Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-05-29

--H HERE are religious and semi religious
organizations in this city which, from
the day of their inception, have re-
flected credit upon the people of the
District of Columbia, but none more
than has the Young Mems Chris
tian Association, begun here 80 years ago.
To become and remain a successful organiza
tion as has this well known body the founders
themselves must be given credit for having
been men Of sterling worth, determined, sin
cere and enthusiastic, and those who later took
up the work, and who carried it on to this day,
being up-builders and character builders Of
the highest types.
True. the names o. many of the latter class
the more recent workers in this organization
are familiar to the present generation, in
Guiding as it does many Of our foremost citizens,
such as John B. Larner and William Knowles
Cooper, both of whom passed away recently.
But of the earlier MN, those who put the as
ISOLATION on its feet and kept it going steadily
forward even in its struggling day perhaps not
much is known, and indeed, in some cases,
a few might almost b. .o-gotton, for the old
saying, Our Of sight on. of mind'-unfortu-
nate frequently fiEd it-applies here as it
does in thousands of other cases. And the
writer in this story plans to revive some of the
earlied local history of this notable organiza-
lion.
In writing history, make his work
easy or hard, depending upon the character
Of work he wishes to p-oducc, or has the time
IL.
ten by others, without checking up. seek
original and undenably authentic sources. If
he adopts the former course he may get by:
if he pursues the latter he at least will know
whereof he speaks, and not be Ike some one
who tells us in document recently published
by Congress that the old Ford Theeter in Tenth
street was formerly a theater. when 1t only
occupies the site of one, or another recent pub
lie document that tells us that Gen. Forest
was wounded in the Battle of Germantown and
lost leg at Brandyvine, a thing almost i'm
possible to believe. The Battle of Brandywine
occurred September IL. 1777, and that Of Ger
mantown October 4 following. and surely the
general would not have been Permitted to en-
gage in battle again % days after losing limb.
N order to set at the early facts of the as
ISOLATION. the writer took the straight and
narrow path-even though it cid take more
time-and hied himself to the Library Of Cong
ress where he sought out the National Intelh-
gencer In the issue of June 9, 1852 he found
what probably the first public reference
TO the forming OF the ~ in this city. 1t said:
"NOT1CE-The young men of the Diff
ferent Protestant denominations in this
city, and all others interested in the OBJ
ject proposed, are most earnestly re-
Quested to meet at the Masonic Hall, cor
ne- of E and Tenth streets, this evening
9Th instant, at O'Clock, to take into on
sideration plan for organizing Young
Mems Christian Association"
That the meeting held as announced
we md by the same paper two days later,
which gives account for that time but
which is not half full enough today to please
the members of this organization, which lost
many Of its records through a disastrous FIRE
The write-up in 1852 said
Pursuant to call given through the vari-
Gus pulplts OF the city and the public press
meeting of the young men OF the different
Protestant denominations, and others interested
in the organization of Washington Young
Mems Christian Association was held at the
Masonic hall, corner Of and Tenth streets.
on Wednesday evening the 9th instant, at 8
O'Clock, and organized by the election of Judge
I. J. Johnston as chairman, and W. c. Lang
don as secretary
The meeting having been opened with
prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Nourse the chair
stated its objects and the designs with which
1t had been called At the request of Mr.
Drummer. Mr. Langdon submitted a statement
OF the steps which had already been taken and
the encouragement which had been given by
the different clergymen consulted
"A preamble and resolutions submitted bv
M duncan, after some amendments and de-
bate, In which Rev. MT. Noble Dr. L. D.
Johnson, Messrs. Drummer Spurrier Lawrence
Langdon, Miller. Davis Lane Rothwell and
others took part, were adopted, as follows:
whereas the young men of Washington
present or represented at this meeting are
deeply sensible of the necessity for the organ
ization and successful practical operation of q
Young Mems Christian Union Association for
purposes Of mental moral and religious i'm
prOvement: Therefore it is
Resolved That the meeting appoint a COM
mttee, to consist of member from each
denomination here represented, whose duty it
shall be to prepare and report to a subsequent
meeting constitution and bylaws for the
organization and government of such an asso-
citation.
Resolved also, That those persons present
who intend to become members of the associa-
ton be requested to leave their names with the
secretary
~ A THIRD resolution. requesting the chair