Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-07-22
WELCOME TO TORONTO
EPWORTH LEAGUE IN ANNUAL
SESSION.
twenty Thousand Delegates from the
United States and Canada Attend the
COnvention-Baptist Young People
Meet in Chattanooga.
Greeted by Canadians.

Greeted by Canadians.
There is scarcely a city of Importance
In the United States or Canada that was
not represented at the big Epworth
League convention in Toronto. By the
time The convention was opened, shortly
after noon Thursday, there were fully
10000 delegates in Toronto, and they
were still arriving. 1t was the largest
convention in the history Of the league,
and it is almost safe to say it was larger
than any previous gathering ever held in
connection with the Methodist Church.
The contingents from New York State
and Illinois were the biggest. Brooklyn
sent large delegation, Cleveland sent
300 delegates. While the delegations
from those States nearer to Canada were
the largest, many came from San Fran
cisco and strong delegation came from
Boston. The far Western States sent
large contingents, and the Southern
States were well represented, while Mex
leo sent a number.
Reception of the Visitors.
The We.come in behalf Of the city and
Canada generally was most spontaneous
and enthusiastic. Baptists and other de-
nominations turned out to receive the Wis
itors. There was big meeting in the
Massey hall to welcome the delegates. An
address was delivered by A. S. Hardy,
the premier and attorney general of On
tario. He welcomed them for the cause
they represented, and which they had
come to stimulate, and because already
100000 Canadians belonged to their So
ciety, and had taken the same vows and
subscribed to the same pledges as the
100000 of Epworth Leaguers in their
own country. No one, he said, could look
upon the work accomplished during the
last seven or eight years by the league
otherwise than with amazement. It read
like fairy tale.
It was understood that some of the prin-
cipal aims and objects Of the society were,
in short, helpfulness to themselves and
to others, or, in detail, greater culture,
more personal piety, greater service to
others and more thorough knowledge
of the Bible among the members, chiefly
composed of the younger members of the
Methodist Church. He welcomed them
also because they were neighbors and rel
atives, and because they came as friends.
the youth of that active and powerful
church which is scarcely less influential
relatively in Canada than in the United
States, and which through it's activity,
zeal and spiritual life is adding constantly
to it's millions of members and adherents.
Some time a warlike feeling would flash
up between England and America, but
would subside on sober second thought al
most as rapidly as it had been aroused.
There could be no war between these two
foremost Christian nations of the earth.
The moral forces Of the two countries
would in the last resort prove too strong
for war.
other Words of Welcome.
The Rev. DR.. Carman, the general sup
erintendent of the Methodist Church of
Toronto, in an eloquent address of well
come said:
'Methodism was providentially prepar-
ed for America, as this American CONT
nent was kept for popular enfranchise-
ment and personal freedom. You south
of the great lakes, and we north, equally
possess, cherish and guard them both, but
under different forms. You have chosen
monarcalical methodism in the great re-
public; we are working out republican
methodism under the imperial standard
of Great Britain. Our doctrines are the
same. We greatly admire and love the
nation of Washington and Lincoln, of
Ulysses S. Grant and Stonewall Jackson
heroes both; Of Motley and Parkham;
of Longfellow and Whittier. We delight
in it's freedom, we triumph in it's moral
victories and we count it an unspeakable
favor and honor to greet its noble sons
and daughters in this grand Epworth
League convention"
Eloquent responses, full of the spirit of
brotherly love and good fellowship, espe
cially between the people of Anglo-Saxon
blood and of the Christian faith, were
made Ivy Bishop G. G. McCabe for the
Methodist Episcopal Church; the Rev.
James Thomas of Little Rock, Ark, for
the Methodist Episcopal Church South,
on behalf Of India.
The most important feature Of this con-
yention was the fact that arrangements
were made for the evolution from an in
ternational to an intercontlnental cOnven-
ton. This year the Rev. Simpson john
son, representing the Wesley guild of
Manchester, England, came expressly Tor
the purpose of Transforming the three-fold
convention TO a four-fold one, and the
next convention will consist of delegates
from the Methodist Episcopal Church, the
Methodist Episcopal South, the Methodist
Church of Canada and the Wesleyan
Church OF England
A message from President Mckinley
was received by the Epworth League Off
GERS. 1t was read by DR.. Bergman of
Chicago. Then at the call Of the chair
man three hearty cheers were given for
Queen Victoria and three for President
Mckinney. These were followed by a
combined cheer for the two great rulers.
"God Save the Queen and America"
were then sung in alternate verses, the
effect being most impressive.