Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-23

GENERAL SECRETARY LYNCH.
ADDRESSES MADE BY A NUM-
BIER OF PROMINENT MINIS
TIERS.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton of this city celebrated their four
tcenth anniversary yesterday afternoon
with very pleasing and entirely appro-
pirate exercises. There were present
a very large audience, composed of the
members of the Association and their
friends, who were quite liberal in their
expressions of appreciation of the vari-
Gus performances. The members of the
Fourth Street M. E. Church choir,
the Board of Directors of the Associa-
ton and an orchestra composed of five
members of the Association, occupied
places on the stage. The master of the
ceremonies was Myron Hubbard, Pres
ident of the Y. M. c.. A.
The exercises were begun, about four
o'clock with the singing offa hymn, en-
titled 20, for a Thousand Tongues to
Sing by the audience under the lead
of the choir. The singing of Bucks
"Jubilates Dec in D" by the choir alone
then followed. The selection was quite
a beautiful and was rendered fault
lessly. Rev. w. j. Ha1l kp ess then read
Scripture from the 18th chapter of st.
John, after which the audience was led
in prayer by the Rev. j. r. MILAN.
The hymn entitled "Celme Thou Fount
of Every Blessing" was next rendered
by the audience. General Secretary,
John C. Lynch, then submitted and
read his annual report, which was an
excellent one, showing careful prepara-
tion. 1t was as follows:
The history of the Young Mems
Christian Association is zone of evolu-
tiop, marked by continual develop
ment, expansion and adaptation. There
has been great growth numerically,
until there are now nearly 5000 asso-
cations throughout the world. Note
the special departments OF this re-
markabEe organization-for college
men, for railroad men, for colored men,
for foreiSn-speakfug men, Note espe-
cially the latest development in the
army and navy work. Three days
after President McKinley's first call
for volunteers the International COM
mittee of the Young. Mems Christian
Association met and decided On a line
of work to be promptly undertaken
for the soldier boys. tlEhe methods, ex-
perience and trained Ihen of the asso-
citation fitted it above all other organ
izations to carry on THIS work with a
high degree of effieieney and economy.
Seventy large tents were provided in
the various camps, supplied with chairs,
tables, writing paper, envelopes, ink,
pens, books, newspapers, Bibles,
hymn books and gam es. Religious
work was also carried on effectually
by $50 tent secretaries ARID other work.
ers. The work was gratefully appre-
ciated by the soldiers and heartily in
dorsed by the authorities.
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton provides for the needs of all
classes and conditions of young men.
1t is a voluntary association, bring
1uS lUSGlucI HUH LHdn lld+l d HiAllOn
men in n grand fraternity, not alone
for selfish ends or pleasure, but for
physical, intellectual. social and spirit
ual improvement Of themselves and
their fellow men.
A wise man has said that "The
truest test of a nations greatness was
not in its censu or the size OF its cit
les, but the character of the men it pro-
duces."
The Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton is producing character. II touches
the lives and stimulates the nobler i'm
pulses If thousands of young men
every year, enhancing their value to
the church and the State.
What the association in general is
doing for the young men of the country
our association has been doing, in a
measure, for fourteen years, for the
young men of Wheeling.
In it's highest expression the a~ssocia-
ton is simply the church, working unit
eddy by special agencies for yong men.
If there is any need for the church t.
specialize it is for this class.
Someone has said a city's greatest as
set is it's young men. We have in
Wheeling, roughly speaking, about s.
900 young men. Considered commer-
cially, they are our most valued pos
session. Say the average earning ca
pacity of each young man is about $500
a year. That represents 6 per cent. on
a capitalization of SIC, 900. Measured
by their present earning power, the
5000 young men of our city are worth
to the city $50, O00, 900, which is vastly
more han all our banks, business
houses and big manufacturing estab-
lishments put together. From a COM
mercial standpoint, the young men are
of great value.
Who can measure their value to this
community, socially and politically?
Among them are the fathers of the
coming generation, the leaders of So
ciety and of politics, the officeholders,
the proprietors of the stores and fac
tories.
Then consider their spiritual value.
If the young men could be won to
Jesus Christ what a mighty result
would follow.
The young men are of infinite value
to this busy, prosperous city. By their
industry they create its wealth, by their
morals they determine its citizenship
their future is it's future.
L l. H. -