The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-11
MAY BE MADE A VITAL FACTOR
IN TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM
OF THIS SECTION OF FLORIDA
SIR GEORGE WILLIAMS, FOUNDER
OF THE YOUNG MEMS CHRISTIAN
ASSOCIATION, BORN 100 YEARS AGO
Organization Has Grown More Than Associations With
Total Membership Of Over 100000.
81 John ?. Moore. seeretary Y. M. c. a.

BY John P. Moore. Secretary Y. M. c. a.
One hundred years ago today. october
nth, the founder OF the Young Men s
Christian Association,-Sir George VIII
liams-was born. No man has brought
into existence an organization which has
spread its uplifting influence over the
whole world and has been n greater
force than the organization founded By
this great man. Within the span of his
own life George Williams saw the Young
Mems Christian Association, both as an
organization ana a spiritual force. en-
circle the earth. When its founder died
in 1905. sixty-one years after its begin
ming, the Y. M. G. A. had 7,773 Associa-
tfons, with 1000 members. totals which
have since grown to more than 5000 As
sociations with more than 1900, 600 mem-
bers.
George Williams was born near Dulver-
ton, in Somersetshire. England, the
youngest OF eight sons Of Amos and
Elizabeth Williams. The family came OF
generations Of yoeman farmers. During
his boyhood days Williams lived the
rather monotonous and unexciting life OF
the farm and school, Leaving school at
thirteen and showing no aptitude there
after fer farm work, he was apprenticed
two years later to a draper at Bridge
water. He was at that time, to use his
own language, a Careless, thoughtless,
goddess, swearing fellow" But coming
under the influence of the Rev. Evan
James, minister Of the local Congrega-
tional Chapel who had established a
great hold on the, young people of the
town, he made a determined decision to
alter his life and to make its keynote
ito live not unto himself but to the
glory Of God and in the service of men, Z
he became d member OF the church at
Bridgewater in 1885.
At nineteen, his apprenticeship having
been completed Williams entered the
employment OF Hitchcock and Rogers, a
diapers firm on Ludgate Hill. St. Paups s
Churchyard. London, at a salary Of forty
pounds year. This firm later becom-
ing Hitchcoclc-W -Wfllia ms & Company He
became the chief partner. Under his
management it became one Of the lead
ing firms of England in the trade both
as wholesale and retail establishment.
When Williams first went to London
his first concern was to single out one
after another Of the young. men in the
drapery establishment and seek to win
each to life of Christian service. He
established regular prayer meeting serv-
ices in his small bedroom on the third
floor of the building, and these meetings
were the foundations upon which later
grew the foundation of the Young Mems
Christian Association. BY 1S43, Williams,
and two or three other young men who
had stood with him from the outset,
found themselves the leaders Of n move
ment which had affected the whole iner-
camille establishment with which they
were connected. from the head Of the
firm down to the youngest apprentice on
the staff of some 140.
One day while crossing Blackfriars
Bridge. which then, more than today
focused the life and struggle OF the city.
expressed to a friend. Edward
Beaumont his desire that the Young
Mems society which had been organized
among the clerks at Hitchcock & Rogers
be expanded to every irapery establish
ment in London. A meeting was called
to meet June s, 1914. to consider the
Importance and practicabiIity OF estab-