In Behalf of the Business Men of San Francisco

Fellow Workers:

MR. ROLLA V. WATT

Now that you have heard these words of welcome from the Chief Executive of this city, it is my great privilege to speak to you on behalf of the business men of San Francisco. We appreciate your coming on your own account and because of those you represent, not only the children but also the youth of this country, for the Sundayschool has ceased to be a children's organization and has become what its name implies, a school; a school for all ages, for the study of the Bible, the study of the best things in life, the study of the varied means of service and of the will of God concerning His people. Engaged as you are in this laudable work your presence and deliberations among us lead to higher thinking and to greater consideration of these more important themes. We welcome you to San Francisco hoping you will become better acquainted with us. We have undoubtedly been much in the public eye, whether because of our unprecedented misfortune in 1906, of our follies and wickedness, of our magnificent material recovery since the disaster, of our political gymnastics or because of our spectacular and successful fight for the Panama Pacific Exposition, I cannot say.

There are sixty thousand children and youth in our schools-public, private and parochial-not more than one-third of whom attend the Sunday-schools of any denomination. It is to be hoped, therefore, that this Convention will result in fixing our attention upon the higher phases of life. We need what you stand for, the highest, the best things in life-the supremacy of the spiritual over the material, character founded upon truth and godliness.

May I refer briefly to material things. In this city five years ago, following a tremblores which would in itself have been but a seven days' wonder, involving a monetary loss of, say, fifteen million dollars, a fire broke out which destroyed twenty-eight thousand buildings, onehalf of which were occupied as dwellings and apartments, the remainder comprising practically the entire business section of our city This confiagration resulted in a direct loss to the wealth of this city and, therefore, to the world, by the absolute destruction of more than three hundred and fifty million dollars' worth of property—an unprecedented loss. San Francisco was reimbursed by insurance companies to the extent of approximately one-half this vast sum, but there was the great loss to our citizens of at least one hundred and

seventy-five million dollars. What has been done since that fateful day in April, 1906? Look about you and see. Have our business men faltered? Have they not pressed forward against almost insurmountable obstacles? Twenty-eight thousand buildings destroyed, but thirtytwo thousand two hundred and forty-one building permits granted since!

The churches were hard hit by the disaster. Thousands of communicants lost their homes and were scattered broadcast. The business of the financial supporters of all the churches was swept away so that without exception great difficulties confronted all denominations. Naturally the first struggle was for places of abode and then for the rehabilitation of places of business, and then, in this pleasure-loving city, there was a demand for places of amusement, and finally for the restoration of houses of worship.

When in the East I am often asked if we do not live in daily terror of earthquakes, to which I reply that we of San Francisco are not as much afraid of earthquakes as you Middle West people are of cyclones and you of the great Eastern cities of sun stroke. Most people who visit us wish they might experience a little quake just to see how it feels, but none of us ever want to try a cyclone or a sun stroke when we go East. With a mean summer temperature of sixty-two and winter of fifty-two, we work at all times with less inconvenience than other people. Our climatic conditions would permit of the Panama Pacific Exposition being open for twelve consecutive months without discomfort to visitors or employes.

To this city which I have so inadequately represented, the city by the Golden Gate, the city of almost miraculous recovery, the city of enterprise and outlook, the city of the Panama Canal, the city which needs your type of Christian faith and devotion, we cordially welcome you on behalf of our business men. You will find the bad if you look for it, for it is almost unrestrained I am sorry to admit, but we invite you to all that is good and there is much of it. Judge us by our best and not by our worst, by what you see of good in us and not by the bad. San Francisco will yet show to the world that at heart she is sound and that she stands for righteousness in private and in public life. We trust your stay amongst us may be delightful and that when you go, if you must go, you may carry with you impressions of the hearty, whole-souled Western hospitality which we feel in our hearts towards you and which we trust we may have the happiness to make you feel.

In Behalf of the General Committee

REV. H. H. BELL, D. D., CHAIRMAN

I think no greater honor could be given any man than that which devolves upon me in representing the General Committee of splendid business and professional men who have prepared for your coming. Our General Committee greets you.

Our Commonwealth should be congratulated upon the coming into our midst of such a distinguished band of the followers of Christ. From all quarters of our great continent you have come. Our welcome to you is as rich and as royal and as large and as loving as we know how to make it. We welcome you because of the Christian character and citizenship which you represent. Long ago Aristotle said, "They who give meditation to the government of men must recognize as first and chief of all the proper teaching of the children." The work that you do recognizes that; therefore, the work you represent is at the very foundation of the best character and the best citizenship of our great continent.

We welcome you also because of the splendid Association you represent. In this day of modern enterprises God has ordained nothing greater in its organization, personal, individual policy or possibilities than the great International Sunday School Association.

We welcome you also because of the self-sacrifice you have exhibited in coming here to assist your brothers and sisters who are on the firing line. Our task here is not small. Hereafter you will understand it better, and you will sympathize with us more deeply and will pray for us more earnestly and will realize that we are fighting your battles and the battles of this great continent, morally, religiously, if not also educationally, scientifically and otherwise.

We welcome you also because of the fact that you bring to San Francisco and this great Commonwealth a greater focusing of the world's family and individual altars in their petitions to Almighty God than ever has been the case before. You prayed for us when we were passing through that greatest disaster of the century; but the world is now praying for San Francisco.

We welcome you here because of the mighty appeal that the future makes to the present, the challenge that it makes. What is that challenge? It comes up from this western slope where you have shoved us just as far as you can from the center, and it is that we lift up here on this Pacific slope, at this Golden Gate, high and higher still