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A BEACON LIGHT TO'R YOUNG MEN
A Million Dollar Y. M. C. A. Home m the World*s Metropolis as a Memorial
to the Founder of the Association.
By GEORGE T. B. DAVIS.
HERE is about to be erected in Lon
don a million dollar structure for
young men as a memorial to the late
Sir George Williams, the founder of
the Y. M. C. A. It is to be a worthy
memorial to the man who opened a new
epoch for the physical, mental and spir
itual development of young men the
world over. It is designed to be a
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beacon light not only to the young men of England,
but to those of all lands.
The man who has been largely responsible for
the origin and development of this plan is Mr.
John H. Putterill, the energetic secretary of the
London association, who has beeh engaged in up
lifting the young men of the world’s metropolis for
twenty-two years, and knows, as few others, their
temptations in a great city. Mr. Putterill has also
been a leader in evangelistic work, having been
secretary of the Torrey-Alexander Mission in Lon
don, which lasted five months, and during which
over 17,000 persons publicly confessed Christ. In
a few days Mr. Putterill sails for America to at
tend the great Y. M. C. A. Convention gathering
at Washington, D. C., and to ascertain whether
the people of America wish to have an “American
Section” in the notable memorial to the founder
of the World’s Y. M. C. A.
He expects to spend three or four weeks in the
United States and Canada, and will be prepared to
give his lecture on Sir George Williams, illustrated
with lantern slides, entitled “From Farm House
to St. Paul’s Cathedral.”
When I recently called upon Mr. Putterill at the
temporary home of the London Y. M. C. A., in the
“Morning Post” building, just off the Strand, I
found him rushed with work preparatory to his de
parture for New York. But he willingly took time
to give me a full account of the plans for the new
center for the world’s young men, snd to show mo
the architect’s drawings of the great structure. In
reply to my questions about his mission to America,
and the origin and scope of the new building, Mr.
Putterill said:
“The object of my visit to the United States is
threefold. First, I am going to inspect some of
the modern buildings erected for association pur
poses with a view to gathering information likely
to be useful to the committee in preparing final
plans for our new building. Second, to attend the
Washington convention, to which I have been in
vited by the International Committee of America.
Third, to seek to< find out how far it is true that
there is a feeling amongst American Christian
friends that some part of the Memorial Bui’ding
should be specially set apart as an American trib
ute to the memory of the founder of the Y. M. C.
A., Sir George Williams. Since the first inception
of the scheme, it has been thought that such an op
portunity would be gladlv welcomed on the other
side of the Atlantic and that, if there is to be this
great memorial to Sir George Williams, they would
like to have a share in it. We are quite prepared
to set apart some section of the building, (a hall,
large or small, gymnasium, social room, or any suite
of rooms) which appeals to them as the most ap
propriate. If they agree with this they will be
asked to find the money to do it.
“The need for a new building for the Central
Y. M. C. A. arose from the imperative necessity of
removing that work from Exeter Hall, which was an
old building erected seventy-five years since. The
London County Council demanded such structural
changes that it was deemed inexpedient to remodel
the old building, so a new edifice was decided upon.
Just at this time, Sir George Williams died, and
at a meeting held in the Mansion House of the city
of London, under the presidency of the Right Hon.
The Lord Mayor, it was determined that no more
appropriate memorial of the founder of the Y. M.
C. A. could possibly be erected than a new home
for the work of the parent organization of all the
associations in the world.
The Golden Age for November 14, 1907.
“The cost of the building and site will be, in
round figures, about one million dollars. We have
realized from the old site and from subscriptions
about $650,000. and we still need about $350,000.
We are seeking to make (he building the most per
fect association home in the world. We realize that
London must, after all, remain rhe leading city for
many years to come, and our desire is to put up a
big building that shall be a model for England and
the world. We are not going to put up any large
halls in connection with .t. We shall erect one to
accommodate seven hundred, and one to seat nearly
thiee hundred. We shall include an np-to-dste
gymnasium, swimming bath, and complete suite of
rooms for the Boys’ Work.
“On the first tloor there will be a set of social
rooms, inter-communicating, where we shall be able
to entertain at least two thousand men at any one
time, at receptions and social gatherings. On the
same floor there will be meeting rooms for Bible
classes, lectures, etc. The central feature of this
floor will be a lounge, which will be nearly eighty
feet long, and beautifully decorated, and will form
the rallying point for the whole building. No hotel
will have a finer reception lounge. There the staff
will be located, and there every man who comes into
the building will be brought into contact with his
follows. The reading room on this floor will be
of handsome proportions, measuring ninety-six feet
bv thirty-two feet, and will foim the most magnifi
cent club reading room in London. On the other
side there will be a. parlcr, and these rooms can be
thrown into one another so that men can circulate
all around.
