The morning times., 1895-11-04
MECCA Of [kDElVORERss
Not Less Than Seventy Thousand
Expected Here in 96.
WHERE THEY WILL MEET
Either the White Lot or Monument
Grounds TO BE Taken-Four I'M
mense Tents Are TO Furnish Ac-
commodations for the Christians.
Phenomenal Growth in This City.


Washington VIII he the mecca of great
multitude of Christian Endeavorcrs next
July. It will be the occasion OF the fifteenth
annual international convention of the
society, and will bring Ia this city repre-
sentative Endeavorers from all quarters
OF the globe.
Little did Mr.. John d. Morgan, the au
thor uf washington '9G." think when b,
wrote that beautiful hymn about year
ago that its tt.e would to-day be the
watchwor Throughout the Christian world
AT least, in every land where the Christian
I Endcayor Society is known. But his pro-
phctiC words Will come true and many
| thousands viii cume ike an army To 1gnt
Tor the Master and the right" And al
though the convention Is more than a half
year distant the COMMITTEES OF so are AZ
ready making active preparations tor the
entertainment OF the thousands who arr To
| come.
II is, of course. too early To definitely
state any of the plans OF the CONVENTION,
| but it can be safely said al tnis time, that
| it viii be- one OF the largest gatherings
| of Christians ever assembled in the word.
| The crowd has been variously estimated
| at any number, from 90 900 10 125, ,,Oo,
|
| where b,tween GO, 600 and 10000.
| WHERE SHALL THEY MEET.
! II is not, however, the size of the crowd
coming or how they will be entertained
or accommodated, but rather where they
| can most centrally locate the convention
| headquarters. No halr dozen buildings
in the city could possibly accommodate
the crowd, so IL will be necessary, as at
the great Boston convention, to provide
tcpts.
Aware of this, the committee OF 90
has taken a glance into the future, rs il
were, and has secured the two mammoth
tents, 'Williston'' and "Endeavor.'' used
AT Boston, and is having built two Others
of equal size. These tents have Il seating
capacity OF more Than 10000, nearly
twice as great as that of Convention Hall,
and IL can easily DE imagined what an
immense audience each one of them will
hold.
The question which is nov claiming the
attention nf the committee, however, is
not how they will house the visitors, but
rather where the house can be located.
In this city of magnificent distances, for
the present purpose there are only two
places within the limits proper which would
be suitable for such Il convention. These
are the White Lot and The Munument
grounds, the use Of either OF which can
lie obtained through special legislation
by Congress. The effort viii he made, and
probably one of the first concurrent rcso-
lutions which passes both houses of Congress
will be one granting permission for the
Christian Endcavor convention OF SO to
be held at either of these places.
Already the citizens OF Washington are
Declining enthusiastic over the coming
convention, but none nearly so much as
the Endcayorcrs themselves, whose great
C4St il
the greatest convention of the age and
with this object in view no effort, time,
or expense will be spared. Every one seems
TO realize that the coming to the Capital
City of SD many thousand Endeaverers
means much, no matter from which stand
point it may be viewed.
ALL ARE READY TO HELP.
Business men, the press, the officials,
and all others stand ready TO do all in
their power to insure its success. 1t will
not merely be a gathering of friends or
relatives from distant cities or States but |
an sseT;Iriiiisr oI Jne wotiu ; representative
Christians. There will be delegates from |
Japan Liberia, the Islands OF Madagascar. |
New Zealand, the Sandwich Islands Great |
Britain, Australia, Eastern Turkey China !
Africa, Bohemia, Brazil, Ceylon, Chile. |
Germany, France, Greece, India, Ireland. /
and Jamaica and hundreds from other
distant lands. II will truly be an interna-
tional and interdenominational congress
ior nearly every land under the sun will |
be represented
Compared with other crowds which have
assembled in this and other cities it VIII
stand alone. The great conventions of
boston ana New York, all national nomi-
mating conventions and the throngs which
;rowd the city on inaugura tion DAYS Will
be Insignificant in comparison. The size
fln.a. II
VIII be felt. Let those who have been in
he crush of a few thousand on PennsyIva-
ila avenue on some holiday stop for a
Moment and think what the result will
De Wnen the chy's population Is suddenly
increased 10000 or 12o.000, which lat
er figure is the more probable. When the
ime arrives il will seem as IL all the
lest people from all The great cities of
he world were pouring into the National |
'apital.
HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT
The Christian Endeavor Society in the
District is but of recent organization,
aving its beginning in 1856, The pioneer
eihg the Lincoln Congregational Society.
,uring the following two years, without
oncerted action, and in many instances ,
Without knowledge of the existence of r
imildr organizations, TWENTY-FIVE other
Dceties were formed. The first effort
,oking toward concerted action on the
art Of the District Endeavorers was at a
leeting held at the Church OF the Cov-
nant, but it was not until n subsequent
iceting at the First Congregational Church
ovember 10, 1889, that a union was
,uncd. The first officers elected we're
7. II. II. Smith, president; Rev. c. II. But i
II and Miss Marjorie Warner, vice presi- '
EMS; L. NJ. Hall, Secretary, and Z. T. Fen I
ick, treasurer. II was not, however, until
lree years later, 1929, that the L
unior Union was formed, and later in the e
ear the iirst convention Of the District i
Mon was held. II
This convention was one OF the grandest S
nd most enjoyable events in the history g
the local Christian Endcayor Society. IL f
looked back to as the first mile-post
issed In the onward march of the En- +
savorers, who now with pleasure and IL
ltlsfaction count the many since left far s.
hind. s.
In these few short years, since its in. Il
ption, the membership has increased r.
ON few hundred to over 1000 in the
istrct. From one society in 1886 the
mber has increased TO 105.
CITY OF CITIES. il
That the great convention of '96 should o
, held in this city is in accord with the II
ness of things, for there is no other city II
the country So admirably adapted TO y
c needs of such q vast aSscmblage of 10
ople. Its cUmpactness and regularity of u u
rect arrangements, the central location q q
ID proximity of its churches. hotels and - -
her places of interest and note, all go to .
Ike 1t the most charming city in the union
: the holding of such convention.
Each day the convention draws nearer
ID each day the committee of '96 gathers
W force and Increases its efforts of
for the thousands who will "
roDg the city and make il their home