Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-06-11
BIG MEETIN C
is CLOSED
MRS. ANNA LEE MAHIN WRITES
OF LAST DAYS OF METHOD
IST CONFERENCE.
FOREIGNERS IN LOS ANGELES
Visitors to the City of Flowers See
Many People From Lands Across the
Seas-Conference Has Made More
Popular Foreign Missionary Work.

Many People From Lands Across the
Seas-Conference Has Made More
Popular Foreign Missionary Work.
| (By Mrs Anna Lee Mahin, special
| representative of the Courier at the
Methodist General Conference)
Los Angeles, May 80, 1904.
The great conference has drawn to
a close. Already delegates are starting
for their homes. The conference is so
large q body it is not easy to entertain
its members as whole. but some de-
I lightful courtesies have been extend
ed them. A trip to Riverside one aft
ernoon, with stopping of the cars
in the midst of a very large orange
grove and an opportunity for each per-
son to pick an orange from a tree,
was the first excursion. A trip to Long
Beach was the second and here was an
opportunity to see the beautiful Pacific
ocean and rides were planned along
the beach and free tickets given to all
who desired the use of the famous
plunge and private baths. An invita-
ton was extended by Pasadena for an
excursion and luncheon, but the con
ference found the date set too near the
closing hours of the session and was
obliged to decline.
Personally we have been greatly
favored by the attentions of kind
friends, having had an entire after
, noon of the most delightful driving
about the city, seeing magnificent
, homes and grounds, which could not
! have been reached by car lines. The
same afternoon we were taken to the
Orphans Home and the public baths
: both of which institutions are under
!, the care of great-hearted men and wo
!, men who devote money and time to
: caring for the helpless and mitigating
: the hardships of the poor. We were
! most deeply interested in both these
charities because of the interest In
> them of one who has also done much
!, for our own city of Muscatine
. noble woman, who very much prefers
Il to quietly extend her generosity tt
. these and other deserving benefactions
without having her name associated
y Herewith. The baths are located IL
= a populous and poor district of the
i city. The fact that over 10000 free
9 baths have been taken at this estab
IT lishment in two years shows how i'm
portant it is and the good it is accom-
plishing.
II One of the most interesting expert
81 ences to those who visit this city il
d the large number of foreigners to b'
is seen They are on the streets, ant
TT at all places of entertainment. o
y course Chinese and Japanese prevail
g but we see the Spanish and half-bree'
n Indians also.
% One evening we saw large numbe
ID of Japanese young men at the mission
e airy exhibit. They were addressed b.
a, three returned missionaries, VIII
l. spoke to them in their own language
S. No company of young Americans coul'
have been more decorous in conduc
or more appreciative of the addresse
as their devoted attention and fire
quent applause attested. They hav
all adopted the American dress ant
were a rather handsome company o
young men.
" The same evening some ten o
IL twelve Chinese families had been in
n vited to the exhibit. They were a
q. in the Chinese costumes, even the Iii
c tie children They, too, were addresse
4 in their own language by missionaries
p and they appeared deeply intereste'
"a and touched However. they did no
If appear to be of as high a grade o
40 intelligence as the Japanese. A youn
h. Chinese girl has been in attendant
q upon the conference, a Miss Mar
~ Strong. She is from one of the missio
~ schools in China and is a fine SINCE
- She has been in great demand at a
~ missionary meetings and receptions
. She sings nothing but hymns or song
of a religious nature and the creates
charm of her singing is her distinc
enunciation of each word. She say
the meaning of the song is it's beaut
rs to her. She is a sweet-faced, retirin
little lady, and wears the Chinese dres
=, when appearing at meetings. She r.
- turns very soon to China to take u
20 missionary work among her own PEE
of pie.
as This conference has certainly mad
n foreign missionary work more popula
re and better understood than ever b,
ne fore. The workers themselves are S
n winning in personality and earnestnes
is and eloquent of speech, and the r
90 suit of their work as shown in tn
ar. young men and this young lady mus
IN convince the most skeptical of tn
lg need and benefit of 1t.
or Here | might refer to two beautiful
b. ly covered tables sent here from
I'd boys school in northern India and on
n. from a school in southern India. The
sold at auction" one day last wee
in the conference, and $1,000 was pal
for one and $500 for the other TIL
money is to go to the respectiy
schools where the tables were mad
- The gavel used at this conferenc
= was made of different woods from tt
Philippines. 1t was sold for $40.
ne | fegert that | canont even mentio
many other interesting matters, m
H. time is SO crowded.
as The ordination of the bishops was
ar- scene of great solemnity and impre
re siveness. The largest audience Of tn
he entire conference was present, MOI
he than $500 people. The ceremonit