The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-19
EPWORTH LEAGUES
ANNUAL CONVENTION.
Fully Thirty Thousand Delegates
at the Opening Session at
San Francisco.
DAY DEVOTED TO GREETINGS.
Messages of Good Cheer Exchanged
Between Leaguers and Their
observation-disclosures
to Be Keynote.

San Francisco. Cal. July 1s.-The fifth
international convention of the Epworth
League was opened to-day under the most
suspicious conditions The weather was
IDEAL and the attendance equaled the most
sanguine expectations.
The scene at the Mechanics Pavilion.
where the principal exercises of the day
were held. was one not soon to be for
gotten. Never in its history has the spa
cious interior OF the pavilion presented a
more impressive spectacle. Every vantage
place in the auditorium and galleries was
covered by enthusiastic delegates. and
every unsightly inch of wall was hid by
tasteful decorations.
Preliminary Services.
This morning communion was served in
three Of the largest churches of the city.
which, however, were entirely too small
to accommodate the throng which sought
admission. By noon the vast auditorium of
Mechanics Pavilion. capable Of containing
| over 5000 people. was filed with a mass
Of humanity. which moved slowly ard good
haturedly along the aisles, stopping at fire.
quent intervals to examine and partake of
some choice product of d California orchard.
For. with lavish hospitality. almost every
thing has been provided without cost for
the visitors from distant States.
A meeting of officers of the league was
| held In the afternoon in the art gallery. and
COuSlucIdUie time was devoted 10 a OlS-
cussion Of work in foreign fields. All of the
speakers dwelt on the Importance of spread
ing the faith tn-the new possessions OF the
United States. While this conference was s
In progress. Christian Chinese. with his
nve children. all wearing the Epworth
The Opening Session.
Long before the assembly of the conven-
ton proper. at 2:s0 p: m. every seat In the
ence occupied the time by singing oid-fash-
! Toned tunes. being given with q vim, indtca-
tive of relisious enthusiasm.
| order by the Reverend Thomas F1lben OF
Pacific Groves. not vacant space was to
be seen from the grand organ to the farthest
failed to fill the auditorium. and many OF
his announcements were not heard by the
majority Of the audience: After a service
ttcipated in by the chorus of 1000. and the
! audience. with organ: cornet and plano ac-
compartment: General Secretary the Rever-
gratulatory messages. received from prom
| Mckinley said:
II have much pleasure In sending to the
| International Epworth League Convention.
assembled at San Francisco. my hearty con.
] gratulattons upon the good work the great
body of Christian men and women which
| 1t represents has accomplished in the past.
and my earnest wish Is that even greater
success will crown the future efforts Of the
| league"
Vice President Roosevelt worded his mes
| sage as follows:
He, .Hsar ties greetlns,; and may GOOD luck
| for social and civic Righteousness"
Other communications were from Gov
errors Mchfillin Of Tennessee. Shaw Of
Bliss of Michigan. Dockery Of Missouri.
Stanley of Kansas and Van SAINT Of Mime
sofa. All were received with cheers. those
| from Mckinley and Roosevelt arousing the
audience to much enthusiasm.
| The remarks Of Governor Gage. Mayor
Phelan. Bishop. Hamilton. Bishop Joyce and
| the other speakers Of the day also evoked
| constant applause.
Response to the Greetings.
| Responses were made as follows: On be-
half Of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Epise opal Church, South. the Reverend ii.
NJ. Dubose, D. D., Nashville, Tenn; on be-
halt of the Methodist Episcopal Church of
Canada. the Reverend James Henderson. d.
The concluding address Of the afternoon
was made by the Reverend r. A. Carter of
Atlanta. Go. on behalf of the colored Meth
| The evenings exercises at the Mechanics,
PAVILION were presided over by Rolia Watt.
.rd J. ]. Morris was musical director. The
Cal. led in prayer.
| The first address was by the Reverend
Charles Bayard Mitchell. who spoke on
| THE Young Peoples Movement IN the
Nineteenth Centur.."
| The Young Peoples Movement in thu
| Twentieth Century" was discussed by the
! Reverend g. w. Kirby Of Montreal, Canada.
z. B. Hutchinson Of Napa. Cal. spoke on
Mefhodism In the Twentieth Century"
AT the Alhambra Theater tonight the
Reverend A. c. Crews Of Toronto, Canada,
presided. and c. w. Stadtfell was musical
\ director. The Reverend p. A. Coul of Spo-
| kane, WASH. led the deyotiops The yo,inr
| peoples movement was discussed by the
Reverend Alonzo Monk Of Knoxville, Tenn.
and the Reverend NJ. g. Hughes Of Kaneas
City. Mo.