Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-05
CHRISTIAN WORKERS.

DxLkoArKs IRON raH UNITED STATES AND CANADA
PREsESr-soNE or THE NOTABLE MEN AND
WOMEN ENGAGED IN THIS woRK-PRocKxpIxo
OF TIKI MORNING SESSION.
One Of the most unique gatherings ever held
in this city is the convention Of Christian Work
ers which convened this morning at the First
Congregational Church. The name is well
chosen, for it describes in brief exactly the
men and women who attend the convention.
They are workers. Their lives are devoted
with an unselfshness that il rare to the task Of
carrying the Gospel 10 the hopeless and aban-
doned classes. They represent every degree
and kind Of Christian work. Here may be
found the man who is conducting high toned
mission in some city and by his side may be
the superintendent Of . work that gees right
down into the siums Of n depraved population.
MANY PHASES OF WORK.
There are 80 many phases OF the work that
has been developed by the persistent effort of
these earnest men and women that the conven-
ton is one Of strongly marked Municipalities.
They are no mere visionaries but they are
practical men who come out OF the thick OF the
battle with everyday realities and problems
aud who are able to speak With o practical force
and directness that comes with telling power.
Some OF these men have themselves arisen
from degraded lives and their personal his
tories are not the least thrilling parts of an ex
perience which appeals TO the average man Is
something entirely novel and strange,
NOTHING CUT AND DRIED.
There is nothing cut and dried about the
convention. The addresses are practical talks
OF practical men, and there is a movement in
the proceedings that indicate that the dele
gates full of al
Short crisp, speeches. telling points, practical
euggestions-these are some of the character
istics of this assemblage Of active alert men and
women There are no denominational or doc
Iinal questions to occupy the attention Of the
convention to the exclusion of the one theme
that they have met together 10 discuss, and that
Is how to save souls and the best methods to be
adopted The convention is union of all
churches. Members of evangelical denomina-
tons come together on the common platform
OF Christian work and nothing else is talked
about The delegates a rule are what are
known as hustlers They are obliged to be-
They must hold the attention. and they get in
the habit OF speaking to the point and occupy
Ing as little time in getting there as possible
CHAIRMAN ToRBEy.
The chairman Of the executive committee,
Rev. r A. Torrey Of Chicago, who conducted
the opening devotional exercises this morning.
is superintendent of the Chicago Evangelical
Foreign Missions. at Chicago. In this he is
associated with Mr.. Moody, the well-known
evangelist. He is a graduate of Yale College
and Yale Theological Seminary. Before engag-
ing In this work he was at the head of mission
work in Minneapolis and organized the Peo-
pies Church there. He is a Bible scholar of
recognized ability. He has been chairman of
the committee since its organization and has
presided at all the conventions.
SECRETARY COLLINS.
Tho secretary of the convention, Rev. John
c. Collins of New Haven, is well known in that
city, where he is prominently identified with
mission work. He is the founder of the work
among boys and is one Of the organizers of the
Christian Workers Association. He has ex-
ecutive ability of high order and is an active,
energotic man who believes in work. whether
the object is to save souls or to make money
AS has been stated, the personal history of
some Of the delegates presents strong contrasts.
For example, there is the career of Rev. s. p
Holcombe Of Detroit, Mich. For many years
be was professional gambler, and some Of the
details OF that portion of his career are given
in . work which he has written called Life
and Work OF a Converted Gambler" Four
Teen years ago he turned over q new leaf and
entered upon differen. kind of nfe. He
wanted to reach out helping hand to others
and soon became tina superintendent of a union
mission in Louisvills, Ky, and in this capacity
no carried On successful work in retaining
drunkards and gamblers. He is now in charge
OF mission work in Detroit.
HON. W. q. ROWLAND.
A notable figure in the convention is Hon
W. b. Rowland of Toronto, Canada He is a
wealthy and prominent business man of that
city and has three times filled the honorable
position OF mayor of the city. During his Off
clal term he displayed his colors as a Christian
man and did what he could to check the in
crease in the number of saloons and to secure
the observance of the Sabbath. He is the pres
ident of the Toronto City Mission and labors
among the poor and outcast portion of the
population with much earnestness and success.
MRS. ). K. BARNEY.
The ladies are prominent as delegates to the
convention and their work in promoting
Christianity Is well represented. One of the
ablest speakers in the convention is Mrs. ]. K.
Barney of Providence, r.. l. She is promi-
nently identified with the N. w. C. T. Union.
especially in connection with prison work
She ia an accomplished Bible reader. and the
meetings under her direction are regarded as
specially profitable. One Of the reforms
which she has been instrumental in bringing
about Is the appointment of police matrons at
police courts and station houses. She is
member OF the executive committee.
MISS BERTHA WRIGHT.
Another member Of that committee is Miss
Bertha Wright OF Ottawa, Canada. She is a young
woman and lie pleasant and attractive speaker.
Her special lipe of work is in the direction of
aiding those OF her own sex She is at the head of
large institution in Ottawa where women can
find q home She also has q rescue branch of
the work. Abou. two years age her name be-
came prominent on account of the great excite
ulent that WAS aroused in the town Of Hull lust
across the river from Ottawa, by her efforts to
hold religious meeting there. Her meetings
were broken up by violence OF the mob and an
appeal was made by her friends to parliament
for assistance III maintaining the law. At one
time there was serious danger of a religious
war, but the excitement finally died out and
Miss Wright was allowed to continue her meet
ings During this period Miss Wright dis
played great deal of nerve, and in fact she
has the courage now to face any obstacle that
may intervene in her work.
Rev. RUSSELL Il. coNyELL.
The man who has "a big church as Talmage
is delegate to the convention. This is Rev.
Russell H. Conwell, the pastor of Grace Bap-
tist Church, Philadelphia. He breaches in his
tabernacle to an audience of 5000 or 5000
people every Sunday. The choir gallery of
the church will seat 500, and altogether it is
the biggest church in the country with DOS
sibly the exception Of that Of the BROOKLYN
preacher. He is a nan Of great oratorical
powers. Ee is down on the program for a
sermon this evening.
MIss 0RACH n. DODGE.
The founder Of the working girls societies
is Miss Grace g. DODGE of Neuv Yort c;tv Che