How They Do It THE SUCCESSFUL FOREIGN WORK METHODS OF SOME TYPICAL CITY ASSOCIATIONS How They Do It THE SUCCESSFUL FOREIGN WORK METHODS OF SOME TYPICAL ASSOCIATIONS Edited by F. J. Nichols Foreign Department International Committee of Young Men’s Christian Associations 124 East Twenty-eighth Street New York CONTENTS PAGE How They Do It. 3 A Program for Ale. 4 Mr. Messer Answers Some Questions. 7 How the Foreign Work Helps the Current Expense Budget. 8 How Asheville Started. 10 How Titusville Secured $2,000. 11 Ho w Erie Promotes Intercession. 12 How Dayton Enlisted the Dormitory Men. . . 14 From $700 to $2,000 in Brantford. 16 How Denver Introduced the Foreign Secre¬ tary to His Constituency,. 17 The Brooklyn Central Plan. 19 A Foreign Work Exhibit . 23 Mr. Secretary, Thou Art the Man. 25 Seven Essentials of a Local Foreign Work De¬ partment . 27 Helpful Foreign Work Literature. 28 HOW THEY DO IT “How do they do it?” is asked more often, perhaps, than any other of the many questions which come to the Foreign Work office. “How They Do It” is a partial answer to some of these questions. During the past three years many principles and methods of making the Foreign Work a part of the regular program of an Association, have been tested. Some of these have never been effective; others have never failed to win friends, to widen the horizon and interest of the membership, to enlist intercessors, and to inspire to sacrificial giving. The letters here printed make these successful methods available for all Foreign Work Committees, and especially for those of an in¬ creasing number of Associations which for the first time are assuming a definite responsibility in the world program of the Brotherhood. These letters are from typical Associations. They were written originally with no thought that they would be published. They describe principles and plans which have been successful wherever used, regardless of the size of the Association, or of peculiar conditions. The Foreign Work office will gladly give additional information about these and other points. All its facilities and staff and the men home on furlough are at the service of the Associations to work out and put into operation a Foreign Work program which will produce larger results. F. J. Nichols Home Secretary, Foreign Department 3 A PROGRAM FOR ALL Monday, May 16, 1916, furnished the average North American local Young Men’s Christian Association a new world chart by which to steer. On that day the most representative delegated convention ever assembled by the Associations of Canada and the United States, for the purposes of legislation, voted soberly without dissent to accept full responsibility for a big stated program of service to foreign lands that will entail the life work of hundreds of our ablest men and the outlay of millions of dollars. This noble undertaking, known familiarly as the For¬ eign Work, is not new, being in fact twenty-seven years advanced, but its status was changed at Cleveland. The Philadelphia Convention majority in 1889, moved by the sense of unique opportunity more than by obliga¬ tion, cautiously gave the International Committee a franchise to conduct operations abroad at its own risk. From then until now the real task of the Committee has been at home rather than abroad. Over there the re¬ turns from the beginning have been out of all propor¬ tion to the investment. Our best life and sacrificial gifts have been matched by theirs. Requests, even demands, for expansion from the re¬ sponsible leaders of the Church on the field, from officials, business men, and educators grew ever more clamorous. Here eyes were holden, ears deaf, hearts slow to believe, wills weak. God was faithful and patient. Through the administrative and furloughed 4 foreign secretaries, He called out here a layman and there an employed officer, and lifted their vision until they saw the world as Jesus saw it—geographical boun¬ daries and distinctions wiped out; until they had His compassion and compulsion for all unshepherded souls harried by the wolves of temptation; until they under¬ stood that whatever of good Christ has for a man him¬ self or for his nation, being the rightful possession of all nations and races, eludes those who deny or with¬ hold it from any. The growth of a dependable home constituency was slow. After twelve years it maintained a foreign staff of fifteen men, an accretion averaging only slightly more than one a year. The adversaries to missions are a hardy tribe. Provincialism, selfishness, fear, in¬ capacity, inertia lay athwart the path, but they lost the battle to education, sacrifice, daring, persistence, and