The Yale expositor., 1911-01-13

~ parish, London, IL young men
organized a society for the spir-
itual improvement of the en-
ployees of the large dry goods houses
of the British metropolis.
Today that society. known through
out the world as the "Y. NJ. C.. A."
has grown to membership of 900,-
900; is represented in 10 countries of
the world; has over 5000 separate so
cieties; and owns buildings and prop
erty valued at considerably more than
$700OO,O0O.
In North America alone, II has over
5000 paid secretaries and employees
on its rolls devoting their time to its
maintenance and expansion. 1t has
branches from the Arctic Circle to the
Cape of Good Indian, the Philippines
and other ends of the earth. 1t has
become a part of the man-building
force of every important railroad and
industrial concern, and the army and
navy have seen it's activities through
out their own ranks in all parts OF
the world, and on the battlefields of
Manchuria and elsewhere.
In the present day of great build
ings, gymnasiums and swimming
pools, bowling alleys and billiard
halls, libraries and educational
classes, 1t is difficult to realize the
small beginnings of the institution
that has become the foremost asso-
citation in the world for the aid OF
young men. If Sir George Williams,
Its founder, or the eleven who joined
him in it's former organization, could
have foreseen the great ends Of their
work, IL is doubtful if they would
have brought to it the same qualities
Of mind that they possessed when II
was launched
Originally, as already indicated, the
Young Mems Christian association
was a voluntary organization among
dry goods clerks, for the spiritual i'm.
provement of their fellow employees
After it's organization by Williams
and his associates in 1914, 1t was for
some time known as the Diapers
Evangelical association, for want of q
better name, and the title we'll ex
pressed it's aim and the purpose of its
organization.
The athletic and popular features
of the work are at complete variance
with the ideas of most of the twelve
earnest young men who founded the
original society. Then it was entirely
religious movement. and it had not
been discovered that young men could
best be interested in religion through
the activities that benefited theil
physical and mental bodies, and made
better manhood. The very idea of al
athletic contest, or contest of any
kind, was abhorrent to many Of those
who directed the associations early
activities.
The United States and Canada have
witnessed the most phenomenal devel
opment of the original association o
Sir George Williams. The latest fig
ures show that there are S,09S asso
Citations in the world, with 900,OOC
members and nearly $70,000,O00 wortl
Of property.
The United States and Canada have
only 2,O17 of these associations. bu
they embrace a membership of nearly
100000: have property valued at more
than $50 900, 900; and have over 81,
600, 900 pledged in building funds anS
endowments. The British Isles, wher,
the association was born and frs
fiourished, have but 10000 members
and buildings and property worth Less
than $6.000.000.
In the United States the Y. M. G
A. has become the recognized ex
ponent of better manhood and citizen
ship in every large city. The social
educational and spiritual features O
the work have invaded almost ever,
field O; masculine endeayor. Asso
citations exist among the mininf
camps of Alaska. among the construc
tom camps on the Grand Trunk Pa
cifc. and other roads; In the Goa