Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-04
WORK OF Y. N. c. A.
Thirty-Fifth Convention Begins Mex.
 Week Wednes sday.

Week Wednesday.
 After fifty years of active work since the first convention of North American Young Mems Christian asso- citations was held i'll Buffalo in 1854, the great thirty-fifth international con vention will take place in the same city beginning Wednesday, May II, 1904, and closing Sunday night, May 15.
 Features of immense import to tho future achievements of Young Mems Christian associations of the world will be prominent i'll this gathering. Consideration Of vital relationships in supervision and qualification will be given large place.
 The associations of North America now own property valued at $30,000,- I 900, and 1,736 branches are in exist ence in this country and Canada, with membership of 350,455 young men and boys. There are 6,625 associations | in the world to-day with membership of GA, ,753 young men and boys in for | ty-five different countries.
 This convention i'll Buffalo next month will celebrate fifty years of the, work of supervision by the internation- l al committee. While each local asso- citation is independent in It's manage ment and is q unit of authority in the great brotherhood, the supervision and aid of the international and state com mittees is important and essential be- | yond all estimate.
 There has been q mighty change in l the association world in these fifty years. The extent and purpoIt of this change, with its lessons for the present hour. will be clearly presented at the convention. which should mean as much to the extension of the assocla- | iesl II, ynVltf ton met in Boston In 1901 and attracted I 2.50O delegates and corresponding members.
 The new building of the Buffalo as sociation, one of the most complete 1 that has been opened recently, will De tho headuuarters. The Buffalo friends are perfecting excellent arrangements for a thorough and hearty welcome 10 the delegates.
 Fifty years ago the converting of group of thirty-seven association men at Buffalo shaped the policy or the Young Mems Christian association and largely determined its character. Those men were the first association statesmen. This second meeting at Buffalo will eb equally important. The achievements of the last half cen t,1ry which lies between these meet ings, will be graphically reviewed ana fittingly tolerated. Questions regard ing the policy of the association have been under discussion for many years, and a committee of twenty-one men, appointed by direction of the Boston convention three years ago, has had these matters under considerations Their majority and minority reports, prepared for submission to the con yention, is by their request printed i'll 4l.z Of ASCnpi0 tiOn Earnest and persistent agitation has led men to think deeply on all sides of these questions. This convention will he more deliberative and con- structiye than any that has met for years. The presence or the most intel ligent leaders in the association IS re- quired at this meeting i'll order that these questions may be settled wisely. If this convention has as much erect as that of fifty years ago i'll defining the associations policy, 1t will be momentous gathering.
 But not all the time of the conven- tion will be given to discussion. Some speakers who are worth crossing the continent to hear are upon the pro gram. Among this number are Rev G. Campbell Morgan. Robert D.. Speer, Dr Clarence A. Barbour, Presi-
 dent John H. Finley, Commissioners IT. B. Mcfarland, Secretary Moody of the navy, Admiral Higginson, Major F. w. Halford, U. s. A, President George w. Stevens of the c. x O., President l. Ramsay, Jr, of the Wa . bash, President c. A. Wickersham of , the Atlanta and West Point, Rev James l.. Barton, D. D.. secretary of the A. E. c. F. NJ, and Rev Arthur J. Brown, D. D.. secretary of the Presbyterian board Samuel D. Cor , don will conduct the Quiet Hour, and the singing will, as usual, be q strong . feature led by C. R. Willis, the Asso- citation quartet and the Elkhart rail- road shop chorus.
 7 Some of the veterans who were present at the convention fifty years . ago will hold a session in the room where the original gathering was held. An exhibit may also be shown , in this room.
 Secretaries from abroad who are re-
 turning on furlough and will attend 1.-the convention are Fletcher $. Brock
 man of China, George Sherwood Eddy,
 George Benton Smith and E. c. Car
 ter of India, and Galen M. Fisher of
 Japan. The Sunday afternoon ser-
 vice will be addressed by Fred E.
 Smith.
 Every business and professional
 man who is investing capital and
 brains in the absorbingly interesting
 work of these organizations is invited
 to attend.