The Detroit times., 1910-10-24
5hOATO TO HAVE
D|B i.M.C.A. MEET
THIS week
Dslsgates From Every Quarter OF
World Will Attend Triennial In
ternational Convention Which
Begins Thursday.
osview Of Great Work Which Has
Raised People of Every Race To
High Standard of Ideals.

IA convention OF the luterudtioudi iouhh
4 Mems Christian Association, which be-
rins it, deliberations In Toronto next
Thursday, focuses the eyes OF the
world upon an institution which has
{been one OF the most potent factors
a. raising the people OF every race
and cline to q high standard OF righ'
sIlvinG and right thinking.
Ia Its ever-broadening endeavor 70
0ayelop In their right proportions the
trinity Of man--his mental. spiritual
and physical sldes--the Y. M. G. A
has gone into every country on the
NJ hobs. At the Toronto gathering
& there will be between 1920 and l.5Ot
1elegates from every quarter OF the
world.
The three most important concrete
aueGtions TO come before the conven'
<fion will be: First, the resolutions
q ;presented by the Pacific Coast presi'
s. 1ents and general secretaries, provid-
X1ng that any 10 per cent OF the associ-
Hfions shall have the right to fle a
referendum petition at any time with
n ninety days after an international
&onvention. The argument FOR this Is
1hat ct the conventions many or the
associations are unable to have prop
~ ~ representation and therefore are
4 not participants in making the laws
which govern the institutions acuvi-
lies. Second. q further discussion OF
The evangelical test proviso, which
81 restricts active management and con-
troll Of the Y. M. c. A. work to mem
hers OF protestant churches. Third,
plans for the advancement OF the
*Men and Religion Forward Move
\ ment," campaign which Is to be set
4 81 motion In September, 1911 and con-
tinue through May 1912. During that
time II il hoped to bring TO Christ
4 and the Church 100000 men and
\ boys; to double the enrolment OF the
Bible classes: and to add conclu-
foive testimony to the essential reality
Fpf Christian unity.
n 70 Advance Work In Europe.
While these are the formal ques-
lions to be discussed. II Is known that
(. many OF the leaders in the Y. NJ c.
IA movement are more vitality con-
|cerned in questions of advancing the
work OF the organization in continen-
Efal Europe and In England along the
& lines which have brought such q rich
+ harvest In America. The democracy
of the American Y. M. G. A. Is the
{. deal toward which the continental
4 6rGnnfzations are striving. In Eng
land the work Ia largely confined to
the classes among which the associa-
.tfon was founded by George Williams
In 1884. In America the Y. M. c. A.
appeals alike to the Slave who comes
from the depths Of the coal mine TO
learn the rudiments OF English in the
night schools, and to the sons OF
America's multi-millionaires who find
IN the institutions gymnasiums and
IN its social circles recreation and
8ound moral influence. On the CONT
nent, the work Is handicapped by the
traditions of caste and class. II IL
these traditions which the leaders are
{rying to overcome, SO that the bene-
1tx OF the institution may be as wide
spread elsewhere as In this country.
In the Orient, where the American
has been the Y. M. G. A. pioneer, the
work has progressed far more salts
factorily than in England. where the
movement was started.
The great hold which the work has
taken upon the Chinese and the Jap
.auese Ia shown by the fact that In the
city OF Toxic more than 1 400 Chinese
students assemble from time to time
I'm the new building erected as the
headquarters OF the $4,000 Chinese
students who are studying in Japan.
Count Okumra. the famous Japanese
'otatesman, who IL not a Christian, but
maintains q Shinto shrine in his pal
nee grounds, said to the secretary Of
the American board recently: 1T Is
important that these Chinese students
be impressed with the fact that
{ christianity IL good for q nation" He
added that he proposed to do all he
could to help the association get hold
tof the Chinese young men. The work
IN Korea IL, likewise, advancing rap
{ idly.
Unhampered BY Traditions.
The cardinal virtue of the Y. NJ. C.
a. method OF reaching men is that It
4 10 unhampered by traditions and that
Z e Il o Democratic institution In the
broadest and best sense of the word.
IL II progressive In its work, utilizing
the common sense means at hand.
The best example OF this 10 to be
found In the work being accomplish
~ in the ice-bound regions OF
Alaska There the secretary of the
Soldiers Y. M. c. A. at Fort Seward,
\ opends his summers on a floating Y.
~ e A. building" a thirty-eight
+ foot launch, called the Helen Gould.
h In thia tiny craft Mr.. Reid and his
wife have travelled more than 5000
B miles up and down the Yukon and Its
tE1butar1es. carrying magazines, music
and rood cheer to the isolated posts
and mining campo. In some OF these
B places the mere sight OF a human be
Z Ing. and the sound of woman's
4 voice are Godsends to men consumed
with loneliness and overwhelmed by
The great silence"
y Uniting from the arctic to the tor
IA zone, the Y. NJ. G. A. In found q
D6toDf factor In the Panama Canal
4 {orzltory. There the United States
1VGgnmont gives Official recognition
W ~ Invaluable work being done in
~ olobhouses. giving comfort to the
80. making them contented and aid
x - Materially In the work OF law and
1870. When the government erected
1houooo on the zone several years
+ 1n President Taft. then secretary OF
@nP, nsted the Y. M. G. A. to take
nPxo OF them. I'm explanation OF
i <&1n request. he said: When you
<Hnt capital operation performed
<.rtn ~ f.ra good surgeon: when you
s. ~ " SHIT carried on as II ought
on. Won 90 70 q good
'hcn you want n means
u population occupied