Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-31
MRS. ANNA LEE MAHIN, DELE
GATE TO GENERAL CONFER
ENcE EXPLAINS CEREMONY.
BEAUTIFUL LOSANGELES
The People of the Conference City Are
untirins in Their Lavish Rosptali-
ty and Are Making the Stay Of the
Delegates Moet Pleasant = Mission.
airy Bishops At the Conference.

airy Bishops At the Conference.
(By Mrs. Anna Lee Mahin, special
correspondent for the Courier at the
Methodist General conference.)
Los Angeles, Cal, May 81.
Ten days have passed since my first
letter was written. Never has time
flown by more swiftly or the hours
been SO filled with opportunities for
hearing and seeing matters Of inter
est and beauty.
I cannot cease to marvel at the
glorious sunshine. the profusion and
wealth of the rarest flowers and the
quantities of delicious fruits.
All our mornings are spent at the
sessions of the conference, which
grow in interest as the reports from
the numerous committees are now
coming in, to be listened to, discuss
ed, amended and adopted or rejected,
as the case may be. There are many
eloquent speakers and often there are
sharp differences of opinion and a.
brilliant combat of words is frequent
ly the result. Seldom, however, are
the bounds of Christian courtesy ov-
erstepped, though very frequently
there are interchanges of opinion,
flashing with purest wit, and once in
while with a refined sarcasm that
might offend if carried one point far
Their, but it is noticeable that at such
point the large audience of delegates
will break into a hearty laugh and
a clapping Of hands, that relieves the
tension and restores good humor.
The attendance of visitors is very
large. These with the $50 delegates
make up daily company of about or
quite $500 people in the pavilion.
We are becoming accustomed to our
tropical surroundings. The decora-
tions of the great audience room are
changed from day to-day and kept
fresh and fragrant. 1t seems as
though the palms and hanging baskets
Of ferns and trailing plants, the fes-
toons of delicate vines and the masses
of blooming flowers had grown in their
places and yet we know that each
night much labor and taste is expend-
ed to keep them fresh and add to and
change color effects. Z
The people of Los Angeles are I'M
firing in their lavish hospitality. De-
| licious lemonade and oranges are pro-
| vided each day for all who may ! call
at the flag draped BOOTH, where they
are dispensed by the committees Of
ladies from the different churches.
The supply Of both seems inexhausti-
BILE. les
Receptions have been given to the
| ties by the church women. All prom
inent workers in the missionary cause,
and all returned missionaries present
| have been paid especial attention at
these receptions and most happy and
| fraternal spirit has prevailed. No one
can meet these earnest and devoted
men and women who are giving their
lives to the work in both home and
| foreign fields of missionary effort and
| fail to catch something of the inspira-
ton and faith and courage manifest
ed by them.
The Hero of Pekin.
My readers will be interested in
knowing that DR.. Gamewell, who con
Quoted the defense in the terrible days
of the Boxer uprising and the seige
4 at Pekin is an honored member Of the
conference quiet, dignified man
who talks of his work and others he
roism instead of in any way taking
credit to himself. though all the pa
4 pers of the secular press in California
4 refer to him as "The Hero Of Pekin'
Iowa people will remember that his
1 wife was formerly Miss Mary Porter
of Davenport.
DR.. j. G. Hartzwell, the bishop Of
Africa is another favorite. He was
born in Moline, H., and educated al
the Northwestern university at Evan
ston. His name is now a worldwide
and honored one. The great work he
has accomplished and the greater
work he has carefully and with rare
diplomacy laid the foundations for ii
the Dark Continent have proven hin
/ a man of heroic self sacrifice and I'm
! yielding adherence to duty. He is {
man of fine presence and courtly man
. ners. His wife, who is with him here
is in fullest sympathy with his work
She is charming woman and b,
many is considered the handsomes
woman in the groups of bishops
wives who occupy boxes near the plat
form in the pavilion
The Bishops.
} The bishops are a remarkable ant
interesting body Of men. Most Of then
, are of large stature and with quie
] poise of manner that Is only the re
suit of self control and deep under
3 standing of human nature and a con
! slant necessity of meeting and settlin,
great problems Their duties are on
: erous and the strain under which the.
live is intense. The five older bish
\ ops, whom it was decided should b