Evening star., 1895-07-11
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR
Fourteenth International Convention
in Session.
ATTENDANCE LARGER THAN EXPECTED
Opening Exercises in Three
Places.
THOUSANDS JOIN IN SONG
pecial Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
BOSTON, Mass. July 1.-THE fourteenth
international convention of the Christian
Endeavor Union Is now open and the at
tendance is even larger than the most san
guine estimates made in. advance. The
opening exercises took place simultaneously
in Mechanics Hall and in the two big tents
on the common. Most of the District of
Columbia Endeavorers went to the hall, for
Mr.. Percy Foster led the great chorus. and.
besides, Gov. Greenhalge was to deliver the
address of welcome there on behalf Of the
state Of Massachusetts,
Although the praise meeting did not be-
gin until 0:so o'clock there were crowds In
waiting when the doors were opened and
the vast auditorium was filled with an
| eager and eXpectant mass long before the
hour for the first service. The crowd was
| not idle during the waiting time for song
would be started in some part of the hall
| and all in the vicinity would take it up and
sing with will.
Sometimes there were at least a dozen
different hymns being sung in different
parts of the building. On the platform
were the trustees Of the United Society,
clergymen from all over the world, and
the chorus of three thousand, which over
flowed into the gallery on either side. After
the seats in the vast auditorium were all
| filled the people continued to pour in, and
when Mr.. Foster waved his baton for the
opening hymn fully ten thousand voices
Joined with the choir in singing Onward,
Christian Soldiers
Called to Order.
Other songs were sung and there were
brief devotional exercises before DR.. F.
E. Clark finally raped the convention to
order with the handsome gavel presented
by the Oregon delegation.
There was no hitch in the program of the
speeches of welcome. except that Mr..
Capen, the chairman of the '95 committee,
and Rev. Mr.. Plumb, who spoke for the
| pastors of Boston. exchanged places. This
was done because Mr.. Gapen had arranged
to say some pleasant things of Gov. Green
helge, and that official had not arrived
when 1t came Mr.. Capen's turn to speak.
He came upon the stage however. just as
DIR. Plumb finished, and then everything
moved along smoothly.
The popularity Of the chief executive of
Massachusetts was fully demonstrated
when he arose to speak, after DR.. Clark
had supplemented in strong terms the good
J things that had been said Of him by Mr..
Capen. s... --4--
The applause lasted for fully five minutes,
and there were cheers and waving OF hand
kerchiefS. Then 1t was renewed, and 1t was
some minutes before the governor could
make himself heard His address was an
eloquent welcome on behalf Of the state
and was received with the greatest en-
thusiasm.
The response by Rev. DR.. Dill of San
Francisco was appropriate and well timed.
and the report Of the national secretary
presented some interesting statistics as to
the rapid growth of the union.
No Color Line.
One feature Of this session was the intro
duction of Rev. ]. W. Beckett, q colored
clergyman of Baltimore, who sang: HE
Saved My Soul' without accompaniment,
but with remarkable clearness Of tone, dis
tinctness of enunciation and depth Of
feeling. The warmth of his reception show
vention.
This fact was also illustrated in the
! opening exercises at tent Williston, where
Rev. Walter H. Brooks. D. D.. pastor of the
Nineteenth Street Baptist Church Of Wash
| ington, delivered one of the responses to
the addresses of welcome and his remarks
fact, some seemed to think that his re-
sponse was the best in the group. At this
tent Mr.. Elphonzo Youngs, jr., played the
cornet in leading the singing.
work in great shape, all the members Of
the '96 committee being especially active.
| Working for Washington.
At the reception given last night by the
Philadelphia delegation pleasant addresses
were made by Messrs. Shand, Foster and
Taylor, all of whom created an excellent
| impression. The real work will be done to-
night when 10000 fans will be distributed,
all bearing the legend, washington. '96."
These fans contain on one side pictures of
the Capitol, monument, White House,
treasury and Soldiers Home. and on the
ether interesting items Of Information
about the national capital together with a
list of the general committee.
The District delegation is also highly
elated because in the report OF Secretary
Baer it was shown that the Chinese UNI
hrella of state. which is awarded to the
state having the largest proportion of So
cieties giving to missions by the two-cents-
a-week plan. and which was won last year
by the state Of New York. has been cap
tured by the District. The members of the
delegation. who have been especially in
| terested in mission work, feel that their
efforts have been crowned with success,
and one. of them said that when they re-
turned they would begin to work on Jack
son City.
Evangelization bands will fill in the time
between the sessions Of the convention. and
today one consisting Of Messrs. Samuel G.
wise, L. B. Snyder, R. L. Dutton and Miss
Mary Little, all of Washington, will 70 to
big piano factory and work on the opera
uveS
THE THRONG AT BOSTON,
Almost TSventy-Four Thousand Mt the