Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1897-08-26
FIRST DAYS PROCEEDINGS OF THE
THIRD ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
SunriseSPrayer Service-Address of Wei
come and Responses-Todays
Program-Notes and
Personals.


the dawn in rustic mantle clad
merged into sumbeams to gid
the spire of Giddings memorial
church a large number assembled
there to join in a sunrise service
of prayer and praise conducted
by Mr.. J. NJ. Foster, of Marlin.
The devotional exercises at 8
a. m. conducted by Rev. B..
j. Guess of Patterson were also
well attended, the song service
being especially beautiful.
Following the service Mr.. B.
F. league of Brennan delivered
the address of welcome as
follows:
Mr.. President, Brother Leaguers, Ladies and
Gentlemen:
It is gratifying to me as citizen of Bren-.
ham to be commissioned by the members of
our league, a more hospItable people than
whom you have never honored with your
presence, to welcome you to our town, our
hearts and our homes, and to give voice to
the feeling OF gladness occasioned by your
presence here today, which predominates
throughout the membership.
This is the eventtul morning that we, the
BRENNAN Leaguers, have looked eagerly for
ward 10 the glorious anticipatons of reaping
the golden inspiration of your presence, both
spiritually. and socially which is now so rap
idly being hewn into reality.
I don't know that ever saw congrega-
ton of people who had the motto of our
grand and noble order-ChTist like-more
vlsibly stamped upon their countenances or
whom l would be more pleased to take by
the hand, call them my brothers and sisters
and welcome them to my home TO share my
humble crust and frugal fare than those who
are now in our midst representing the various
leagues of this conference.
We have no booming anvils, beating
drums or futteriug flags to bedazzle your ar
rival, and the fatted calf is still browsing IN
molested on the hillside, but the dominecker
has shed her feathers to simmer in the pot
and the rooster is Growing for daylight in the
land where good boosters go, and his earthly
frame is being carved by the busy house
wives to be served on festal boards; beautiful
girls with coral lips end dimple cheeks seek
your pleasure TO augment, and my heart
leaps to my lips as l bid you a welcome to
all the Joys and all the pleasures that loving
hands can render.
Long have we heard of You and your ex-
ceiling grandeur, but as stand before you l
am forcibly reminded of the remark that the
Queen of Sheba made to King Solomon,
q The half has never been told"
Long have you dwelt in our hearts and
now long may you dwell in our homes and
frugal fares, regale US with your wit, in
struct US with your wisdom and enoble US
with the refining influence of your charming
presence. 1t shall not be necessary for us to
tell you that we are glad you came; let our
actions demonstrate the depths of our feeling,
though like a young wife who knows her
all consuming love by his watchful
care and loving deeds, yet her highest JOY is
to hear him tell her so. do not speak
from experience, l am not wife, and so /
tell you that had thousand tongues and a
million words, my tongue would tire and my
be exhausted before l had form
nlated suitable phraseology to express allow
glad We are that you came"
You need not take the representation for
the reality but exercise the faith of an old
preacher of whom have often heard, who
told the boys of the bible lesson what he was
going to read in the morning. The boys
finding the place, glued together the con-
Meeting pages. The next morning he read
u When Noah was 100 years of age he took
unto himself wife who was-then turning
he page-I40 cubic long-4o cubics wide,
built of Gopher wood and covered with
pitch inside and out; he was naturally puz-
lied at that. He read it again and verified
t, and then said: "My friends this is the
irst time ever met this in the Bible but
accept this as an evidence that we are fear
fully and wonderfully made. Have faith in
is and we shall not disappo;nt you and show
BY actions what words cannot speak so we'll,
now glad we ere you came, and now to tell
al the delegates and all their friends, TO the
strangers within our gates, to Wooten, to
Allen, TO Green and to Briggs our highest
hope is 10 make your visit pleasant to you
md profitable to us.
Responding to the address of
welcome Mr.. A. Russell, of Gal
on, made happy and appropri-
ate extemporaneous speech.
Miss Neville, of Austin, also
'ead an appropriate response, in
part as follows:
Mr.. President, Fellow Leaguers,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
A peculiaris situation it is, to one
Who is not familiar with those tele-
graphic signs by which some people |
propose to be able TO communicate |
With those who are miles away. I
ay the situation of having to respond
o an address, the author of which is |
)ver 100 miles distant, and the con-
ents of the address you are unable to |
earn, is very uncertain. Just such a |
doubtful position found myself in |
when asked to respond to the address
# welcome. However, / concluded |
hat was to imagine an address of
Welcome and respond to my magma
ion.
We are here fellow leaguers by the
invitation Of the people of Brennan.
They have thrown open their hearts |
md their homes to US: they have |
Oyally welcomed US to their city |
aging, by so doing, come and be
With US, and let US worhip Him who
~ adoption has made US one large !
amily bound by the golden chains of
christian love. The poet who penned |