Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-01
START OF CAMP AIGN
EFFORTS OF THE Y. N. G. A. TO
PRokIoTE THE GOSPEL.

I'm definite, well-planned and well-pro-
NOTED extension of the gospel of Christ to
the young men of North America, there has
never been such year as the present"
Fred B. Smith declared, at the opening
meeting Of the campaign for a Greater Y.
NJ c. A. for Greater Washington, last
evening in the banquet room of the asso-
citation building. 1876 G street While a
session was held in the navy yard yester-
day at noon, the formal opening occurred
last evening.
There was a dinner and a conference of
about 800 specially interested men at Q
o'clock, and at o'clock the first big meet
ing of the campaign was held in the asso-
citation gymnasium and was attended by
several hundred persons.
In speaking at the dinner of his home
coming to this city, Mr.. Smith told of the
work being done this year by the associa-
tons throughout the country. In continu-
ing the thought, stated at the beginning, he
said that he had just returned from a trip
through the west and the middle west, and
Canada, and, he declared, he had never
known of such strong religious campaigns.
Campaign is Colossal.
"Vaster even than those, however" the
speaker explained, "is the campaign which
is undertaken here. We have met here
many times, in many campaigns, but not
one Of the past was as colossal as that
planned for the coming week.
"And the success Of the campaign centers
in men, Get your man and alls got de-
clared Carlyle. in one of his writings In
all of Gods works, God has issued His
message through a man. Such was the
case with Luther. with Knox. with Moody
and others. It's the men that count in this
campaign"
The dinner was attended by many prom
lnent residents of this city. Commissioner
H. B. F. Mcfarland sat at the right of
Mr.. Smith, and on his left was Rev. T. H.
Hamlin, pastor of the Church Of the Cow
enant. Mr.. Miles M. Shand chairman of
the religious campaign committee, presided
over the meeting. and others at the head Of
Douglass. formerly Commissioner of the
District; Edward w. Hearne, general sec
rotary Of the Y. M. c. A.. and others.
secretary at Buffalo, spoke briefly on the
campaign. He told the story of the gen.
eral. who called upon his men for vOlun-
teers to undertake a mission, which meant
certain death, instructing the volunteers to
| take one pace forward while he turned his
back. When he turned the first time. he
| saw an unbroken front; he turned second
and a third time, and still an unbroken
/ front. Then an orderly reported that as
! the general turned his back each time,
every man In the ranks had stepped for
ward one pace. This was urged as the
spirit for the Y M. c. A. to observe in the
! campaign.
Great Question Of All Time.
At the first big meeting Of the campaign,
| held in the gymnasium. Mr. Smith spoke
of the question. once propounded by Christ,
| to lawyer who had been trying to catch
Jesus: What think We Of Jesus Christ? '
| That is the great question OF all time; 1t
| goes into the heart and marrow Of human
| life. It is a question which means more
to the young man, declared the speaker,
| than any other.
Mr.. Smith gave three reasons in support
| of the assertion that the question Is the
greatest in the world; first, because 1t will
| settle the problem of sin in ones life; Sec
ondly. because it provides a way of living
| life at it's maximum, not at it's minimum
| and thirdly, because 1t is the only single
| question which every man must answer
| sometime in his life.
II am glad we are getting. away from