“On the second floor will be found a complete
educational equipment with nineteen class rooms,
lecture rooms, examination, directors’ and teach
ers’ rooms, with studies for students. The idea is
that we will do for the commercial and professional
young man what the Polytechnics have done for. the
mechanic classes. We shall have specialized de
partments, and our aim will be to equip young men
to fill the highest positions in their respective busi
nesses. The weakness of secondary education in Lon
don at present is that a young man has no coutiol
or direction. Today a y< ung fellow thinks ‘I will
learn French,’ and after a time, getting tired of
'the study, he will turn to shorthand, and so on,
but we want to te 1 ! a man when he comes to us
that he should follow out such and such a course.
Further, our classes will be in session all day and
every evening, and a man will be able at all times
to secure instruction in any language or other sub
ject. On the same floor we shall nave a library to
accommodate 10,000 volumes of reference for young
men who are really desirous of getting cn in life.
“We recognize that our membership is a work
ing missionary force in this city for reaching other
men. If we had to devise a new agency for car
rying out this work, we would without doubt devise
the Y. M. C. A., and we believe that the more our
men are trained in the Bible the mare effective they
will be as missionaries. We shall therefore estab
lish in our new building classes for Biblical instruc
tion that will give a man a thorough knowledge of
the Word of God, net only from the homiletical
side, but from the literary side, and thus enable a
man to stand firm in his faith, and to intelligently
reply to all criticism. In addition we shall seek to
provide the most complete training for Sunday
school teachers; but the Bible school will be the
central point of interest.
“We shall make our association the rallying place
where young Christian men who want to learn to
do work for the Master will meet, with the knowl
edge that they will be able to learn how to become
more efficient in carrying on church work, etc. We
shall have, of course, an evangelistic side to our
work, and we shall continue the principle which has
always attached to this association, to have a gos
pel meeting for men every night, that shall get to be
known all over London, so that, when men shall de
sire to hear the gospel, they shall invariably turn
to our central building. We shall hold missions
from time to time, but cur main work will be in
the direction indicated. We shall also have num
bers of Bible circles organized amongst the stu
dents in the educational classes, among the staff,
and so forth.
“On the third and fc.uith floors we shall arrange
for about 200 bed rooms for young men. After
twenty-two years’ experience in London I have
come to the conclusion that. the greatest danger
to a young man on first coming to the metropolis, js ;
not so much the gambling dens, the drinking sa
loons, etc., but it is the loneliness inseparable from
a great city like this. I have beaid it remarked
by men who have lived in the bush, that it is more
lonely in London than in the bush. Every year
London demands 15,000 young men from country
districts, and it is these young men we want to
meet upon the threshold of business life, and offer
them companionship and residential accommodation.
We shall not forget the bodily requirements of
young men, and shall provide a restaurant where a
young man can secure good and wholesome food at
reasonable prices. Altogether we want to be able
to say to all young men who come within our in
fluence, that we want to be to them their best
earthly friend in London.”
The Village Blacksmith.
Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands,
The smith, a mighty man is he .
—Now prepared to meet demands
For prompt repairs to auto cranks,
Magnetos, sparkers, chains, hoods, tanks;
New parts for every known machine;
Full stock oil, graphite, carbide, gasoline—
v. . . And the muscles of his brawnv arms
Are strong as iron bands.
His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate’er he can .
—Vulcanizing, riveting, brazing, repairing
Os radiator, clutch, cylinder, bearing;
Inner tubes for sale, cement, patches, tires,
Battery cells, spark plugs, coils, wires—
. And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.
Toiling—rejoicing—sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close .
—Tires recovered, relined, retreaded; sec
tional and tube patching; aluminum braz
ing; repairs to radiators, mud guards,
sprocket cones; overhauling and adjust
ment of every description; on hand .day,
night and Sundays (residence third house
to right, behind schoolhouse); prices rea
sonable; all werk guaranteed; patronage of
automobilists resp. invited —
. Something attempted, something donq
Has earned a night’s repose.
—Life.
*
BOOKKEEPERS AND STENOGRAPHERS IN
DEMAND.
There is a growing demand for qualified book
keepers and stenographers. At times it is impos
sible to secure them. A. business course at some
good business college will prepare you to fill a po
sition of this kind. If you would like to take a
course in either bookkeeping or stenography, write
to The Golden Age for price of a scholarship which
it has for sale. It will pay you to do this, if you
are interested, so do it NOW. Address The Golden
Age, 510 Lowndes Bldg., Atlanta, Ga.
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