a world gospel. The example of the pioneer Associations and individuals that in faith took their own foreign representatives persuaded others to do the same. Some broke up the early smaller molds of $1,200 and $2,000 gifts. In 1916 nine cities rose to the $5,000 stand¬ ard, ten to $10,000, and nine gave from $20,000 to $90,000 each. One exceeded $90,000. A few realize the ambition to give more abroad than for local expenses. The last decade has seen the North American broth¬ erhood turn with enthusiasm to our thin, red line of 197 comrades abroad, leading what an eminent Church Board secretary has described as “the youngest and most brilliant of modern missionary enterprises.” Even 3 r et it did not belong to the whole brotherhood. The large number of Associations were interested spectators^ not participants. Last year sixty-five per cent, of the 5 Foreign Work contributions for all purposes came from 118 organized points. One is reminded by these figures of the Master’s lament, “Were not ten cleansed, but where are the nine?” The Cleveland declarations have teeth in them. This one, for example, puts a very large company of direc¬ tors and general secretaries on the defensive: “The North American Associations recognize and hereby de¬ clare that the obligation for the Foreign Work program rests primarily upon our Associations, and that each Association annually, through its board of directors, should adopt an adequate Foreign Work program.” The great fact is, the majority who voted knew they convicted themselves. They voted aye because they were Christians and saw it squared with the Great Commis¬ sion. They expected to go home and square their Associations with the action and on the whole they will. The Foreign Work is no longer a licensed concession. It is a government-owned property. F. T. Colton Secretary, Foreign Department 6 MR. MESSER ANSWERS SOME QUESTIONS 1. What reasons do you assign for supporting by both time and money the Foreign Work of the Young Men’s Christian Association? The obligation is to extend the privileges and serv¬ ice of the Association to men of all races and of all lands. This obligation, from the standpoint of the Association, is made the more imperative in view of the commands and invitations and prayers of our Lord and Master. The obligation is also imperative in view of the attitude and request of the representatives of our various denominations on the foreign field. The obliga¬ tion is also recognized in view of the reaction on the local work, which is the result of the investment of prayer, time, and money in extending the Gospel mes¬ sage to other lands. 2. What, in your opinion, have been the strongest features of the Foreign Work as presented in the past? a. The imperative need. b. The demand by Christian leaders on the field. c. The demand by representative non-Christians and their cooperation, financial, and other. d. The personnel of our Association foreign secretaries. e. The large and practical results. f. The visitation of foreign secretaries on fur¬ lough to present the work to our men. 3. What have been the weakest features? 7 I do not know that I have any criticism to make along this line. 4. What criticisms and suggestions would you make? I do not believe I have any criticisms or suggestions, aside from the approval of the general lines of coopera¬ tion which have heretofore been used. 5. What have been the chief causes of success in your Foreign Work program in Chicago? a. A steady campaign of education. b. Direct appeal to men who are able to give quite substantial subscriptions. c. The assuming of a definite obligation by each of our departments. d. A permanent organization within each de¬ partment for the purpose of securing a For¬ eign Work constituency. 6. From your experience and observation, what has been the chief cause of failure? Lack of continuous effort in educating our constitu¬ ency. L. Wilbur Messer G eneral Secretary HOW THE FOREIGN WORK HELPS THE CURRENT EXPENSE BUDGET The satisfactory financial condition of a local Asso¬ ciation may be due to prosperity, good work accom¬ plished, and good promotion plans. But if an Associa¬ tion has made a large investment in promoting Foreign Work, naturally it has the right to feel that a part of its local prosperity is a fulfilment of the scriptural promise, “There is that scattereth and yet increaseth.” In March, 1916, as a result of a special canvass, 8 Buffalo pledged over $12,000 to this Foreign Work as compared with the $5,600 contributed the previous year. Personally, I believe that that success helped to produce our other remarkable experience in a later financial