The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1897-07-09
NOTABLE GATHERING
First Formal Gathering of
EndeavOr Convention.
MECHANICS PAVILION IS CROWDED
Delegates Welcomed on Behalf OF City,
State and COmmIttee--Meeting
at WOodward's Pavilion.

SAN Francisco, July Sat daylight
this morning began the prayer meeting
of the Christian Endeavorers. The SER
vices were held in all the principal
churches of the city, the subject being
the same in each, "Prayer for the Con-
vention." Among the leaders of these
meetings B. w. Wilcox, of Spokane; H.
]. Fries, of Tacoma, Wash, and H. S.
Gile, of Salem, Oregon.
Long before the hour appointed for the
opening of the convention every seat in
the vast pavilion, which accommodates
over IL, 900 people, was occupied, women
predominating, and from the stage the
sight was one never to be forgotten.
Seldom has an audience equal in num-
bers and appearance been assembled
within the walls of building in CAL
ifornia.
At 9:3O the great gathering was called
to order by Rev. E. R. Ollie, of this city,
and after musical welcome by the
choir, brief devotional exercises were
conducted by Rev. Phil p F. King, of
Bolton, Tex. Then the welcome of the
committee of '97 was delivered by Rolla
V. Watt, who said:
"This morning our dreams are real
lied, our hopes are fulfilled, our prayers
are answered, for we witness the as
sembling of an international Christian
Endeavor convention for the first time
on the shores of the mighty Pacific.
God bless you! We are glad your are
here; welcome, thrice welcome!
"We welcome you first and above all for
the sake of our Master, whose banner of
love is over all, and whose servants you
are. He has said if we lift him up he
will draw all men unto himself; and
just as we represent him in our thoughts,
our words, our deeds, in our daily lives,
so will men see him. He holds in his
hands the solution of all our problems,
social, political and spiritual. 1t is the
part of Christian endeavor to take these
proffered gifts and offer them to man
king.
''We welcome you, therefore, knowing
you are seeking to present the Savior of
mankind to the world, that the world
may be made better. We cannot offer
JOu IhO hA6bOA ~ VI OO5bOA COAA-
mon, nor the beauties of the national
capital; we are too young for such
things; but we are proud of our city, set
on more hills than Rome boasted, and of
our state, with it's varied and unequaled
attractions.
'While you are In the city 1 trust you
will seek out the bright spots, rather
than the dark ones; ascertain for your
selves what we are doing on the west
coast along the lines you have chosen
for your activities. Note the evidence
of material, moral and religious progress,
and in so doing, remember that not so
years ago, on this little peninsula, Yerba
Buena was christened San Francisco; 1t
was then scarcely hamlet, and was not
Incorporated into a town until three
years afterwards.
''And let me remind you that at New
York, Montreal, Boston and Washing
ton we invited you to California; our
invitation was broader than a city; and
this morning, on our souvenir badges.
on our flags, on our arch, on our banners,
in flowers and shrubs, in our parks, you
will find inscribed the magic words