The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-07-11
~ IN" 81. T. = y m II
big EVANGELICAL
CONFERENCE DRAWS.
CROWDSNE0H HO
More Than Six Hundred Dele.
gates Assembled From All
w. Over Territory
SESSION DECLaRED MOST =.
SUCCESSFUL EVER HELD
Big Island City Thronued and All
Accommodations Were Faxed !
To Uttermost ~ ''''

The largest and most successful con,
ferance ever held by the Hawaiian
Evangelical Association was the nine.
ty-fourth just finished in Hilo. The
attendance was SO large that when the
matter Of where the next conference
should be held was discussed, 1t was
decided that Hilo and Honolulu were
the only communities that could nc.
eommodate the gathering. According
to the Rev. $. L, Desha, moderator OF
the conference, there were 625 dele
gates, and members of the ehoruses
present. 4
At luncheon served on the grounds
of Hall church at the close Of tho
Sunday school celebration, il il esti!
mated that more than a thousand peo-
pie were served. The gathering was
the largest Of the kind that Hilo has
ever seen, and as IL came az a time
when the town was pretty we'll filed
with Fourth of July visitors, Hilo' =
hotels, boarding houses and those priv
ate families which had rooms to re-
ceive guests were taxed to the ut
most. .l-. LII. IS
Rev. 8. L. Desha In Chair
The opening session =, found Rev
Stephen l.. Desba in the chair as mo.
derator, Rev. w. p. Poai az scribe
and Rev. J. N. Nakila as assistant
scribe. After the completion of the
roll of delegates, Rev. Geo. Laughton
pastor of tine First Foreign Church OF
hilO, extended most hearty welcome,
to the visitors in the name of the City,
of Hilo and the churches of the city
as well as the residents.
In his usual happy way Rev. John
NJ. Lydgate of Kauai responded to this
welcome, first in Hawaiian and them
in English. Mr.. Lydgate said that he
and all the delegates were very glad
TO be in Hilo. He himself was born
in Hilo aud was able to say that per
sonally he knew what he was talking
about when he boosted that Hawail
was not only the largest island of the
group, had the highest mountains,
but her people had the biggest hearts
of any island of the group.
Making Real Progress
The associations of Christian En-.
deavor and Sunday school work both
reported substantial progress in their
work during the year. W. II. Rice of
Kauai, president of the Sunday school
association, said that he had never
felt more encouraged than now, over
the work in his department, through
out the islands. The Rev. AkaikO Aka
ma, speaking for the endeavor socie.
ties, said that they were experiencing
a great advance movement. He pro
posed an excellent plan for enlarging
the work of the EndeaVor movement,
by having the junior and intermediate
societies started all over the territory
for the special care Of the younger
members and having the active society
also aceOmL\sh much more in the
future than in the past, and urged that
the older members should devote theh
attention specially to the operations
and activities of the church itself.
Hour Of Devotions
A feature of the meetings Of the
conference which attracted great
deal of attention from the delegates
and large attendance was the hour OF
devotional service followed by dis
cussion of vital questions. In the hour
of devotions, able speakers were Be
cured for the program: Rev. Geo.
Laughton upon "The Expression of |
Spirituality Rev. +. Z. Pleasant |
"The Sources of Spiritual Life" and |
Rev. John NJ. Lydgate "The Need OF !
Spirituality"
For the hour of discussion four OF
FIVE speakers of different nationalities |
debated the topics of the day, which
were as follows: GLOW to maintain |
our Church Life in Face of Competi
einI coopSration; "strengthening |
the Churches" An early morning
prayer meeting has been the outlet fOl
much devotional spirit that has been
manifest in all the sessions.
Another feature of this conference
which is more marked than ever be
fore in the association is the remark
able singing. At the First ForeigI |
Church the chorus rendered beautiful
music; at the Sunday school exhibition
on Saturday morning, the choirs and
Sunday School from all parts of the
Territory sang exceedingly well, whil
at the Sunday school banner contest on
Monday night there was the most
wonderful exhibition of Sunday
School competitive work ever seen II
the territory, Oahu carried off the
handsome silk banner which was of
fered this year, for the first time
Pair Of Novel Features
TWO hoNel iohtuFes OF tne cohioI
ence were the reception on Friday %
ternoon at the First Foreign Church
to all the delegates and singers, and
the reception on Wednesday evening
by the Kaahumanu Society to the of |
feers and delegates Of the Christian
Endeavor Societies. On both Occa1
sions the churches were filed. Inter,
esting addresses were heard. At the
Foreign Church the ladies' Of the par
ish served iee.cream and cake to the
700 people assembled At the Hail
celebration of the Christian Endeavor
delicious refreshments were also serv.
ed.
With the approval Of the associa-