Morning journal and courier., 1883-10-17
Baptist State Convention.

Baptist State Convention.
 The Work in COnnecttcut-Interestin
 Statements and Addresses-A Good Att
 tendance.
 The Baptist conference resumed it's sessions yesterday morning at 10;30 in the Calvary church. There were fully 500 present. Rev. s. s. Samson, pastor of the church, made a brief address of welcome in which he stated incidentally that he had been at the Calvary church only three years and half, yet he was the longest resident pastor in this sec ton of the State.
 The president read some statistics relative to the present condition of the church in this State. During the past year the number of baptisms had been 762. He also spoke of the methods of helping weak churches and advocated more systematic method of col lecting money and founding churches
 Rev. T. AT. Hanna, after reading a short eulogy of George filling, whose death is the only one in the obituary record of the past year, asked for help for the church in Shel- ton. He also alluded to the work of the mis. sionaries who are employed in converting the French Canadians and among the Swedes in the State. There are now eight places where meetings are conducted in the Swedish tongue.
 The following officers of the convention were elected for the ensuing year: President, w. s. Bronson of Hartford; vice president, Rev. G. H. Miner, New Britain; secretary, Rev. T. A. T. Hanna of Huntsville; treasur- CT, James Lockwood of Hartford: statistical secretary, Elizur Cook of Hartford. After appointing committee to choose members of the permanent committees the convention took recess for dinner.
 The afternoon session was begun at two o'clock. After the usual prayer and singing the statistical secretary read his report. The Added by baptism from 1868 to 1882, 18, 321; total admission in same time, 25, ,511; total dismissions from 1868 to 1882, 14 ,271 by let ter, exclusion, erasure and death; names erased, 2,390; persons excluded, 1856; deaths, 4,036; number who chang ed church relations by letter. 6,489; contributions recorded for benevolent ob jects, $56O. 708. 35; contributions for other than benevolent purposes, $1, 724 ,O74; foI foreign missions, $1O3, ,237; for home mis. sions, 1884, 127 total returns, $2, 284, 783.20. In 179O in the State thirty nine Baptist churches and 2,220 members; in 1900, if. ty-nine churches, and 4,663 members; in bers; in 1920, seventy-three churches. r. 5s3 members; in 1880, 83 churches, 9, 196 members; in 1S4O, 96 churches, Il, ,O21; in 1850, 113 churches, 16, ,033 members; in 1860, 116 churches, 18,8O1 members; in 1870, = churches 18, 843 members; in 1880, - churches, 2O,6 members.
 , A discussion upon the question of the i'm portance of establishing churches in new and growing communities was opened by Rev. G M. Stone, D. D. Several joined in the dis cussion. The need of spiritual culture in the churches was also discussed. Rev. G. M. Stone, D. D., opened the debate. These dis cussions drew out many speeches and consid- woMAN's HOME MISSION.
 At the College street church yesterday af- ternoon at 2:30 o'clock there was large as- semblage of ladies' who were interested in the work of the Baptist Woman's Home mis- sion. The work has been very prosperous during the year. Mrs. Pollard, of Boston, made an address, which was listened to with deep and close attention. Mrs. Hand, of Maine, also spoke, telling of the glorious work that had been done by the society and of the work that lies before them. She ex- horted her hearers to take more active in- terest in home missions.
 THE CONVENTION SERMON.
 Every seat in the main body of the Calvary church was occupied last evening. The ex- ercises were opened by the usual anthem and hymns by the choir and reading of scripture and prayer by the ministers. The Rev. N. Fl. Pogson had been selected to preach the annual convention sermon. He chose for his theme the superiority of the theological profession, theme most admirably selected for the occasion. The speaker adverted in his preliminary remarks to the various profes- sions, tersely characterizing the peculiar advantages of each and showing, too, their weaknesses and disadvantages. In compari- son with them all the minister's calling stands out vastly superior. It is superior in the moral and the spiritual element, in the ex- tent and permanency of it's Influence, in the impending issues with which it deals, in it's solemn responsibility, in it's power for ad- vancing the real and highest interests of mankind. Ministers are the heraIds of sal- vation. They are Gods ambassadors. How careful, then, should they be to be worthy of their high calling was the thought that the speaker gtrove to impress in closing
 At the meeting of the Baptist Social union of the State, which will be held in the Cal vary church this evening, a collation. will be furnished by Barkentin at o'clock in the lecture room of the church. The main aud fence room of the church will be open for the reception of members and their guests after the close of the convention and until the hour for supper.