Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-10-08
WARD IN INDIA.
Local Y. M. C. A. Receives Interesting
letter from Secretary.


Letter from Secretary.
An Interesting letter has just been
received from A. A. Ward, Y. NJ. G. A.
secretary in Bangalore. India. The let
ter is of special local interest. because
the Railroad y M. G. A. and four other
associations of Iowa are paying for
his support in the Indian field The
letter is as follows:
on leaving America for India. it was
expected that | should go direct to
Bangalore soon after landing in India.
However, the Bangalore Association
was in the midst of a canvass to can-
Gel a large debt on current expenses, so
it seemed unwise to change secretaries
at so critical time. Therefore. at the
request of the Indian National Council,
Mrs Ward and myself went to Madras
to spend three or four months in the
association there.
.'The wisdom of the Indian National
Council in taking this action has been
fully justified by results. The Banga-
lore Association. under the efficient
leadership of Mr.. Callan, has wiped out
it's debt. thus restoring in large meas
ure lost confidence. and putting Itself
in position to move onward again after
the serious relapse of the past year
a result which scarcely could have
been possible if change had been
made in the midst of the canvass. And
on the other hand. my stay in Madras
has been of the greatest benefit to me
as a period of adjustment to life in
India and of training in the methods of
ioI
in order to succeed under the peculiar
conditions one finds in these oriental
cities.
Madras is the largest city in South
India Bangalore being second. 1t was
the first city in the east to have
general secretary The association is
housed in beautiful four-story build
ing which gives standing and dignity
to it's work in the minds of men. Be-
ing the oldest association in India it
has passed thru most of the vicissi-
tudes incident to childhood, and is
gradually settling into permanent lines
of work 1t was fortunate that / could
be present while this organizing pro-
cess was still going on, especially since
it was being carried out by one Of the
best organizers on the secretarial force
in India.
1.-The field of activity of the Young
Mems Christian Association in Madras
is, perhaps, as great and as accessible
as that of any association in India,
with the possible exception Of Calcut-
ia. The Bible study department is a
good illustration of the possibilities
which lie before this association when
ever it's staff of secretaries shall be
sufficient to meet the needs of eff
cient supervision. The Bible study en-
rollment in 1904 was forty. in 1905 one
and in 1906 there were three
men enrolled in forty classes.
This number could be increased to
,ne thousand If leaders could be found
and trained. The same accessibility Is
true in other departments. Fully one
thousand boys of high school age are
within easy reach of the building, most
of them in schools which are open to
us and in which boys clubs are being
formed by the boys secretary, native
Of India.
These facts give some indication of
the field into which was ushered on
my arrival In India. To cope with this
splendid opportunity there was but one
full time secretary Mr.. r. I. Ewing,
and a few Indian assistants. I was
set to work. During my
three months stay I had three Bible
classes each week, two Of them being
by some of the most influen-
tial Indian young men of the city.
Besides leading Bible classes, L
was given general supervision of the
The building is lighted by
gas plant which takes large blocks of
lime to keep in repair as the native
helpers are so careless. "Please. mas
Ter, I want mantle.' Please, sab. CHM
,y done broke Such is the refrain
one hears daily from the gas man.
But not all of ones time is taken
up with material equipment. There is
he Book Depot, from which books on
Bible study and the Christian life are
sold to the young men at reason
lble price. The monthly association
paper, "The Young Men Of Madras"
secured to pay expenses-pleasing
ask! Sunday meetings had to be ar
'anged for, care being taken to secure
he right kind of speakers. Occasion
lilly an eminent man from the west
would come for a few addresses or lee
ures. Then public reception at
ended by 200 or 800 people, all of
whom are served with tea and cake,
must be planned for and carried out.
At this lecture following the reception,
frequently between 500 and 600 are
present.
Couple with the foregoing activities
some attempt at organizing tennis and
loot ball clubs, and the fact that one
lived over two miles from the building
With no trolley connection, and it will
De seen that my stay In Madras was a
busy time However, I think it should
De regarded as a period of valuable
raining rather than of effective serv-
ce. / am sure that the friends in
owa who are interested in this for
ign work will not regret this brief
stay i'm Madras, altho their hearts, like |
nine, have been conferred upon Banga-
ore.
early in March of this year, the
indian National Council decided to ask |