campaign, April 15th to May 15th. Those were thirty red-letter days, for the Buffalo Associa¬ tion closed the books of its ten branches without a deficit for the year ending with April 30th. But to make this possible it was necessary to collect $35,600 in contributions, $11,000 of which were secured during the month of April. On May 6th, an unexpected gift of $12,000 enabled the Central Branch to pay the balance on its mortgage. Now all of the six buildings owned by the Buffalo Association are without mortgage indebtedness. Dur¬ ing four other days of that same month 200 workers, without newspaper publicity, secured 1,825 subscrip¬ tions aggregating $36,181. We certainly feel that the larger interest taken in the Foreign Work helped materially to create an Asso¬ ciation atmosphere, making possible this splendid finan¬ cial support of our Buffalo work. During 1916 Buffa- lonians will contribute over $40,000 to Association enterprises outside of their own city, which is more than will be required for the local work. There is no doubt in my mind but that a sympathetic, progressive, and generous consideration of the Foreign Work has helped to strengthen our local finances. A. H. Whitford General Secretary 9 HOW ASHEVILLE STARTED The Asheville Association had never had a part in the Foreign Work, though I had long wished that we might. The Foreign Work Department wished to send repre¬ sentatives here to put on a Foreign Work campaign. The matter was brought before our directors and they turned it down flatly. Finally, finding that Messrs. White and Fenn were coming to the Carolinas, our directors decided to let them come here as an educa¬ tional proposition pure and simple, with the distinct understanding that no campaign was to be put on. Messrs. White and Fenn came, spoke at the church services, our men’s meeting and then to our directors. Right then and there our directors decided unanimously to raise $1,200 and have our own foreign representa¬ tive. They went to work at once and were surprised at the ready response they received. We have already raised $900 and the other $300 will be raised one day next month. My advice would be to have representatives come in and present the matter; after that I believe any Association will find it easy to raise the money. Ed. B. Beown General Secretary 10 HOW TITUSVILLE SECURED $2,000 In 1915 we raised $1,200 for the support of a single man by appealing to twelve or fourteen of the larger givers of Titusville, Pennsylvania. During the winter we selected our representative, and, as he was married, we undertook to raise $2,000 this year toward his sup¬ port. We had hoped to have Mr. Eddy or Mr. Carter visit us in May and arouse interest in the work among our members. However, it was impossible for either one to come here, and Mr. Tener and Mr. Munson came. A supper was given at the Association, attended by some seventy-five or eighty men, at which Mr. Tener and Mr. Munson spoke of the work being done in for¬ eign countries. On Sunday morning they spoke in dif¬ ferent churches, and on Sunday evening a union service in the Presbyterian Church was addressed by both men. The following day was given over to calling on the men who in the meetings seemed to be interested, and upon others who are accustomed to give to missionary objects. We had no difficulty in obtaining nearly fifty sub¬ scriptions ranging from $300 down to $1. Of course, a very large part of the total was made up by the larger subscriptions, $1,600 being raised in amounts of $50 and more. We try to sustain the interest by sending literature on the subject as often as possible. We have dis¬ tributed copies of the August number of Association Men and will soon distribute a copy of our secretary’s quarterly report, which reached us a short time ago. 11 I believe the strongest point of this movement is the personal touch in having our own representative. It is much easier to raise money for such a purpose when we know just where it is going, and when we hear directly of the actual results of our giving. E. O. Emerson, Jr. President HOW ERIE PROMOTES INTERCESSION The Twenty-Four Hour A Day Club of the Erie, Pa., Association impress upon the membership of the Club the four-fold obligation to know, to go, to send, to pray, and it believes that now abideth Knowing, Go¬ ing, Sending, Praying, and the greatest of these is Praying. “We can do nothing until we have prayed,” and “Without me ye can do nothing,” are two of its mottoes. To promote prayer and the spirit of prayer among the members of the Club there are issued: 1. A Prayer Card, on fine bristol board with the fol¬ lowing features: a. It