The Forrest City times., 1899-07-07
CHRISTIAN ENDEAYORERS|
Eighteenth Annual Convention of the United Society of Chris
 tian Endeavorers.
THOUSANDS OF DELEGATES AT DETROIT.
The Annual Meeting of the Legal Body at Hotel Cadillac, Presided over by Rev. pr. Clark-A Hun- dred Thousand Recruits Within the Past Year.

Detroit, Mich, July 6.-The officers of the United Society of Christian En. deavor did not arrive in time to hold the annual business meeting of that corporation at the hour set, viz: 10 a. iu., and the meeting was late in con- vening. The special train from Bos- ton was victim of temporary con- eestion of railroad traffic caused by the large number of Christian Endeav- or special trains en route to Detroit. The leaders of the Christian Endeavor movement were, consequently, late in arriving.
 skies Gave Promise of Showers.
 Skies, which gave promise of proba- ble showers, greeted the thousands of Endeavors delegates who flocked into the city from every direction, but for a July day the atmosphere was req sonably cool. The earlier arrivals, who had travelled all night, spent most of the morning seeking their temporary homes and getting settled for the week. Street cars and steamers car ried thousands of young strangers, who employed the preliminary day of the convention in seeing points of in- The convention begins with grand welcoming rally in Tent Endeavor.
 The Annual Meeting.
 Rev. Dr. Frances E. Clark, president; Secretary John Willis Baer and Treas urer Wm. Shaw arrived at 10:3O. At II o'clock Dr. Clark called to order the annaul meeting of the united society in the Hotel Cadillac. Dr. Clark ad- dressed the members of the legal or ganization in part as follows:
 The Past Years Work.
 1.-The past year of Christian Endeav- pr work has been a year of remarka ble prosperity, a year signally marked by the favor of God. Christian Endeavor has now so largely occupied the field that the phenominal growth recorded il the carly years of the movement can not be expected. Nevertheless the growth has been very considerable and the accession of 100000 to our ranks within the last 12 months is no small addition.
 EncOuragement and Hope.
 ''I recently made a journey to the West Indies which was full of en- engagement and hope. I found in the island of Jamaica very deep and intel iigent interest in the movement. In Cuba, too, I found the beginnings of Christian Endeavor and very hopeful spirit and outlook for the future. In -+ l> ln H to be obtaining constantly a firmer foothold.
 Looking Forward to 1900.
 Our British fellow Endeavorers are looking forward with great anticipa- ton to next years exodus to London. In Germany and France and Scandi- navia the work has made very consid- erable advance. In Spain, in spite of the distraction of the war and the na- tural antipathy to things American, the societies have held their own, and have even increased in number. Rus sia, which year ago was the only country without Christian Endeavor, ment, and we hear of our society al- most within the czar's household.
 In Behalf of Universal Peace.
 Our effort in behalf of universal peace and international arbitration have been a great success. It has re- celved the hearty approval of many of ihe greatest men in Europe as well as America, and has called forth on two or three occasions telegrams and letters of appreciation and gratitude from the American peace commission FITS at The Hague.
 The Spirit of Brotherhood.
 "The spirit of brotherhood, of na- tional and nter-denominational fel- lowsh:p, of seeking after God and not the things that pertain to office and station, will, I believe, characterize this eighteenth annual convention. and 1 pray God that His spirit may pervade every future gathering of Christian Endeavorers and the whole movement ir all its phases and forms of work the world over"