The San Francisco call., 1896-05-15
Carnival Arches Redecorated
With Flowers and Colors
in Proiusion.
OPENING OF THE CONVENTION.
Interesting Preliminary Programme
Business Sessions Will Com.
mence To-Day.

SAN JOSE, CAL, May 14.-ChrlStlan En-
deavorers have been arriving all day, and
tonight the streets are crowded with
young people wearing the Endeavor purple
and gold. All the trains arriving to-day
have brought all numbers of delegates At
3:25 o'clock the maior portion of the dele
gates and visitors arrived on a special train
of twenty cars. They were met at Niles
by reception committee. This evening
ii is estimated there are 1000 visitors and
delegates in the city.
The headquarters of the committee of
'96, in the Y. NJ. c. A. building, have been
crowded with visitors all day, and the sub
committees have been busy attending to
the wants of the arrivals.
The different delegations are quartered
st the various hotels and are distinguished
readily by their different badges.
Banners of "Welcome" have been
stretched across the principal streets, and
number of business houses display the
colors of the visitors. The great floral
arches of the carnival have been redeco-
rated by the Endeavorers, and, with the
street decorations left by the carnival, the
town presents bright aud happy appear
ance.
The Junior Endeavorers this afternoon
held reception in the First NJ. E. Church
from to O'Clock.
The carnival pavilion, where the exer-
cises of the convention will be held, has
been decorated with the Endeavor colors
The stage is mass of evergreens, with
the words California For Christ" across
the back OF the stage, and the monogram
&C E. )" formed with electric lights. The
sounding board over the stage has been
decorated and transformed into man.
moth sunfower. Over 1000 chairs have
been placed on the floor of the pavilion,
and these with the gallery will give seat
ing capacity of nearly 1000.
The convention was formally opened
this evening at the First NJ. E. Church
The meeting opened with praise service,
after which William G. Alexander, presi-
dent of the Santa Clara County Christian
Endeavor Union, delivered an address of
welcome, as follows:
Fellow-Endeavorers: We have been looking
forward to your coming with the keenest an
ucipations of pleasure. 1t is for this meeting
we have been planning for the past months
and if you are as glad TO be here tonight as we
are to have you there never was happier
gathering.
As president of the Santa Clara County Union
I bid you welcome to our Garden City, famed
not only for fruit and flowers but also for its
faithful Endeavorers. We salute you as sworn
soldiers of the Great Captain of our salvation
as comrades in the grand army of the Re-
deemer.
We welcome you because you accept the
Bible as the word OF God-as the unbroken
sword of the spirit, victorious in every battle.
We welcome you because you are pledged work
ers; because you stand for something. You
represent fellowship broader than denomina-
tional lines. We have the same purpose, and
our hearts and wills should be united and
our efforts combined on every field against
common foe.
We welcome you because you stand for
good citizenship, pure politics and honest
government; because of enthusiastic sym
pathy and support to the great enterprises of
the church; because we believe this conven-
ton will be a great power for good. Letus trust
and pray that this meeting shall lift US up to
higher heights and bring US closer to our blessed
Redeemer than ever before-a very mount
of TRANSPORTATION, where we may see our
Savior and hear the voice of our heavenly
Father saying, "This is my beloved Son; hear
ye him.; that we shall go from here filed with
greater knowledge, love and power; with our
purposes in life broadened, our enthusiasm
awakened and our strength increased; that
our lights may so shine that men may see our
good works and glorify our Father in heaven.
To this welcome State Secretary Leonard
Merrill of Los Angeles spoke feryently in
response as follows:
No words from me are needed to express our
thanks for the cordielity OF your greeting and
sincerity OF your welcome AS to you, dear En-
deavorers of San Jose and Santa Clara County,
in all the preparations and money expended,
as we have seen, we believe IL is not only for
us but also for our Lord and Master, King
Jesus, 'whose we and whom we serve'
to whom we look as our guide and eternal
leader.
Henry Ledyard, president of the Junior
Endeavorers, welcomed the Juniors, and
wis responded to by Edwin Baxter of Los
Angeles. The rest of the exercises were
as follows:
r. s. Cantine, ID.
Vocal solo, Willis E. Bacheller, Oakland.
Conservation service-"Having Boldness
to Enter Into the Holiest by the Blood of
Jesus" Conducted by the State president,
Giles Kellogg.
Testimony service.
Vocal solo, Willis E. Bacheller, Oakland.
Organization and business.
Christian fellowship interchange, "Blest
Be the Tie That Binds"
Music.
Rest prayer circles. Six simultaneous
appointments.
tomorrow morning the business ses-
slons OF the convention will commence
~