has a cut of the Club’s representative. b. It has a short sketch of his life and work. c. It has the names of the officers of the Club. d. It has the obligations of the Club to Know- Go-Send-Pray and a word of explanation about each. e. It has a definite subject for prayer for each day of the week, all referring to some phase of the Foreign Work. f. It has a punched hole (an important detail) 12 r with the suggestive imprint beneath: “Hang this in your room.” 2. A Bible Prayer Slip, on very thin (but good) tinted paper, to place in the Bible as a suggestion when¬ ever the Book is opened. This slip contains the prayer topics for the week which are on the prayer card. The slip should be tinted that it may contrast slightly with the white pages of the Bible and be the more readily brought to notice. The tint adds to its effectiveness. 3. The above card and slip are also used for inserts in letters, and are distributed again and again at meet¬ ings of the Club and are enclosed with reports of our work on the field. Prayer is also prompted b} r remembering our man and the work in public prayer in our religious gather¬ ings and Bible classes, not regularly, but when some member of the Club is moved to pray in the conference or in the public gatherings of the Club and the Associa¬ tion for the man who helps us to work twenty-four hours a day. Finally: “Not as though we had already attained” —but we strive after promoting the spirit of prayer and missions in our membership, and it is bearing fruit. Hermon E. Eldredge Religious Work Secretary 13 HOW DAYTON ENLISTED THE DORMITORY MEN A few of our loyal workers were struggling against the tension of those clays when the presidential elec¬ tion was in doubt, to get the $2,000 needed to complete our Foreign Work budget for the year. W. R. Stew¬ art, Dayton’s representative from Nanking, and F. J. Nichols, of the International Committee, were helping. On Wednesday, November 8th, Mr. Nichols and our religious work secretary, Mr. Duckwall, came to me at noon and proposed a campaign in the dormitory to raise $300 or $400. Mr. Nichols was to leave that night and Mr. Stewart could only give us one evening of his time. I listened in silence, for I knew it couldn’t be done. At five o’clock I began to think I’d better try it, so began to catch a few dependable residents as they came in and invite them to take supper together to meet Mr. Nichols. A dozen responded and we put it up to them. There wasn’t much enthusiasm, but the three floors were pretty evenly represented and all seemed willing to help. Leaders were appointed for each floor and they adjourned to another room where it was decided upon their suggestion that $400 be the goal, and that each floor be apportioned a definite amount: fourth, $100; fifth, $150; sixth, $150. The only other step taken that night was presentation of the plan to Him whose cause it is. On Thursday the leaders had enlisted workers and se- 14 cured their lists of names. I was in my room preparing for the evening talk when the man who was heading the sixth floor, a fellow of ordinary means, came in and in all modesty offered this proposition: he would start his floor with $25; he would give a bonus of $25 to the first floor to reach its goal, and a second bonus of $25 if the $400 was reached! At the regular Dormitory Supper that evening Mr. Stewart showed his slides of China and spoke briefly about the work. The general secretary gave a few words of encouragement and I put in my plea, using the announcement of the bonus as the climax. That night at one o’clock I had the word from the fifth floor leader that their goal had been reached, so I verified the cards and awarded the bonus. The other two floors were slower, but by Monday of the following week the goal was assured, and at the Dormitory Supper Thursday I was able to announce $429.70 as the total. The im¬ possible had been done once more! Personally I did not secure a single subscription. The appeal seemed to be along these lines: 1. Associa¬ tion Foreign Work is not a piece of sentimental preach¬ ing, but is a work of practical ministry to manhood. 2. China is the land of opportunity for service be¬ cause of: (a) The critical state of its national affairs; (b) The multiplication of American money when used there; (c) The multiplication of the influence of Amer¬ ican manhood when placed in leadership there. 