Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-08
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIsTs.
Brief Sketch Of their History and Pros
peets--Taeir Convention in
Louisville, KY.
Full Report Of the Proceedings of the First
and Second Days.

NAG AADAA1 a. S1hAA q "a III
Thursday
The Southern Baptist Convention,
which meets in the Walnut Street
Church to-day, is a most important
body, whether we consider its compO-
sitiOn or the interests which it repre-
sents. The Baptist denomination is a
power in the land. From carefully
compiled tables, we learn that the sta
tistics of the Baptists in the United
States are as follows: 72S associations,
15,143 churches, ands 1857 ordained
ministers. They have twenty-seven
male colleges, fourteen theological
seminaries, and a very large number
of female institutes. They have forty
five UNCONVENTIONAL papers and mag
azines, which reach all sections and
classes.
The Southern Baptist Convention
represents a constituency of about
seven hundred thousand white men,
bers, in churches scattered over an
area extending from Maryland to
Texas and from Virginia to Missouri.
Southern Baptists have under their
control fourteen male colleges and a
general theological seminary which
has upward of sixty students. Most
of the endOwments of these were lost
by the war, but they have been re-en-
dOwed by a selfsacrifcing liberality
worthy Of all praise.
Up to 1888 the Baptists Of the North
and South worked harmOniously to-
getheT in the same general o~rganiZa-
lions, and no strife was permitted to
enter. But at the meeting for this
year, held in the city of New York,
sectional feeling was engendered,
which was still more manifest three
years later at the meeting in Balti-
more, and which grew so bitter
at the meeting in Philadelphia, in
1874, that it was apparent to
all that the day of separation
was at hand. In the autumn of this
wear the Foreign Mission Board DO
Gated at Boston, but established and
sustained by the contributions of the
Baptists of the whole country, in re-
Spouse to a direct question from the
! Baptist State Convention of Alabama,
declared that: "If any one should
offer himself as a missionary, having
slaves, and insist on retaining them
as his property whilst in the service
of the board, they should not appoint
him" This declaration, of course,
rendered the withdrawal of the South
/ ern churches from the general organ
ization imperative.
Accordingly there assembled, in
Augusta, Georgia, in May, 1916, a
convention of Southern Baptists, dis
tinguished alike for its ability, num-
bers, and the entire unanimity with
which it resolved to withdraw from
all organized association with North
ern Baptists in the conducF At its mis-
sionary operations. Thus vas formed
the " Southern Baptist Convention"
which, up TO the breaking
out Of the late war, had a
degree of prosperity and success I'M
surpassed, if it has been equaled, in
the history of such organizations.
At this time the Convention was sus-
tanning its foreign mission work with
such liberality that the board an
nOunced that their need was mot
money, but more men to carry the
gospel to the heathen," and in re-
spouse to this appeal young men all
over the South were saying, "Here
am I-send me-" In the domestic
and Indian mission department they
had had great success, and were en-
larging their operations every e
They had just raised a liberal endOw
ment and put into successful opera
ton the Southern Baptist TheolOgi-
cal Seminary" located at GreenvilIe,
s. c.. In a word, they were nobly
doing their part toward promoting
the interests of that conservative
Christianity for which all denOmina-
tons at the South were so earnestly
working. The blighting effects of the
war were felt by none mShe severely
than by the enterprises of
the Southern Baptist Convention.
Cut off during the war from commu-
nicatiOn with their missionaries, the
Foreign Mission Board found itself
with a heavy debt and an empty
treasury, and all of the other boards
were in a like situation. Thus the
convention has had great obstacles to
contend with. Yet it has struggled
on through these. The churches are
rallying, and the boards of the con-
ventiOn will report their work in a
much better condition at present than
at any time since the war. A pleasing
feature in the present meeting will be
the presence of a number of Northern
brethren, who come as corresponding
delegates, and will be most fraternally
received. At the meeting in Balti-
more in 1868 a delegation from the
Northern societies bore a fraternal
message to the Southern Convention,
which met with a most fraternal re-
Spouse, and since then the relations
between the two sections have been
very pleasant.
The Convention, then, whether we
consider its numbers, the important
interests which it represents, or the
ability which compOses it, will attract
general interest and attention.
Its first session will be held at 10
O'Clock this morning. 1t is impOssi-
bic to give now an accurate list of the
names. We give only a few of thu
prominent arrivals: Rev. A. B. Wood
nm, Mobile; Rev. A. ID. Philips, Mis-
slOnary 70 Africa; Rev. DIR. Skinner,
Nashville; Rev. DIR. Reynolds, s. c.;
Rev. DR.. 5. II. Ford, and Rev. DIR. j..
r. Graves, Memphis; Rev. DIR. p. H.
Nell, Ga; Rev. DIR. NJ. T. Sumner,
Ala; Rev. w. +. Broaddus, Va;
Rev. DR.. T. c. Teasdale, Miss; Rev.
]. j. d. RenfrOe, Ala; Rev. DIR.
J.. P. Boyce, Rev. Crawford III.
Toy, and Rev. w. d. Thomas,
;. u; Rev. DIR. S. Hen
derson, Ala; Rev. DIR. William
Whllanls, ,. C.; Rev. DIR. n. A. Pur-
foy and Rev. DR.. Pritcbard. N. g..
Rev. DIR. w. c. Crane and Rev Mr.
Smith, of Texas; Rev. Or. Griffith. of
Philadelphia; Rev. DIR. Anderson, of
Pa; Rev. DR.. Jeter, Rev. DR.. Poin-
dexter, Rev. DR.. Taylor, Rev. DR..
Dodge, Rev. DIR. HAYNES, Rev. Dr.
Dickinson, Rev. G. @. Biting, Rev.
j. b. Taylor, Jr., all of Va. Rev. DIR.
j. w. M. Williams, Rev. j. b. Haw-
thorn and A. Fuller Crane, ESQ. of
Baltimore; Rev. @. G. Chaplin, Rev.
III. II. Wyer and Prof. G. II. Winston,
of Va. Rev. r. w. Fuller. Rev. F..
II. Ivey, Rev. A. r. Galloway, Of
Ga; Rev. r. Il. Graves, Canton,
China, and q large number of others.
whose names viii appear in the list
of delegates.
FIRST Days PROCEEDINGS.
According to previous announce
ment, the Southern Baptist ConVen- /;
ton met in Walnut Street Baptist ]
Church at 10 O'Clock yesterday. {
Each train for several days has been ]
bringing into the city delegates from 1
various sections, and it has been
pleasant to witness the cordial greet i
of those who have been separated
Tor some time and of new-made
At the appointed hour, the Presi-
lent of the Convention, Rev. DR.. J