Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-10-24
Things You Want to Know IN; s, y; $sA.

The triennial convention Of the Inter-
national Young Mems Christian associa-
ton which begins it's deliberations IN
Toronto next Thursday. focuses the eyes
Of the world upon an institution which
has been one OF the most potent factors
In raising the people Of every race ana
cline to a high standard Of right hving
and right thinking
In its ever broadening endeavor to de-
velop in their right proportions the
trinity OF man-his mental, spiritual and
ply steal sides-the Young Mems Christian
association has gone into every country
on the globe Al the Toronto gathering
there will be between loo and LOU dele
gates from every quarter OF the world
eager to solve the great problems which
face the institution and which will have a
far-rea ching effect upon the spread of its
beneficent influence.
The three most important concrete ques-
tions to come before the convention will
be- First. the resolutions presented by the
Pacific coast presidents and general sec
retaries, providing thai any 10 per cent
OF the associations shall have the right
TO file a referendum petition at any time
within ninety days after an international
convention. The argument for this Is that
at the conventions many Of the associR-
lions are unable to have proper repre-
sentation and therefore are not paruoi-
pants in making the laws which govern
the institutions activities. Second fur
Their discussion Of the evangelical test
provisO, which restricts active management
and control OF the Young Mems Christian
association work to members OF Protestant
churches Third. plans for the advance
ment OF the "men and religion forward
movement" a campaign which Is to be
set in motion in september, 1911. and con-
tinue through May, 1912. During that time
il is hoped to bring to Christ and the
church 10000 men and boys, to double the
enrolment Of the Bible classes and to add
a conclusive testimony TO the essential
reality OF Christian unity,
While these are the formal questions to
be discussed, Il is known that many of the
leaders I'm the Young Mems Christian as
ISOLATION movement are more vitality con
cerned in questions OF advancing the worE
Of the organization IN continental Europe
and nj England along the lires which have
brought such a rich harvest in America
The democracy OF the American YOUNG
Mems Christian association Is the idea
toward which the continental organiza
tons are striving. In England the work II
largely confined 10 the classes among which
| the association was founded by George
| williams in 1874, In America the Younl
Mems Christian association appeals alilS
to the slav who comes from the depths o
the coal mine to learn the rudiments o
English in the night schools and to tn
sons Of Americas muiti-millionaires whit
find in the institutions gymuasiums ant
I'm It's social circles recreation and SCUM
moral influence. On the continent IT,
work is handicapped by the traditions o
caste and class. IL is these tradition
i which the leaders are trying to overcom
so that the benefits OF the institution ma;
be as widespread elsewhere. as in thi
country. In the Orient where the Ameri
can has been the. Young Mems Christia
association pioneer, the. work has pro
crossed far more satisfactorily than in Eng
land where the movement was started.
The great bold which the work has take
upon thS Chinese and the Japanese
shown in the fact that in the city 0
! Tokyo more than l. 400 Chinese students as
semble from time 70 time in the new build
ing erected as the headquarters OF the i5O(
Chinese students who are studying {
Japan Count UlCumra. the famous jar
/ anese statesman, who Is not a Christian
but maintains shinto shrine in his palac
grounds. said TO the secretary OF tn
n American board recently: 1T is importan
that these Chinese students be impresse
with the fact that Christianity is good 10
q nation" He added that he proposed
do ali he, could to help the association &c
hold of the Chinsse young men. The wor
in Korea is, iiksWtse. advancing rapidly.
The cardinal virtue OF the Young Men
Christian association method OF reaohin
men Is that It IL unhampered by tradition
and that Il is q democratic institution
the broadcast and best sense OF the wore
II is progressive in its work, utilizing IN
common-sense means at hand The bee
example OF this Is 20 be found Ia the wOr
being accomplished in the ics-hound region
Of Alaska. There the secretary OF the So
diers' Young Mems Christian aasooiatiO
at Fort Seward spends his summers on
floating Young Mems Christian associI
ton building" q thirty-eight-fOOt launc
called the Helen Gould" In this tin
craft Mr., Reid ana his wife have travele