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CLEVELAND CONVENTION ECHOES

EVEN AT the risk of seeming repetition we must say that this last General Convention quite surpassed all of its predecessors;—in numbers, interest and enthusiasm.

About 500 WATCH TOWER readers met, many for the first time, and the feast of soul was delightful. Nine of the “Pilgrim” brethren were present and, with the Editor of this journal, delivered most of the fifteen addresses, to most attentive hearers. The Convention was in constant session from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M., except intermissions for refreshments, from Thursday noon, Sept. 12, to Sunday night, Sept. 15. It closed with a love-feast at which seven Pilgrims and five brethren representing the Cleveland church in one hand presented a broken loaf, shared symbolically, while with the other they received and gave parting greetings as the congregation filed past them.

It was good to be there. Those present will probably never forget its spiritual joys and uplifts. The principal attendance was at the Sunday afternoon session, when some one who counted reported 823 in attendance. The next largest attendance was on Saturday at 3 P.M., when after a discourse on baptism—its proper form and real significance—twenty-five brethren and forty-one sisters (total 66) symbolized full consecration by water immersion;—the ages of the participants ranging from 22 to 70 years. The occasion was a deeply impressive one, both to participants and witnesses.

Those in attendance came from every quarter;—from Nova Scotia, Ontario and Montana on the north, to Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas on the south, and especially from the intermediate States—about sixteen in all being represented.

A colporteurs’ meeting showed 23 in attendance, while about 30 new ones expressed the intention of giving all, or a portion of their time hereafter to colporteuring, and took lessons from expert brethren and sisters in an ante-room. This is one of the features of this harvest work which the Lord has been pleased to specially bless in leading his people out of darkness into his marvelous light. The meeting indicated a renewed zeal along this line of the service. Others may be contemplating such service and we invite correspondence respecting methods and territory; say what territory you would prefer.

Our hope is that the considerable expense entailed by such conventions (railway fare, etc.) will be more than compensated for in the spiritual blessings which will surely go with those in attendance to their neighborhoods, and especially to the various smaller congregations of the saints. May the Lord add his blessing to the efforts put forth by the Cleveland Church and by all in attendance.

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— October 1, 1901 —