East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-06-23
METHODISIS OPEN
GREAT EXPOSITION
Most Ambitious Demonstra-
ton of Missionary eff
fort in History.

Ill COAtM6lS. Onlo, Junt @"s--1 his
. was the opening day of the Methodist
Centenary Celebration. Until July lS
the gates of the exposition grounds
will remain open to welcome the hosts
of Methodlsm and their friends. 1t Is
I regarded as the most ambitious dem
onstration of missionary effort in
home and foreign fields ever attempt
ed. With pageantry. with music, with
life plays representing the daily eNis-
tenoe of strange peoples in far away
lands. with repllcas of far off COM
lmunities and with innuherable fea-
lures and exhibits. the Centenary Cele-
ihration emphasizes the one hundredth
anniversary OF the Methodist Church s
entry into the mission field.
1t is an all American exposition.
The Methodist Church and the Metho-
ldist Church south have Joined in u
demonstration of the strength Of their
denomination. Eight exhibit buildings
I house the exhibits and life plays.
In the Coliseum, seating 1900 persons
the pageant. THE Wayfarers'' Is to be
presented snightly. excepting sunday,
while the chndren's pageant. THE
Childreus Crusade" is to be presented
two afternoons each week.
1900 Participate.
Seventeen thousand participants
have been enlisted to make this
gathering a success. A choir of 1000
voices has been drilled for the pa
| geant, THE Wayfarers" which has also
Ian orchestra OF seyenty-five pieces
and the aid of the $50. 900 pip eorgan.
especially constructed. The children's
pageant has duplicate choruses OF 500
voices each. In addition there is the
Centenary Celebration Trombone
Choir of one hundred trombones. the
only organization of its kind in exis-
tence.
Noted men of this and other coun-
tries have been invited to participate,
and acceptances have been received
from Josephus Daniels, Secretary Of
the Navy; William Howard Taft: Will
liam Jennings Bryan, and Major Gen
eral Leonard Wood Eminent men
of the Methodist Church have sigi-
fled their intention of participating.
The various exhibition buildings are
assigned to nations having prominence
in the mission field, The China build
ing encloses n walled Chinese city
complete in all details, with temples,
| pagodas. restaurants and gathering
| places. The Africa building contains
thatched jungle huts and the masonry
! structures of North Africa. remnants
of Roman civilization.
The India building contains the
bazaars. shrines, burning CHATS, and
other pertinent features of the mystic
| empire. The Korea Japan Malaysia
building encloses houses. temples is
land huts and industries. The Iu-
t rope Latin American building presents
bits of war-wrecked France and Bel
blum, sheu-shattered cathedraIs and
! an accurate replica of the Chateau
Thierry battle ground.
Everything in tke home mission
| field Is represented lin the twin Amer
ican buildings. In the insular Amer
lean buildings are found replicas of
the dwellings of those Americans liv-
ing in Hawaii. Porto Rico and the
Philippines.
4 Largest Screen
The greatest screen in the world.
spread of white. 10 by 10 feet has
been erected for the exhibition of a
great series of pictures from all over
the world. culled from the collections
{ of missionaries.
/ A special corps of youths, the Cen
I tenary Cadets, one thousand strong,
was recruited to guard the grounds
and act as guides and messengers. As
nearly as possible, one cadet was
drawn from each church district in the
United States. forming unique
church cadet body.
The Centenary Celebration was
opened under the auspices of the Joint
Commission of the Methodist Church
and the Methodist Church South. of
Which w. w. Pinson is chairman. s.
Earl Taylor is director general of -
Celebration, with pr. James T.. Crow
ther as his assistant. w. b. Beau
champ Is Associate Director C eneral.
while the organizing work was done
by III. 3. Dickson.
To relieve congestion on the rail-
roads and provide delightful sum-
mer outing, the celebration manage
ment arranged for automobile cara
vans by which thousands of attendants
could motor to the exposition. One
caravan formed in Illinois announced
1t had LOCO automobiles.