The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-06-09
I, P, A, CONVENTION
IS STARTED ON NAY
WITH LAY SERVICE
Hundreds Unable to Gain ADJ
mittance to Second
Baptist Church
r
ON EVERY TRAIN,
Great Parade Forms Early This
Morning at Jefferson Hotel.
Following Which First
Session Somes

with six hundred delegates and
visitors In he city and others COM
in on special rains from all parts
of the country, the t~wenty-third an
nual convention Of the Travellers Pro-
association was started on IL
way last night with q monster lay
In the Second Baptist church,
the address being delivered BY
George H. Armstrong, of Philadei-
phia-
Long before the hour set for. the
opening of the services last night dele
gates. visitors. local friends and menu
bers of the church congregation be-
gan to arrive and by 5 o'clock prac-
tically all of the pews were filed
Chairs and benches were pressed into
service and rapidly filled. Before the
services opened many people had been
away n for half an hour
afterwards disappointed ones were
denied admission for lack OF space
within the church.
Conducted by Laymcn.
The services were conducted al
most entirely by laymen. a number
Of whom were in the pulpit. James
F. Ragland presided and conducted
the services. and ~pronouncing the In
vocation. How Firm a Foundation"
by more h a thousand voices.
filled the church auditorium with itS
music, after which Thomas Poindex-
ter conducted Scriptural reading.
The Sign Of the Crossing" tina sub.
ject Of Mr.. Armstrong; address, was
also the title OF a solo composed for.
the occasion by J. w. Crtd1in, OF Post
A, and sung by Haddon g. Watkins
Rev. ]. J. Gravatt. chaplain OF Post
~-~A ---.&%- 80 %-1k.-#-- Ex-%
PRODUCTION by James d. Crump Mr..
Armstrong delivered his address. The
value Of character and the Importance
Of giving thought to the safety OF the
soul were this main points brought put
by the speaker. who illustrated his
ideas with frequent stories OF personal,
experience. Environment, he said.
may explain much, but 1t will excuse
no man the failure to build a ii
and lofty character Just ~ the lily
springs from the muck of swamps, 80
veloped out of bad envfronm1fxs
through faith and devotion to right
principles Mr.. Armstrong spoke -
man to man in conversational tones,
driving home his chief lessons with
the proper gestures and the right in-s
Elections. He delivered no grafton, but
his appeal to men to stop. look,
listen" and to heed the voice Of tho
n conscience which is given az q
guide to every a made a deep im-s
preston upon his auditors 4
Hotels Are Crowded.
The Jefferson hotel. the headquar-
ters of the convention. was thronged,
with delegates and their wives last
night. Two special trains from the
West were met by committees and the
arrival OF these delegates at the hotel
greatly increased the crowd. although
many went straight to their quarters,
in the other hotels. The accommo-l
dations offered at all the hostelries
seemed to please the visitors and many
expressions of approval were heard
on all hands. The indicattonasaSo
that the early prediction Of more tIl1nj
a thousand delegates and visitorQi
being in attendance Will be fulnlled.s
There were six hundred or more In
the city last night and not more than
half the accredited delegates .had Ar;
rived. The late corners. most OF whom
are expected this morning. and their
families will greatly swell the NUM-:
Der. SC that when the first session 10;
held this morning after the parade
at least eight hundred delegates aro}
expected to be present. !
Formation OF Parade.
The parade will easily be one Of
the biggest features OF the convention
and n Of the biggest ever held. The
formation will be at the Jefferson
hotel this morning at S:15 O'clock. |
On the Franklin street side Of the
hotel the national officers and city
guests will form facing the east: on
Adams street. facing north. the chief
OF police, the mounted police. Kess-
nich's band. Richmond Howitxer4.
Chief Marshall r.. s. Christian. and
mounted escort. and the bicycle po-
lice will form in the order named. on
the Jefferson street side Of the hotAa
a drum corps, the. Richmond sHooess
ters, Post A, Burrell n. Marin, thu
marshal OF the division. twenty-Gv~
and fifty clubs. and the Illinofs ana
Pennsylvania delegates. recent hose
Of the convention will form. fAciM4S
north. On Main street facing we4k
will be the Blues band, followed ~
State divisions, and on h oppoeltoIs
side Of Jefferson street on Main, 1nc-s
ing east, win be a second drum corpys
followed by other State dtvfaiou1s
At the signal the Adams street 30xs
nation will move into Franklin apt4s
turn In cast. Following will CoUl4s
the Franklin street formation.
Jefferson street formation and thoq3
of Main street.
Tho men in the parade WITH rnaxoo II
four abreast with four yards betW
each line. &#
Boosting Richmond
A feature OF the parade VIII
an imitation sample case, made G4k
corrugated p~asteboard and filled W3N v
sample ~ goods made In Rtchu1o1 n
These cases will BE- delivered ~ y
except Richmond delegntea ana
cred with hotel labels and = ss1e92
will be requested to keen thu