YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSO CIATION. A Young Men's Christian Asso ciation is an organization composed of young men who are united together for the purpose of ministering to the spiritual, intellectual, social and physical needs of young men. Any young man of good moral character, regardless of race or creed, may become a member of this organization and enjoy its privileges; but only active members, who must be in communion with a Protestant evangelical church, can vote or hold office. Local associations are usually under the administration of a board of di rectors, which employs to carry on its work officers known as general secretaries, physical directors, boys secretaries, etc. Local societies are independent and autonomous in their ad ministration. Local societies are affiliated to gether into national and sometimes into interna tional unions. These national unions are under the administration of a national committee. The national organizations are further united into a world's organization, hasing its head quarters at Geneva, Switzerland. The world's organization is administered by what is known as the Central International Committee of Young Men's Christian Associations, 3 Rue Gineral Dufour. The International Committee of the North American Young Men's Chris tian Associations is located at 347 Madison avenue. New York City. The chairman is Alfred E. Marling. The vice-chairman for home work is William Sloan and the vice chairman for foreign work is William 1). Mur ray. The general secretary is John R. Mutt.
History.— The establishment of the Young Men's Christian Association was occasioned by the growth of the modern cit). The cit) move ment which has spread throughout the more industrial parts of the world created an environ ment which made necessary special eflorts tin behalf of young men. \\ ithout the rise of the city, the parlors. gymnasiums, reading-rooms, educational classes, Bible studios, reins:ions meet in,, this vast organization at user 1,4110,1)110 young men throughout the world with its sec retaries, directors, committees. costly buildings and mighty influence would never have been born.
The association movement was founded by a young man who came from the country to the city. It was founded primarily for com mercial young men living away from home in cities. Without the spread of the city it would have remained a London institution, and never have become a world-wide organization. The city has become the dominant factor in modern life. Young men form the largest and most important clement of the large army which is annually invading the city from the cotmtry. The proportion of young men in the city is much larger than in rural districts. In the city, the home and the church have a smaller place in the life of the average young man than in the country. The city is full of opportuni
ties to gratify temptation. Contrasted with the country, where life is in the open air and activity is chiefly muscular, life in the city is indoors and far more full of nervous excite ment. It should also he said that the city has brought young men together in large numbers, and so made possible an organization among themselves in their own behalf.
The history of the association falls into tour periods: (I) The Founding of the Asses nation, 1844-55; (II) The Development of the Association Ideal, 1855-78; (III) The Expan sion of the Movement, 1874-1913; (IV) The Work During the World War, 1914-19.
Period I, 1644 to 11155. Founding of the Young Men's Christian Association.— The founder of the Young Men's Christian Associa tion, George Williams, later Sir George Wil liams, who was born at Ashbury Farmhouse, near Dulverton, southern England, in 1821, grew into manhood at the time when the industrial revolution in England was attracting young men from the country to the town. He went to London in October 1841, and became a clerk in the dry goods establishment facing Saint Paul's churchyard, of which he was afterward the proprietor. At that time there were some 80 young men employed in the different depart ments of the business. Through Mr. Williams' efforts. a Young Men's Christian Association was organized, for the purpose of establishing religious set-sires and Bible classes among the young men employed in various houses of busi ness in London. This organization took effect on 0 June 1844. The name was suggested by Christopher Smith, George Williams' roommate. The constitution provided that the association should seek to promote the spiritual and men tal improvement of young men engaged in the drapery trade, that its membership should be young men who gave decided evidence of con version to God and that its management should he in the hands of a small board chosen from the membership. This movement rapidly as sumed important proportions. Prayer meetings and Bible classes were soon established in 14 different business houses, and a missionary to young men was employed in January 1845. In I848 apartments were rented, in which a library, reading-room, restaurant, social parlors and educational classes were provided; and young men who made no religious profession were in vited. upon the payment of a small fee, to use the privileges of the institution, though they were given no share in its management and were known not as members but associates. A lecture course was established, which soon be came the most important lecture platform in London. Branches of the parent society sprang up in different parts of the metropolis, and pro vincial branches in different parts of the United Kingdom became affiliated with the parent society.