3. Mem¬ bers of the Association should support its world-wide outreach on general principles, but dormitory men should do so especially because they reap its benefits in the local work more richly than any other members. E. G. Thatcher Dormitory Secretary 15 FROM $700 to $2,000 IN BRANTFORD There are several things which might be regarded as active agencies in raising last year’s contribution, which was $700 in round figures, to the amount of $ 2 , 000 . When our good friend J. Howard Crocker was home on furlough from China, he met, at a small informal dinner, a few men who were interested in his work. He gave us a very interesting talk which was followed up by a few personal interviews. The plan outlined by him was that three individuals should provide the amount of his salary ($1,200) without affecting the old budget. Later when Murray G. Brooks and the writer called on the contributors we found them very sympathetic and soon had the $1,200 promised. Active agencies were: the personality of Mr. Crocker: his faith in God; his optimism regarding his work; the fine spirit of Mr. Brooks; prayer. I would just like to say a word regarding a small pamphlet by John R. Mott, “Intercessors the Primary Need.” I have been much impressed by this little book¬ let, a number of which have been distributed to mem¬ bers of our board and others. I would suggest that if it be possible this pamphlet receive wide circulation, as there can be no doubt that intercessory prayer would solve many of our financial and other difficulties. J. F. Schultz General Secretary 16 HOW DENVER INTRODUCED THE FOREIGN SECRETARY TO HIS CONSTITUENCY When it had been determined that the Denver Asso¬ ciation was to undertake to stand back of General Secretary Walter C. Mayer, of Manila, and was to be responsible for his budget, we began at once to plan the development of an adequate constituency. Through correspondence with the Foreign Department of the In¬ ternational Committee we found that former General Secretary W. A. Tener and Senor Teodoro Yangco, president of the Filipino Association in Manila, could spend some time with us. Senor Yangco and Mr. Tener arrived on an early morning train on Thursday. At eleven o’clock they spoke to forty members of the Student Association at Denver University. At 12:15 they were guests of honor and spoke before the Rotary Club at their luncheon attended by 149. At 1:40 they spoke before the student assembly of our own Association schools. At 2 :30 they went on a tour of the city as the guests of President Sweet. Seven-thirty found them meeting with the men of the Washington Park District and talk¬ ing to them about our work in Manila. At nine o’clock both of them spoke on “Athletics in the Far East,” to a large crowd at an exhibition in our gymnasium. Friday morning at nine o’clock they met for prayers and conference with our secretarial staff. From ten o’clock until noon they were addressing the students 17 of East, Manual, and North Denver High Schools. At 12:15 they were the guests of honor at the regular weekly luncheon of the Denver Civic and Commercial Association, where Senor Yangco delivered a formal address on “Trade Conditions in the Orient.” Friday afternoon was spent in making personal calls upon members of the board of directors, and on past and prospective contributors to our Foreign Work budget. At eight o’clock a conference with past, pres¬ ent, and prospective givers in the parlors of the Brown Palace Hotel was followed by the organization of The Twenty-Four Hour A Day Club. The entire day Sat¬ urday was spent in making personal calls and further¬ ing the organization of the Club. Sunday was another full day, beginning with a breakfast with dormitory men at eight o’clock in the morning. Mr. Tener spoke in one of the churches at eleven o’clock. At three o’clock a boys’ meeting was held where both visitors spoke, as they did at the men’s meeting at 3:30. Senor Yangco, having been called to Washington on important business, left on an early evening train, but Mr. Tener remained to speak in Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in the evening. Before he sailed on August 10th we had a brief visit from Mr. Mayer which was made the occasion for his addressing the members of the Twenty-Four Hour A Day Club, and for such personal calls upon important contributors as time permitted. As the result of the visits of these men sufficient funds were subscribed to warrant the Denver Association in assuming the budget, and this was subsequently ap¬ proved by the board of directors. I. E. Lute General Secretary 18 THE BROOKLYN CENTRAL PLAN I. Preliminary Work 1. Foreign Work Committee. In organizing our Mexico City Committee we secured a strong layman to head up the committee of fifteen which included all the secretarial department heads and several members at large. 