YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9036, 17 September 1907, Page 4

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

♦ CHRISTCHURCH TO RAISE £15,000. A BIG BEGGING. The colony was considerably aston ished probably, at the success attending the endeavours made in Wellington and Dunedin to raise large sums cf money in connection with the Young Men's Christian Associations, for the purpose of erecting large buildings to further the work and objects of tht Associations. Such a movement has been lately without much ostentation in Christchurch, and reached its first serious stage last evening. By • ! invitation, a large number of the busi- • ness men of the city were gathered io- . gether for dinner at Freeman's rooms, ■ to meet tlie ambassadors of the/ An s- : tralasian Association, in the persons of Messrs W. Gillanders and Lynian j Pierce, and the objects of the movement were convincingly put before the gathering. As a result, the meeting pledged itself as representing the city, to raise £15,000 within twelve days for a new building! In addition to thos j present t & very lange number sent apologies. Messages of encouragement were received from the presidents of i I tne Dunedin and Wellington Associa- ! I tions. The / meeting was -presided over by Mr A. W. Beaven, and the following were among those present : — Mr Justice Ohapman, Bishop Julius; the Revs J Mackenzie, T. Tait, W. Baumber, H. R Dewsbury, H. Purchas, J. Guy and D. Hird, Dr Chilton, Dr Manning, and Messrs C. E. Bevani Brown, A. Kaye, T. Gapes, G. Hyde, JJ. C. Adams, W. E. D. Bishop, .1 . Harkness, R. W. Brown, F. A. Macbean, C. H. Gilby, H. C. Lane, W. Recce, G. Payling, J. A. Flesher, t\ J. G. Wilkinson, H. Wilson H. Scott S. R. Webb, J. D. Hall, G. T. Booth, P. Graham, J. Ingram, S. Johnston, J. M'Leanl W. H. Seed. G. Scott, 'J. D. Boag, T. Hughes, S. C. Owen, \V. Jameson, W. Roxburgh. b\ E. Jones, H. C. Ridley, W. Goes. G. W. Hulme, J. J. Dougall S. Clifton Biugham, J. J. Roberts, T. E. Toneycliffe. W. Jen- '■ ncr, J. Venables, T. Patrick,, B. P. Manhire, J. C. Prudhoe, H. Cole, J. , I Field, W. Bottrell, R. English, P. PI. Venables, A. H. Allen, J. J. Thomson, C. Overton, H. Holland, J. Frith , Roberts, C. E. Salter. P. Hercus, R. Malcolm, T. C. Field, A. F. Carey, J. Mitchell, H. A'Court, H. J. Weeks, P. L. Hallenstein and R. Belcher. : The chairman introduced the two principal speakers, and in doing so sail that the work of the Young Men 'a Christian Association was a matter of deep interest to business men, because it helped. to improve young men alon^ i the lines most desirable for their employers. The Rev J. Mackenzie, president <> f the Christchurch branch of the Association, said that he had been president of the branch for seven years, but Had only kept the office under protest, as he felt that it was not really one tint a clergyman should hold. But he had kept it under the conviction that the small branch would sooner or later develop along some such lines as it win now about to .follow, and then undir its new and wider conditions, its presidency could be taken up by some influential layman of the city. He spo^o of the work done in the colony by Mr Budge during his recent visit, and said that he was being followed in his work by Jilessrs Pierce and Gillanders. The great generosity that prompted their visit to the colony must be recognised. It would be shown that, in addition to great religious enthusiasm, the movement was characterised by sound business principles; and while it might seem preposterous to do as was suggested, and to raiso £15,000 in Christchurch in twelve days, it would be shown by the speakers to be quite practicable. Mr Gillanders then addressed the meeting. He only spoke briefly, referring to the work done in Australasia, and the great efforts that had been successfully made to provide the young men of the various cities with proper meeting places. As a result of the work of the past two years, he sa!id, the Associations in Australasia were all being put upon a proper basis, and that ! was what the movement in New Zealand was doing. In Viet? 1 " 111 and New South Wales, big institutions had been built at great expense with funds popularly subscribed f the memberships of tho associations had increased enormously, and the work of the Associations was building up a very desirable class of young men. The recent efforts in Dunedin had mised in a few days the sum of £15.000. The object of the movement was primarily to help young men, not by amusing them, but by providing them with means for helping themselves, and to surround them with encouraging manly influences. As a native of Christohurch, he heartily wished to see in the city an institution doing the all-round work characteristic of the Association in its modern form, and in a few weeks he believed that that would be accomplished. Mr Pierce said that the movement that he wae furthering was no small thing, and it was worth an hour of his audience's time from a business point of view. It had impressed the great railway companies of America so greatly that they had spent no less than £630,000 on 265 buildings for their men, and had voted the salaries of the secretaries of the Associations in those buildings. 