Report of the Christian Association, 1907-1908. The past year in the Association has seen a record of splendid achievement in the face of rather unusual difficulties. The fact that there has not been very marked ad- vance in some lines is due largely to the lack of accommodations, and the general feeling of unrest among the student body that has characterized the college year However, in membership, mission study, and finances, there has been a distinct advance. The organization for the ensuing year is: President, A. A. Borland, 'O9; Vice President. J. B. Watson, 'O9; Secretary, E. W. Stitt, '10; Treasurer, L. M Fisher, '10; Assistant Treasurer, W. R. Rhoads, 'll. The committee chair men are: membership, G. E. Ogil vie, '10; Bible study, J. E. Platt, '10; religious work. C. N. Fleming, 'O9; mission study, W. E. Gross, 'O9; social, G. B. Wharen, '10; music,K. B. Lohmann, '10; finance, L. M. Fisher, 'lO. MEMBERSHIP The membership of the Associa tion is as follows: Active—seniors, 41, juniors 53, sophomores 67, freshmen 117, sub freshmen 5, spe-. cial.§ and postgraduates 5. total 288. Associate-17, 14, 27, 43, 8. 2, total 111, making the total member ship 399. As may be see:i by the figui es, the committee did remarka bly effective work with the fresh men at the beginning of the college year. RELIGIOUS MEETINGS The attendance for the entire year was reduced by the fac that the meetings for the first two months had to be held in the Old Chapel, a place very poorly adapted for meetings other than those addressed by a single speaker. The statistics of the meetings are as follows: Sunday meetings—number, 25; attendance, 7085; average atteri- THE . STATE COLLEGIAN dance, 215. Tuesday meetings— number 21; attendance, 1022; aver erage attendance, 32. Special meetings—number, 9; attendance, 10,. 6; average attendance, 139. ' In February, Messrs E. C. Mercer and Tom Farmer of New York City addressed a series of four meetings with a total attendance of 1500. Other speakers have been Dr. J. W. Cochran of Philadelphia, Mr. Hemingway of Bloomsburg, and Secretaries Hood of the Student Volunteer Movement, Slack of the International Committee and Bohner of the State Committee. The thanks of the Association are due to the College Orcnestra and the Association Quartet for their valua ble assistance. BIBLE STUDY The department, although doing splendid work at the outset, has not maintained the standard of the com mittees of the two preceding years. The difficulties have been the secur ing of a sufficient number of capable student leaders, and in maintaining training classes for these leaders. There have been 32 classes during the year NI, ith a total of about 300 men studying. This includes 3 fraternity and 3 short course classes. A peculiar fact is that, in spite of the good showing made in freshman classes last year, there are fewer sophomores enrolled this year than any other class in college. The best work in this department was done among the short course men. The courses were the same as in the preceding year with the exception that the juniors used Dr. Jenks' book "The Social Significance of the Teachings of Jesus." Pro fessors Willard, Pattee and Foster have rendered invaluable aid to the Association by their help in Bible Study work. MISSION STUDY This department reports the fol lowing statistics: First semester— four classes with an enrollment of 49;' second'• semester—five" classes with an enrollment of 109. The The number of different men in the classes in the two semesters was 122, an advance of 13 over last year. Much better work was done in the classes than in any preceding year, however, the attendance being main tained far better and the leaders be ing better prepared. Ihe courses pursued have been: The Healing of the Nations--medical missions; the Uplitt of China; South America; the Foreign Work of the Y. M. C. A.; and three classes on The Call of the Homeland—work in the United States. A feature of the work was the illustrated lecture given by Professor Gilmore on Feb. 9, on "Life in China." The audience numbered 350. The biggest piece of work under taken by this committee has been the collection of $850.00 for the support of G. W. Groff, 'O7, in the Canton Christian College, China. Up to date about ':6E0.00 has been raised, almost entirely among the student body. This is seven times as much as State ever raised for any similar purpose in any one year. It is hoped that our Association may assume definitely the support of Groff as an annual thing, in the near future. There are four student volunteers in college. The Mission Study Committee has also succeeded in _obtaining some thirty books of reference, which have been placed in the College Li brary. These books were secured by a number of students during the Christmas vacation. CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS State was represented _ at the Niagara Student Summer Con ference in June by nine men, and at the similar conference held at North field, Mass., in July, by tour othei Two delegates were sent to the International Convention held ,in Washingtoh, D. C., in Nciven - lb'et; ancßirobtheis to'the State Conventibh
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