2. Publicity Before the Campaign. For a month preceding the campaign, on Tuesday evenings, stere- opticon talks were given in the lobby on the Foreign Work of the Association. This series, continued after the campaign and through the remainder of the season, proved a profitable form of publicity and education. For several weeks special articles were written up in our publication “Brooklyn Central.” On New Y r ear’s Day a special exhibit drew attention to the work being carried on by the Mexico City Asso¬ ciation. This was one of the most attractive and prominent exhibits we had. Hundreds of people saw it and commented favorably. Copies of “Foreign Mail” were sent to the Committee of Management and to the Foreign Work Committee. A selling-talk leaflet was gotten out for the use of our solicitors, and a reprint of the story in “Brooklyn Central” was provided in pamphlet form. A speaking staff was organized to present the Mexico City work in the Physical and Educational Depart¬ ments, and to groups in the lobby. 3. Organization. The whole Association was en¬ listed, every department being represented on the com- 19 mittee. The $4,500 to be raised was apportioned among the departments. Each department appointed a strong team of workers and planned the campaign for its own field. A selected list of names was prepared on duplicate cards for use by the Business Men’s Committee. Cards were also prejDared for the dormitory team which was organized by floors. 4. Setting-up Dinner. The invitations to this dinner on Friday evening preceding the campaign week, went out in the names of the Chairman of the Committee of Management and the Chairman of the Foreign Work Committee. The latter paid the expenses of the dinner. The Chairman of the Committee presided. Ninety-two men were present, including members of the Committee of Management, secretaries, committees of all depart¬ ments and members of the various teams. The speakers were our Branch Chairman, Mr. Graham, Mr. Bab¬ cock of Mexico City, Dr. Caturegli, the Mexican Consul, and Mr. Colton of the Foreign Department. At the dinner it was announced that two $500 condi¬ tional subscriptions had been made. After the dinner, campaign material was furnished the various teams. 5. Prayer. Special prayer was continually made for this campaign in meetings of the Committee of Management, weekly staff meetings of the secretaries, special meetings of the Foreign Work Committee and by groups of dormitory men. In fact, throughout the whole campaign the prayer spirit was much in evidence. II. The Campaign 1. Organization. Each department was fully organ¬ ized to carry on its own work in its own way. A 20 selected list had been prepared of names of persons to be seen for subscriptions. 2. The Budget. Each department was assigned its pro rata share of the total amount to be raised. The final result was as follows: Cash and Number of Pledges Contributors Dormitory. i . $750.00 302 Employment Department. 107.50 7 Social and Membership Department 300.00 52 Educational . 300.00 134 Business . 210.20 26 Physical . 400.00 53 Business Men’s Committee. 2,250.00 9 Religious Work Committee. 421.00 36 $4,738.70 619 In order to raise the $4,500 it seemed necessary to have at least four $500 gifts. These were secured. 3. Publicity During the Campaign. Sunday, Janu¬ ary 16th, was observed as Mexico City Day. At the men’s meeting in the auditorium the Foreign Work was presented by C. D. Hurrey of the International Com¬ mittee, and E. C. Aguirre, physical director of the Mexico City Association. A special letter was read from Dr. Alfredo Caturegli, the Mexican Consul Gen¬ eral in New York City. E. C. Aguirre gave an illustrated lecture in the audi¬ torium following the regular men’s meeting. During the campaign week a stereopticon lecture was given each evening in the lobby, on the Foreign Work in various countries. A special number of Brooklyn Central with the Mexi- 21 can flag on the cover explained in story and pictures the work of the Mexico City Association. The lobby was decorated with Mexican and United States flags by a professional decorating company. A large Mexican flag was displayed on one of the flag poles outside the building. All departmental bulletin boards throughout the building were decorated and used. A large oilcloth bulletin in a prominent place in the lobby recorded the progress of the campaign by depart¬ ments and teams. Over this an electric sign flashed “$4,500 for Mexico City.” 4. Report Dinners were held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the campaign week, at which team chair¬ men made their reports and lists were checked up. 5. The Business Office handled all of the business de¬ tails of the campaign. They received subscriptions from the chairmen of the various teams in a special envelope. Receipts were given to the chairmen and also mailed to each subscriber. At the same time each subscriber received the annual report of Secretary Wil¬ liamson of the Mexico City Association. 