RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Young People’s Societies
cil under the presidentship of the earl of Shaftesbury was formed, the first meeting being held in London Jan, 22, 1885. At this meeting the affiliation of the Young Women’s Christian Association with the kindred work carried on by the ‘‘ Union des amies de la jeune fille’ for the benefit of foreign girls in England was agreed to, and the consent of the council was gained for an office to be secured for this purpose. In the mean while branches of the association had been formed in America, India, and the continent of Europe, and in Apr., 1892, the first gathering of an international character was held in London, after careful consultation and with the cooperation of leaders of the American Young Women’s Christian Association. Representatives from India, America, France, Norway, and other countries were present, and the result of this meeting was the formation of the World’s Young Women’s Christian Association in 1894, as a center for all national associations, the first president being Mrs. J. H. Tritton. A general committee was formed, consisting of representatives of every country included in the union, and a constitution was drawn up. International conferences are held quadrennially, these having met in London in 1898, in Geneva in 1902, in Paris in 1906, and in Berlin in 1910. There are now nineteen national associations linked with the World’s Young Women’s Christian Association, with a membership of 512,000.
Corresponding to the united central council, which was formed to unify the British work of the Young Women’s Christian Association, there now exists the British National Young Women’s Christian Association, representing the five divisions of London, south of England, north of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and united under the name of British National Council. Nine representatives
from each division, together with other 2. General members representing various depart-
Organ- ments of work, form this council, which
ization. is the responsible and legislative body
of the whole association in Great Britain and Ireland. It appoints standing committees for special duties, e.g., general executive (on which are the representatives of the five divisions), finance, selection, and allocation of workers, editorial, and foreign, while there are also various departmental committees for nurses, teachers, etc. The five divisions are autonomous in their working, though all are linked together under the national council, which formulates the general policy of the association. The local associations work with local committees, and are in direct communication with the office of the division in which they are situated. The work of each division is carried on through its divisional council, to which all questions relating to the general work of the local associations are carried.
The membership in the local associations may be either general or special. General membership is divided into prayer union (active) and associate, the former class including those who wish to devote themselves to the service of Christ in daily life, and to work and pray for others; while associate members are all those who wish simply to enjoy the benefits of a Christian association. Special members consist of juniors (girls under fourteen years of age),
teachers, nurses, the gild of helpers (girls of leisure), and the blind, the latter division having a Braille library and a monthly letter to mem-
3. The bers, also published in Braille. The Local Asso- local association may consist of a home
ciations. and institute combined, or merely of
club-rooms opened in the evenings. The homes, holiday and residential, meet a great need, especially the latter, of which there are thirty-five in London alone, accommodating women in business, teachers, students, etc.; while by means of its holiday homes (country and seaside) many thousands of association members are yearly enabled to enjoy restful and inexpensive holidays, reduced fares being often allowed by the railway companies to Young Women’s Christian Association members visiting homes. In several large towns, such as London, Edinburgh, Liverpool, etc., restaurants, noon rest-rooms, and lunch clubs have been opened for the benefit of girls in business, which provide good food at as cheap a rate as possible. In the institutes, besides the advantages to lonely girls of intercourse with others, and of the help and counsel to be had from the association secretary, educational classes are held and lectures on various subjects are given.
The home organization may be divided into religious, educational, and social service. The religious work is carried on by meetings, Bible study, evangelistic services, etc.; and the educational by classes in institutes, provision being also made for home study and loan libraries. The department of
social service is more complex, and in-
4. Home, cludes subdivisions for employment Social (with registries in different parts of the Service, country, as well as a registry for immiand grant girls), emigration (advising emi-
Foreign De- grant girls and cooperating with the partments. British Women’s Emigration Society), thrift, total abstinence, factory work (in affiliation with the Federation of Working Girls’ Clubs), and the convalescent and holiday department. The Social Service Council has recently been formed, and may be applied to for advice and information on the subject of factory laws, etc., should members be in difficulty and need help in this way. The foreign department of the association unites not only the foreign missionary work, which is largely supported by the local associations, but also Young Women’s Christian Association work in other lands. Besides the large sums of money which are contributed annually by Young Women’s Christian Association members to foreign missions, twentyeight workers are supported by this department, who carry on chiefly Young Women’s Christian Association work among English-speaking girls in foreign lands. The number of branches in Great Britain and Ireland is 1,290, and the membership, 102,710. The president is Mrs. J. H. Tritton (previous presidents being Lords Kinnaird and Overtoun), and the general secretary is Miss Thorold.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: The most important literature is contained in the manuals of the various organizations, which usually afford not only statistics, but the history of the respective societies. Consult further: T. Chalmers, Juvenile Revival; or, Philosophy of the Christian Endeavor Movement, St. Louis, 1895; Young Men’s Christian Associations;
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