The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-05-19
southern Baptist Convention.

: This body held its twenty-fifth session il
. Columbus, May SO. 1t is composed, accord
] ing to its Constitution, of delegates from
Missionary Societies, Churches and other
: religious bodies of the Baptist Denomina-
tion, on the basis of one dele
: gate for every hundred dollars contributed
to our funds at any time within twelve
months preceding the meeting of the body .
and of messengers from certain State organi-
cations, zone for every five hundred dollars
expended on objects similar to those of the
convention" and duly reported About
seven hundred delegates were entitled to
seats this year, but only about four hundred
were present, probably because Columbus is
on the border of the territory of the Conven-
I ton. Really those who attend these meet
/ ings are not delegates or representatives,
| but only messengers, who consult about and
recommend plans for the extension and es-
Enlistment of the Redeemer's Kingdom in
the world The local churches Judge as to
what the law of Christ is and endeavor to
execute it. There is no court of appeal. As
is true of Associations and State Conyen-
tons, the work of this body is Missionary.
1t works through two Boards,-The Home
Board, at Marion, Alabama, and the For
eign Board, at Richmond, Virginia.
The Convention sustains missionaries in
Brazil, Africa, China and Italy. 1t has at
the different stations, y missionaries % as
sistants. Mississippi has given j. II. Eager, |
for Rome, W. J. David, for Africa, and E. /
L. Simmons and wife, for Canton, China. /
From all these stations | gather these sta
tistics; Church members, S5l; Baptisei, |
los; contributed, $500 o.. Northern i
Baptists, not half SO numerous, have done
five times more in this department of Chris
tian work. But Southern Baptists are i'm
proving. Two other missionaries, with
their wives, have been appointed to China,
and are expected to sail about October.
The financial state of the Board is good.
Receipts $46,820 20; disbursements $40,
179 43, leaving on hand $641 05. Besides,
the Treasurer has invested $6,656, given for
special objects.
The Home Mission Board has mission
aries in the needy and destitute portions of
the States among the Indians, and one man
with one church among the 10000 Chinese
of California. Statistics: Churches and
stations supplied, 1917 accessions, 80;
Bibles distributed los. These statistics do
not show a 1.-THE of what the denomination
is doing at home, the greater part of this
work being done through State orgsniza-
tons.
The Serving Mission school, in the
Greek Nation will be in operation by the !
early autumn, at a cost of so, POS o. al ;
ready in hand. l
The Southern Baptist Theological Semi
nary, at Louisville, KY, has recently closed :
it's most successful session. 1t has had this y
year 81 students As there is no other insti-
tuition exactly like this in America, it is de-
sired to say few things about its peculiari-
ties 1t was founded in 1859 on what is stated |
by good authority, to be the Baptist idea
Of the christian ministry, viz; that while Z
a man shall not be prohibited from preach \
in Christ because he is not college gradu-
ate, yet our young men should be encouraged
to take a thorough collegiate training, and .
should have opportunity for the most e1- /
tensive and thorough theological course. !
The Seminary provides, therefore, an Eng y
lish course for those who have not had l
classical training, and a most extensive
course in Latin, Greek and Hebrew for :,
those prepared to receive it. Instead of :
the curriculum it has the University Ec- |
lectic system applied to Theological In ;
struction, and the whole course is divided Il
into eight distinct and Independent schools :
any one or more of which the student can
take and complete he is prepared to do
so. The financial condition ofthe Seminary
is Frightening. The Treasurer has now in
hand cash Sl75, 900, and has reason to be-
lieve that this be increased to $500, 900 by
the first of June. Only the interest of this
is to be used for the institution. OF this t
amount Ex-Governor Brown, of Georgia, c
gave $4,000, and few Baptists North $42,- J
poo. At this meeting of the Convention the {
gave 5000 towards endowment. 1
The expenses of the last session, salary of
Professors, help of needy and worthy stu n
lehts, have been met and there is a balance \
IF few hundred dollars in hand. c
After pleasant meeting and what some a
brethren regard as the most encouraging
md promising session of the body, the
adjourned to meet in Greenville, i,
). c., on Wednesday before the I'd Lords y
lay of May, 1892. HI. f. :.