The reports of this convention showed the estimated strength of the association movement as follows: The period from 1844 to 1855 sass the asso ciation founded in the various Protestant cons tries, an International Alliance established ale the American continent and a uniform basis adopted by the associations of all lands. The fundamental principles of the association began dearly to emerge. Although the movement was at first primarily religious and spiritual in char acter, the association was led to add secular agencies for ministering to the intellectual and social needs of young men. It recognized the principle that ministering to the needs of a man is one of the surest ways to promote his reli gions life; and on the other hand. that the Christian religion demands the development of all human powers and their use in the service of God. It is upon these two truths, the power of environment to mold character and the adap tation of the religion of Jesus Christ to redeem man in body, mind and spirit, that the Young Men's Christian Association rests its claim for a place among the agencies of the Church.
Period II, 1855 to 1878. Period of Devel opment of the Association Ideal.— During the years from the Paris convention in 1855 to the Geneva convention in 1878, when a central ex ecutive committee for the associations of the world was established, with headquarters at Geneva, the Young Men's Christian Associations were gradually developing a world conscious ness as an organization, and slowly evolving a method of work for ministering to the needs of young men. During this period the American associations rose to the place of pre-eminence, and the type of association developed here has in later years spread throughout the world.
The six years preceding the Civil War were remarkable for two results in the American associations, the creation of the International Committee, with its work of supervision, and the great revival which stirred the entire coun try during the years 1857 and 1858. During these years, the central committee of the confederation was located respectively at Washington, Cincinnati, Buffalo and Philadel phia. This migratory plan was soon found to be a source of weakness, but much good,was accomplished. Annual conventions were held, and information regarding the new movement was widely disseminated. Many new associa tions were founded; and at the outbreak of the war there were 240 associations in North Amer ica, with an estimated enrolment of 30,000 members.
In 1856 several members of the New York association established a union prayer-meeting, chiefly for men, at the Dutch Reformed Church, in Fulton street. This was carried on for nearly a year, and in the following September it W as given over to Mr. J. C. Lamphier, the city missionary of the Dutch Reformed Church,.with the understanding that it should be continued on a union basis. The committee of the associa lion arranged to co-operate heartily in this meeting.
In the fall of 1857 came the financial Dank which prostrated the business interests of the country. Large numbers of men began imme diately to attend this noon prayer-meeting and, under the auspices of the New York association, many more union meetinFs were established in different parts of the city. Similar meetings were conducted by all the Young Men's Chris tian Associations throughout the country. It is
estimated that over 300,000 persons were added to the evangelical churches of America as a re sult of this revival.
The years from 1861 to 1866 in Ameriea were overshadowed by the cloud of the Civil War. The financial depression and the distrac tions attending the outbreak of the war brought the association to the lowest point it ever reached. The Boston membership fell from 2,400 to 700. The New York City association, at the beginning of 1862, had but 151 members; it was burdened with a debt of $2,400, and its work had sadly declined. It is recorded that only 60 organizations survived the war; and yet, In the midst of this depression and apparent weakness, the association performed one of the most heroic tasks ever undertaken by a religious organization.
Through the influence of the association in New York, heartily seconded by those of Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago and other places, the United States Christian Com mission was organized. This was the first or ganized attempt, on a large scale, to minister to both the spiritual and material needs of sol diers in time of war. This form of effort be came later a well-organized feature of the associations. In the Spanish-American War and in the Boer War a service program for the welfare of the soldiers was carried on by the associations. The same effort was made with marked success by the associations of Japan among Japanese troops in the Russo-Japanese War. The association was the only agency with experience and resources prepared to render a similar social service to the Allied armies in the great World War. The plan of work of the United States Christian Commission was to send out delegates with supplies and needed com forts, who should spend some five or six weeks without remuneration, nursing the sick and wounded, distributing literature, conducting evangelistic and religious meetings, bearing mes sages from home, and in various ways encourag ing and helping the soldiers. Over 5,000 of these delegates were sent to the front during the Civil War. The following table shows the vast efforts of this commission in raising money and .supplies for the soldiers: This was an heroic service, and won for the association the admiration and confidence of the public. In the meantime, the New York City society had secured for its secretary Rob ert R. McBurney, and for its president William E Dodge, Jr. It had on its board of directors Hon. Cephas Brainerd, who had been identified with its work from the beginning, and who had early perceived the true mission of the associa tion. Mr. Dodge with his associates set about developing in New York a work specifically adapted to the needs of young, men, and intro duced a new era in association history. Mr. Dodge was in sympathy with the idea of a clean, home-like social resort for young men, and with the providing of opportunities for physical train ing. It was at his suggestion that the constitu tion of the New York City association was altered so as to provide for the erection of a gymnasium. Mr. Dodge was also influential in enlisting large gifts for the association. He was himself the largest donor to the first building.