Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-17
'EPWORTH CONVENTION
AEAGVERs WORK EARLY AND
LATE AT THEIR TASKS.
Detroit the Scene of Great Enthusiasm
Many Thousands Are in
Attendance.

DETROIT Mich, July 17.-Beginnins
with a watch service at $50 o'clock this
morning today's program for the Epworth
Leaguers who are attending the sixth IN
ternational convention of the league COM
prised twelve meetings during the day and
evening Despite the early hour there was
a good attendance at the meeting watch,
which was presided over by Rev. s. l.
Towne of Greencastle, Ind, in the Central
NJ. E Church.
DEPARTMENTAL Conferences.
At o o'clock four departmental confer
ences began, which occupied the rest of the
morning. They were spiritual work In the
Central NJ. Z. Church. missionary work in
the Detroit Opera House, Junior work at
the Central Presbyterian Church, and lit
erary and social work at the Fort Street
Presbyterian Church.
At the junior conference Rev. A. F. Nc
Kenzie of Toronto said in his paper on
1.-The Problem of Our Big Boys and GIFTS,
he favored having boys and girls IN sepa-
rate classes in Sunday schools after a Ger
tain age. Experience teaches me. he
said, that boys and girls from fourteen to
sixteen years are very difficult to reach
and interest when brought together IN
mixed classes. If intermediate leaguers
were formed I would suggest forming two,
one for the boys and one for the girls.
Care in Selection.
He urged care in the selection of leaders.
and pointed out the benefits of athletics as
an adjunct to church and Sunday school
work among boys. Girls, too, DR.. Mcken-
z,e declared, should have their exercises.
lessons in housekeeping. etc, to help In
terest them In the work He urged that
boys and girls converted in early life be
carefully guarded, for, he said. they easily
drift into doubt and sin if they are not.
Of Of tln fhrnn M "a r q
in Epworth Auditorium. Tent Ontario and
the Detroit Opera House was witnessing.
The same programs We're followed at each
meeting. Following are the subjects
discussed: The Epworth League and
Personal Testimony" The Epworth League
and Our Unsaved Associates. The
Epworth League and the Indifferent Multi
tude'' and The EpwOrth League and the
Boy Problem"
In addition to the addresses on these sub
jects and the usual devotions and singing
there were fifteen minutes of moments of
waiting during each meeting.
Witnesses for Christ
In his address on The Epworth League
and Personal Testimony" at the Tent On
tario meeting Rev Hugh McDermott of
Scranton Pa, declared that every Epworth
Lacquer ought to realize the intrinsic i'm
portance of being a competent witness for
Christ so many of the testimonies" he
said, that we hear in our devotional meet
ings are meaningless They lack fire force
and fervor They give the impression that
the witnesses have not a strong sense of
the sin from which they are saved. The
value of Christian testimony depends on the
quality of the person who testified. A 10
per cent life will not bear out a 100 per
cent testimony"
Rev. George A Hough of Los Angeles
California, discussed The Epworth League
and the boy problem at the Auditorium
Epworth meeting. He said:
There four things that the church
ought to attempt to do for the bows 1t
must train them in the habits of Christian
manlinesS 1t must help them in developing
true Christian conscience 1t must aid
them In the formation of Christian ideals,
II must lead them to personal conservation
to Christ"
The Boy Problem.
He declared that the boy problem will
not be solved until we understand the sub
jeot. The end should be development not
suppression" he said. Boys are FESTIVE,
ambitious. imaginative. Too many people
set out to break a boy just they would
a broncho. The Epworth League leader
must have some better message than Boys,
be still The robust American boy must
be made to feel his welcome In our
churches There must be no place too
sacred for him.
At the headquarters OF the reception COM
mittee 1t was said today that although
only about 1900 delegates were registered,
1t was estimated from the reports of work
ers who have met the trains and suburban
cars that there are approximately 23.GOO
delega ties in the city today. This estimate,
Chairman Southwck says. is conservative.
half of the incoming delegates do not
take the trouble the time to register
The record for attendance heretofore was
lLOOo at San Francisco two years ago
The weather Is cool with delightful
breeze blowing.