Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-06-04
VISITORS AT. M. E. GENERAL CON.
FERENCE GIVEN GLIMPsEs
OF NATIONS.
In CHARGE OF IOWA MAN
S. Earl Taylor, Formerly Secretary Of
the Y. M. c. A., at Muscatine, Sup
erintendent Of the Exhibit - Many
Specially Interesting Features.

erintendent Of the Exhibit - Many
Specially Interesting Features.
(By Mrs. Anna Lee Mahin, special
correspondent for the Courier at the
Methodist general conference)
Los Angeles. Calf, May 81. = The
general conference Of 1904 will be dis
tinguished from its predecessors in
that for the first time in the history
of the church a very extensive exhi-
bition of the missionary operations OF
the church was shown as an accompan-
iment to the regular sessions OF the
conference. This exhibit not only sur
passed all preceding exhibits made by
the missionary society, but Without
question it was the largest and most
comprehensive UNCONVENTIONAL exhibit
ever made in the United States.
The missionary exhibit idea was first
worked out in an elaborate way by
the Missionary society in connection
with the great convention at Cleve-
land, Ohio, in October, 1902. The eff
fectiveness Of an educational exhibit
in promoting missionary interest and
in teaching the best methods OF pro-
noting missionary interest gain
ed immediate recognition. Similar ex-
hibits to that shown in Cleveland were
made in connection with the Interna-
tional Convention of the Epworth
league held at Detroit in July 1908, at
the Philadelphia convention in October
1903 at the Buffalo convention in Oc
tober, 1908, at the Iowa and Illinois
conventions in the months of Feb
ruary and March 1904 and at the San
francisco convention in April 1904.In
addition to all. these demands for
smaller exhibits to be used at District
League conventions became so urgent
that twenty-five travelling exhibits
were prepared, Which have been doing
good service in various parts Of the
country.
Previous to the Cleveland conven-
ton exhibit extensive exhibits had
been made in connection with the con-
vention of the student volunteer move
ment for foreign missions, and in con-
nection with certain UNCONVENTIONAL
gatherings other than Methodist Epis-
copal, eliminating in the exhibit pre-
pared for the Ecumenicai Missionary
confereLae. at New York in 1900 I'M
a.as direction OF Harlan P. Beach.
educational secretary Of the student
volunteer movement for foreign mis-
sions.
In Great Britain. the. exhibit idea. has,
been used very extensively and with
great success by the Church Mission
airy society; the exhibits having been
so elaborated that they have come to
have an exalted status in the cultiva-
ton of missionary idea, addresses and
speeches being made as supplementary
to the exhibit rather than the exhibit
being side feature of some confer
ence or convention. Such an exhibit
is shipped from city to city, the largest
halls being called into use for it's dis
play, and a force of constructors, ex-
hibitors and speakers accompanying
it. Such an exhibit displayed in the
largest cities and attended by hun
dred of thousands of people has come
ito be regarded as one of the most eco
nomical, practical and effective ways
l-of reaching large numbers of people
| brought home through eye and ear,
and reinforced by attractive literature
which may be carried away.
Greatest Exhibit Ever Seen.
The exhibit at Los Angeles surpass.
! ed all previous exhibits held under the
auspices of the Missionary society in
almost every regard. Those in charge
/ of The exhibit had the benefit of large
experience gained in connection with
/ other exhibits. The long period dur
ring which the exhibit was to be shown
! justified more elaborate display and
/ the place secured - the, old Chamber
of Commerce building was by far the
| best, place that up to the present. time
! has been found available for such use
Los Angeles is the center of the
promotion of publicity with reference.
to the attractions of southern Califor-
mia, and for years an exhibit has been
maintained continuously under the
auspices of the chamber of commerce
of the city, and for the better exploita-
ton of this display of fruits and flow
ers the old chamber of commerce build
ing was especially constructed but was
later outgrown. This building, having
an available floor space of $4,000
square feet, and with light from three
sides and from extensive skylights.
and situated less than three blocks
from Hazards pavilion where the gen
eral conference sessions were held was
most generously givenf free of rent
the open door emergency commission,
to be occupied during May by the ex-
hibit, and through the hall and balco-
MES and the central area way of this
building there coursed for the first ten
days of the general conference, or up
to the date of mailing this article from
Los Angeles, an average of 5000 visit
ors daily by actual count an attend
ance causing constant surprise and re-
mark
The main exhibit hall in the old
chamber OF commerce building is al
most square, and on each side of this
hall and extending completely around
it is a wide balcony. On the Broad
way side of the building on the main
aud balcony floors of the hall are
series OF Office rooms. and on the
Fourth street side space is set apart
fer a few such Office rooms. the central
section, however, being left open, thus
making the balcony of double width,
and with corresponding depth in the
INV