The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-07-07
The Annual Conference Formally
Called to Order.
Over Twenty thousand Delegates Present
at the Detroit Meeting.
President Clark Delivers His An
nua1 Address and Secretary
Baer Reports on the Years
Progress Of Christian Endeavor,
Showing a Gain in Membership
Of Over One Hundred Thousand.


Showing a Gain in Membership
of Over One Hundred thousand.
DETROIT, July 6.-Both of the great
main tents owned by the United So
ciety of Christian Endeavor were used
tonight for the first time during the
eighteenth International convention,
and contained their full quota of TO-
600 people, and, as usual, hundreds OF
others who failed to secure admittance
patiently occupied standing room all
around the outer edges. Many visiting
delegates from long distances came in
to-day, swelling the number of strange
delegates beyond the 10000 mark. The
convention days are essentially days
of song.
Although tonight the choir was di-
vided between the two tents, there
seemed little diminishment in the vol
ume of song, or much in the numbers
of singers in each. AS for the audi
ences, their spiritual enthusiasm ex-
banded with the passing of the hours.
Yesterday there was little enthusiasm.
To-day the Endeavorers honored the
invitation of the Mayor of Detroit to
sing. Street car loads of them fire.
quently spung along the streets sing
ing as they went. Many groups SANG
by the wayside, aside from those who
Joined the squads of MONDAY workers
in business houses and factories. They
sang at the afternoon rallies, and sang
this evening en- route to the night
gatherings-sang with redoubled vigor
after again assembling, and then sang
on their way home.
Ten thousand people crowded in
to Tent Williston for this even
ing's exercises. President Clark pre-
sided over the meeting, and P. S. Eos
ter of Washington was musical direc-
tor. The two principal addresses in
Tent Williston were delivered by Rev.
John E. Pounds of Indianapolis and
Rev. DIR. p. S. 1enson of Chicago, the
former on Dollars and Duty" and
the latter on Satan and Cities" Both
were listened to with undivided atten-
ton by the entire audience, and bursts
of applause were frequent.
In Tent Endeavor the principal ad-
dress of the evening was by Rev. F.
A. Noble of Chicago. His subject was
War Against War"
The Mormon question was treated by
Rev DR.. w. M. Paden of Salt Lake.
who made a bitter personal attack up
on Congressman Roberts.
Frederick A. Willis of Kentucky out
lined the progress of Our Prison
Work.
William A. Shaw, Treasurer of the
United Society, made a hit in his ap-
peal for Floating Christian Endeavor.'
Besides the main meetings. Rev
Charles Sheldon of Topeka, Kan, the
noted author of 'In His Steps," to-
night in the First Presbyterian Church
read Christian Endeavor story writ
ten by himself. entitled For Christ
and the Church" {the Christian En-
deavor motto).
The. day was clear. cool and alto
gether ideal, when the first real bust
ness of the convention opened to-day in
Tent Endeavor. A sea of 10000 earn
est countenances were upturned toward
the platform when the Rev. Nehemiah
Boynton, D. D., of Detroit called it tic
order Again the great tent rang with
hymns of praise, led by P. s. Foster
of Washington. The devotional exer-
cises were led by one of the leaders and
founders of the Methodist Epwortn
League, Bishop Mind of Detroit.
Secretary John Willis Baer then sub
mitted his annual report. Following
are extracts:
Each year some self-appofnted seer
has predicted that the numerical
growth of Christian Endeavor could
not keep pace with the wonderful de-
velopment of the earlier years. Not
withstanding it is eighteen years since
Christian Endeavor first blossomed, and
notwithstanding the further fact that
many of the States have few churches
at present without Christian Endeavor
societies. it's increase this year has
been remarkable. After taking from
the lists the societies that have ceased
to exist for any and all reasons, the
net gain in number of societies during
the last year is nearly 1000 societies
with over 100000 new members.
PENNSYLVANIA, including the Junior
societies. now has over 5000 societies
within it's borders, New York over
q 600. Ohio and Illinois have over 1000,
Indiana and Ontario 1000, Iowa, Mich
igan. Kansas. Massachusetts, have over
1 800. California. Missouri and New
Jersey not far behind with over 1,OOO
each.
"Since last we met, Russia. at that
time the only country in the world
without it's Christian Endeavor Society,
has welcomed our principles and meth
DDS, and to-day our international fei-
lowship is complete and Worldwide.
Great Britain has over 5000 societies,
and royal welcome awaits us next
July in London Australia has over
1000 societies, and is represented In
this convention by two delegates that
have Travelled over 5000 miles to bring
greetings from our brothers and sisters
under the Southern Cross. India has
454. China las, Africa 1876, Mexico 1OS,
West Indies 103. Germany 101, NADIA
Rascar 93, Japan 73, while Spain, rent
with war and turmoil, has more than
held it's own, for she has thirty-six
societies.
II have a right to the exultant ring
in my voice when say that we have
crossed the $4,000 line The official en-
rollment is 30, 813 societies, with q total
membership OF $780, OO''
After singing by q colored quartet
from Hampton institute, Father En-
dsavorsr" Francis E. Clark delivered