Evening star., 1909-05-18
NEW OFFICERS D|NED
Enthusiastic Gathering in the
Y. N. c. A. Gymnasium.
REJOICING IN SUCCESS
Speakers Tell of the Growth of the
Association.
WIDE EXTENT OF INFLUENCE
Second Oldest in This Country.
Growth From 1874 to 5000 in
the Past Ten Years.

and noise as at national political con-
vention.
/ The new officers, who were formally
ushered into their positions, are: George
Otis Smith, president; H. B. F. Mac
| farland, first vice president: John b.
Sleman, jr., second vice president; H. A.
Thrift. recording secretary. and II.
Bradley Davidson. treasurer.
l. Rev. DR.. Charles Wood. pastor of the
Church of the Covenant. presided An
adress was to have been delivered by
Fred B. Smith. the evangelist of New
York but he was unable to get here at
the last moment.
The gym was decorated chiefly with
/ American flags. but there were also
flags of other nations to indicate the
worldwide scope Of the Y. NJ. c. A.
movement On the floor were arranged
all the tables that could be crowded into
| the space, and seated around them were
more than 800 men. each at the table re-
served for his particular department.
In his opening address DR.. Wood said
the statement had been made that what
religion needed today was the college
yell. He added that if that was the
measure, the Washington Y. M. c. A.
possible kind of yell that anybody was
able to think of was given, and besides
these impromptu efforts whole lot of
stereotyped association ye1ls" were
4
dinner. To add to the din. a big bell.
| hanging at one end of the hall, was
kept in motion most of the time
New Presidents Address.
Mr.. Smith. the new president. was seat
ed at the head of a table reserved for
the Smith family" When DR.. Wood,
who was introduced as toastmaster by
General Secretary William x. Cooper.
had presented the new head of the asso-
citation in little speech that sparkled
with humor and good feeling, Mr.. Smith
came back by paying his respects to the
Smith family He convulsed his hear
ers by suggesting that Smith would be
good motto for the association. 1t
stood, he said, for numbers. quality, vari
ETY. and lot Of other good things. He
then read a telegram which ran in this
wise:
'The Smith family has triumphed at
last FRED 3. SMITH"
Striking more serious vein, Mr.. Smith
said
with the activities of this city to know
that the hgh-pressure system of our
everyday life demands manhood that will
ccme up to the specifications. All around
us are men breaking down under the test
| of service.
Never was there greater demand
| for men, strong i'm mind, body and soul,
and for the development of such men the
| Y. NJ. c. A. stands. As patriotic citizens,
| we owe a special obligation to the Wash
ington association, which not only trains
men for service at the nations center, but
always stands as light on candlestick
On this occasion the Washington Y. M.
c. A. demands and deserves our whole
hearted support. and we honor ourselves
in working for its success"
Mr.. Macfarland's Remarks.
Taking his cue from the new president.
sy,s1 xoI lot, 49, ;,,tN
his speech and turned his batteries on
Mr.. Smith without mercy. After that
he said the Y. NJ G. A. had subscrip-
tion list that contained the largest num-
ber Of names and represented the largest
amount of money ever subscribed in the
District for any civic purpose. He con-
/ tnued
I'VE have reason as community to be
proud of this association: to be proud Of
what was done in the ten years of the
Woodward administration; to be proud of
what was done in the forty years that
went before his administration. Our
friend. Mr.. Johnston Of Montreal is here
tonight. and he is member of the oldest
association in the North American con-
tinent.
After Montreal came Boston. and then
came Washington. Never forget that
/ this is the second association in the
i United States. the third on the continent
in all this splendid list of associations now
stretching all over the continent and
sending their representatives all over the
world. Once more, l repeat. we have a
right to be proud because of what our
representatives are doing beyond the
seas. We have the national secretary of
all South America. Think what that
means! Think how the Presidents and
Secretaries Of State from Blaine's time
down to that of Mr.. Root have empha-
sized the Importance of South America,
the Importance OF our relations with
South America.
Then think how the Washington asso-
citation is honored by maintaining the ma
lional secretary for South America. Then
when you think Of those vast empires
across the Pacific, when you think Of
Japan and China. when you think Of In
dia, when you think that we have given
not only heroes. but martyr. to the
great cause of Christ in Asia, we have
take courage. we have a right to go for
ward with full hope and great confidence
for the future
i Concerning the foreign work Of the asso-
citation Mr.. Sleman said:
When we think of the thousands of
men who have been members Of this as
sociation for longer or shorter periods Of
time. and who have gone out from here
to all parts Of the country imbued with
the spirit of enthusiasm which has been
such a feature of the life of our organ-
zation, we begin to have proper concep-
ton of the widespread effect Of the efforts
we are milking mere III
Ovation for Mr.. Woodward.
i After brief addresses by Secretary Thrift
and Treasurer Davidson. S. w. Wood
ward was called upon and received a per-
feet ovation. Everybody insisted that he
speak and he had to yield.
There is just one thing ahead of the
Washington association he said, land
that is 1t will grow with increasing rapid
ity into increasing influence for good. It
has grown from membership Of 1854 to
1000 in the last ten years. / look to see
it's membership grow from 5000 to 10000
in the next ten.
When he had said few more nice
things about the association Mr.. Cooper
spoke of the Importance of the strategic
position of an association located in the
National Capital for arousing enthusiasm
!. in religious work.
The Guests.
Those present were:
Table Wv. X. Cooper. A. NJ. Lothrop,
Dr. NJ. e. Miller, Edward F. Siedam.
Rev. Charles Wood, s. w. Woodward,
II. C. Davis, A. B. Gawler. A. j. Os-
. good, B. l.. Huske. John B. Sleman, ir..
ID. C. Campbell, E. r. Follen, D. j. Har-
rison. c. A. Johnson. G. l.. johnson. DR..
]. Taber Johnson, John Kane and ]. ID.
! Johnson.
/, Table IN, w. Bald sin. Harry e,. re,
P. c. Clafin. William u. Cunningham,