Connecticut western news., 1892-07-21
FOR CHRIST AND fHR CHURCH.
Y. P. s. c. E.
Eleventh Annual Convention.

P. s. c. B. hosts in New York city, July 7-1O. At the first convention iu the Williston church, Portland, Maine, the audience room was not half filled, and there was one delegate from outside of Portland, and Dr Clark says, " remem- Der we made great deal of that dele gate, x it was quite won- der that any one should care enough about Christian Endeavor to come so far to attend convention" Ten years pass by, years of marvellous growth and de- velopment, and the North American continent is shaken by the tread of scores of thousands of bright, breezy, live ly, energetic, enthusiastic and earnest young people who are hurrying toward the great city of the Empire State to
 hold high festival. compare experiences,
 recount their triumphs, and gather new
 inspiration for grander and nobler ac- tion.
 New York was taken by storm and
 gracefully surrendered. Such an lnvas-
 ion was a new experience, its very mag
 nitude compelling respect, and the great
 city was not backward in showing It,
 every thing possible being done to make
 the strangers beyond its gates have an
 enjoyable and happy time. The pubic
 press paid them marked attention, the
 reports were magnificent. the criticisms
 kindly and appreciative, and unusually
 accurate. Thirty of the largest hotels
 were occupied as State, Territorial ard
 Provincial head quarters, being filled
 to overfowing, and hundreds of board
 ing houses were crowded, accommoda-
 tion being provided for about forty
 thousand in all; numbers of others like
 the writer found accommodation for
 themselves. The New York committee
 headed by Dr McEwen, pastor of the Fourteenth St Presbyterian church, was
 untiring in its efforts, and never were
 arrangements more perfect. Every in- | coming train and boat was met by cour- teous committees of young people whose delight 1t was to be eyes, ears and hands to those from afar, and under their
 guidance suitable stopping places were found for each and all. A register was
 kept at each head quarters, and after
 registration the official badge necessary
 for admission to the meetings and the
 "Souvenir Official Programme and
 carefully prepared folding map of the
 city was presented to each delegate.
 Thirty thousand badges were given out
 and twenty five thousand maps and
 then the supply was exhausted, the de-
 mand being far greater than was expect ed. The committee ordered sixty thou
 sand of the programmes, and the prin-
 ter thought them crazy, such an order
 was unprecedented, and when the time
 came the order was not one quarter fill
 ed, and presses had to be rushed night and day to meet the demand. The hotel men were no less surprised. One
 large hotel proprietor was asked how
 many he could take and replied "all of them" "But" was the query, chow
 many can your house accommodated" "Twelve hundred" was the reply. | When the tens of thousands began to pour in, they began to open their eyes
 in astonishment, and then settled down | to business and nobly and grandly did | all possible under the circumstances. The largest auditorium on the Conti-
 nent, the Madison Square Garden, was
 the place of meeting, and, although fif- teen thousand people could be accom-
 modated, 1t was not half big enough for the multitude seeking admission, and | yet 1t was so immense that very few speakers could be heard by two thirds
 of those present. The different delega-
 tions were seated together The Nut
 meg delegation was 2000 strong; the
 Bay State about 1900; Illinois 1900; h.
 diana 1000; New Jersey 1000; Ohio 600;
 Pennsylvania 1900; Rhode Island 300;
 Maryland 220. and Canada 400. Every
 State and Territory was represented. New York of course had a long lead,
 its delegation being between ten and
 fifteen thousand, so many in fact that they got tired out registering
 Many of the delegations marched in-
 to the hall in body, each singing some favorite song, and the cheering was
 loud and long. Maryland came singing
 My Maryland; Ohio, intent on cap
 turing the convention for '94, marched
 in to song set to the music of Bring ing in the Sheaves, the refrain of
 which was "Cleveland 94;" Indiana
 came in strong, singing words set to
 Marching through Georgia" Canada's favorite was "Blest be the tie that
 binds." A dozen different songs were heard at the same time, until at last the
 choir 600 strong, struck in and then all
 merged into one grand burst of melody. The platform was tastefully draped in the National colors and hung with flags | and ensigns, aud on the walls were the Fcoats of arms of the States. The speak ers' stand was draped with the stars and | stripes, and the Union Jack.
 The view from the platform was in- | describable, a matchless play of lights
 and shades, and when President Clark
 came forward the enthusiastic greeting
 was more than enough to turn the head | of pretty level headed man,. and yet
 the vast throng at his signal quieted | down and entered heartily into the | opening devotional service What sing | ingl 'Tis doubtful if its like was ever | heard before, all seemed to sing. The | volume of melody as it rose and fell re- | minded one of the description in the | Revelation of St John. The singing was the one part of the service all en- l loyed, most of the speakers being un-
 heard by two thirds present. Before the addresses of welcome, Dr McEwen | introduced Dr Clark's successor at Will liston church who presented the greet | ings of the Mother Christian Endeavor church and then handed Dr Clark | gavel made from piece of the grauHe corner stone, and the black walnut pnl- | pit of that church. In a neat speech he said Portland stood for three things,
 Poetry, prohibition and practical piety," and these were represented by
 Longfellow, Neal Dow and Dr Clark. Dr Deems, of New York, and Dr A.
 0. Dixon, of Brooklyn, who both remark | able to say, were Southern men, then | gave the addresses of welcome, and
 President Gates of Amherst responded.
 Secretary Baer's report was then read | by Dr Hill, of Bedford, Mass It show | ed marvellous growth. There are
 21.080 regularly reported societies, an
 increase for the year of 4S06, with a
 membership of l, ,370, 200. Of these,
 120, 900 have during the year been. re- | ceived into church Membership.