
d. d. d.: these young msa. especially Mr. Dun
shaw. all of whom are now in the Episcopal
ministry. conferred with young men in
other churches. and apneeting was held on
in the building then Standing at the north
east corner of 10th and u streets
"A committee to draft constitution was
chosen, and an adjouEned meeting was held
month. The constitution proposed by the
committee was discussed with much in
terest and spirit. The attendance was large
a pro. included men from all the different
The third meeting was held at the Union
Academy, now New York Avenue Hotel
C,Clarcndon. 1850: on the 9th of July, at
when time the organization was perfected
Mr.. A. H. Lawrence. LAWYER of good
standing in his profession and member
OF the Episcopal Church, was chosen presi-
aeht; Inc Inaugural ceremonies were held
IN the dnen) lecture room of the Smith
sonian Institution en- the 18th of July.
Among the First.
'1t will be seen that our association was
among the first on this continent or in the
world. 1t stands sixth. or, as some con-
slider it, the fifth, in order of organization
| in the United States. There were many
earnest and efficient men on its rolls of
membership in its early years To men
ton the names Of any might be doing in
justice to others. Yet I would saw that
Mr.. William Chauncey Langdon and Mr.
William j. RheeS rendered most valuable
service.
"One more name I will mention here.
that of Mitchell N. Miller
ITO return to the early history of our
inn Tha
on the second floor of the building on the
east side of 1th street, near f street now
numbered l. A small library and a lin
tied supply of periodical reading matter
was secured and plans for usefulness were
much discussed and some work was COM
menced. Mr.. Lawrence died shortly after
his election, and was succeeded by Mr..
Zalman Richards. elected president in Jan
| uary, 1853, and reelected in 1854. 1t ap-
pears that the receipts of the association
for the first eighteen months were some
thing over sl,4o0, and the expenditures
over 81 500
taken and carried on with considerable sue
cess in those earlier years. There was
some objection on part of the churches to
this branch OF our work at first, but the
association declared. and acted on, the
policy of selecting only unoccupied ground
and surrendering the ground whenever
church was ready to occupy 1t. In 1853
and again in 1856 Mr.. O. c. Wight was
association changed its quarters to a BULL
| ing at the corner of Pennsylvania avenue
ana 10Th street, where the Mount Vernon
row now stands. Outdoor services were
held on Sabbath afternoons not on the
avenue or main streets. blt on vacant lots
| or at other convenient places, somewhat
away from the churches. These meetings
We're not conducted in the manner of the
| open air services of modern times. The
president or some other officer or member
| of the association would secure the ser
vices of one of the pastors to preach to the
people who might be gathered. Some sing
| ing, distribution OF leaflets or other re-
| ligious reading made up tin, order of ex-
| ercises. 1t is not probable that very much
| good vas accomplished 81 this way
The New Secretary.
After the death of the late general sec
| rotary. Mr.. James E. Pugh, which occurred
very Unexpectedly July % 1893, there seeln-
ed for q time to be no one to take up the
work which he had laid down. Finally,
however. in April of 1896 Mr.. W. N Multer,
the present general secretary was desig-
mated.
rotary of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
rany branch of tine Y. ". c. A. in West
Philadelphia. He took charge of that work
five years before, and. during his conrec-
ton with it, had constructed a handsome
hIi)Girg for the association in West PhIi-
9dsphia., He secuEfd ,l.HD subscribers tor
the erection of that building and it was
his reputation building fund worker
which commended him to the board of di-
rectOFS here as Just the man wanted to fill
the vacant Cffice.
He YVES associate of Charles E. Hull
bert. eN-state secretary of Pennsylvania
and was Endorsed by Walter G.. Douglass
gene raj secretary for all the associations OF
Philadelphia W. H. Morriss general sec
rotary of the Baltimore association, and w
b. Miller. secretary OF New York He is
about thirty. three years old, and has been
in the NJ. C. a. work eleven years.
Prior 10 becoming secretary to the Penn
sylvania Railroad Association, he was for
two and a half years assistant secretary
of Pennsylvania.
BY the time. however, that Mr.. Muiter
took charge which was soon after his
election. the ork CT the Washington So
ciety had become dsorganiZed. AS soon as
possible the status of affairs was reviewed
and inside of two months Mr.. Multer sub
mitted plans to secure greater efficiency.
which were adopted, and out of which mas
teen revived the determination 10 erect a
new and imposing building
Suggestions for Greater Efficiency.
Among the suggestions made by Mr. Null
was the increase of the board of directors
of the association to thirty members, the
farmer number being eleven, and that men
of the greatest possible influence, ability
and sterling Christian character should be
persuaded to accept positions thus provided
for on the board Under this plan there
were added to the directory Messrs Charles
- a.