Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-09-22

The members of the Christian
church of the state have been in as
sembly at the rooms loaned to the
Grand Rapids Christian church by the
Methodist trustees, all the week, and
they have just finished what is con-
sidered by all those in attendance to
have been one of the best and most
successful conventions ever held by
the followers of this belief. Beginning
with Tuesday, when the delegates ar
rived, were met and their stay
here arranged for, through the week
till today, Friday, the delegates and
members who have attended the meet,
have been constantly at work COM
pleting the business of the convention.
Prominent Church People Here.
President J. G. Thurman of the
state board of missions, was present.
arriving Tuesday, as were several other
members of the board; in fact, all that
could attend. Among them was II,
F. Barstow, of Ladysmith, correspond
ing secretary of the board. and who
was here last summer at the time OF
starting the church. Delegates were
here not only from all over the state
but from outside, as we'll. There
were prominent church people here
from ST. Louis, Cincinnati, Baltimore,
Chicago, and from Des Moines, la,
President J. G. Thurman opened the
meeting in the evening of Tuesday,
after the Executive board had met in
the afternoon.
Session Opened Tuesday Evening.
The evening session was the formal
opening of the cow entiOn and was be-
gun by praise and thanksgiving ser
vice under direction of II. K. Shields.
Rev. Mccarthy, Of Richland Center
conducted the devotional service.
The address for the evening was given
by Rev. Claris Yeull, of Baltimore,
Md, on 1.-THE mountain white men of
the South" This talk was on the
work of the mission department of the
Christian church among the mount
aineers of the south, a people but sell
dom reached by those carrying the
work of the church. The talk was
full of interest, and was delivered in
a way to make it interesting.
Work Begins Wednesday.
On Wednesday morning the real
work of the convention began. New
committees were appointed for vari-
Gus purposes, and reports from COM
mittees now in force were heard.
These reports were mainly on the
results of missionary work in various
parts of the state. At this time also,
Mrs. Laura Garst, who with her hus-
band has spent fourteen years in
Japan doing missionary work there,
but who is now in this country to at
tend to the education of her children,
delivered an inspiring address on
Educational Work." Mrs. Garst
does not outline her work, but talks
from her wide and varied experience.
and she is the pride of the church as a
speaker, her talks being full of life
and always interesting, The con-
vention was entirely taken up with
her address, which was one of her
best.
Women's Board Report.
Wednesday afternoon was given
over to the work of the WOmen'S
Board of Missions. Reports from the
different auxilliarieS were received
and address delivered by Mrs. Anna
Atwater. of indianapolis, Ind, editor
of the Missionary Tidings, the Off
cial paper of the organization. Her
address was full of deep thought and
contained several suggestions toward
Improving the work under way, and
was favorably received by the dele
gates.
Growth Of Christian Church."
"The enlargement of the church"
was the subject of paper presented
in the evening, Wednesday, by Rev.
George Campbell, of Chicago. He
spoke at length on the means used to
enlarge the church and how the work
was coming On. He outlined the
growth of the Christian church and
said he offered it as his belief that the
Christian church would grow to
..chieve its object in measure
greater than was now expected,
though at che present time the hopes
for it's success are very high. and have
reason to be.
Work Will Be Furthered.
The annual reports of the state
officers were heard on Thursday morn
ing, and several hundred dollars were
voted to be raised for the furtherance
of the work in the state. Rev. J. III.
Garrison, of St. Louis, editor Of the
Christian Evangelist, spoke on 1.-The