'When a Chinese Commission went to the United States recently o>n an official tour of investigation,! its keen and inquiring members were asked what things most im pressed them of what they saw. and t they replied that they were the educational system, the railway system, and the Young Men's Christian Association.^ He wished to replace mere words with pictures illustrating what had been done, as they were 'more eloquent than he could be. But he wished to say first that there were many departments that he could not have time to refer to. and that

almost any one of the branches of the work oonld be epoken of for the evening. For instance, there were many places where practically the whole collegiate work was undertaken by the Associations. He, oonld speak at great length upon the work done in Japan and China to show the marvellous response- to the call of the missionaries in those parts. " He could spend the evening talking of the work done in connection: with the American railways, but he must simply hastily sketch a wide field to show that it was a great, a wonderful and a dignified work that was being submitted to them. It was an English movement, founded by the late Sir George Williams, and such was its virility that before ho dierl no fewer than eight sons- were established throughout the world. Mr Pierce then showed a large number of fine lantern slides illustrating splendid buildings erected for the Association, mostly in America, and used that at Washington as ?n example. There a new building had been erected at a cost of £80.000, the old building alongside being still kept for the young members. He showed photographs of various rooms and apartments in the building. In the past, he said, it was thought that any donated second- hand furniture w as good, enough for the Association's institutions, but the principle now acted upon was to fit them up very well, so that they should be at least as attractive as any^ other plnce within, reach. The Washington building was of magnificent proportions, and contained means for relaxation of various healthy kinds. It had a splendid gymnasium, as well as a League sports ground and outdoor gymnasium and a swimming bath. The gymnasium v.'as found to be of great value Its institution in any centre caused an immediate increase of 75 to 80 per cent in the membership, that of the boys jumping by 90 per cent, and that of the older members by 60 to 70 per <:ent. There was, however, no tendency towards the deformity of the strong man. The Association was trying to avoid that. Tlio type of young man reached was not a weakling; ho was generally rugged and admirable. The members were surrounded by every opportunity to be social : rooms were provided in which groups congenial in their ideas oould meet and do as they liked ; and wherever a group formed itself with a desire to carry on any branch of study not already provided for, the Association was there to provide it with tho means, and did so, fitting up classrooms and other conveniences. For instance, at Washington, there were classes in chemistry, electricity, and even in motor-car driving and repairing. The management of the institutions was in the hands of tho finest type of men in the cities. A very important branch found in nearly every Association was that which found employment for young men out of work and employees for vacancies. Not long ago it was customary to devote tho best pa its of the building to shops and use the rent, but now it was found to pay better to rent parts of the buildins for living accommodation for members; and the boarding of men away from their homes was a very valuablo section o+' tlie work. The pictures ehown indicated the fine types of building generally erected, and the figures quoted by Mr Pierce showed what large sums were spent even in Email cities that were, he explained, not nearly so wealthy per capita as Christchurch. In a New York town of 45,000 people, the building