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

! rooms over the store OF Mr.. Balantyne.
nearly opposite his present business place.
Thence removal was made to the corner Of
10th street and Pennsylvania avenue, and
later to yet more capacious apartments
opposite Browns. now the Metropolitan
Hotel.
Our association of today with its ca
pacious plant, magnificent equipment, large
and growing membership and alert secre-
tary, is the rich fruitage of this early
planting. With growing city, filled with
bright, brainy young men-the elect
young men of all the states-we need large
vision and faith that removes noun
tains as we march steadily forward.
The work Of James E. Pugh as general
secretary was energetic incessant, earn
est, devoted. He was In everything-was
everything, while general secretary. 1 was
IN the building almost every day during
that period, and saw a good deal that went
on, although myself engaged In the educa-
t1onal work exclusively. 1 noticed that Mr.
Pugh leased athletic grounds managed BIZ
cycle races. base ball events and whole
some sports Of various kinds; supervised in
coor athletic work in the gymnasium; pro-
Vlded social and other forms of entertain
ment in great variety; and acted as his
own educational director There were COM
m1ttees, but We rarely saw any of them.
If anything was to be done, or was needed.
the general secretary was called on.
Mr.. Pugh would struggle with the finan-
cial difficulties of the organization and at
tend to its business demands in the morn
an eye on the athletic field events in the
afternoons and look after social entertain
mentS educational classes and services in
the evening. 1t was his to shoulder chief
responsibility for everything, for the SIM
pie reason that there seemed to be then as
general rule nobody else willing to do So
1t is only just to him to add that while
working on all lines, he never seemed to
forget for a moment that the religious
purposes of the association are paramount
"His devotion to the spiritual interests Of
the young men of Washington was COM
plete and intense. He labored earnestly
for many an individual young man, in some
cases for years at a time, and men of all
ages in Washington today date the begin
ming of better life from some quiet inter
view with James E. Pugh in that little
office In the New York avenue building
Toward the last he shared with me- oc-
casionally, knowledge of some of his sue
cesses. his hopes and his despairs. and I
cannot pay too high tribute to the liter
ally self-sacrificing way in which he threw
all his physical, mental and moral powers
into the work to which he gave his life.''
William Ballantyne.
During the time I was actively connect
ed with the Y. NJ. c. A. the city was flied
with soldiers and our work was principally
connected with the Christian commission.
The association was instrumental in the or.
ganization of that great work, and the idea
originated with the members in this city.
Mr.. Vincent Colyer, representative of one
of the societies interested in the distribu-
ton Of religious works among the soldiers,
came to my store one day to secure his sup
plies. l was then the agent of the Ameri-
can Tract Society in Washington, and its
distributing agents came to me to secure
their supplies On this day Mr.. Colyer
spoke of the lack of system in caring for
the soldiers who came to Washington. It
was really remarkable, the way those men
were sent here. The first troops, as I re-
member, came from Pennsylvania, and
they were in no way fitted out for the serv-
Ice they had been called upon to perform.
Mr.. COlyer and talked over the situation,
which we both deplored. During the latter
part of our conversation I asked him IL he
thought it would not be a good idea to or
ganize a society or commission which
should take charge Of all the things sent to
the soldiers and distribute them. I expa-
tiated on my idea and Mr. Colyer received
it with great enthusiasm. I suggested that
the commission come from the Y. M. c. A,
and that a special convention of the asso-
citation be called to consider what should be
done. At the suggestion of Mr.. COlyer, Mr..
Mitchell H. Miller, the president Of the To-
cal association. was called into conference
with US, and the result was that call for
a special convention of the association was
issued. and the meeting was held in New
York. in the rooms of the association of
that city, November IA to 16, 1861.
"Mr. Richard T. Morsell and myself were
the delegates from this city, and 1 was
made secretary of the convention. Mr..
George H. Stuart of Philadelphia had been
we had in mind and became as enthusiastic
for it's success as we were. The result Of
this meeting in New York was the organi-
cation of the famous Christian commission,
which took charge of the work of attending
to the spiritual and physical wants of the
men in the field Mr.. George H. Stuart was
made chairman of the commission and Mr..
Mitchell H. Miller of this city was chosen q
member. 1 was the Washington agent and
had charge of the work of distributing
tracts, Testaments, hymn books and things
which supplied the physical wants of the
soldiers in the field. In month 1 dis
bursed $50. 600, almost a thousand dollars a
day. This money was secured by contribu-