Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-17
'AALF CENTURY OLD.
Anniversary Jubilee Of
the Y. N. {. A.
ORGANIZED IN 1852
History Of the Work Of Fifty
Years.
THE SUCCESS ATTAINED
FIRST STARTED BY THREE DE-
PARTMENT CLERKS.
Prominent Men in Local and National
Affairs Who Were Associated
in the Work.
THE SUCCESS ATTAINED
FIRST STARTED BY THREE DE-
PARTMENT CLERKS.

few months beyond his majority, held
an earnest consultation one spring even
ing fifty years ago. These three men
were government clerks. They had been
removed from the softening and refining
influences of home and were thrown, in the
first blush of their manhood, in company
ws.n the heterogeneous mass that makes
up the Cosmopolitan life of the capital of
great nation. They Lad come to Washing
ton from distant and different parts Of the
country and had lived long enough among
the law givers of their nation to learn of
the pitfalls and obstacles that are to be
found in the pathway of every young man
who starts out in the world to carve out his
future and make a fortune for himself and
his poSterity and establish an honorable
name. All the allurements of that refined
vice which permeates the centers of social
and political life the word over had failed
to make an impression on these three men.
1t appeared to them, as they talked, that
there was nothing that even pretended to
compensate the youth for the comfort and
| quiet Christian peace of the home he had
left. They knew that there were thousands
of other young men in the city who would
! welcome the establishment of a club or
other organization of the kind where they
could spend an evening or an hour free
from temptations of all kinds and partake
OF those quiet, homely pleasures that had
been theirs in their far-away homes.
Receive Suggestion.
One of these three young men read to his
companions from a clipping from a London
newspaper of the organization and prosper
Gus condition of organization in Great
Britain which was called the Young Mems
Christian Association. The name objects
and influence of such an organization sug-
gested to them the sort of a thing which
would serve as savior to the hundreds of
their own kind who were going to the bad
In their own city. 1t was the thing they
had each thought and pondered over Why
then, could not such an organization be es-
tabllshed in Washington? Why could there
not be Young Mems Christian Association
In America. as We'll as in England? They
read or the establishment of associations in
London, III Paris, in Geneva, in Adelaide
out heard of no such thing on this CONT
nent: These three young men spent the
evening in considering plan of organiza-
ton, and as result of their meeting the
following notice appeared in the National
lntelligencer, June ., 1852:
The young men of the different Protes-
tant denominations in this city, and all
others interested in the object proposed
are earnestly requested to meet at the Ma
sonic Hal. corner of 10th and Z streets, at
8 o'clock this evening, to take into ccnsid-
Grafton plan for organizing Young
Mems Christian Association
The meeting was held. and was a success.
1here We're sixty persons present in an
swer to the advertisement quoted and ey-
cry one of them entered heartily into the
plan proposed by the three young men, and
promised his aid and cooperation in the
formation OF what was then thought to be
the first Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton on this side of the Atlantic
The Fiftieth Anniversary.
So it comes about that tomorrow, in the
churches of this great and beautiful city,
thousands Of people will hear told the story
of the Young Mems Christian Association.
celebrates
Tuesday its jubilee, it's fiftieth anniversary
as an organization of earnest Christian
workers. The people who attend the serv-
ices to be held in the various churches
throughout the District tomorrow will hear
extolled the work of Thomas Duncan
William Jones Rhees and William Chaun-
cey Langdon. the three young men to
whose efforts the organization OF the as
soclation was due almost entirely. Two of
these men, Mr. Duncan and Mr.. Rhees will
De among those who will listen to the story
as told by those who succeeded them The
other, William Chauncey Langdon, has long
since closed career made glorious by O.
life OF active work in the church and the
cause of Christianity, not alone here but
IN Europe as well.
Half a century of stubborn fighting with
the most serious difficulties; years made
glad or sad through success or bitter dis
appointment; years when 1t seemed that
the organization must disband when it
was raised to the highest pinnacle of sue
cess. only to be thrown back, and then to
rise again higher and greater than before.
Will be lived over again by the hardy band
OF christian workers who fought and
struggled, and struggled and fought until
success came. The association began with
q membership OF sixty. 1t now numbers
a. ors tnan two thousand Fifty years ago
It LED the life of vagrant 1t had no
fixed habtation for several months after
u was organized, and then its home was of
the barest sort; today 1t owns a maguiti-
CENT building, fitted with every conven-
oil I,~rl
membership 1t wields most powerful in
nuence on the lives of 1000 young men
ana gives them every pleasure the heart
can desire, together with a religious train.
Ing to be secured In no other place and
enid no other surroundings. 1t offers the
young man home, a club. school, a
gymnasium. 1t offers him instruction in
business, in sports: it instructs him to care
for his mind, his body and his soul, ard in
thousand and one ways offers to the
young men of the national capital jus,
ego wanted to offer when they met in the
bed room of Mr. Rhees In that little
street boarding house, and read the clip.
ping from the Londan newspaper.
Historical Data.
The history of the Y. NJ c. A. simply
reflects the history of the city in which
It was established during the most inter-
esting time of its development; the asso-
citation has grown and expanded with the
growth of the city. AS has been stated.
the first meeting of the Y. M. c. A. was
held the evening OF June 8, 1852, a few
months more than half century ago. The
nftieth anniversary, therefore actually oc-
CURED last summer. 1t was not possible
Tor the association to hold its anniversary
exercises at that time, however. and the
arrangements have been made for the cele-
bration to begin tomorrow and continue
over Monday and Tuesday. Tomorrow
exercises commemorative Of the event will
be held In several of the principal churches
Monday evening a banquet will be given
by the association at the New Willard The
President and members Of the cabinet to.
kether with distinguished senators and rem.
fesentatives, will be present. 1t Is ex
pected that covers will be laid for a COM
pany numbering between four hundred
end five hundred people: Tuesday evening
z members banquet viii be given at the
National Hotel.