The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-08


 
 after which those who desire to do so car go. though all are invited to remain to ar after-meeting. The after-meetings are thoroughly evangelical and have so far proved interesting and fruitful of results. All men, young and old, Christian and non Christian, are cordially welcome at the meetings
 ldonthIy Meetings.
 Plans are on foot to hold monthly social meetings in order that the members, many of whom are not acquainted may come to know each other.
 During the past week two Bible classes have been organized, one to meet on Mon day night, led by Mr. Jackson the other on Friday night, with MT. James Bowron as leader. The Monday night class is for unconverted young men who desire to know how to become christians. Quite a number of young men who have been reached in the Sunday afternoon meet ings have joined the class and others will be added from week to week.
 MT. Bowron's Class.
 MT Bowron's class starts under the most favorable auspices and it's success is assured. The course is of interest not only to young men but to all Sunday school officers and teachers, all men, whether connected with, the association or not are eligible for membership and can enroll their names at the building any day during the week.
 The Birmingham Young Mems Christian held its first members meeting last Tues day night, the first meeting since its re- =,,,ixo fi1,, home on September %. The membership committee reported one hundred and eighty-six members to date. which is con sidered very good for so short time in which to get members.
 After a brief business session J. V. Read, state secretary of the Georgia Young Mems Christian Association, de- livered an instructive address, which was the principal event of the occasion His topic was Things Old and New in the Young Mems Christian Assocat tion" He started out by quoting the old adage: That which is true is not new, and that which is new is not true" He went on to say that the Old Testament enfolded the New Testament, and the New Testa- ment unfolded the Old Testament
 America Leads World.
 He stated that the American Young Mems Christian Associations were lead ing the world in their line of work. Out or the total membership of 645,0o0 in the entire world the United States and Can ada have 350,0OO of them. There are 66DO different associations throughout the world and only 100 of these are in inc United States and Canada But the Am erican group of associations have $50 of the trained specialists out of the 1O6f throughout the world and own 46O of the S09 specially equipped buildings. Ont ot the total property owned by the assocfa- tions in the entire world. nearly thirty three millions of dollars, the American group of associations owns nearly twenty six millions of it,
 ? Mir Read said that the yonnp Men,s Christian Association had learned to adapt itself to the needs of young men of all classes Through the expert advice of the international committee and the diff ferent state committees, gained from long experience in dealing with the difficult problems pertaining to the different fea- lures of the work. associations are thor oughly organized and yielding the great est of results among college men, rail- road men, colored men, Indian young men, and in many of the industrial groups of men throughout the country. Experi- ence is wise teacher as well as a costly one. and that is a wise secretary and as- socNtion that learns lessons from the experience of the past fifty years in as- sociation work.
 Benefit of Experiments.
 He went on to say that every associa- tion in this country today had the benefit of a half gentry of experiment. and if every association does not succeed it is because it is not doing the work it was organized to do. The time has past for the Young Mems Christian Association to be conducting soup kitchens for tramps. or doing general missionary worl, or holding Sunday schools and forming other entangling alliances It's business is to confine it's work to the self-respectine young men of it's community and to con- duet it on the tried-and-proven methods of association experience.
 He said that the greatest need the Bir- mingham association had at present js A fine gymnasium building on the rear of their magnificent lot. He congratulated the association on the fact that it had adopted the policy of paying as 1t goes and when it could not pay not go Also on the fact that it had paid the cash for its fine lot and had $1O.000 left for the gymnasium fund With this building com pleted it will be matter of only a short time until the association will have a