we had conjured up in our mind's eye. You can see what our
conception of Y.M.C.A. members was. We imagined them a
narrow-minded set of some mild kind of religious fanatics."

I promised a veracious chronicle, and I am quoting Sydney Baxter word
for word. I am inclined to believe that here he is expressing his
companions' anxieties rather than his own.

"The tea gong sounded and our hosts led the way to another
large room, and upon the tables was a sumptuous spread.
Being young men we did full justice to it, and throughout
the whole of tea time this same atmosphere of sociability
surrounded us.

"After tea we were escorted to the lecture room, and,
although it is too long ago to remember who the speakers
were, and what the subjects, I do know it was most
enjoyable. At the conclusion we were given a hearty welcome
to come and use the rooms every evening for reading,
writing, or social intercourse and games. The following
morning in the office we all agreed that we had had a most
enjoyable evening, and that we had badly misjudged the
Y.M.C.A. A few of us took advantage of the invitation and
went again, and received the same warm welcome and had
another enjoyable evening. Shortly afterwards three of us
joined the Association. Until this time I had no idea of the
magnitude of the Association's work; my idea was that little
existed outside of the Headquarters and the smaller branches
over the country. This was some eight years ago. Now every
one knows the Y.M.C.A. I soon got into the stream and found