cost £30 ; 000. The great central building in Chicago was the largest in the world ; it cost £200,000, and was filled with between five and six thousand members, as well as others who benefited indirectly. Tho buildings shown wfere scattered all over the States. He showed pictures of some in India, Korea, Germany and Scotland, as well as or some of thesa built by the great railway corporations. He said that while religious work was a striking feature in all these institutions, no young man of good character was ineligible for their privileges. To put a man into prison, Mr Pierce continued, cost roughly, all things considered, £1000. To preserve non-crimi-nals of the city only fifteen tim€ 6 that amount was asked for. There was no magic r,bout collecting that amount. A list had already been prepared of the names of five thousand, who, it was thought, might be interested in tho movement, and now it was a matter only of seeing those people, a mere question of shoe-leather and hard •work. There was something electrical

i . and heroic in a big untTertaMng rapidly accomplished and puc out of the way, and business rrum were appealed to by the idea of expedition. The effort s would only have to last a few days and t ' the enthusiasm of the short period i would be sufficient. Christchurch would c not have to raise the full £15,000. - Wlien he was previously in the city he - had interviewed the late Sir John Hall f in connection with his project for work f among the boys of Christchurch, and y negotiations had been carried on ber tween the Association and the trustees e> of the Boys' Gordon Hall Fund, with a i view to combining their efforts. As a s result, the trustees hud just_ agreed - that, subject to legal requirements, the i combination could be effected, and thus - £5000 was at hand for the Association 3> The late Archdeacon Williams, of Na- - pier, had given him in. trust, £1000 for - the bunedin building fund, to be used - only if the city raised another £14,000. He had pleasure in stating that he had ' received « similar sum on similar terms . for Christchurch, thus only £9000 rei n-ained to be secured. A start would , be made at once. Headquarters would 3 be established on the following morn- : ing in the United Service building, and , the actual campaign, would start on - Wednesday. 1 Mr Pierces address was concluded ' amid hearty applause. "' Mr W. Goes moved the following mo--1 fi on : " That thie meeting of citizens : approves of the proposed movement to ; secure the sum of £15.000 in twelve J days for an up-to-date building for the : Christchnrch Young Men's Christian 1 Association, and, further, that those I present form themselves into citizen's ' committees and seek by every means in " their power to realise this most desir--5 able end." Mr F. E. Jones seconded the motion. The chairman said that some years : ago the late Mr Chry stall and Mr Heywood had taken part in a somewhat • similar work, and had been very suc- \ cessful. He felt that if the Association's movement was as successful as ' theirs, there would be little difficulty in . accomplishing all that was desired. [ The motion was carried ".nanimously. Bishop Julius moved a hearty vote i of thanks to the speakers. The motion i was seconded by the Rev W. Baumber L and curried unanimously. Mr i'ierce said that the carrying of [ the principnl resolution meant that the ] work would be done. His hearers ; would be called upon to help, and he ; hoped that there was not .» man pre- ■ sent who would/ decline his assistance, i It was a remarkable' and iie/er-to-be-i forgotten experience to take part in [ such a work. After the meeting, the chairmen of ten committees that were appointed . from among those present, met and de- ! ci'led to meet at the cental office at [ 5.30 this evening all those willing to assist in the canvass. i Later in the evening a most enthu- ; siafitic meetinjr of members of the I Young Men's Christian Association was ? held in the Art Gallery, under the > chairmanship of Mr T. W. Ileeise.^ Af- > ter supper, Messrs Pierce and Gillan- [ dorr, f-lriresce-d the gathering, a 6 they - had done the earlier one. The an- • nounccment that .already £5000 was as- > snred to the fund was received, with ; I groat enthusiasm. It was resolved that > i tiio-e yonnoj men who desirod to serve - in the canvass should meet at the ofI fice ut 6 p.m. to-day. • ' Arranffpments are to be i.iar?e to puhI liph reports of the progress of the cpti--5 v?.f?s by means of mechanical attplii" i ancofi in prominent positionr,. shewing 5 j graphically +1^ fit 0 ?* 5 of the finances.