Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-17

gage on the present building paid on, leav-
Ing $4,000 in the bank to be applied in the
extension of the building when 1t should be
decided to undertake the work.
DUNCAN, RHEEs AND LANGDoN.
Names That Head the Associations
Roll Of Honor.
The three men to whose efforts the or
ganization Of the Y. M. C. A. is almost
solely due have lived widely different ca
reers in separate spheres of life. Mr..
Thomas Duncan became a minister in the
Episcopal Church and served as a chaplain
in the confederate army. He has lived a
quiet life as minister. Mr.. Rhees re-
NAMED in Washington and became promi-
nent member Of the scientific coterie which
makes the national capital its home. He
is connected with the Smithsonian Institu-
ton. Mr.. Langdon also entered the min
istry Of the Episcopal Church, but did
not confine his labers to his own country.
He travelled extensively and established
churches Of his creed lin several countries
of Europe. A more extended review of the
lives of these thEee men will be found in
Thomas Duncan.
Thomas Duncan was born in Philadel-
phia. Novembers. 22,l 1880. His father,
Stephen Duncan, was . native Of Pennsyl-
vania, but went to Louisiana in early life
and became an extensive, planter. About
1850 he removed with his family to Wash
ington. and entered the government service
under his friend, Mr.. Charles NJ. Conrad Of
Louisiana, then Secretary of War. Thomas
Duncan obtained a clerkship in the Treas
ury Department, and lived at the private
boarding house of Mrs. Mary Washington
James, F street between 18th ar 18th,
where William j. Rhees, then in the census
office, also resided.
Mr. Duncan having read in an Eng
lish paper an account of the Young Mems
Christian Association in London, was so
much pleased with the idea that he called
it to the attention of his pastor, Rev.
Clement M. Butler of Trinity Episcopal
Church He also discussed the subject with
Mr. w. J. Rhees and their mutual friend,
William Chauncy Langdon, then employed
in the United States patent office. These
three young men met In Mr.. Rhees' room
and elsewhere and became enthusiastic in
favor Of the movement. Rev. DR.. Butler
published an article Of commentator in a
local paper, and a call was issued for a
meeting of those interested to be held at
Mr. Nourse's academy, corner of 10th and
E streets, on June 9, 1852. At this meeting
a preamble and resolutions offered by Mr..
Duncan were adopted and at a subsequent
meeting constitution and bylaws of a
ed by Mr. Duncan were adopted and he was
the first to sign the constitution.
In October Mr.. Duncan, having decided to
devote himself to the ministry, resigned
from the association and entered the Epis-
copal Theological Seminary at Fairfax, near
Alexandria, Va. Resolutions were passed
nv the association expressive Of regret at
his leaving the city, and Mr. Langdon re-
marked upon 1.-The Indebtedness the as
sociation was under to Mr.. Duncan, with
whom originated the first step toward it's
formation"
MI. Duncan entered the ministry in 1856,
acting first as an assistant to Rev. DR..
George D. Cummins, In Washington. and
subsequently accepted a call from Mark
ham, Va, where he was at the beginning
Of the civil war He entered the confeder-
ate army as chaplain to Maryland regt-
ment and served to the end Of the war. He
subsequently had charge OF parishes at
Annapolis ND Mae E Ma osie:
Cecil county. Md, and Bedford, Pa, where
he still ofhciates
He has written great deal for church
naners has always maintained his interest
ih n and love for the Young Mems Chris
tian Association, has had success IN eacn
field of labor and secured the regard anu
devotion Of the members OF ms parlsnes
and the respect ana commences % the
public. uh...
william Jones sRheess was born in Phila-
delphia March Is, 1887 son OF DR.. Ben1a-
min Rush RheeS an ninent physician OF
philadelphia, who wassone OF the founders
Of Jefferson Medical Eollege. Mr.. Rhees
was graduated AZ thu Philadelphia High
school in 1s47. ana went to Meadville. Pa.
where he had s. position as clerk and
draught sman inathe Holland Land Com
pany. He received t. aegree OF IN A IN
her hsg 1850. as Clerk - the census office.
oni had charge az thezrivision OF statistics
a. Churches. schools, libraries and penal
and reformatory institutions: also OF all
the miscellaneous printing of circulars.
blanks. etc. and became an expert proof
reader and editor. While IN the census Of
committee" of the United States on the in
dustrial exhibitiopsin London. 1851, and had
charge of business relative to exhibits
made by Americans In this first great
About this time Mr.. Thomas Duncan. who
was much Impressed with the need OF such
a young mems Christian society In WASH
friends, Mr.. Rhees OF the census Office and
Mr.. Langdon of the patent office. The first
meetings. were held In Mr.. Rhees' room. A
canvass OF prominent workers in the
churches was made, and cali issued for
a public meeting. which resulted in the or
ganizatfon of the association in June, 1852
the result Of the enthusiastic and untiring
the time were only twenty-five years of
age. Mr. Rhees was the first secretary Of
the association, then Librarian, then vice
president, and In 1855 was unanimously
elected president.
He was secretary Of the first convention
of Young Mems Christian Associations at
Buffalo, 1854, and edited and published the
mittee at the Buffalo convention to report
on a hasfa of organisation OF all the Young