The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-11-06
Fifth Annual Meeting Began it's
First Session at 5 O'Clock Fri.
day Afternoon at the
Opera House, With a
Large Attendance.
When the Evening Session Began there
We're Fully One Thousand Five
Hundred People in
the Building.
Excellent Addresses and Great En-
thusiasm = Reception at The
Saulpaugh Friday Night.
Below will be found a Report of the
Proceedings.

Proceedings.
Long before the hour announced fol
the opening of the Christian Endeav
or convention, the multitude had be-
gun to stream into the opera house.
The basement presented a busy scene
the headquarters being established
there. The committee on entertain
ment were the most sought after PEG
pie in the building, and their stand
was surrounded by crowd which
steadily increased instead of diminish
ing, as the afternoon drew along.
The other committees were also il
demand, and the chairmen especial,
found no rest until morning
The opera house was handsomely dec
grated for the occasion, the stage gal
leryand boxes, being tastefully trim
med with bunting. Over the stage
hung the motto, Christ and the
Church" while against the gallery was
suspended" One is your Master, even
Christ" the monogram dotted the
center of the stage.
The stage presented a beautiful ap-
pearance with the large chorus bank
ed upon either side toward the rear.
The opening exercises were some
what delayed by the non-arrival of
the special train from st. Paul and
Minneapolis. Finally it came in with
it's additional 200 delegates, swelling
the number to over 600. Saturday
more arrived to make total of about
900. When Col. G. w. Johnson, Chief
clerk of the United States Senate took
the baton in hand, the house was filled
with a throng, anda fine looking body
OF people it was. They were mostly
young, all energetic and enthusiastic,
with the stamp of intelligence upon
every face. 1t was evident that all
were thoroughly embued with the
principles of their noble organization,
and come for work, and expected to
Leave at the close of the convention
better prepared to carry on their work.
At five o'clock, the convention was
called to order by State President Lam
don, who announced that Rev. J. Berg
simon, Of the First Baptist church,
would lead the devotional exercises.
After the prayer, which was an
earnest one, calling upon Gods bene-
diction, upon the work of the society
during the deliberations of the con-
Vention, j. L. Cue was elected Scribe,
by reclamation. Mrs. III. G.. Freeman
was elected official stenographer.
Mayor j. A. Willard was then intro
duced, and in behalf of the city of
Mankato, welcomed the convention.
In his opening remarks he said it was
a great pleasure to welcome such an
immense body of young people, be-
cause G. E. meant so much to each
one present as well as thousands
throughout the length and breadth
of the land. In parthe said: &c. E.
How much is embodied in those two
letters. No single words in the En-,
glish language means so much, unless
it be Jesus Christ / want to say tC
you that / think your name is well
chosen. You are young people in the
morning of life, with all of the posi-
bilities Of life before you. In the
youth | most sincerely believe, is the
hope of the nation"
After giving some statistics, show.
ing the steady growth of the society
the Mayor said that the convention
deserved hearty welcome to any
Christian community, and in behal1
of the city, he extended the courtesie'
of the people. He spoke enthusiastic
ally of Mr.. Clark, the founder ant
father of their immense organization
and the work he had performed, an(
as he proceeded lie showed that he be
lieyed in the society. Let the pessi
mist pause and WONDER" said thu
speaker. Let us thank God we live
in these times. Conquest and flash O.
arms have hads their day, but you
weapon is the sword of the Spirit
The era in which we live is a critica
one in many respects. Have you eve
thought how much in this world il
controlled by the young people? G.
into our railroad offices and we behol(
the men are nearly all young. The,
actually control the movements an(
workings of these immense systems
And let me right here say. that W,
are after the practical today rathe
than the theoretical" Turning hi
thoughts away from the mechanical
world, he drew several striking pic
lures of the disciples of old, and tn,
trials of those ancient days.