The San Francisco call., 1898-12-04

N most interesting and pictur-
 esuue phase about the San
 Francisco water front, espe- cially since the little Christian steel battIeship. the Christian Endeayor, has been put into commission
 This marine and evangelical novelty has just been completed, was commis- stoned or dedicated last Sunday and will hereafter challenge and put forth boarders to incoming deep-Sea ShlpS along with the custom house cutters, the quarantine launches, the boats or the Merchants Exchange, the runners for the boarding masters and supply men and so on. The big ships that get into port from long trips from Bombay and around the Horn are used to belng held up by such ocular outfits as those mentioned before anchor is dropped m the stream. They are endured by the incoming masters and crews as part or the fortune of marine life, and whether they provoke profanity or not as they often do, they are not regarded as spe- cial means of grace. But hereafter trim and speedy little vessel about as big and important as any in the swarm will be on hand along with the rest or them soon after any ship IS reported passing in'' and before the quaran- tine officer gets back to Meiggs wharf and before the runners are through with their rustling there will be little portable organ in place on deck near the forecastle, and with the permission of the captain and the indulgence or the crew Moody and Sankey songs will rise on the breeze. Words of prayer will be part of the sailors first welcome to the big harbor. Then invitations to church. reading room social privileges and friendly care will be bestowed.
 This is to be part of the regular routine of arrivals from the deep sea hereafter and is the beginning of the outcome of a long cherished plan. All the Christian Endeavor societies of all denominations in the city and some of the suburbs compose the Golden Gate Union. The marine branch of it's work is in charge of a floating committee, and a vessel to give it's operations mo- bility has long been it's dream. Partly through the surplus from the national Christian Endeavor convention a gaso- line launch costing $2f00 was made pos sible. and this launch is now ready. It has a steel hull, is 32 feet long, carries a 20-horSepOWer gasoline engine, is prettily finished and furnished, Is speedy and can carry fifty people. An engineer has been hired for the start, but several athletic young endeavorers will learn how to run gasoline launches and take turns as volunteer engineers and captains It is proposed to keep the launch ready for service at most times and promptly board incoming ships. Evenings and Sundays trips will be made all about the bay and to Sau- salito Port Costa and Vallejo, holding services on shin board making mission ary calls or bringing off sailors to prayer meetings and social entertain ments.
 The equipment of the boat will in- clude two little portable organs, which can be lightly swung to a deck, a stock of lanterns to hang about decks whither the little circle gathers for devotions in the haven, lot of reading matter pick ed up from all directions, Bibles, hymn books, etc The building and equip ment of the launch has been in the hands of three trustees, of which J. S. Allen, president of Golden Gate Union, is chairman. It is proposed to help sup port the work by renting the launch to pleasure parties for a day now and then, and this will make 1t necessary to transfer the boat to a corporation to be formed
 The work will remain in charge of H. F. Eden, who is the practical head of the floating work of the union. He was born at sea, has been sailor most of his life, and for some years has been associated with the venerable Rev, I. Powell in the work of the Mariners Church. Contact is made with thou sands of sailors yearly in this port, and the new battleship will greatly increase the work
 Special to the Sunday Call