Y.H.C.A.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 16

Y.H.C.A.

EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL. , The Burns Hall was very largely attended Dn the 6th when the Young Men's Christian Association celebrated its eighth anniversary with a most successful festival. About 340 ladies and gentlemen eat down to tea at 6 o'clock, when the tables were presided over by -Mesdames W. Mirams, W R. Don, J. Blair Mason, J. Wilkinson. G. Hercus, W. Forrester, A. S. Adams, A. M. Hogg, W. Bull, P. Clark, Capstick, N. Paterson, R. Strang, J. B. Waters, C. Alexander. Ritchie, D. Leslie, Pearson. J. Wardell, W. Stevenson, Aslin, E. Anscombe, H. Wilson. Misses Don, Riddell, Mirams, Love. Webb, G. Hughes, G. W. Gibson, M'Caw, and. Lowe. The ladies were assisted by 32 stewards. At 8 o'clock a public meeting was held in the hall, the building being well filled. Seats on the platform were occupied by city councillors, ministers, and other gentlemen connected with various denominations in the city. Several apologies for absenc? were received. Mr G M Thomson. M.P.. president of fhe association, introduced the Mayor to take the chair at the meeting. Mr Walker returned thank* for the invitation. The Rev. J. M'Kenzie (of Christchurch) conveyed to the meeting the greetings of the Young Men* Christian Association of Christchurch. He went on to speak of the work done and the aims of the association. He said thire were about 52,000 young inon in New Zealand between the ages of 15 years and 21 yeans, and probably about 70CQ or 8000 of them attended technical colleges. The result was that the vast majority of our young men. after they left school, practically ceased to educate themselves, except in their ordinary avocation. The association always stood for the idea of education, and when the local body had its well-equipped ■building it would have classes in which the young men would be educated. One of the great educative factors in life was friendship. In an association such as that, and in the home established by such an association, friendships of the right kind were made and the soul vrae trained and Hfeciplined and helped in ite struggle after /that which was higher and better. Another educative factor was travel There was «tlso the question of leisure. The way in dwhich a man used his leisure practically 'determined his character and the use he anado of his life. John Stuart Mill wrote some of his best books while he was a clerk in the East Indian Company's office. (Lincoln studied law when, he, was a surveyor. The association provided "for *he Organised use or leisure. The last " arm" — and it was the best weapon a man needed 1 to fight the battle of life — was character, lieckie laid great stress on the fact that it was character that told in the struggle for supremacy between nations, and the cation whose life was built on th© principles of morality and righteousness was ijhhe nation that would assuredly win in the lend, an<? take its place as the leader of iihe age. The association stood for the. ( {development of character. All the problems fjf the day centi*4 jdm»»<l Christ; it wae

! in Christ Jesue the truth of God wae re1 vealed, and it was upon Christ Jesus a , nation must build to do its true work and to accomplish God's purpose. — (Applause.) 1 Mr G. M. Thomson (president), in a few remarks, expressed his gratification ami that of the board and of all the members of the association at the interest manifested by the Mayor, the City Council, and the clergymen >n the association's, work. Not so long ago the association was looked upon with a certain amount of distrust. It was not properly understood, and ite aims were not properly understood. Today these aims wore becoming recognised, and people were beginning to realise that the. hope and the salvation of the youner men of the community was not be found on the football field, or in athletics or in Socialism. Lut in the realisation of Christian manhood, ami that was what this association 6tood for. Referring to the building it was proposed to erect for the association, he said that as there was not sufficient money in sight to pay for ite erection, they mu3t either cut down their scheme or the people mint find more money. If (hey could get about as much as a travelling theatrical company swept out of Dunedin they would have the building started in a week. — (Applause.) Professor Hewitson spoke of the work of Young Men's Christian Associations in other countries, of the relation of men to religion, and of the efforts of the Church to reach those who were outside its influence. They must be on their guard that the association was not made a mere club— a high-class club at a low figure. They must make it a Christian Association. One thing that was evident as one read the annual report was that this association was an intensely Christian body, and that it was building up a Christian* manhood. During the evening the Central Mission Orchestra (under Mr B. A. de Lautour) played selections, .-ongs were sung by Mr W. Thomson and Mr A. Ibbot&on, and a couple of quartets were gheji by Messrs Hale, Alexander, Oliver, and Ibbot^on. Mr Timson acted a-, accompanist on lhe piano. Mr A. S. Adams, on behalf of the Boaid of Management, proposed a vote of thanks to his Worship the Mayor for presiding; the speakers (Rev. John Mackenzie and Professor Hewitson) ; the councillors and ministers for their presence ; the gentlemen singers and Mr Timson (accompanist) ; the Central Mission Orchestra : the Ladies' Auxiliary ; the ladies who presided ; Messrs Howden and- Moncrieff for pot plants ; the Dresden Piano Company for piano ; the volunteer helpers as stewards, ushers, etc. ; the Horticultural Society for tables, trestles, eto. ; the press ; First Church for many kindnesses ; and the donors of the flowers. " The motion was carried with acclamation, and the meeting 1 closed -with the doxology and the benediction,.

" The. streets of Christchurch should be better lighted," said Dr Russell in a lecture last Sunday evening, " and they should be lighted from sunset to sunrise. The parks and our river should also be efficiently illuminated at night, and if this were done the morality of tLe city would b© greatly benefited." "