The San Francisco call., 1897-07-09
DIR. McLEAN'S ADDRESS.

listened to.
DR.. McLEAN'S ADDRESS.
Mr.. Chairman and Christian Endeavorers:
would ike to echo some OF the words that
have been uttered by my predecessor in this
order of welcome.
We began 10 hear of the young peoples
Christian EndeaVor as an organ zed form of
activity upon this coast early in 1882; we had
optical vision OF il IN the autumn OF The same
year by seeing the first society officially
planted on our San Frauci,co Bay. We have
been anxious ever since to see more f this
great body, icr we have followed with beat
ing hearts and baled breath the magnificent
DEVELOPMENT of this movement end / is spread
over the whole world So in 1895, we thor
oughly wished for you out here III 1896 we
longed for you to come; in 1897 we 1airly
tasted and prayed Tor you, and we have got
you at last Applause
We are glad To have you with US. have
been looking about for some measure of ex-
preston that would indicate to you my own
personal adneSs In this coming to our coast
of this great international body, but without
success. The nearest l can come TO it is this:
Just seyenty-two hours ago. almost to a min-
ute, Mr.. Chalrman, about 400 mics from here,
l WAS landing tour-pounu trout-four pounds
and quarter, to speak exactly. Those En-
deavoTers who are fishermen do lot NJ ed TO be
told oil the thrill lelt, but that is nothing to
the thrill | feel to-day in coming across the
bay on the boat and along the crowded thor
oughfares, in realizing the presence OF this
great convention. So, have laid asi de my
rod, bade temporary farewell 10 my Indian
comrade, left the glory the woods and the
magnificent splendor OF Mount Shasta and
find myself a thousa and fold rewarded. That
great mountain is sublime but less sublime
Than this great assembly of earnest Christian
men and women, gathered here to-day in the
name OF Endeavorers from al parts of the
earth beside our Golden Gate.
Many most stirring events have transpired
upon the sands here by San Francisco Bay
and venture TO say nothing of equal moral
significance with tha which is witnessed here
in this assem- by, taking place IN these Ia
days in July. Therefore with heart and soul
give You welcome, but my welcome is 10 be
confined to the pastors of the Golden Gate |
will leave 10 his Excellency, the Mayor, the
wider welcome from The City, and 10 the GOV
ernor, or his representative, Mt the other
pavilion, the yet broader welcome from the
State.
/ viii only say in passing that when you are
looking upon this great State OF ours you are
looking upon ultimate America; you are look
ing upon The field that is TO contain genera
tions hence, the highest results in American
civilization, Tor. my friends, Josiah Strong is
here somewhere, or on The way, and those
great vital forces which he describes SO well
in their tremendous accession of power as
they move westward from The Atlantic coast !
into the great interior do not expend their en-
ergy in that short journey; they only get their |
second breath, they only take their second |
strength, and They pass on with more tre- |
mendous swing over our mountains.
Let me remind you that the star of empire
which for generations has been unrestlngIy
westward, when it arrives here has no further
west to go, for geographically and CONNER |
cially the west end is San Francisco and a |
new east begins. So that the Bethleh I'm star
which has guided you. resting here, rests in |
heaven over one OF The high places of the |
worlds iutnre destiny. / am speaking in a | |
seriousness hen say this, and out OF that
seriousness comes much of the significance of |
the welcome OF the Golden Gate pastors 10 |
this assembly. For in the first place, tre-
mendous responsibilities laid upon our
unequal hands. We are with you Christian
Endeavorers, working for the time to come. |
but our work is distinctly foundation-laying |
You will tnd in one of the papers OF our
City OF q day or two ago brief sketch OF the |
religious history of California. Only forty-
eight yenrs ago last February Protestant Chris. |
tianty did not own rod of ground J. OF n rood /
OF lumber, not bunch of shingles-not SO |
much as shingle nail. Whatever there was
OF it was wholly in the air ana fully one-third i
OF this brief period passed before people sort
ously thought OF planting those things which
make for the highest in California The Eas;
WAS home and the highest hope or expectatio
that men had was the making of their pile
and by and by returning home 10 enjoy and
spend it. So our constructive period is a very
much shorter one than even the brief periou
of our occupation here. We ara, therefore,
only in the foundation period but neyertha.
less laying foundations for great things that
are to be.
But. my friends. it gives us new courage
when rea iZe by the presence Of such |
gathering as this the mighty forces of PRAYER
and sympathy and work and love tha: we
have behind Us, and it gives us greater as,ur-
comprehend-as we cannot except by ocular
demonstration-the incarnation of Christian.
itv in our own and other lands; it gives Ms
hopes of the recruits are to receive by and |
by, those who are TO be co-workers with us and |
our successes in this work. Therefore it gives |
us great giadness 10 see you here to-day. We |
ask of you to look upon our foundations; we |
ask of you TO leave your sympathy, your |
prayers, your love and your undylng interest |
here.
In our great distance from the vast centers |
OF Christian philanthropy we realize some |
times our moral end phiianthropic provin- |
cialism, and that the great heart-beals, in |
reaching these far ex ,remities, have expended |
a great deal of their forces We are glad, for |
once TO nave the great heart OF Christianity, |
so 10 S peak, laid i'll our very hands. 1t brings |
us into a comprehension OF the power of that |
Christianity, and we can understand better |
the feeling OF the Apostle John be leaned |
upon the breast of Jesus and we have a new |
OF the omniI otcnce of faith |
and love and spiritual power. We are glad to |
be REINFORCED and we are glad TO have YOU
stand upon these Western walls OF the Ameri-
can continent, and we know that you Will
ccs; your thoughts across the great waters |
beyond. 10 meet the great work that is reach
ing out 10 Chr stian Endeayor.
When you go out TO our Cliff House. or when
you stand at Cypress Point down ut Monterey /
and turn your eyes westward, l beg OF you,
dear frie udy not forget that there moro |