Y.M.C.A.'S WAR WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16344, 26 September 1916, Page 9

Y.M.C.A.'S WAR WORK.

WITH THE RED TRIANGLE.

MR, J. J. VIRGO'S MISSION.

GREAT SERVICE DESCRIBED.

An interesting story of the great work that is being done by the Young Men's Christian Association in connection with troops engaged in the war was told by Mr. J. J. Virgo, field secretary of the British National Council, in a public address at the Town Hall last evening. Despite the unfavourable weather there was a large attendance. The DeputyMayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, presided, and amongst others who occupied seats on the platform were Mr. Justice riosking, the Hon. George Fowlds. Messrs. C.H.Poole, M.T., Winslow, Consul-Gen-oral for the United States of America, Pagni, Consul for Italy, J. W. Hall. Consul for Mexico, Colonel 0. W. S. Patterson, otlicer commanding the Auckland military district, Brownell. National V.M.C.A. secretary for New Zealand. Mr. W. E. Bush, president, and members of the board of directors of the Auckland branch of the V.M.C.A. A floral red triangle, the emblem of the association, was presented to Mr. Virgo by Miss Buttle, on behalf of the members' of the \cung Womens" Christian Association. Ihe proceedings opened with the singing of the National Anthem. The Deputy-Mayor, who apologised for the unavoidable absence of the Mayor, spoke of the importance of the great work that is being done by the Y.M.C.A. in connection with the war. Mr. Virgo, who was received villi peat applause, at once placed hims-lf on excellent terms with his audience by giving a pleasing demonstration of his vocal powers in the singing of the song Keep the Home Fires Burning." In explaining his present mission to the overseas dominions—that of unifying the work of the Y.M.C.A. throughout the Empire-lie read messages from King George, the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Asquith, and General Birdwood, convoying congratulations on the good work dong by the association during tins war, and expressing the best wishes for the success of the mission. Growth of the Association. Proceeding with his address, Mr. Virgo spoke of some of the leading features of the war work of the Y.M.C.A. He showed how this great work at the training camps and at the front had spruit into life with the outbreak of the war" and how, within ten davs after tho commencement of hostilities no fewer than 250 camps and huts were established for ministuing to the comforts of the men in khaki. He paid a tribute to tho splendid work of the Salvation Army, the Church Army, and various other' organisations engaged in similar work. In dealing with tho special activities of the Y.M.C.A., he traced its gradual and steady evolution from its inception in London 72 years ago by a band of a dozen young men. To-day no less a sum than £20.000,000 was invested in real estate in different parts of the world in connection with the work of the association. There were some 9500 different branches of the association, and the total number of names on the membership roll was about 1,500,000.

The Übiquitous Red Triangle. In dealing with th c association's war work Mr. Virgo said that, in the two years that had elapsed since the outbreak ■of the war over a million pounds had ! been expended on behalf of the soldiers. ;He showed how the red triangle, the I insignia of the work of the association, [had become a familiar and welcome sight ito British soldiers in all the scattered theatres of war—on tho trackless sands I of Egypt, on the sides of the Suez Canal, and beneath the shadows of the ancient i pyramids. Then, again, it had made its I appearance on Anzac Beach, and other ; parts of the peninsula of Gallipoli, on the ■ isles of the .Mediterranean, and along the i far-flung battlofrunt in France and i Flanders. Right up to the firing-line, and ! in many places within range of the enemy'?.' I shell fire, the huts and canteens bearing I the sign of the red triangle" proclaimed' the work of the Y.M.C.A., which all sol-1 I diets had come to regard as "just it." ' IA sum of about £1000 a week was ex - : ' pended in stationery for the use of the : soldiers, and it was not too much to say i that hundreds of thousands of letters were'; ! written by soldiers which never would he j i written had not these facilities been pro-1 vided. In London, where troops were I always coming and going, the association ] provided no fewer than 70CO bods a week., I for the soldiers. He spoke of the special' '• provision that had been made in London 1 [ for the comfort of the overseas troops.: ; including the expenditure of £2000 on a 1 ' special building for the New Zealanders. The work was proceeding in 200 centres i in France to-day. Work on the Western Front. Mr. Virgo gave an interesting descrip- i tion of a visit to the western front, and . showed how the men in charge of the ' V.M.C.A. camps were sharing the risks i of the soldiers, and unselfishly attending I • to the wants of the men in arms at all ■ I hours of the day and night. One hut, I which was within little more than half a- ' I mile from the German trenches, was in charge of a professor of the Leeds Uni- , versity, assisted by a man holding the ' degrees of Doctor of Divinity and Master of Arts. He showed also how interdenominational, rather than undenominational, was the basis of the Y.M.C.A. The huts at the front were often used [ for religious purposes in succession by ' Anglican, Non-Conformists, and by Reman Catholics and Jews. The association had I j also extended its work to the Indian military camps, and in fact the red triangle . was found wherever the British flag waved. ' When in France he had addressed a largo ' number of New Zealand soldiers, who, he ' said, exclaimed when asked if they had ' any message for the Dominion. " Take us with you !" They were always thinking of home. Mr. Virgo also paid a warm tribute to the great work that is being done by British women in regard to the war. He referred to the work of the Y.M.C.A., amongst the men of the navy, . and in a reference to the Jutland battle, he said that it was ' a great victory" for the British fleet. He had, he said, since ' the battle, walked the decks of the Wart spite, which the Germans had declared to 1 have been lost.

Religious Aspect of the Y.M.C.A. In a reference to the religious character of the Y.M.C.A. Mr. Virgo said that wherever it established itself it represented the Church of Jesus Christ. Hundreds of the men in khaki, he said, had begun a Christian life at the front, and he urged those at home not to allow the boys to find either themselves or the churches luke-warm in regard to their welfare when they came home. The Deputy-Mayor, in expressing appreciation of Mr. Virgo's lecture, asked the latter to convey a message to the King from the people of Auckland expressive of appreciation of His Majesty's messageOn the motion of Mr. Justice Hosking, seconded by the Hon. George Fowlds, a heartv vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Virgo for his address. Mr. Virgo, in acknowledging the vote, relerred to the important Y.M.C-A, conference that will be held in Sydney next month to consider the future work'of the association, and ho expressed a hope that Auckland would be represented by some of its prominent business men at this gathering. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Deputy-Mayor and the singing of tho Doxology. A collection which i was taken up realised £38 Is 6d.