Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-10
A CONVENTION ECHO
Christian Endeavorers Gather at
Luther Memorial Church.
GETTING READY FOR NEXT YEAR
What Washington Will Have to Do
to Entertain Her Guests.
SOME STIRRING SPEECHES

1t was not quite Boston-the big echo
mass meeting of Christian Endeavorers
held last night at Luther Place Memorial
Church-but 1t was pretty faithful minia-
ture picture Of what the great Boston con-
ventiOn must really have been. II any one
who last night helped to make up that
large gathering which filled all the seating
room the church on the triangle at 14th
street and Vermont avenue afforded came
into the meeting with an Indifferent air and
lukewarm heart, it could not have taken
him long to catch much of that conta-
gious enthusiasm which was bubbling over
OF all sides. The night was warm, but
SO great was the interest displayed. and so
attractive was the program presented, that
discomfort from excessively high tempera
ture was only trifling matter that SEEM
ngly had no effect on the spirits of the
large assembly. Possibly the Washington
'06 fans-a few left over from the 10000
distributed in Boston-which were literally
passed around and more literally used at
the meeting had something to do with
making torridity trif1ing.
1t was an interesting audience, made up
as 1t was entirely of young people; strong,
cheerful. hopeful Christian young people
banded together in an earnest endeavor to
do right and promote the coed.
They were brought together to hear more
about the great gathering of delegates
round this globe which was SO recently
held in Boston. Most of them had attend
cd at least enc echo meeting prior to the
one last night. but that only made them
the more eager for additional information,
for next to attending q convention itself,
the greatest good results from listening
to the accounts of those who did go and
who speak entertain!ngly and Instructive
ly of their impressions and experiences.
The Decorations.
Beautiful decorations made the Memorial
Church unusually attractive There was
handsome display of palms and flowers
just inside the altar rail, while the organ
loft was heavily draped with American
flags and the Boston colors-crimson and
white. The society's emblem IN front was
surrounded by triangle of white nd red
Boston '95 flags. while over all was &c.
E" monogram, worked in white and red
mmortelles.
In front of the reading desk were dis
played the District Unions relics, consist
ing Of the silk banner awarded it in Cleve-
land In '94, and the composite badge-ban-
ner, both badly burned and damaged by
the recent Y. NJ. c. A. fire, as was also the
beautiful District banner, which has been
SO conspicuous in many c. e. conventions.
To the right stood the ornate Chinese UNI
brella of state, awarded the District for
the largest proportionate contribution to
missions on the 2-Cent-a-week plan during
the year. The umbrella was presented to
the United Society OF Christian Endeavor
two years ago by Rev. A. A. Fulton, d. D.,
a missionary at Canton, China. and is an
nually awarded to the state union having
made the best missionary record. 1t is in
appearance not unlike an inverted Chinese
lantern. Its circular led top is supported
by a bamboo pole surmounted by a gilt
dra gon. From the unadorned top hangs
the richly embroid cred and bespangled silk
| drapery which forms the body of the much
priced umbrella, finished off with fringe
Of vari-colored silk cord. Flying dragons,
four-footed beasts and other symbolic de-
signs are Enthusiastically worked out in gilt,
ornament on it's end. hang down one side.
Opening Exercises.
Devotional exercises marked the opening
Of the meeting, and the first song which
was sung at the convention-"Onward,
Christian Solders'-was las. night given
with a will. The first Scripture lesson
which was heard in the Boston meeting
the 1O3d psalm-was read responsibility. Rev.
DR.. ]. G. Butler, pastor of the church,
offered prayer. and the Boston welcome
Song" composed especially for The occa-
sion by DR.. Samuel F. Smith, author of
America" was heartily sung. Then Presi-
dent Miles NJ. Shand introduced Miss Anna
J. Bell, president of Calvary Baptist
Society, who gave a glowing account OF
by the people of Massachusetts, capital to
the thousands of strangers who accepted
the invitation to be present at the con-
vention. She said that the Washington
delegates might have felt just little fear
full of an Indifferent reception from the
New England people. but far from being
so, their welcome was so cordial and far
reaching that it extended even 10 Provi-
dence, where the delegates were met and
escorted by Boston Endeavorers to their
hotel in the convention city. She men
toned the beautiful and abundant decora-
lions which were on every hand, and said
even nature greeted them, for worked out
in flowers in the public gardens was an
open Bible and Christian Endeavor en-
blem. Two spots, she declared, would ever
be held in pleasant memory by the dele
gates-the Copley Square Hotel, where the
Wasningtonians were quartered and the
Union Congregational Church. the official
headquarters of the District of Columbia.
Convention Music.
Convention music is as near the heaven
ly as we may now expect to hear" said
President Shand, as he introduced Mrs.
Frank Byram of the Westminster Presby-
terrain Society, whose subject was 1.-The
Music of the Convention" and very appro-
priately Mrs. Byram's talk was sandwiched
in between two inspiring convention songs
Sunshine in My Soul and Scatter Sun
shine" She spoke of the universally of
song during tie five days in Boston, how
meeting, on the streets, in stores on board
trains and street cars. She told how the
Washington delegates nightly gathered
around the piano in the parlorS of their
hotel and held spirited song services. She
did not forget to say pleasant word for
the Washington leader of one Of the three
mammoth choruses, Mr.. Percy s. Foster,
and Mr.. Elphonzo Youngs, jr, the cornetist,