6. Material Used. a. Leaflet telling about the Mexico City work. b. Selling-talk card with instructions. c. Pledge cards. d. Large envelopes for reports by all solicitors. e. Record cards for permanent file. III. General Comments on the Campaign 1. The campaign had the full endorsement and hearty backing of the Committee of Management. 2. The men of all departments pulled together. 3. The goal of $4,500 was sufficiently large to chal- 22 lenge the interest and attention of the whole Associa¬ tion. 4. The organization was complete. 5 . The pledges were payable in cash or in thirty days. Most of the amount was paid within that time. 6. Considerable publicity was given to the campaign in the local newspapers. 7. The time of year was very favorable, the regular Association work being well under way. R. W. Brown Associate General Secretary A FOREIGN WORK EXHIBIT Just imagine yourself trying to interest a native son of India in a world-series baseball game — when the modus operand! of bats, balls, diamond, uniforms, players, officials, and hilarious “fans,” were mere words —without “goods” or pictures to help you. It is just as difficult to get the average Association member to see clearly what the Association is doing in other parts of the world without pictures to aid you. He cannot quite see how Chinese athletes would appear in Olympic games, or how South American or Indian students would appear at a great national conference, but when he does he is ready to greet his far-away brother as a neighbor. If you have your own representative on the foreign field, have him furnish you with several dozen good pic¬ tures (not smaller than post card size and larger if possible) of the Association activities and celebrities— pictures which because furnished by your representa- 23 tive are of peculiar interest to your Association mem¬ bers. With such material in hand plan a “story” as logical and as interesting as possible. Tell the story on charts—using 22 by 28 inch ten ply boards—carefully grouping your pictures according to subjects. Carefully worded “interpretations” of the objects and attainments of your particular Foreign Work, with interesting facts regarding the field, population, stu¬ dent life, commercial and industrial data, etc., on charts of the same size, will make a uniform exhibit which may be so interestingly displayed that every man who visits your Association may become familiar with the foreign extension message and appeal. A large display, say eight by ten feet, which will in¬ terpret the particular relation the Association bears to Foreign Work, such as Boston’s which tells at a glance the whole story, is worth all such a display costs, and it is not very expensive. Select the most advantageous spot in the Associa¬ tion building for displaying your exhibit—of course, one which will catch the eyes of all who enter. Special lighting facilities will help. Keep the arrangement fresh and it will attract constant attention. If you do not have material available to prepare an exhibit, send to the Foreign Department of the International Committee for things they have on topic¬ ally arranged subjects. A. B. Nicholls Religious Work Secretary Boston 24 MR. SECRETARY, THOU ART THE MAN “Is the secretary big enough for the job?” After all, it comes to that, doesn’t it? When I think of the years that have passed and consider opportunities which have been neglected by virtue of groundless apprehen¬ sions or cowardly fear, I marvel anew at the wonder¬ ful mercy and forgiveness of my God. During many of these twenty-five years in which I was supposed to be at least partially adequate for the job of a general secretary, my thought reached only to the boundaries of country, state, and city when the clarion call to world cooperation should have been un¬ mistakable. Many sins of omission are undoubtedly mine, but none greater than that of turning a partially deaf ear to the insistent plea for help in marshalling local forces of prayer and money which have only awaited a leader¬ ship entirely within my power. The call of God to the American general secretary to see to it that business men of vision and financial possibility are brought face to face with the living necessities of our work in the lands beyond the seas must no longer be disregarded on the ground of local need. To assume that money turned