The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-01


A. Work During the Year-RepOrt
of the Treasurer Showed the FL
nnnciaI Condition of the Associa-
tiOn-AnniversaryA Address by Rev.
Sparks w. Melton, Pastor of the
First Baptist Church of Augusta.
The exercises at the First Baptist
Church last night in observance of the
fourteenth anniversary, since it's reorgan-
ization, of the Young Mems Christian
Association in this city, were largely
attended.
The report of the president. Mr.. C. NJ.
Gilbert was interesting, showing the prog
ress made by the association during the
year. 1t was, in part, as follows
We have held meetings every Sunday
Afternoon during the year. conducted by
ministers and prominent laymen-fifty-two
being exclusively for men, and averaging
thirty-three in attendance. One meeting
was held when ladies were invited, and
the work of the International Committee
was presented, seventy-five being in at
tendance. At the beginning of the year
a meeting, conducted by young men, was
started, which met on Monday evening
the attendance averaging r.
EARLY last spring the association, de-
string to carry the gospel to men, many
of whom do not regularly attend church
service, secured permission to hold ser
vices in the Plant System shops during
their noon hour every Tuesday, the re-
suits of which have been most crafty
ing. The average attendance at these
meetings was 81. Two Bible classes were
conducted, and one class for training
men in Christian work. The average
attendance at these classes was FIVE In
addition to the above, we have a class
for training young men in personal work.
which was conducted for nine months,
the attendance averaging four. For three
months a class. taking up the study of
missions in non-Christian lands was
| taught the attendance averaging six.
our reading room is well supplied with
| the leading magazines and papers from
| various sections of the country, and has
been well patronized, showing an ap-
| probation of its literature. Our library
contains about 600 volumes. which mem
| bers have the privilege of using, 81 having
been taken out during the year. Under
the direction of our Lecture and and En-
tertainment Committee, was held the star
have since decided to discontinue.
THE educational classes were success
| fully conducted-3S being enrolled, and the
| following branches taught: English,
| bookkeeping and mechanical wing the
average attendance being English, 5;
| bookkeeping, z; mechanical drawing, :.
| The average age of the students was %
| years. There was held rally for the
| educational classes, which was attended
by forty young men. A mandolin and
| guitar club was organized last spring,
the attendance averaging 8.
Five receptions were given during the
year, which averaged ga. One
| OF these was held on New
Years Day. rendered, usual. by the
Ladies' Auxiliary to the members and
their friends. The plan of having the diff
ferent young peoples church societies
| give receptions to our members proved
very successful and enabled many of our
members to come into touch with the
workers of the various churches. In adj
! dition to these we held twenty ladies'
| evenings, with an average attendance of
! 119-the ladies' being invited to witness
| the games in the gymnasium. Our build
| ing is well patronized by young men, the
| average daily attendance at the build
| ing for the year was about ia.
1.-THE gymnasium has proved very at
| tractive, and also very beneficial. Regu
| lar class work has been carried on for
young men three nights each week
throughout the year. with an average at
tendance of II. The business mems class,
which meets three afternoons a week
| at $50, averag ed 9. The total number
| exercising, but not in classes, during the
year was 2.796. The average number us
ing baths was thirty-three daily. Two
exhibitions were given by the members
| of the gymnasium classes averaging $50 A
| bicycle club--this being its fourth year
! gave a number of runs the spring,
| the average number being II.
"Our work in the Junior Department
| is for boys between ages of 70 and 16
years, of whom we have siXty-two en-
rolled. Much interest has been taken
| by the boys in the gymnasium, they hav-
| ing the use of it two afternoons each
week and Saturday mornings, the aver
| age attendance in their classes being 30.
| One gymnasium exhibition was given by
them which was attended by about $50
| parent and friends.
THE membership dues of the young
| men pay about one-half of the running
expenses of the association, while the
balance is provided by contributions from
friends of the work. who recognize the
Importance of such work being carried
on in this city for young men.
THE treasurers report is as follows:
1 Dot