Imposing New Building Opposite Race Course Formally Handed over to Board of Trustees The spacious and well-appointed Foreign Y, M. C. A. Building. on Bubbling Well Road, opposite the Race Course, was formally opened last Friday afternoon by Col.
Rice, acting on behalf of Majo Gen, Wardrop, who was un avoid. ably detained in Peking. The actual opening. ceremony was brief and Iaeking in any particular formality, In the presence of some 200 people 1 gathered on the pavement before the Main entrance, Mr. A. Q. Adamson, director of the ¥. 3. C, A. Building Bureau, handed over the key to Mr, H. H, Arnold, President of the Board of Trustees, mentioning that Mr, Arnold had been intimately associated with the scheme from the beginning and had given generously of his time and talents to secure {ts accomplishment.
Mr, Arnold formally accepted the building on behalf of the Trustees, after which Col. Rice untied a blue ribbon which secured the doors and Geclared the building open. The company then entered and gathered {nthe spacious gymnasium, where they were joined by some 200 others "and a dedication ceremony followed, under the chairmanship of Mr. Calder-Marshall, Vice-President of the Board of Trustees. He was Accompanied on the platform by Col Rice and Mr, Arnold, and amongst those in the body of the hall were Sir Peter Grain, Mr, ©. F. Garstin (H, M, Consul), Dean A.
Trivett, Mr. V.G. Lyman, Mr. A.B, "Lowson, Brig-Gen, E. B. Macnaghten, Mr. J. R, Jones (Deputy Secretary, S. M. C.), Mr. Edney Page, and the Rev. Dr.
Tribute to Mr. Fitch Mr. Calder Marshall introduced the speakers and paid tributes to those chiefly concerned with the building, in particular mentioning Mr, Geo. A. Fitch (the General Secretary). Ho, said he was sure that, if Mr, Fitch at* any time should happen to be east up on a innibal island, within six months would have the cannibals organized into a Y. M. C. A. and plans would be well advanced for the building of modern headquarters, 'The Rev, E. F, Horst-Smith pronounced the Invocation, and was Followed by Mr. H. H, Arnold, who tuid that, nearly eight years' oxo, Me, George Fitch took the lead in forming a committee to obtain a Foreign Y, M, C. A. for this city. There had been previous interrittent, efforta which lacked the successful Jendership of Mr. Fitch. The first substantial results were obtained more than two years Tater, when Mr. Chas. R, Crane's gift ade possible the'financiag. of the purchase of this ideal site. Gener Sus assistance was alto given by Mr, Rockefeller and Mr, Brockman.
The organization was then incorporated, and the support. of other Individuals and corporations was enlisted, until the largest contributor to the funds of the International Committee's building programme gave assurance of his support, aube fect to this project being included the building programme of the International "Committee. Efforts were concentrated in New York and this. essential was secured. The trustees were then ready to' make the: organization international i character and launch the 1925 drive for financial support, The contributions amounted to approximately three-quarters of a million taels. he fund was increased sy careful investment of available funds during the period of construction, An Apt Quotation Col. G. R. Rice said that it had een Major-General Wardrop's intention to be present to open forma Ly the magnificent building, but the exigencies of the moment had detained him in the North, and it was with sincere regret that he was Tunable to officiate. He was much looking forward to seeing the build-Jing and he esteemed it a high honour to have been invited to per~ form the opening ceremony.
The quotation which had been pelected for inscription on the {Joundation-stone aptly described the work and aim of the ¥, Bt. #Not to be ministered unto,, bat to This was peculiarly the spirit of the eminent founder of the ¥. M. C.'A. in those early days in St, Paul's Churchyard, London. Sir George Williams was ever setting himself out to help others, and the work which he then started had been carried on in the same spirit ever since. It was -hardly necessary to refer to the work that was.doné by the ¥. M, C. A. in the Great War. It was historic. The Red Triangle spoke of comfort, thoughtfulness, goodwill and spiritual help; and there wer countless men, who then were young, who louked back to qe days of the war and were thankful for the help they received from the Y, M. C. A, From the early days until now the ¥, M, C. A. had been synonymous with "service" and the building opened that afternoon was Dut another of the bricks that aad been laid upon that temple of brotherly service which had ever been growing with the extended activities of the Y. M, C. A. throughout the world. nifieance of the Triangle "May I remind you," said Cot Rice, "that the triangle is three-sided, and that it represents the trinity of the human personality—spirit, soul, and body. This building has been put up with the express purpose of ministering to the threefold need of the young men Shanghai. There is the fine hall which is available for lectures and the like, and it is here that provision is made for meeting the spiritual and intellectual needs of Shanghai's youth; and not only the youth, for it is the fervent hope of some of the older ones among us that shall be invited to attend such addresses, and that the lecture ha'! of this building may be a centre for the disseminatign of all that is best for young and old. Could not courses of study on Oriental and allied subjects be given here on the Hines of the Home University Ex. tension lectures and become a feature of Shanghs "Then, what fine facilities are afforded' for social intercourse! There ig this side for which provision is required as well as the spiritual and intellectual side and Iam sure that no place is better fitted for ministering ina healthy atmosphere to those necessities of a full-orbed existence than the building in which we now find ourselves. Need I refer to the third side of the triangle? The comfort of the body thas not been overlooked. Inspe the gymnasium, the swimming pool, the dining hall, the lounge, th: living apartments, and sce how ad mirably the needs of the body have been catered for."
"We shall watch with interest the development of this Association and in the early days, when there is so much to arrange.and coordinate, I hope there will be a spirit of helpfulness, and not one. of criticism, towards those who are doing their utmost to make the venture a success. It is utterly impossible for a work like this to start off without a hitch, and the committees and secretaries need our sympathy and help in the very Reavy work that devolves upon them.
"There is one more point to which Gen. Wardtop wished to draw attention, and that is-the international character of the work of the Y. M.
A. Althoagh this particular building is specially for fore suppose we are aware that the Y. M, C. A. carries on its work among all races and does all in its power to emphasize the brotherhood of man. There is a large work among the young men of China, and the Chinese Y. M. C, A. has done much to form a rallying point for those who have the real good of China at heart. Im this build: ing, too, there will be given conimon ground for foreign young tien, not all of the same race, te meet and discuss questions which affect: them. It will be possible during the social hour, over a cup of tea, for men of different nationjes to ventilate, in a friendly ROOM Lowoy way, the problems that occupy their minds, and, as the different points of view are brought to light, a man ix enabled to see matters through the other man's spectacles, definite progress will be made it the interests of humanity, for the more we know one another, the more we understand one another, the better able are we to sce that there are two sides to every ques: tion, and that all the right is not on our own side. International friendships, brought about through the ageney'of the ¥. M. C. A. and such institutions, have a real value, and it is our duty to do all in power to assist in the carrying out of the command of the Master: ove one another.'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.