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CHAPTER XXVILYOUNG MEN SCHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.I. IN CHINA (from Report).(TJTHE past year (1909) has proven to be by far thevJx best year in the history of the Young Men sChristian Associations of China and Korea. Advance has been made in every field and in every phaseof the association s activities. The membership, contributions toward current expenses and equipment, theattendance at religious meetings, the enrollment at Bibleclasses, the subscriptions to periodicals, the sales ofliterature, the number of men joining the church as aresult of the association s work, all show a substantialincrease.Last year s report mentioned as the greatest problem which faced the movement the securing of a trainedsecretarial force from the young men of the Orient. Itis most gratifying to note therefore that one of the moststriking advances of the present year has been the additions to the secretaryship from Chinese young men ofeducation and standing. The willingness of such menat large personal sacrifice is one of the surest tests of thedepth of the impression which the association ismakingand the best guarantee of its becoming thoroughlyorientalized. In its foreign staff also the Association hasbeen much strengthened.The most notable progress of the year has unquestionably been in the religious work. This has beentrue in all parts of the field, and not only in the religiousmeetings but in the Bible classes and the personal dealing with men.The Shanghai association surpassed the total attendance of 10,000 at the religious meetings during