Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-06-19

the Y. VI. c. \. is set forth in an
article by G. A Warburton of New
York in an excellent manner, the fol
| lowing Cf which are extracts:
Whether considered as an express
sion Of the generally peryading altru-
istic spirit. a manifestation Of the
Amerian eagerness for selfhelp, or
as an evidence Of the vitality of the
religious forces OF our times, the rail
road branch Of the Young Mems
Christian association is deserving OF
recognition and study 1t has been
called tie largest club of working
men in the world 1t is doing a vel
fare Work of sufficient size and sue
, cess to put il in the front rank among
such Enterprises. and on the rail
road it has made a permanent place
tor itself aud is generally regarded
as a desirable and in most cases in
dispensable agency for good. Its
status may be seen by the fact that
companies controlling SO per cent OF
the railroad mileage of the United
States support the associations. OF
which there are now 500 with a mem
bership of $4,000. and annual current
expenses OF $625. 900. of which the
companies con nributed 40 per cent
and men 80 per cent. The number
of secretaries now employed is 3337,
and the value of the buildings more
than s1,S00,o00.
The Young Mems Christian Asso.
citation began its labors among rail
road men in 1872 in the city OF
Cleveland. Ohio. through the agency
of an employe who had been dis
charged for drunkenness, buy who
had recently reformed and entered
upon a life OF active Christian ser
vice. He invited minister to
preach to railroad people in the wait
ing room of the station, the officers
of the companies controlling it hay-
ing placed it at his disposal. Crowds
of people attended a revival broke
out among the men, and as a result
of it and the difficulty of managing it,
the frs branch of the Young Mems
Christian association composed of
railroad men was formed. It was
not long before a reading room was
opened and the organization properly
housed in the Union depot The
first ouueach OF the new society was
to men along the line Of the Lake
Shore railroad, and The meetings in
roundhoHses. led by delegations of
earnest mon, We're a feature Of that
period. The secretary was man
Of unquenchable zeal, and devoted
his time largely 20 the visitation of
the sick, the distribution Of relisi-
ous literature. and the conduct of
evangelistie meetings. One OF the
earliest friends whose inhucnee was
a great aid in those early days was
Gen. JOHN H. DeyercauN. then the
president Of fIfe#G c. G. and l.. roa
and a prominent citizen Of Cleveland.
lie afterwards testified tina in tEe
strike DAYS Of 1S77 it was thraagl
the influence Of the Chris siaa work
dane among tAe men in Cleveland
that JHeF Stood e0f aealnat rios aa3
.isorder
In Isl The HeIand mca=fall=s4aa
J4as all= visit o#..9r imD9ataal rail
Toad eea#efs sell Waat H=d 8asa
deHa and 10 5aduce other Ia3taa3
men q aa4d yves 2sa.aaI a.
other maaas@5 ID give taetr #sH5-
ance. Ee@ York C.Jy WAS one Of
11e frst p.aes VISITED The and
Central d#por aaa become ;as faa
eearJe.s q t5e New Yo.h G. Gaa5
systom. ana the o.ic4s OF It's aaG
atcd lines l4eo as now. made fra-
queut business visits 10 it. Ceasrai=
DeEera4X had SPOKEN Of Tie war# III
Cleveland 10 ileft4 Is at aaae
bilt family Gaz C
he was iaea @a,Iaa .2j at "a5 -
treasurera office d l'e Ialoa E1E
road as e!erf. H. was az active
worker in ST. Ba..Hoi-ma@'s Es5szos=
pal church ana had recon 4. 6eeoma
q member Of tie board Of dileafo.s
of The Young Mems C4Yistian 2sse-#
citation of New York. The visls.=r5
from Cleveland found him doeqly IN.
terested in their story, which was a
tlriLIino one .nd u,hicla ~ LII