The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-31
FIFTEEN YEARS
WORK OF Y. NJ. c. A.
Splendid Record of the Local
Organization.
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED
Interesting Services Held in the Various
Churches of the City, Where the
Report of the Directors
Was Read

|
holding of special services in the various
Christian churches of the city on Sunday,
which were largely attended. The special
feature of the services was the reading of
report reviewing the work of the organi-
cation in its fifteen years of useful exist
enee Addresses were also delivered perth
nent to the subject.
In the afternoon Dr. Pimer, of Louisville,
delivered a splendid address at the First
| Methodist church to men only, and those
present were made to feel and appreciate
the responsibilities resting upon them as
men and the great work being carried ON
| by the organization.
The Report
The following is the report of the board
| of directors as read at the different
churches:
In August, 1884, fourteen young men met
and took steps to organize the birmingham
Young Mems Christian association. They
| laid a strong foundation, having for basis
| nothing less than the promotion of the
moral and religious life Of the young men
| attracted to this young and growing city.
| How well these men founded. and what a
strong structure has been raised upon the
| foundation, the fifteen years of the history
! of this association records.
Our Nilsson
There are a good many curious ideas
| abroad as to what this association is organ
| lied for, and what young men are its legit1-
mate field. There are those who think 1T
! should he exclusively for reforming the low
: est type of the tramp and the drunkard, and
! that respectable fellows should have none
| of its ministrations. There are others who
! think 1t should be carried on to take up
every neral or philanthropic reform. and
that it has no other mission. But If those
who are responsible for its conduct are not
| In error 1t has a definite duty toward all
| young men of the city, the good and the
| bad and to advance every worthy enter
| prise that safeguards young men and lights
them to the high level of personal right
eousness. Its mission to the good is to
arouse them to service for the rescue of the
| bad, and to throw about the Indifferent the
| restraint of wholesome environments.
| Hundreds of young men are coming to our
! city from the country, to enter I1e protes-
| sions business and trades. In few years
| some of them will be the leaders, Will go
into our homes, and will marry our daugh-
| tors The first few weeks in the city VIII
often determine their associates and future
| religious life. Shall we let the saloon,
! gambling hells and worse places, with their
| many attractions and warm welcome get
| them or shall we provide just as an att1Nct-
| i've place under wholesome influences, such
as the association can give. These young
| men long for companionship and must have
| a place to spend their evenings, for they
| will not stay all their time in their rooms
! at the boarding houses. If the ASSOCIATION
! does not attract them, these other places
| will Therefore it behooves every citizen to
| sustain this institution, whether they have
| sons or not.
Rescue Work
| Day by day and month by month the as
| sociation is reaching out for wrecked ana
| tempted men, to bring them ir.-o its harDar
| of safety, and with frequent success, though
| many failures. 1t is almost Impossible 10
| help young who is not Willing to pc
| helped. A man Who lis a slave to drnk,
| and who does not desire his freedom, is a
| hard man to unslhackle; but If a man really
| tries to break away from his sin, the asso-
citation can and will help him, as many
| personal examples can testify, If their his
| tory were not of too personal character
| to be stated. We know of many men VINO
| have been definitely and positively helped.
| Prevention
But a large part of our work has been
| along the line of prevention. If there is
any young man in this city VINO needs the
| aesocia ton, and the help and Synpat thy of
| Christian people ut is that young man who
| stands at the parting OF the ways, where
the path of allurng, glittering temptatio
| leads off ON one hard, and the unadorned
| pa tin of duty on the O.laer 1t is impossible
| to tabulate in figures this part of our work,
| but 1t Us vastly greater Than it Us supposed
ito be. We feel like saying hearty
| amen to THAT remark of wise woman,
| "It is better to build wall about the top
| of a dangerous precipce rnan to wait at
the bottom wish an ambulance wagon"
| Membership
-Four hundred and ninety-six men are now
| members of 1.-THE Birmingham association
/ a gain of seventy-slx over last year. In
! April, Mr. ]. A. Riley, of Atlanta, was en-
| gagged as membership secretary, and has
| been doing excellent work. But the asso-
| ciation needs the cooperation of every
member and friend to extend the Influence
| of the association. During the past six
| years over LOO different men have come
| under the influence of the association as
| members and contributors
| The Body Looked After
During the year from October l, 1893 to
| September 30. 1S99-August eXcepted-gym-
nasium classes were held Tuesday, Thurs
| day and Saturday nights, in charge of Pro-
lessor L. s. Griffiths. The total attendance
| during that time was over 2,000 There were
'126 classes held, with an average attendance
OF eight. The gymnasium was used almost
daily by men who could not get to the
classes. We believe rightly trained BODY
| is necessary to the highest mental and
| spiritual development; hence the gymna-
Stun is open from a. m. to $3.50 D. M. we'll
| equipped and ventilated. 1t is not a play
room nor luxury, not a fad, but me-
:cessity of city life, especially to business
| and professional men, and young men
whose work keeps them indoors. Every one
/ knows the old adage, "All work and no
Splay, etc." and this applies to- the gymna-
sum as well as elsewhere. So basket ball
and volley ball are among the attractive
sports. An attractive and popular place of
fsthe physical department is the bath room,
lawhere 1886 baths We're taken during the
year. This room has just been greatly i'm
| proved.
| Educational
| Glasses were held in bookkeeping. pen-
manship, arithmetic, grammar and mechan-
| ical drawing. Thirty-six different students
| were enrolled. When we consider that so
| many boys leave school before they are IA
| years of age one would think a great many
more would take advantage of this oppor-
tunity to improve their minds.
| Beginning Wednesday, November 1,
classes will be held in grammar, spelling,
arithmetic, penmanship. shorthand and
| mechanical drawing Send your friends to
| get information about this school.