The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-05-31
s,sona Day-NsSn. Sc~slen.

81 s~S0nG tbSy-St&"S SSSAAOhs ,.ehs
3 CHaRLoTTEsviLS, May 90, 1879.
81 .,ssocia,ion'S spacious audience-room
81 W,,rrally packed to-a,sht, while many
8 ~ , "y unable 10 gain access TO even
ST. r, Hume announced the opening
Nv s,ter voluntary admirably rendered
d E4" ,hoir; Rev. Or. W. D. Thomas, OF
' '. read The Scriptures; Rev. DR.. J.
o,p,rnoJus. OF Louisville, KY, led in u fer.
j. -, and appropriate prayer; and DR..
W., ', .r,,as announced rs his text II. Corin-
viii. and clause OF the 9th verse !:
4 , rt,. aiso we wish, even YOUR perfection"
4 ,yrh = graceful word Of greeting 10 bis
4 ',h.an. THANKSGIVING for the past, aud
.,y the future, DR.. Thomas spoke OF
!'I' Concordance OF the individual, the
18th and the denomination having an
-1.r. desire and high aim 10 go on to-
,,S perfection in life and practice. He
ssr,.,ra:ed tac doctrine from the life OF Paul,
4 ~, lahnrcd for the ideal Church and the
i 4, earnestly commended the example
- snirit Of Paul 20 these who have the
So cosucl 20 live, the same gospel 10
.-.rh and the same gospel to diffuse. He
",~c.tlv condemned that spirit which
,rny,6 ignore the great principles on which
I,.orcl;cal Christians agree, or would mag.
.a, .he p0ints OF difference. But, on the
,.ISr hand. he would cultivate discrimi
ZINC denominationaiism, and would moi
II -,,cndnr 70 50. called {" liberalism apy
Thing OF Gods word. ....
ur would emphasize the doctrine Of con.
81 ,.,.;ou rrior 10 church membership; but
g :, the other hand he would warn against
va onnoSite error of making conversion so
,om,Irtrly everything rs to neglect clistlVa-
3 ion and the progressive nature OF the new
E,s He would insist on the value of church
rru,bership. though antagoniZing sacra-
rrn,arianism in alI OF its forms.
y Ne earnestly believed in the principle OF
Independence, individuality in rellgion
AMI he warned against the opposite tendency
Ii>uiation and insulation, and would nave
yptuai dependence OF individuals on each
a,her and OF ore church upon another, re-
npmhcring that there should he unity OF
sympathy, as all seek for unity in Christ.
4 H. believed in special seasons OF revival,
lot he earnestly deprecated the idea that
mere are not 10 be ingatherines ut any other
,mr. lie would not eXaIt extraordinary
measures at The expense OF the ordinary
A means Of grace. He feared that in running
.way from Journalism there was danger OF
9rglcrting the properties OF the eXtcrnais
Il our worship, Of showing irrevercnce in
a,r forms. OF sitting bolt upright when a1
,-ayrr. and OF seeming to be unmindful O.
roper respect for Gods house and God!
worship. ~.
He closed with m eloquent presentation
4 d the motives which should lead 10 thi
scking OF perfection. The sermon wa
dear. able. and effective, and seemed L
make Il profound impression on the vas
t.rong who heard it.
Al the close the choir led in singing SUI
4 rtlMy Jesus, my cross have taken.' s.
4 Dr.. Mcintosh pronounced the. bencdic
gnn. VIAToR.
Third Day--Norrip. Session.
4 Especial Correspondence OK the Disparch.1
CHARLOTTESVILLE, May 80, 1870.
After devotional exercises, In which Col
mel J. 4. Hammer, Rev. Ii. ID. Ragland
md Dr.. ". II. Kirk led in prayer, the AS
socjallon took from the table the report Of
the Committee on Relations to the Coloret
People.
Rev. J. A. Speight, of Berkeley. Norfoll
county. endorsed the report in an earnes
siNttU, W itU lut pIuCl vi TUT uuN
!ircd, and The Association took up the .@.
EXPORT OF TUE VIRGINIA BAPTIST EDUCA
TON BOARD. 49,,
This Board is engaged in the work O
MS'ainng ministerial students at Richmon
lotcgc.
The foriy-ninth annual report OF tn
Educational Board was read by Dir. j. y
Ejlyson, corresponding secretary. 1t re
!rls 10 the increasing interest in lninisterla
tiUcalon manifested ut the last annual NEE,
az OF the district associations, and while re
crctting that the aggregate contribution
ave been smaller than for several years, til
amber Of churches contributing was TWEEN
q G.Iyc per cent. larger than the preceding
irar. Credit is given to the yoluntar,
gents Of the Board for their efficient ser
Wee in securing the offerings OF TIT
rJurcheS, and the opinion expressed that
faithful agent could be secured in ever,
church ample means wonld be Forthcoming
10 educate all the young men applying To-
iii. --,
During the year the Board had aidcI
twenty Students for the ministry, who ar
Prosecuting their studies at Richmond Col
eye BY their piety and devotion to stud.
they have shown that they were worthy o
] he confidence OF TIE denomination. Sew
1 Fa! applicants were refused because no
.repal cd to enter college, and one in Feb
nary because the funds of the Board hat
ven exhausted. The policy of assisting
4 'nly those who are ready for college classe:
Kill be adhered to. Five hundred dollar:
Neneeded to pay the balance Of the year:
lIpenses. , ..,.. ~ -...-.;
No question should be Of greater interest
Il @Yirgiuia Baptists at the present time than
y Ia, Of the number and character of its fu.
Mst ministry. Warm hearts and cultivated
minds are needed for the many new fields
opening on every hand. In Virginia there
ats $50 white Baptist churches, and only .36S
ministers. In the United States there are
.5,JQS Baptist churches and 1856 minis
IN, or 9,3l2 more churches than preachers
ls lbeiour largest Protestant denomination:
4 u ibis country the number OF churches in
Excess OF the number OF ministers is nearly
q 1000. From every home and foreign
I; ss>ion field there come appeals fol
4 %'c laDorcrs, and yet, in the pre-
81 %ec OF the existing scarcity OF
.@'N's'ers and the growing demand fol
ZEN, there is an actual decline in the num-
i wi OF young men entering the ministry.
iAe number under this Board is smaller
.ah q. any time since 1866. An examination
tue catalogues of six of The leading col
7 mSes OF the country showed that While
! H' Years ago forty per cent. OF the gradu-
> entered the ministry, now only sew
4 y'eeh per cent. enter 1t. In other words,
'U'e our population has grown i'm
.easeF IN numbers and culture, the
~pply OF ministers fitted by thorough
aiming TO meet the Intellectual demands OF
4 " nmes has not half kept pace with our
s9%tt in other. respects, and is absolutely
W Third smaller than it was fifty years ago.
81 sssough the condition OF ministerial edu-
q e~,S Is not quite so bad in Virginia as in
s0aptry generality, it get would be wise
Il front by the eXi,erience of others and