in this direction will militate against local development is false reasoning, bred of the devil. The Christian business men of America eagerly await the soul stirring which the stories of those who have returned to us from their self-sacrificing endeavor yonder invariably transmit. When they receive it, do they close their pocket-books to the local call in order to respond to the world appeal ? Testimony proves the 25 reverse. Why, then, this hesitancy on my part, my brother secretary, and upon yours, in arousing our¬ selves to immediate action? Is it because we should never have been placed over our present responsibilities on the ground of incapacity? Or is it because we are not controlled by those inner spiritual forces which insist that our full duty and our entire power should immediately become operative? If the former, let us give way like honest men to others who possess the necessary capacity. If the latter, let us fall on our faces before Jehovah and receive from Him that vision of His will so necessary to those to whom has been entrusted the marvelous leadership of forces beyond the adequate estimate of men. In the last analysis general secretaries and their co-laborers are the responsible factors of this whole enterprise. Upon us the future burden rests. Our men must first listen, then respond. We must immediately see to it that the great story of this open door of op¬ portunity is told. Messrs. Brockman, Eddy, Colton, Clinton and manj r others eagerly await our invitation to present the facts to our constituents. Let us move rapidly, for the day is far spent. At this moment I seem to hear with all of its tre¬ mendous significance, as though it were originally spoken to me, “Thou, therefore, gird up thy loins and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee. Be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them, for behold I have made thee this dav a defensed city and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land. . . . And they shall fight against thee! But they shall not prevail against thee, for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.” A. H. Godard General Secretary 26 SEVEN ESSENTIALS OF A LOCAL FOREIGN WORK DEPARTMENT 27 HELPFUL FOREIGN WORK LITERATURE How They Do It. Copies, gratis. Foreign Mail. Annual subscription, 25 cents; in clubs of ten or more, 15 cents each. A bi-monthly periodical of 32 pages, illustrated. Foreign Mail Annual. 20 cents; per dozen, $2.00; per hundred, $ 10 . 00 . The annual report of the Foreign Work, summarizing the achievements of the year and pointing out the opportunities for advancement. Membership Support for a Foreign Post— How One Associa¬ tion Gains and Holds It. By E. Graham Wilson. Single copies, gratis; per dozen, 20 cents; per hundred, $2.00. The story of achievement by West Side, New York, extending over a sufficient term of years to attach to it a value compelling attention. Christian Pan-Americanism. By P. A. Conard. 5 cents; per dozen, 50 cents; per hundred, $3.00. Twenty-four pages descriptive of the South American countries—their glory, power and perils, and the operations of the Young Men’s Christian Associ¬ ation against common enemies of character and civilization. Illustrated. Japanese Men. By Galen M. Fisher. 15 cents; per dozen, $1.50; per hundred, $10.00. The story of the successful work about which Baron Shibusawa said, “Con¬ sidering the youth and the limited resources of the Young Men’s Christian Association in Japan, it has accomplished much already, and I believe it de¬ serves the hearty backing of all good men so that it can extend its activities.” A Year’s Work Among Young Men in China. 15 cents; per dozen, $1.50; per hundred, $10.00. The inspiring story of the best year of Association work in China, a year of disturbance, expansion and reaping. The Second City of the British Empire. By B. R. Barber. 5 cents; per dozen, 50 cents; per hundred, $3.00. A twenty-page pamphlet, illustrated, describing Calcutta and the program and achievement of the Young Men’s Christian Association toward meeting the moral and religious needs of its youth and manhood. A Student Demonstration in World Brotherhood. By E. T. Colton. 10 cents; per dozen, $1.00; per hundred, $5.00. An informing survey illustrative of present-day moral and religious conditions in the student world, reviewing afresh the strategy of the Christian Student Movement and the clear call to the college men of North America to a larger share in the audacious enterprise. Order from The Foreign Department, The International Committee of Young Men’s Christian Associations 124 East Twenty-eighth Street, New York City 28