Onward Christian soldiers: The transformation of religion, masculinity, and class in the Chicago YMCA, 1857--1933

The Chicago YMCA began in the 1850s as an institution dedicated to shaping young men's lives and remained committed to this task until the late 1920s. After World War I, cultural changes especially in the areas of religion and gender undermined the YMCA's original mission. This dissertation provides an analysis of the organization's transition from the 1850s to the 1930s. In its early years, the association functioned as an energetic Christian group best personified by Dwight L. Moody. By 1930, however, it had become a broadly religious, but not necessarily Christian organization. The YMCA shifted direction in response to outside pressures and because of alterations to its administrative structure. More importantly, the association's members did not respond to its evangelical message, which forced the YMCA to make adjustments. This modification also reflects an acceptance of liberal Christianity by YMCA's leaders who retreated from the evangelical message.; The Chicago YMCA's constructs of masculinity also evolved over time. Beginning in the 1850s, businessmen formed a masculine sub-culture within Victorian religion by juxtaposing their business culture onto their religious beliefs. A close connection with the business world remained a central theme throughout the agency's history and facilitated the construction of YMCA buildings in Chicago. Cooperation between the YMCA and business, including monetary donations, also ensured that the organization would promote an upper-class social vision in its programs.; By the 1880s, muscular Christianity influenced the YMCA's views on masculinity. The organization highlighted physical vitality by constructing gymnasiums and through the work of leaders such as Billy Sunday. In the twentieth century, however, the agency emphasized cooperation and religious service as masculine ideals instead of muscular Christianity. Another important transition in the construction of gender centered on the implementation and later elimination of the "men-only" policy. In 1888, the Chicago YMCA officially excluded women from membership. This decision demonstrated an institutional endorsement of separate spheres and the belief that the YMCA should be a homosocial arena for Christian men. By the 1930s, the YMCA eliminated this policy in response to modifications in American culture, especially the prevalence of mixed-sex social activities.