The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-03-21
The Mission Field.
NAsHvILLEs NOTABLE NUMBERS.

residents,
of student volunteers lately seen on her streets If
the Sage of Hermitage could have arisen he would
nave been astonished. This tramp of these youth
full hosts seemed like the invasion of the army of
the Cumberland, but how different in spirit and
purpose Had it not been for Nashville's noble
hospitality such a crowd would have gone hungry
AS it was for several days some hundred or more
of them domiciled in seepers at the car sheds
There were more than Ass delegates from 700 in
stitutions of higher learning. One hundred and
forty -four missionaries from &c different lands
One frequently heard this remark: "The largest
gathering In the history of the church." "In some
respects like the crusades" Four figures do not
convey any idea of this gathering except it's big
ness. The scene most impressive, with the
vast auditorium packed to the doors where the
blue officers stood to that no more en-
tered When the doors of the large First Church
We're opened the overflow crowd surged in so
that standing at premium.
More wonderful still the reverent attention.
the great volume of sound as a majestic HYMN
rolled through the building. But the picturesque
sight was the bright and earnest faces, with char
acter written large every feature. If ANYTHING
could have added impressiveness to such a scene
1T would have been the grHzzed faces of the veter-
ans from the front The perfect order, the su-
perior excellence of the discussions conferences
and addresses, with the complete and harmonious
working Of such huge affair is the marvels
OF the time. 1t seemed emnently appropriate that
such student meeting should have been held in
this typical Southern school city, boasting so many
educational plants, with Vanderbilt browning them
all. In city, too, where the denominations are
representative and prosperous
The Presbyterians enterprising and progress
slve' with strongly felt influence emanatfng from
the First the Moore Memorial, the Woodland Street
and other churches with successful and popu-
lar pastors. Alongside of these are powerful Meth
odist and Baptist influences This city is head
quarters for the publishing and missionary inter
ests of these three great denominations Here also
is located one of the largest and most famous
negro schools in the South. Ffske University 1t
is natural that in this Southern educational centre
should the gathering of the young people be These
youth are the hope of the continent with glorious
and holy purpose aiming in the armament of their
lives.
The personnel was a marked feature of the con-
vention also. The faces Of men famous on the
athletic field were there to kndle the interest of
the young people. Mr.. Galley, NJ. A. of Princeton
one of her football knights, a successful
worker among the literati in Tientsin, China The
wrangler from the Old stood side by side with the
stroke oar, or the M. A. from the new world, to
speak Of the triumps the cross Tt was the brain
as well as the Drawn that stirred their interest The
heart it was, as we'll the head. that fired the en-
thusiasm of their young souls. This was apparent
when the face of before them wo-
man rather stout, dressed i'm simple black with q
quiet face This Miss Stone. whose thrilling
experiences in the Macedonian Mountains in the
hands of brgands still fresh in the minds ALL
Another most interesting figure is Donald Fraser
of the Free Church of Scotland, which church
founded the Lvingstona mission in RESPONSE to the
challenge of Henry M Stanley after his return from
the discovery of Livingstone In Central Africa This
mission is breaking the hold Of the slave traders
and situated It is at the river heads of that
dark continent holds the key to it's salvation.
Bishop Thoburn also, from whose hand the water
or baptism has fallen on the brows of hundred and
hundreds of the poor people i'm India was there to
stir their enthusiasm. But in some respects one
of the strongest personal Impressions was made
vybO he hood IN
the McCurdy House when the writer first went to