The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-11-11

top days of the convention. In the
morning we attended Sunday school
at the East Liberty Presbyterian
church, as we had been informed
that they had the finest Sunday
school in Pennsylvania, and we were
anxious to learn. We stayed for the
morning service and enjoyed good
sermon from our own DR.. Garrison,
of St. Louis. Nearly every pulpit in
Pittsburg was thrown open to our
preachers both morning and even
ing.
But the great communion service
in the afternoon was the one event
of the day which we cannot forget
if we should try do SO. The SER
vice was held in Forbes Field, where
only few days before the champion
base ball games were held. A very
few were inclined to feel that the
place was not worthy the occasion,
but / think the prevailing sentiment
was that any place is fit for worthy
deed when necessity requires it's use.
No where else in Pittsburg could the
immense crowd have been seated. !
am going to quote from the Pitts
burg papers in order that you may
see this impressive scene through
unprejudiced eyes, such as mine
might not be. This service began at
three o'clock and lasted almost an
hour. The Gazette-Times has this to
say: GAS early as one O'Clock men,
women and children began to throng
the streets from every direction. The
street cars ran specials and extras,
and in many instances trailers were
used All were filled, with hardly
standing room even on the platform
steps. Soon the entrance to the field
was surrounded by mass of human
ity. Only the three entrances at the
main gate were thrown open and
slowly the mass filed in, only to be
augmented faster than it could be
reduced by the fast arriving throng.
Within the field the grandstand
rapidly filled and the crowd went
into the bleachers.
This from the Pittsburg Dispatch:
"'This do in remembrance Of Me-
Thousands, reverently and devoutly,
acted upon the commands of these
words, the most pretentious known
to the Christian church throughout
the world, yesterday afternoon in
the largest communion service the
world has ever known, and service
which enters history as the most un-
usual Of modern times. A base ball
field had never before been chosen
for the scene of the most solemn
ceremony of Christianity, yet relig-
ion was the key note of Forbes Field
for the day, and the very astmos-
phere was churchly for the occasion.
The huge sport arena became sacred
ground The grandStand, extra
seats, and hundreds of seats in the
bleachers were occupied. A few
hundred remained standing in the
grandstand. The crowd was esti
mater at 10000. One hundred po-
| liceman, 500 deacons or ushers and
| 100 elders governed the crowd, the
most orderly and peaceable that ever
entered base ball park, and one in
| which men outnumbered women
more than two to one (Significant
fact.)
This from the Pittsburg Leader:
mir. Tharp, pastor of the First
Christian church, North side, took
his station within the Enclosure OF
the grandstand wings at home plate
Behind him was massed chorus OF
] 200 voices Signals were given
with flag. ono human voice strong
enough to direct service for such
large crowd.) The sober express
sion and devout demeanor of the
worshipers were in direct contrast
with the large gatherings attending
the base ball games of few days
before. Song and prayer replacing
the cheering and frenzied contor-
tons of the base ball fan. Is min
utes for the distribution of bread
and the passing of the wine required
little time. Only 500 wine goblet:
were used, necessitating the using o
passed through the long rows O.
seats race, color, nationality ant
creed were forgotten, and none re
| fused it from the hand of a differen
race. q want to say right here tina
unfermented grape juice was used
There are very few churches tina
still use fermented wine for com
Inunion, but ours is not one o
them.) 'Blest be the Tie Tha
|, Binds sung in unison by the $4,000
representatives of all religious de
. nominations and of nearly all ma
tions of the world, swelling into on
5 great anthem, brought the remark
dDlG service 10 d ClOSt.
1t was indeed sublime, the mos
sublime spectacle the world ma
witnessed since the crucifixion O
Christ, one man put it, and it ha
: furnished, and will furnish food 70
thought to all those who partici
pated in it.
The story of Sunday would not b
quite complete without some men
ton of the great Christian Endeavo
rally at Duquesne Garden, in tn
evening. At the roll call of state
ever state was represented excep
Montana and Mississippi, and dele
gates were present from Canada
England, Australia, Honolulu, Indi
and Africa. One of the delegates wa
! warmly applauded when he said, g
bring you greetings from the land G
the kangaroo" The young peopl
+ are bearing their part today in til
' onward march of Christianity.
+ Monday was Bible School Day
and while it was very interestin
to us it would probably not interes