New-York daily tribune., 1859-05-16
AMERICAN BAPTIST HISTORICAL
SOCIETY

The Fourth Anniversary of this Society took place
On Saturday evening at the Tabernacle Baptist
Church Second avenue near Eleventh street Tho
meeting was largely attended, and opened
with tie usual exercises Of iii gng and prayer, after
which the Rev. DIR. HAGUr, the chairman. made an
Introductory speech showing the Importance Of Bap-
tst history distinct from the general history OF the
Protestant Church.
HoR,rIo GILr, JoSE>, esq, of Philadelphia, read
the Annual Report of the Society, in which were
merged some interesting documents, autographs AMI
books which had been collected during the past year.
Attention was called to two important historical works
lately publsl ed-the history Of the State ot Rhode
Island. bv Samuel c. Aruoll, and the Theocracy OF
New-Eng and, by DIR. thdep, translated from the
German by Mrs. ConaIt. Mention was also made OF
an interesting tablet which had lately been discovered
in tie Cavalier de Rossi ofhe Cataconbs of Rome by
a gentleman who accidentally stumbled upon small
fragment of stone with the word lie thrice re-
pcaied at the beginning OF asuany hues the remainder
hayur been broken otf. Ii WAS known that a tablet
had been erected by Damascus, Bishop of Rome in the
iouuh century, commencing IN TINS way ana conf
memOrGtng the names ot distinguished martyrs OF the
Cross in the third century. Search was therefore
made ard the whole tablet, consisting OF sixty rag-
rents bearing an inscription of eleven hexameter
lines, eventually put together complete and sent 10
London, where il now Is.
On motion of the Rev Mr. DowLlNG, this report
was adopted aud ordered 10 be published.
The Rev. DIR. IiGUE here resigned his seat TO the
Hon Isaac Davis, the next in the order OF the Vice
I
consequence Of previous engagement.
Prof SEwELL :. CUTTING If Rochester University,
then read essay Baptist History. lie commenced
h, showing that the Amercau history rested upon the
English that upon the Roman snd that again on the
Greek and Asiatic. Tie idea that Baptist principles
had their origin in England sprnging from English soil
with no relations the face of the earth, was as
Crnundess as that of the tabled origin of the Ahenans.
There moderate connection between our progeni-
and the Anabaptss of the Continent. The minister
quoted Edward Bean uuderhill, showing how in the
days Of the Reformation the Anabaptists met at the
early hour of five, in the Summer tune, and went To
worship in the felds where they united in singing de-
vCtiona songs, They al-o dned together and gave
their surplus funds the support Of the sick and needy
The rise and progress of the Anabaptss IN Switzerland
related as cotemPorary with smi movement in
the Netherlands ana as three nurihs of century prior
to its iu England. The returnof John Smith
from Holland in 1911 firmly convinced sf the error IN
the idea of prOpagating baptism among themselves,
might be sci down the commencement of distinct
Ababaptlst Church in England It was the demand
for reformed reformation that brought universal
persecution upon the Annbaptists. The uses of
Baptist history were then dwelt upon and considered
as very great because they awakened a congrega-
tional spirit in the Baptist Church, establishing in
the religion Of Christianity distinctive mission.
The Rev. Mr.. Lowry then read resolution ex-
pressing thanks TO Prof Cutting for his able essay,
and ordering its publication. lie also made some
remarks to the claims of the principles OF the
Bapa, Church on the world.
The TREASURER read bis report, which showed that
money had been disbursed during the year for print
ing, s25 and for expenses in holding public meetings.
So received by subscription, $l57 by collection
slO2, and for the sale of books so. This left the
Society in debt to the amount Of about 3d.
After collection was taken up, during which a con-
siderable number of enrolled upon the
lists Of membership, the audience was dismissed in
the usual manner
ANNUAL SERMON
The Annual Sermon before the Society was preached
yesterday Sunday afternoon, also at the Tabernacle
Church, by the Rev. Dr. Turnbull Of Hartford Conn.,,
the congregation assembled being very large. The
reverend gentleman selected bis text from the 9Th
chapter of John, and 9th There is lad here
(which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes,
" but what they among many1" 1t was shown
how the efforts of the Baptist denomination in their
publications and otherwise resembled, in eminent
degree the five loaves and the small fishes though
their books aud tracts had been few aud Of them
very small indeed. The minister exhorted the men,
bers Of the Society to continued exerons in the cause
Of progress and was listened to with attention
AsHTABULA on THE OBERLIs TRIALs.-We find in
the Cleveland the DrOceediDQs n large