Twenty-Sixth International Christian Endeavor Convention By JOHN H. HUNTER E XPERT testimony, and certainty that of “Father Endeavor” Clark and William Shaw is fairly entitled to be called such, declares the twenty-sixth international convention of Christian En- deavorers, which met in this city July 9-14, to have been the best yet held. And the man on the street, knowing and, perhaps, caring little about Christian Endeavor, would testify that the convention city by the Pacific, has never opened her hospitable gates to a more respectable looking or better behaved army of young people. And those who have the best interests of our city at heart could not but hope that many of the visitors will return to become residents. The number of registered delegates was announced as being 10,001, and it is estimated that the friends and tourists who took advantage of the low railroad rates numbered another 15,000. The convention was housed in a mammoth tent specially erected in Fiesta 1 Park. The location is a strategic one, being within fifteen minutes’ walk of the downtown center, and being accessible by a large number of street car lines. Strictly speaking only the evening mass meetings were held in the tent (occasionally an afternoon service was held there), but the headquarters of the committee, the state delegations, etc., were there. The acoustic properties were ' a pleasant surprise, for from experiences with other convention tents one was hardly prepared to sit within a few rows of the back, looking over nearly 10,000 heads, and to hear the speakers comfortably. The convention was opened with a
service of praise and prayer, and addresses of welcome were delivered by Mr. Leonard Merrill, from the convention committee; Rev. William Horace Day, D. D., pastor of the First Congregational Church, from the churches; Hon. H. H. Rose, mayor of Los Angeles, from the city. “Quiet Hour” meetings were held at 6:30 o’clock each morning in various sections of the city, and these assured a good start on the work of the day. Each forenoon was devoted to discussions on varied phases of endeavor work, under experienced leaders, forming a very helpful “Christion Endeavor Institute.” Dr. Charles M. Sheldon of Topeka, Kan., presided over the Conference for pastors and church workers; Dr. J. Balcom Shaw, pastor-elect of Immanuel Presbyterian Church, was in charge of the Bible Study Conference; Dr. A. L. Phillips of Richmond, Va., had charge of the conference on the work of the missionary committee, and so on throughout all the ränge of Christian Endeavor activities, The noon hour was devoted to a mass meeting held in the Auditorium building which, after the first day when the hall was not nearly full, was packed to overflowing. Here were delivered the strongest addresses of the convention. Dr. Ira Landrith, president of Ward-Bel- mont College, Nashville, Tenn., spoke on “Christianity’s Solution of Civic Conditions; the Hon. J. A. Macdonald, editor of the Globe, Toronto, Canada, on “Christianity’s Solution of the Problem of Capital and Labor;” Dr. J. Balcom Shaw on “Soul Winning as a Daily Pursuit;” Evangelist “Billy” Sunday on “The Stamp-
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