The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-02

ton of the reform spirit which has
taken hold of China. Mr.. Rugh pre-
diets that within the next ten years
the world will witness in China the
greatest revival of history, for the rul-
ers are favorable to christianity. and
the sentiment Of the people is turning
that way very rapidly.
Reaching Upper Glasses.
The Y. M. C. A. is doing a work in
China that the church, unaided. could
not do. 1t is reaching the Weather
class, who. when they see that the
church and christianity are the refuge
of the poor man, refuse to nave any
thing to do with the church. The Y.
M. C. A. appeals to the rich mar as a
club, a place where he can meet his
business acquaintance. And, uncon-
sciously, he absorbs the spirit of chris
tfanity, until he openly adopts the reli-
glon which he once flouted.
Mr.. Rugh praised the work of, Col
ton. who is in charge of the Y. M. c. A.
movement in China, n told of the
remarkable strides that have been
made under this mans leadership. To
further justify a work which needs no
justifying, he drew a parallel, showing
the relative opportunity which is af-
forded the boy in China, and the boy
in an American city, to make the most
of his life. The American boy has ev-
cry force pulling him toward a right
life. Helping hands are always out to
aid n strengthen him. The Chinese
boy has every force pulling him down,
and in all the land there has never
been anyone to aid him. The work of
the Christian forces is filling a dire
need, and one which could be filled in
no other way.
South American Topic.
Following Mr.. Rugh, Mr.. Conard
spoke on the work in South America.
He began by calling attention to the
immensely of the country, and made
some interesting comparisons which
brought home to his hearers the al
most unbelievable size of the great
continent to the south of us.
In regard to it's cities, Mr.. Conard
said hat a traveller from this nation
would be astonished to see the cities
of South America, and to note their
size, their thorough up-to-dateness,
and the beauty and grandeur of their
buildings, and especially their public
buildings, into which they put i'm
mense sums of money. We can show
tnem little that they do not already
know about the material part of city
building. The capitals of South Amer
lean nations are the very hearts of
those nations. The greatest percentage
of the people live in cities, and the
cities are dominant in every way, not
alone politically, but socially, and in
every other way.
Mr.. Rugh spoke next Of the great
Importance and the magnitude of
South American commerce, and
especially the commerce of Argentine,
of which Buenos Ayres is the great
trade center. The exports of grain
n beef from Argentine are enor-
NOUS, n are constantly on the in
crease. Buenos Ayres is a city of
about 10000 1t is growing at the
stupendous rate of 100000 people per
year, SO fast that any public function
which is adequate today may be en-
tirely inadequate tomorrow. Though
there are miles of docks along the
river front, the spectacle may fire.
quently be seen of dozens of big ships
waiting sometimes for days n weeks
for their turn at the docks, to load or
unload.
.. Praised Buenos Ayres.
But, though the city is wonderful
in its material growth, the temptation
is all to pure materialism. There is
no thought taken for the Improvement
of the public morals. Social custom is
such that it is expected of boys and
young men that they will be on the
streets in the evening, onsthe streets
without guidance, and with every form
of vice Haunted openly in their faces
to tempt them. Only the very strong
est can resist. James Bryce, who Is
one of the best known of American
writer's, after d recent trip to South
America announced it as his belief
that while the South American nations
had made wonderful material progress.
they had drifted so far from religion
as hardly to realize that such a thing
exists. .
In Philadelphia, not so large as
Buenos Ayres, there are ninety Catho-
lie churches, n $50 Protestant
churches. In Buenos Ayres there are
forty Catholic churches and ten Pro-
testant churches, a total of fifty
churches, as against P~hiladelphia's
780.
The universities, though very
modern and advanced in many re-
spects, are not at all hospitable to
religion, and in many cases they. are
openly hostile. There is a great re-
ligious need in South American cities,
and the Y. M. c.. A. can go far toward
filling that need. ..
Twelve years ago there was an as
ISOLATION organized in Buenos Ayres.
This year they are putting UP a
magnificent new building, and the
organization has a membership of L.
500 men, about 40 per cent of whom
are Argentine. The night classes
are well attended, and are growing
rapidly. The gymnasium work is be-
ing taken up with remarkable interest,
and is proving the entering wedge for
the workers from this nation. 1t Is
introducing to the people Of Argentine
our magnificent type Of physical man
hood, as embodied in the physical
directors which we send down there,
and, along with this, is creating in
their minds a favorable impression
and an interest In the Christian
religion, as those American men live
it.
Shunian Working Well.
B. "a. Shuman, whom the Fargo ""Y''
supports in Argentine, is doing a fine
work there, with his corps Of seven
native assistants. This year they have
a budget of $4,000 to. raise locally,
and they are being assisted from this
country, in addition. They are estab-
fishing branches, working with the
thousands of students In the UNIVERSE
ties of the city, and among the 5000.
railroad men who live In Buenos
Ayres. Student camps have been
established in man places, and are
proving so beneficial to the normal
life Of those who come in contact with
| them that the various governments.