Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-06
ESTIMATES ARE GOING Up
Local Christians Increase Number Of Prsh-
able Attendants at Cenvsntim.
OMAHA TO HAVE GREATEST GATHERING
Fwenty-Fiye Thousand visitors Now
Expected BY Enthusiastic Pro-
moters of Conference TO BE
Held Here In october.

Members OF the local Christian churches
expect q, 900 delegates to attend the inter-
national convention of the Disciples OF
Christ, to be held Ia Omaha October 16 to
% inclusive. Only about 5000 delegates at
tended the convention held at Minneapolis
last fall, but those who know whereof they
speak say there will he no comparison be-
tween the two gatherings SO far as numbers
IL concerned. The principal reasons why
Omaha expects TO entertain so many more
than Minneapolis are these: First, Omaha
IL more centrally located In a geographical
sense; second, Omaha is located nearer the
center OF Christian church population;
third, Omaha has better railroad facilities
and viii GET Better rates and advertise them
better; fourth. there will be no Pan-Amer-
lean exposition to detract from the at
tendance; NTH, Omaha will have a magnin-
cent new auditorium in which to assemble
the delegates.
Committees Are Active. B.
These we're some Of the points touched
upon at the meeting Wednesday evening OF
the general committee which has in charge
the work Of preparing for the convention.
The meeting was held in the First Christian
church Of South Omaha. Twenty-thlrd and
X streets, and was presided over by the
chairman, Clarence 8, Paine, The first
order Of business was the report Of sub
committees. The chairman Of the finance
committee reported a very gratifying con-
dition OF the treasury and said that by the
time they were needed there would be ample
funds on hand to meet all demands and
emergencies.
Mr.. Paine announced that Miss Meliona
Buttcrneld had been selected as chairman
OF the social committee. with the privilege
Of naming the committee herself. This
committee will number some 500 persons,
selected from the congregations OF all
omaha and South Omaha churches, anil
the duties will be to see that the dele
gates are entertained In a social way. Miss
Butterheid had been selected. he said, be-
cause OF her wide acquaintance among tho
people Of Iowa and Nebraska. She was
chairman OF the reception committee OF the
Transmississippi exposition and OF the re-
eeption committee Of the Nebraska build
ing OF the ~Pan-American exposition.
Rev. Sumner T. Martin. pastor OF the
First church OF Omaha. announced that. as
he would not be in the city. he would have
to resign the chairmanahips Of the various
eommitteeC 10 which he had been appointed.
Mr.. Paine accepted the resignation.
ResuIt al Promotion.
HLHt
Five minute talks we're made by several
persons who had attended the convention at
Minneapolis a year ago. Rev. Martin said
that the Nebraska delegation was the nrst
o the ground and laid the foundation for
capturing the convention q year later by
flooding the city with little red buttons.
appropriately inscribed. by the time the
other delegations arrived" said he. nearly
every street car conductor and motorman
and about one man out Of every three you
met on the street was wearing those little
red buttons. which proclaimed him an
Omaha man" ~
= Rsv. w. T. Hilton, ohairmaB Of the evan
gelistic committee. said that during the
convention In Omaha next tall gospel meet
tnss would be held on the street corners
similar meetings would be held IN. the
Auditorium Al the close OF each session;
there would b business mems meetings
n every opportunity to Apread the liehi