Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-06-03
VIRGINIA BAPTISTS.

IC.orrcspondcncc OF the Alexandria GAZETTE
NORFOLK, Va, May 81, 1SS4.-The Asso-
citation closed its session this afternoon, and
MANY of the delegates and visitors are
homeward bound The committee OIL sup
ply for pulpits asking preachers for Sunday
are sorely puzzled to meet the demand.
The G1st meeting of the Baptist General
Association of Virginia will long be remem-
bered as one of the most largely attended,
most pleasant and profitable meetings in its
history.
The speeches in the main were good. All
did not Get the floor who desired to speak,
and who really agonzed for this privilege.
TO a man who wants to eyaporate right
badly it is great disappointment to be shut
Off and shut up without his say. And some
who did get the oor because Of their agili-
~ and because they thought that they wei Q
burdened with information on the subject
under discussion, forgot what they had 10
saw before they reached The platform. This
rising and shouting "Mr. President" and
standing until it is determined that you are
the man recognized, and then he required
TO walk out from the congregation and
walk up to the platform, and then mount
the same and face the people, which is Il
rood deal harder to do than to face the mu-
sic, takes the thought out of many men and
greatly reduces the speech in quantity and
quality.
OF the many addresses listened to, DR.. f..
G. Rohinson's speech before the "Firgnia
Baptist Historical Society,"" on Thursday
night, surpassed them all. For one hour he
held The vast audience spell bound. Some
of his utterances would not suit many OF
our high church Baptists nor would they
be relished by high church men of other
names. The subject and The occasion gave
the distinguished theologian an opportunity
to make known the results Of his researches
in the dusty and musty pages Of church his
| tory, and OF the Importance of gathering and
preserving the annals of our church life and
church work Tie address was emnently
catholic and conservative. He claimed that
all were sects, the Anglican Church of Eng
| land, the Protestant Episcopal Church Of
| Amerira and the Roman Catholic Church
were sects, and no church had n right to
designate its superiority by the use Of capi-
| tai letters TIE CHURCH. TO the disparage-
ment and exclusion of all other churches.
| lie placed but little confidence in mere
creeds, old or new The word of God as a
whole, and the religious body whose priu-
ciples and practices find their authority and
spiritual life in the word, should receive his
support wherever found.
The Norfolk D'Uginiam pronounced the
| address lone Of the most profound and phil
osophical diScourscs ever heard in this city,
and nothing short of Il photographic report
would do it justice" DR.. Robinson was a
Baptist pastor in Norfolk forty-two years
or
Theological Seminary.
The next best speech, in my judgment,
| was Dr. a. b. Browns address on ministerial
education. DR.. Brown is one of the pro-
fcssors in Richmond College.
There was {: spirited fight over the pro-
posed change of time Of meeting Of the Gen
eral Association. A committee composed
of one from each district association brought
in report, changing the time Of meeting
from first week in June to Tuesday before
the third week in November. Many con-
tended earnestly for the old time, but the
vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the
new. So the body will not meet again until
November, 'S5.
On Friday afternoon the company owning
Virginia Beach, and tho railroad thereto,
invited the association to a free excursion
to that grand watering place. Many of the
delegates who had never seen sold Ocean"
were favored with Il view Of water where
they could see, as Il boy expressed it, clear
out of sight.
The association will meet next year with
the Second Baptist Church. Richmond, Va.
Rev. A. L. Owen, Of Portsmouth, is ap-
pointed to preach the annual sermon.
Your correspondent was asked with
emphasis, "What is the matter with Alex
andria? We expected All Invitation from
Alexandria, &C., &C." 1t is true the associ-
alton has not been held in that city for
twelve or fifteen years. Culpeper, Warren
ton, Fredericksburg, Danville and other
small cities have sent invitations, while we
have been silent. All this, and much more,
was said to draw from US an explanation
We had a reason-a Scriptural reason. 1t
was this an honor prcter,ing one another"
We gracefully yield the honor TO our
sister cities and towns every year. But
the honor will come to us in the
course of human events. This body is
composed OF 90 subordinate associations.
The number of churches is us, and the
number of ministers 433. The entire church
membership is 7l,771. This is according to
the last report in 1883. The next report
will show considerable increase.
We have tried not to burden your columns
with dry details Of the various reports OF the
secretaries OF the boards albeit it NAV be
hard to have any dry details from so large q
body Of Bapiias.
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