EUROPE AND ELSEWII ERE. The London as sociation was formed •Lune 0. 1544, as the result of religious effort among dry goods clerks by George Williams. then one of their number. From London as a centre associations were propagated throughout the United Kingdom and many other countries. Sonic organizations claim ing an existence prior to. or independent of. the London movement became affiliated with it later. The first of a series of annual British conferences was held in 1558. first association build ing was erected in 1806. A National Union for England and Wales was formed in 1552. and for Ireland in 1884. The English National Council has recently been incorporated. The table shows Between 1806 and 1841 a number of Clu•istliche Jiinglingsvereine came into existence in Ger many. They were small bands of young men for mutual encouragement in the Christian life. and were usually connected with an individual church. :Many others have since been formed, and all have come into affiliation with the more recently organized World's Committee. In 1883 a new and broader form of organization, Clu•ist liehe Vcreine jungcr :thinner, resembling the American associations, was started in Berlin. This has since spread to other cities, and its methods have been adopted by many of the older societies. Associations were organized in France
about 1850. The first world's conference, meet Mg in Paris in 1555. and notable for formulating a 'basis' since universally adopted, gave impetus to the French societies. The present national alliance was formed in HU. In 1893 the Paris Association entered its new building, adapted to the advanced methods of work, and in 1902 held, an enthusiastic celebration of the jubilee of its organization. The Swiss associations form two independent unions, the German and the French. The existing movement in Sweden began with the organization of the Stockholm Association in 1554, after the model of those at Paris and Ber lin. Various European associations do special work for soldiers. There are many boys' branches.
A few associations were formed quite early in India, but vigorous growth began with the coming of American and British secretaries. Calcutta and Madras have excellent buildings. The Tokio building is an important centre for the national work. The general secretary and all the officers are Japanese laymen. Several use ful associations have long existed in the South African and Australasian colonies.