The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-07
ARMY OF ENDEAVORERS
NOW POURING INTO THE HOSPITA-
BILE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO.
Arrang ements for Reception of Del
egates COmplete-The Great Com
vention to Open To-day.

SAN FRANCISCO, July SIT is already
evident that the Christian Endeavor con-
Vention. which opens tomorrow, will be
the greatest in the history of the organiza-
ton. The attendance will more than ex-
ceed expectations, and the royal welcome
extended to the delegates lnsures the sue
cess and enthusiasm of the gathering. All
day long trains have been rolling in and
have been met by members of the reception
committee, which of itself is small army,
for the white caps of those whose mission
it was to welcome the strangers within the
gates are seen everywhere on the streets.
The latchstring of California is out, and
the initials &C. E. are the open sesame to
boundless hospitality.
Never before, not even by the Knights
Templars of Grand Army whose national
reunions were held here have arrange
ments been so well made, or the city SO
tastefully decorated as now. The whole
auditorium above and below is boarded,
and the rough timbers are covered with
purple and gold. The floors are covered
with burlaps, underneath which is a pad
ding of cotton wadding, so that the foot
steps will be noiseless and the services will
not be interrupted by persons moving
about. Potted plants, palms. bamboos, cut
where, and the California peoples, either
fresh from the fields or in tissue slmilitude,
may be seen at every turn. There are COM
Portable chairs for $500 people and two or
three thousand may stand. Machinery
Hall is divided into compartments, and in
each are committees representing the diff
ferent States. Thus, when the delegates
from any State arrive, they go Immediately
to the space set apart for them and there
register their names in book alphabet
cally arranged. If the delegates are alert
there can be no confusion. A strange En-
deaVorer finds the stand of the committee
on reception, goes to one of those in
given badge and one of the books on
California that have been published by the
State Board of Trade. The same with other
committees, hotel or other accommoda-
tions, literature, souvenirs etc. The ar
rangement is simple and admirable.
This afternoon there was rehearsal of
the convention chorus, numbering 800
With them was the Bouquet Chorus and
one hundred trained soloists. Those who
heard the singing We're assured in advance
of the success of to-nights concert, for it
was evident that the Encouragement of the
pavilion had endowed it with acoustic
properties hitherto unknown In the big
building.
The decoration of Woodward's pavilion,
a simultaneous meeting place, is proceed
ing rapidly and Will be completed to-mor-
row. This amphitheater will accommodate
over ten thousand people, and, as all the
orer will be left out in the cold
Tomorrow the preliminary work of the
convention begins. General Secretary Baer
is delighted with the outlook, for he be-
lieVeS that this convention will be memora-
BILE in the annals of the EndeaVorers. He
says the visitors will be more than pleased
with the preparations for their reception
and the hearty welcome that awaits them.
Among the EndeaVorers who have come
across the sea to attend the convention
is Miss T.. j. Newton, of FOo-ChoO, the rep
resentative of the Endeavor societies in
China. With her is Miss Carme HOStetter,
who has come all the way from Toxic to be
in attendance at the convention. Miss New
ton has brought with her a silk banner to
be presented to the Christian Endeavor So
ciety that donated the largest sum of
money to the foreign missions. 1t is the
gift of the Foo-Choo Christian EndeaVor
Union, whose greetings TO the society were
forwarded to General Secretary Baer by the
secretary, Ling Muk, before they decided TO
send a delegation.
one of the most interesting features
at the pavilion is the reproduction OF
an early California mission. which con-
stitutes the headquarters of the Missionary
Extension Society under the direction OF
Miss NJ. L. Berry, state superintendent of
missions for the Christian Endeavor Union.
The entrance to the exhibit is so fashioned
as to represent exactly one of the oldest
missions in the State. In the tower,
which rises at the northwest corner of the
structure, will be hung bell taken from an
old mission which has been for some time
past reposing silently in the Park Museum.
The bell is the property of Mrs. William
Garrett and is loaned for the occasion. Five
minutes before each session of the conYen-
tion opens this bell will ring it did a
hundred years ago to call the faithful TO
service.
Narrow Escape of Endenvorers.
REDDING, Call July 6.-The Christian
Endeavor excursion train from Oregon
had a narrow escape from frightful wreck