The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-10
ISrccas Correspondence OF the Dispatch.l
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION.
FIRST Day.

the CT adeiSquare BSptiSt chOrch, WDlcn Is
certainly one Of the most beautiful and con.
yenient houses OF worship in the country,
| One OF the most pleasant features Of meet
ing of this kind is the social intercourse
which 1t brings about, aud this was very
marked this morning. AS veterans OF the
Cross and young soldiers from distant fields
of labor gather 10 exchange cordial greetings
and express warm sympathies with each
others sncceSs or trials, one is made to feel
That it were worth long journey even to
minsle in such scene. But ut 10 O'Clock
the Convention Is called to order by the
president, Rev. DR.. Boyce, of Kentucky, and
the work OF the Convention begins.
| The territory covered by this Convention,
according TO the latest statistics, contain
100000 actual members of some regular
Baptist church, distributed as follows: Ala
bama, IS 600; Arkansas, 44,900; District Of
Columbia, $3.50; Florida. 1900; Georgia,
100000; Kentucky, $4,000; Louisiana,
81 300; Maryland, $3.50; Mississippi, $500;
Missouri. $500: North Carolina, 800 !;
South Carolina. $4,000; Tennessee, l04, 800 !;
Tex,s, $4,000; Virgins, 100000. About
| 100000 OF the total membership reported
are whites in cooperation with the Southern
BAPTIST Convention.
The Convention has not, of course, any
ecclesiastical authority over the churches, but
is intended ms missionary organization. 1t
! conducts missions in China, Africa, and Italy
through the Foreign Board located in Rich
mond, and missions at destitute points
throughout the South and among the H.
dams. The Convention also considers such
other questions OF general interest US may be
deemed proper from time to time, and
especially the Interests Of the Southern Bap-
list Theological Seminary.
| The large audence-room was crowded
this morning with delegates and visitors,
who seemed to enjoy the devotional eXer-
ciscs with which the session was opened.
After The delegations from the several
States had been reported the Convention
proceeded to the election of officers, with the
following result: President. Rev. Dr.. j. P.
Boyce, OF Kentucky. VicC-Presidenis, Rev.
DR.. y. Ii. Nell, Of Georgia; Rev. DR.. J. l..
VI. Curry, Of Virginia; Rev. DR.. +. T.
Winkler, OF Alabaml; and Rev. DR.. K.
Fuller. Of Mary land; Secretaries. Rev. w.
4. Mccall and Hon. W. .. Tuggle, both OF
Georgia.
On motion of Rev. DR.. Fuller, Of Mary
land, Rev. DR.. Lathrop, of Connecticut, was
invited TO deliver a message which he bad
from the American Baptist Home-Mission
Society.
Being invited on the platform DR.. Lathrop
greeted the Convention in the name OF The
American Baptist Home Mission Society. He
brought the Christian salntations and love OF
the Society. He came with no propositions
for organic union, but to bring tho CORDIAL
}sympa,hieS of his Society in the common
work in which the two societies are engaged.
Their organizations may be different, out
the TWO societies are the same IN heart ana
purpose members Of the same family: en-
gsgcd in the same work, animated by the
same hope, and journe!iug to the same
home.
He read communication from the Society
he represented embedding the views eX.
pressed in bis remarks.
| Or. Lathrop was invited to sit as CORE
spending messenger, and his communication
vas referred to 4 committee consisting OF
Rev. J. William Jones OF Virginia Rev. Or.
r. Fuller of Maryland, and Rev. DR.. W. G.
Crane of Texas.
On motion Of Rev. DR.. Curry, DR.. ). ;.
Cutting, of New York, secretary of the
Amcric.n Baptist Educational Commission,
| Mas Invited TO Il seat, and visiting ministers
generally had the same-privilege extended to
hem. Among those reported were Rev. DIR.
WavIand, OF Philadelphia, and Rev. &. e.
Prlchar6. Of North Carolina.
The report Of the Homo Mission Board OF
he Convention was then read by Rev. DR..
Vi. Il. Sumner, corresponding secretary.
The report details the operations Of the
Board during the past year, giving the fol-
lowing summary Of labors performed
During the year 81 missionaries and agents
have been under appointment, including the
native Indian preachers, the result OF whose Ia
horS is as follows: Weeks OF labor performed,
l,Sl0; sermons and addresses made, 1852 !;
religious visits to families, 5.679 prayerand
other meetings attended, 1868; miles tra-
yelled in performance of labor, IS 40; bap-
ti>ms administered. 1856; baptisms admins
tered by others in connection with the labors
of the missionaries, G09-total baptisms,
1915; number of Sunday schools organized
10y the missionaries. $50; number of teachers
and pupils in attendance in the Sunday
schools, 2.4GG; pages of religious tracts dis
trbued. q, Ij5; number Of churches organ
lzed during the year, 20; number Of meeting
houses butt, IS; pumber of churches and
stations supplied 10y the missionaries, 204.
1t gives the following review Of thirty
years work:
: Years occupied, so: number of commits
>ions issued, l ,I55; weeks of labor performed
24O2; plumber of sermons and addresses,
lS9. sol: number Of religious visits to fami
lies, 223 0lJ; prayer and other meetings at
: tended 0,l27 number of miles travelled IL
performance Of labor, /, TAG, 72G; number OF
Daptisms administered, n ,4O2; number o.
bap,isms administered by others in connec
ton with the labors Of the missionaries,
1871; total number of baptisms, 81 9i9
Number OF Sunday schools organized, l,94o
number of churches and stations supplied,
1850; number Of pages of tractsdlstrlbuted
La nf ohy,rn
sos; number Of meetinS-bouses built, l6'
amount Of receipts, 1925, 255.7l.
The report gives very encouraging ex:
hibit of its finances for the current year. ano
concludes with detailed exhibit OF the Home
mission work done by the several State Or
CARNATIONS in the bounds Of the Convention,
showing that these have in their employ l6o
missionaries, who have baptized 2,709 cor
verfs, and labored with pastors in meetings
in which 1927 others have protested CONVEX.
sion.
The report was referred to appropriate
committees.
The report of the Foreign Mission Board
was then read by the corresponding secre-
tary, Rev. DR.. Fl. A. Upper.
The report gives details of the work 10
China, Africa, and Italy during the past
year. which have been published in the DIS
patch from time to time, and need not be re-
peated. Il is sufficient to say that the re-
port was decidedly encouraging, and the out
look very hopeful.
The receipts for the past year were $33,
I2lS3
This report was also appropriately re-
ferred.
Richmond, Atlanta, Washington, D. c.,
and CoIumh,Is Ga all sent invitations FOR