The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-06-10
TEN THOUSAND ATTEND

in Washington, d. c., May 1924
marks an event in religious history
President Taft was not alone in
expressing amazement over the
size and character of the Conven-
ton. He looked out over a sea
of 5000 faces on the opening night,
while outside the Convention Hall
a still larger number of persons
congregated, unable to enter. Nearly
$500 of the official delegates wore
red ribbon badges with the legend
"North America" Some 500 others
wore blue badges bearing the names
of more than so different nations,
as remote as China and South
America, Turkey and Australia.
In addition to these 5000 official
and representative delegates from
every State and province in the
United States and Canada and
from foreign lands, there were about
1000 unofficial delegates Or visitors.
Sometimes three and four stimuli
taneous Convention sessions were
inadequate to hold the throngs.
1t was a spectacular Convention.
The great Mems Bible Glass Parade
on the afternoon of May 20, opened
the eyes of Washington to the
virility and masculinity of modern
religion. In order that some mem
bers of Congress might march in
the parade, as they did, and that
others might witness it, Congress
adjourned early on the day of the
demonstration TOrrential rains
Immediately preceded and followed |
the parade, largely reducing the
ranks; nevertheless 5000 men in a
hammered procession a mile long
marched down Pennsylvania
Avenue, and were reviewed at the
Capitol by a throng of 10000
persons.
All these marching men belong
to the Sunday School, and the
thought uppermost in the minds
Of many of the spectators who lined ]
the sidewalks was expressed on one
banner, "Where the men lead the I
ooys will follow" A huge mass {
meeting for men, with ringing i
speeches by Rev. Dr. Homer c. {
5tuntz and and Rev. DR.. S. Parkes
5adman, followed the parade. At
he same time two big meetings
If women delegates were in session.
Another spectacular feature of I
he Convention was a great open /
lir gathering on the east steps Of {
he Capitol, when a multitude {
If people joined in the singing of ,
Christian hymns.
The demonstration accorded |
President and Mrs. Taft-whom
the former introduced to the cheer
ng throng as the real President
stirred the nations chief greatly. '
He declared his belief in the {
fundamental Importance of religious f
raining of the youth of the nation ,
through the Sunday School. i
Met UNDER A WORLD Map. 9
The Convention sat with a {
map of the world before /
before it's eyes. The official button i
howed the globe with a red cross t
uperimposed thereupon. Part of i
,ach day was given to a "Roll Call /
If Nations The ends of the earth
.ame together at Washington. \
Strikingly, the note of inter '
national peace resounded from ses- h
ion to session; the depth of con- L
yiction upon this subject which b
the delegates made the t
worthy to rank among
he great peace conferences. S
On the closing night of the Y
Convention there was tablieau c
If 70 children reproducing the pic t
,ure which this Convention has /
made famous: 1.-THE Twentieth Cen :
Jury Crusaders. The children of Z
many nations gathered under the v
Sunday School flag. At the same +
line delegates from many lands v
Korea, China, India, Japan, Mexico, /
Brazil, Turkey, etc.,-gathered on t
he front of the platform and all c
;ang together to the one tune, a
out each in his own tongue, one of t
he familiar Christian hymns that
S sung the world around. +
WORLDS LARGEST ORGANIZATION. I
The statistics of the Convention t
we're presented at this time, the 2
lag of each nation being added to a v
display stand as the figures from v
hat land were given. The total f
is 27,SSS,479 members, o
If whom above 100000 are found a
n the United States and Canada. t
This includes 100000 officers and t
the number of schools /
eported being 2S5,S42. All ages c
rom octogenarians and other adults h
W the million to infants on the I
.radle roll and in the kindergarten t
department. are now found in the u