Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-21
VISIT SOUTH AFRICA
FRED B. SMITH PLANS EVAN
GELIsTIC MEETINGS THERE.

Fred B. Smith, one of the religious work
secretaries of the International commit
tee of the Y. NJ. C. A. who is supported
by the Fred B. Smith Club of the local
association, was the guest of the club
at meeting held in the assembly room
of the association building, 1876 G street
northwest last night In his address to
the members, he told of the wonderful
growth of the religious departments OF
the various associations around the coun-
try, of his own work during the past
twelve months and his prospective labor
for the coming year.
The main feature of Mr.. Smiths work
in 1908 will be trip to South Africa
where he will be a prominent speaker at
the national Y. NJ. c. A. convention for
South Africa, and where he will lead
evangelistic campaigns in the principal
cities. Mr.. Smith made the promise last
night that he would be the guest of the
local association the last Sunday before
his departure on that tour. He will re-
ceive rouslng send-off from his friends
and supporters here.
Mr.. A. M. Lothrop. president of the
club. presided last night, and called upon
Mr.. Smith for the story of his work.
In opening his address Mr. Smith told
of the departmentalizing Of the associa-
ton work. First. the divisions were
made for classes of men and the student,
railroad. Indian, colored, army. Navy and
other branches-thirteen in ail-aS now
recognized. When that was begun
some said it was the beginning Of the
end, but it has been shown to have been
the beginning of greater things. Next.
there was another kind of division and
the physical, the educational, the social
work, business, membership and religious
departments have resulted.
Mr.. Smith has been especially engaged
during the past year in the placing of
religious work directors in various asso-
Citations in cities and he raised the money
and placed twenty-five such directors, he
said, in the past twelve months. There
are now sixty such men over the coun-
try. In the coming year he hopes to
place such men in the cities Of ST. Paul,
st. Louis, Atlanta, Boston, Springfield and
Buffalo.
The establishment Of the religious work
departments, he said, has been justified
by results. Bible study classes in the
associations have more attendants than
educational classes, and evangelistic
meetings have larger audiences than the
gymnasiums have patrons In the ten
years from 1895 to 1905. he said, the aver
age attendance in Bible classes has been
raised from $4,000 to $4,000; the attend
ance at evangelistic meetings, which was
SO small in 1895 that 1t was not reported.
dNcEdScU per week last year, ana
shop meetings. of which only two were
held In 1896, are now held in 255 places
per week and have a total attendance in
year of over million. At present there
is steady stream Of 5000 young men
marching into the churches of the coun-
try every year through the work of the
Y. NJ. c. A. Mr.. Smith predicted that
in the next five years the results from as
ISOLATION evangelistic work will be greater
than In the previous fifteen years.
While England is recognized as the
leader In political colonization, he said,
America is the leader in the evangelistic
colonization. For that reason, he stated,
call has come from South Africa for a
man to introduce American methods and
ideas into that far-away land. In answer
1T was stated, he will go there in May
next and remain until September. In the
months previous to his departure, Mr..
Smith said, he will visit several associa-
ton conventions. take part in evangelistic
campaigns in several large cities, and
spend month in similar work in Canada.