The San Francisco call., 1910-03-28
CORNERSTONE LAID
FOR Y.M.C.A. HOME
Mayor and Ministers Take Part
In Impressive Services at
New Building

OAKLAND, March 27.-The corner
stone Of the new Young Mems Christian
association building, at Telegraph
evenue and Twenty-first street, was
laid this afternoon at S:45 o'clock by
Wallace NJ. Alexander, president Of the
association.
More than 500 members of the Young
Mems Christian association. including
SnIcers and directors. met in front OF
the temporary headquarters at Maple
hall. Forming in line six abreast, with
Jordan-s band leading. followed by the
directors and then the members, the
party started to the air Of Onward
Christian Soldiers" The line OF march
extended direct to Broadway and Tele-
lEraph avenue, and then out Telegraph
avenue to the new site At first II
had been arranged 10 hold the services
loutdoors. within the steel frame work
Aof the unfinished structure, but weather
conditions forced a change, and the pre-
lfrliriary ceremonies took place In the
lFTrst Baptist church, a block distant
As the procession neared the church.
in which Mayor Mott and the speakers
lof the day were waiting, surrounded by
300 friends and members of the aSso-
iciation. the strains Of Onward Chrls-
itfaa Soldiers caught the ear of Mrs
w. J. Cook, the church organist
land both organ and congregation took
iup the refrain with enthusiasm.
.lBOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mavor Frank X Mott presided, sur
rounded by the board of directors OF
the Young Mems Christian association,
who are: Captain Walter J. Petersen,
IA. Z Trathern, J. B. richardson
Harry s HoIcomb, W. 7. Veitch, o. f.
-k8otle. W. G. Hayes, A S. Marquardt,
- TNnnTpn
lyValIace NJ. Alexander, Rev. Charles r.
Thrown, Rev T. L. Goodspeed and Rev
Ia J. Vosburgh. Henry J. Mccoy, sec
3retary OF the Young Mems Christian
association Of San Francisco, was pres
lent. and Rev. DR.. Clarence A Barbour
Of New York, secretary of the lnterna-
sffouaI Young Mems Christian assocla-
ltion, attended upon special request 20
Sdeliver the principal addresses OF the
day.
In opening the services, Mayor Mott
icomplimented the people Of Oakland
i1Ipon such splendid undertaking lie
noted that heretofore the city had
been lacking in the matter of facilltles
for taking proper care of and uplift-
ing the Young men, The mayor con-
sinued:
Oakland has always been proud
10 rank herself among the fore
most in the matter of churches and
edifices erected to God-but she
has been behind in her Y. NJ Z. A;
building. This should be proud
. day for the citizens OF our city.
We can be proud that we can go
forth claiming a building and lnsti-
tuition lust as substantially erected
here as in any other city. 1t mat
Iers not how great the eommefclai
edifices. how great the population,
. how advanced all faclitles-a city
is poor. indeed, without such an in
=. Stftution.
This organization is not narrow,
not bigoted, for 1t allows all me
freedom in the world in the direc-
tion of right living, cleanliness,
:. virtue, honor and all these things
which 90 TO make for good citizen
ship. Acting as the representatlve
=. of the people of Oakland, ] thank
those who have so generously con-
tributed their time and money TO
this edifce, an edifice which Will
count nightly in the development
Of Oakland and impress visitors
from all over the world.
MUSIC FOLLOWS ADDRESS
The band played The Lost Chord,
and after Mayor Motifs opening ad-
dress a hymn, How Firm a Founda-
ton" was sung The invocation was
. offered by Doctor Vosburgh, pastor OF
the First Baptist church Rev +. Ia
Goodspeed, pastor of the First Presby-
terian church, led the responsive scrip
sung. this preceding a prayer by Rev
Charles r. Brown, pastor of the First
congregational church.
Henry J. Mccoy brought greetings
from the associations OF North Amer
lea. He said in part:
II gives me ineXpressible pleasure
TO attend this service. / have been
enlisted in the fight for our boys
and girls many years, and L am
confident that YOU will agree with
me when I say that the young men
and boys are our greatest assets.
Whatever we can do in their proper
development is to our own advance
ment and credit 1t has been said
that we are getting into too much
club life. that we do not find time
for religious ceremonies and serV-
ice TO God. but this is untrue.
We have in the very laying of
this cornerstone today a good evil
dence that we are not diverted IN
our service TO the Almighty. We
are as religious and Jealous today
as ever We are far from asleep.
Some say that if the church had
done its work properly there would
have been no need for a Young
Mems Christian association. But I
say, and believe it fully, that the
Young Mems Christian association
is the outcome of the church-the
outcome of its growth and develop
ment
In every home and in every walk
OF Ire Ile 1OunR Atn :
association stands for the better
things of life. Is fl, therefore, not
the outcome of the church? Do
not our churches purpose the bring
ing into every heart the better
life2
1t is well that the businessmen
of this city have come forward to
assist the young man. 1t belongs
to the young men, does this struc-
ture. 1t is for their advancement
physically and mentally and no
more worthy cause could exist.
NEW BUILDINGS PLANNED
Secretary Mccoy closed by saying
that the new building is only one ouf
of 100 buildings to be erected in tn,
United States this year. involving al
expenditure of S1l, 100000
Mayor Mott introduced Rev DR. Bar
bour who expressed himself as mos
deeply impressed with the ceremony
BE said that Cleveland had just raiseC
81 900. 600 for a building, and thai
Phoenix, Ariz., had some time ag,
asked it's citizens for 100000, and tn,
result was that within few day:
100000 was contributed by the peo.
pie. among the contributors being rep
resentatives of II tribes of Indians
Doctor Barbour dwelt upon the pur.
poses of the Young Mems Christian as
sociatiOn and illustrated its effect upor
the young men of the world. He saiC