Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-06-20
Y. M. g. a. CONVENTION.
nreat Development of This Popular
Religious Organic ,tior


! Inc jubilee celebration in Boston of the
| rounding of the Young Mems Christian
ASSOCIATION centers attention upon the
wonderful growth and many sided devel-
opment of this constantly growing So
ciety.
Inc association had its origin in 1874.
IN the brains of George Williams then
dry goods clerk in London. The room
Where the first meeting was held is still
preserved as 1t was on that day fifty
| seven years ago, when twelve young men
the apostolic number-met to launch a
movement, the extent of which none of
them could then predict. The develop
ment mas been along the line Of the para
oie OF the mustard seed and to-day in
ntty nations, speaking thirty-five differ
ent languages, there are 5,132 branches
or the !. Nj. G. A., with membership
or o2l,000. Here in the United States
there are 1,439 branches, with member
ship of 2o2,00
The establishment of the Y. NJ G. A.
on the American continent was almost
simultaneously effected in Montreal and
Boston, the year in both cases being
1901. The Boston association waxed rap
membership of 1000. BY May, 1855.
there were thirty-sx associations in the
United States and Canada with n mem
oership of $4,000. In the whole world
there were 329 associations, with mem
bership of 3O,360 The Civil War had
disintegrating influence on the associa-
ton and in 1862 there were only twenty
associations, and these were generally
confined to the larger cities. After the
war the work of rehabilitating was begun
and the growth of Y. NJ. g. A. work has
been constant since.
The railroad department Of the Y NJ.
@. A. had it's origin in Cleveland. The
railroads have earnestly co-operated in
the promotion Of the work, contributing
literally for buildings. equipment and
secretaries. To-day the railroad associa-
lions are feature on 10000 miles Of
road and the railroads are annually con
tributing $1T5,000 for maintenance In
1877 the work on behalf of Indian young
men originated.
At the convention in Boston nearly
1000 delegates were in attendance. A
feature of the meeting was an unwilling
Of tablet in the Old South Church meet
ing house, where the association was or
ganized. The first ddy of the jubilee con
vention ended with welcoming addresses
by prominent citizens, including Mayor
Hart, Lieut. Gov. Bates, Henry NJ.
Ward and the Rev. A. NJ. Plumb d. ID.
G. r. Williams of Montreal and w. E.
Dodge of New York responded.
Election OF officers was the first work
of the convention. The following were
chosen: President, William Il. Dodge,
New York: Honorary President, Howard
Williams, London, England; Vice-Presi-
dents, G. 7. Williams. Montreal, Que;
James Stokes, New York; Il. II. Them
ton, Atlanta. Ga; s. L. Spencer, st.
Louis; G. III. Mccormick, Chicagoi III. Nj.
Moore, Boston; ID. w. S. Pattee, Mime
apolis; s. w. Woodward, Washington,
d. c.; J. Thoburn Ross, Portland, Ore;
]. G. Cass, Nova Scotia; James n. Har-
dy, Louisville Henry Waterhouse, IIa-
wall; Secretary. G. G. Kitchener. Chicago;
Assistant Secretaries. A. G. Knobel,
Rshevillc, N. c., and Henry w. Stone,
Portland, Ore.
kilograms or congratulation were re-
ceived from President Mckinley and
AL