The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-07-24
QUAR Tx UF
A CENTURY
A Sketch Of the Chinese
7. M, c. A,
WRITTEN BY Mr. GOO KI NJ
He Tells Of the EARLY Days If Pos
eIytIzing Among HIS Race

l
Chinese Young Mems Christian Assoc
citation of Honolulu from the date Of or
ganization TO June 18th, 1900. the 2jth
anniversary by Goo Kim, Chinese Vice
Consul, translated into Eng ish by VIM.
Y. Kwai Fong:
This Chinese Y NJ. c. A. was formed
in the year Of our Lord 1875. for the
purpose of spreading the Gospel Of
Jesus Christ among the Chinese. At
that time there were very few Chinese
residents in these islands who had ever
heard of God and Of our Savior Jesus
Christ; but there was n good Chinese
Christian, Seau HUI & by name, VIM
was the first man to preach the Gospel
to us at Bethel church. and who ais,
opened a night school for the study of
English. This was the beginning of the
work to ChristianiZe the Chinese in
these Islands. But not long after Mr..
Seau Hung left for Chi a. together with
his family. During this period VIII n
we had no pastoral aid, we We're as
sisted by n certain member of a broth
erhood society, whose name l cannot
recall who sympathiZed with us be-
cause as a flock we were without a
shepherd.
He suggested the plan to send to San
Francisco to secure "a Chinese pastor
to aid the Christian work in Honolulu,
and we succeeded in securing a man
named Mr.. Sit Moon. After his arrival
in Honolulu, he at once went to work
and preached the Gospel to the Chinese
at Bethel Church, where Father Damon
had kindly let US hold our services and
also helped us to cons derable extent
Yet there were very few who came to
hear the Gospel and sometimes none at
all. and 1T was a pity that the work
progressed so slowly.
One day Mr.. Sit Moon came to my
store on Nuuanu street. There we met
Mr.. l.. Aseu, the present secretary of
this Y. NJ. c. A., and we considered
what steps should be taken to spread
the Gospel in the Hawaiian Islands
among our nationality. Mr.. Sit Moon
said we should open a Young Mems
Christian Association, for the benefit of
those who wished to study the gospal,
and this met with our hearty approval.
l.. Aseu gave 800, 800, and Sit Moon
800 to start n fund The first Y. M. c.
A. meeting place was in Bethel church.
With the assistance of Father Damon
We held an enthusiastic meeting, and
six new members Joined at this first
meeting, whose names are as follows:
zap Ten Siau, Chez Fook, Chun FoOk
Lee Sam. Chat Yee and Wong Nyen
cided to hold meetings every Tuesday
to study more about Jesus and His Cos
pei. 1t was not until November Is,
1877, that we adopted our constitution
and bylaws, drafted by the Hon S.
b. Dole, the President of the Repubic
of Hawaii. and soon to be our Cover
nor, who helped us greatly to secure n
charter from the Government. Presi-
dent Dole has been very kind to us.
for he did not charge us anything for
the work he had done. In 1878 the eX-
penSes for the maintenance of this as
sociation having increased, it was de-
cided to open CrOCkery store on Nuu-
anu street for the purpose of using IT'S
profits to support the association The
upper floor we turned into a spacious
hall, and provided with books aud
magazines for the benefit of its mem
bers. In the same year we bought n
burial lot at Makiki for the intormpnt
of the bodies of its members who hld
gone to the world beyond. In 1881 thc
Chinese church was completed. AMI we
moved our association to the new Chin
csc church parlor, and provided a fund
of 500 for the support of the pastor and
$50 for the janitor from the treasury of
the c. Y. NJ. c. a. In 1854 we bougaJ a
piece Of land at Palama at the prlce
of S25OO.00. In 1855 the membership in
creased largely and the church parlor
was not large enough to accommodate
the members. We again decided to buy
q lot and build Y. Nj, c. A. building;
each member subscribed literally TO-
wards the building fund, and on De-
cember of the same year this build
Ing was completed The opening cere-
mony was performed with much sing
ing and praises to the Lord, also re-
freshments We're s rived at the end The
total costs of this building and lot be-
N OOl GipRa had
this new association we have opened
school for boys, and also provid I'd
rooms for the use of people arriving
from the country. We have a regular
business meeting the first Tuesday uf
eaal month, and have prayer meetings
every sunday from 6 to 7 .. M
when Lafayette came back to this
country after the Revolution" said
Major \. c. sharpe former judge all
vocate general of Porto Rico, in a
Washington interview the other day,
he inquired what had become of the
common people. He referred to the
passing OF distinctive dress for peop'e
of the professional class. These dress
distinctions, which used to be in the
colonies, prevail in Porto Rico, II is
possible to distinguish n lawyer.
newspaper man, doctor or n priest by
his daily garb. But even In Porto Rico
that viii disappear in time under AM
erican administration. THE hostility
TO Americans in Porto Rico" added
Major sharpe, lis largely OF a political
character. About the time that the
war with Spain began the people of
Porto Rico We're to have autonomy.
The plan of autonomy allowed particl-
patton In their own affairs beyond any
thing the Americans have yet allowed
them. Quite a party OF Porto Ricans,
who. after being excluded for many
years from office on account of favor
itism for native SpanIards. can be ex-
eused, perhaps, for feeling dlsgruntled
because lust as they We're about to
share In public administration the priv
llege was taken away from them"