National Republican., 1880-10-11
BAPTIST MISSIONARY WORK.
Tho Meetings In the Interest OF tho Publioa-
tton Society.


The baptist world of tho District Of Column
bia has beon earnestly engaged and pleasantly
edif the past two days in holding n series
of special meetings in tho interest of the
American Baptist Publication society aud its
missionary work specially in tho District Of
Columbia. Rev. DR.. G, J. johnson of Phila-
delpha, missionary secretary Of the society,
aud Rev. ]. d. English of Baltimore. Sunday.
school missionary for Maryland, woro present
during the meetings, giving aid and assist
ance in the work. The Baptist Publication
society is occupied In great work, and is la
boring energeiically, faithfully and with graf
flying success in that work. It is tho largest
Of all similar societies in tho baptist church,
and battling manfully for the spread Of evan
golical christianity. One special feature ofthis
society is the zeal it has always shown in
building mp Sunday-schools, rightfully holding
that the Sunday.school was tho nursery of the
church. As tho baptist church may be called
the missionary church from It's untiringly
Jealous, energetic and successful labors In that
field, 80 the American Baptist Publication
society finds in the organization and oncOur-
agcment of missionary societies ono of its
fayorlte and most fruitful pursuits 1t has,
besides others. special fund, donated by Mr..
CrOzer of Philadelphia for the evangelism
tion of tho colored people. The meetings on
Saturday aud yesterday were many aud all
well attended. The interest felt in the society
and its work by tho baptist people of the Dis
trlct was highly gratifying to those in charge
OF them, and affords reasonable hope for the
presumption that the lack of zeal said to exist
| in some other protestant denominations is not
| to be found in tho baptist church.
| The services began on Saturday evening at
the Wayland Theological seminary, whero
Rev. Dir. John on delivered n lecture on "Our
country its past present ana future, and the
| Importance OF its ovangelization." DR.. Johnson
| IL plansnnt
speaker, with graceful manner, q
singularly agreeable voice, and the happy
| faculty of stating point In the clearost
possible light. Yesterday morning at tho
| First and the North baptist churches and in
the afternoon at tho Calvary baptist mission
there was held the Sunday.school centenary
celebration. Mr.. English delivered an ad-
dress at the North church aud DIR. Johnson at
| tho other two, both gentlemen giving a his
tory of Robert Rlikcs aud his work, dcscrib.
| ing the Sunday.school of to-day and showing
| tho vast progress that had been mado since
the days of Rakes. Recitations "Tho Past"
| '"rhe Present" and "'l'ho Future" were given,
and in addition ut the First baptist aud Cal
vary mission Dr. johnson delivered an ad.
dress on "Our Baptist Sunday School Society"
| The children were out in large numbers, the
churches were crowded, aud the spirit Of the
Lord came down in full grace upon the earnest
| aud devout worshipers.
| At the II o'clock morning services Dr. john
sou preached at Calvary church, Rev. L. II.
Greene at the Fifth church and at tho First
baptist Mr.. English. The theme of this gentle
man was tho "Unchangeability aud Til refore
tho Divinity of Christ" very strong point
poemicaly and elaborated with great force
Of logic and much beauty of expression by hr.
| English. He also presented tho claims Of
missionary work to tho congregation in q
| very effective manner. as did Dr. johnson Mt
| Calvary aud DR.. Greene at tho Fifth church.
At3p. m. Mr.. English preached sermon
| and made presentation of tho claims of mis-.
sionary work at tho Nineteenth street (col.
Ored) church, and ut 7:30 Mr.. English, at the
Fifth colored church, and DIR. Johnson, Mt tho
| Fourth colored church, preached DIR. john
SON at the First baptist church at night
preached beautiful aud forcible sermon from
Luke, xv., 7. his themo being "Tho Joy of
Angels Oyor Ropentant Sinners" From tho
| blessed promise held out by this text the
beautiful hope 1t breathes, the glorious sug.
gcstions that lie wrapped up In consoling
phraseology, this text has long been u
| favorite one for tho preacher to expOund and
tho christian to ponder. In DR.. Johnson's
treatment last night its tender and hopeful
| promises were presented in a light especially
| clear and radiant, and those who failed to
hear his sermon missed a beautiful and touch
ing presentation OF tho illimitable love of
God and of His mercy for sinful humanity.
| II Is gratifying to add that the thank offer
ings taken ut the Sunday school sessions to
| be applied tu the enlargement of tho publlcn-
tion society Sunday school mission work In
our county, were agreeably bounuful, while the
regular annual collections for the missionary
work of tho society with particular reference
to tho support of Oolportage In the District Of
| Columbia were unusually large.