The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-01
THE VIRGINIA BAPTISTS.
Last Day Of .heir General AssOciation-Edu-
catiOn-Thanks.
Especial telegram to the DlsDatch.'
NORFOLK, Nav 81, 1854.


catiOn-Thanks.
Especial telegram to the DlsDatcEl
NORFOLK. May 81, 1884.
The morning session was opened with
PRAYER by Rev. A. b. DunaWay.
The Virginia Beach Railroad Company
were thanked for courtesieS.
Rev. DR.. j. c. Long, OF Grocer TheolOgi-
cal seminary, made an interesting address.
Judge W. r. Blrksdale. OF Halifax, Of
fcrcd a strong resolution IN favor OF local
option, which after number OF earnest
speeches and some change OF phraseology,
was adopted.
The President OF the Ministers Relief
Fund. Thomas J. Starke, Esq, read the
report 81 the committee charged with that
enterprise.
The report gives the contributions Of the
churches during the past year as S2,Gl9.41,
and the amount OF the fund invested to be
SS.6I0.32. During the past year the COM
mittce had relieved four living ministers
and fourteen needy families OF deceased
ministers.
The report states that the fund is stead
ily growing year by year, and expresses
the hope that the invested fund will soon
be large enough to meet all probable de-
mands upon ii.
The report was adopted utter earnest
speeches by Or. W. Il. Vaughan. Captain
John II. Wright, OF suffolk; Rev. Hugh VI.
Goodwin. Of Smytb county, and Judge W.
Il. Bark>dalc, Of Halifax.
EDUCATION.
]. r. nlyson, corresponding secretary
Of The Education Board, read its fifty
fourth annual report, in which the subject
Of ministerial education in its relation TO
The Baptist churches OF Virginia is ably
discussed, and along with 1t the question
OF how TO obtain a larger number OF young
men for ministerial work.
As showing how inadequate is the supply OF
o ducand ministers. the report states th1t
while In the last four ye1rS tete m1i "sel ~
R,pust churches IN the United states ana
of ministers nearly seventeen hundred yet tue
number of students I'm Baptist theological SEMI
nsri,s l. only four hundred an sixty 1--we. or only
dfteen more than four wears ago. AZ least seven
hundred new ministers arc required every NciT 10
many ministers a. CHURCHES. OF these seven hun
drcd The theological selninsries 81 me denoinlht-
ton furnish only about one min ieaFlns NOR" ~,
than i've hundred, II secured nj all 10 enter on
their work with a less thorough training.
The Pre- bytcrians have In this country 0,I43
roini,trrs for Z. 7UA churches, and the Congrega-
iinn,I,.ts $50 ministers for 1874 churches, and
vet they arc greatly alarmed AZ the prospect OF u
scarcity Of suitable luen for The charge OF thelr
churches. y hat, then. shsuld be lhe concern o.
R.ufi,is who have no ministers Tor ere tntn ono
third Of their churches. and who are provdlng less
than 1870 well educ.tcd men year In me ehNrc
nation for the supply Of Z7.sOO churI.cs.
Last wear this Board reported liz churches
in virginia without pastors; now the NUMBER IS
los I'm view Of this unfortunate condition or
affairs the Board Is glad to report uat II ma ui-
der H. care during the present year 80 Young men,
"A of whom have pursued tEclr studies AZ Klch-
mond college and at ne southern baptsI ihc'.-
logical Seminary. In addition 10 thete 'herr trE !
Vfrginia Young mex NJ She seminary AMI az Ihe
College who were not aided by The Board. lnfklng
a total OF "a young men from NirNnia y ,pi u
churches preparing to preach me 'T0siv ms ls
the largest number 4 ministerial students 'he
churches have ever had in any one year.
The receipts Of the Board for the year were
s3,2l9.32; balance on mana al thc begiulung Vi
wear. si44.35; total income. k3,GG3,61 pald OUT
s2.6S5 81: balance on hand, S977.7O. one
thousand dollars more viii lie needed % defray
the expenses Of the year Just co,nS he rGPIr
their people ~ full appreciation 81 thc dlgnlly
Of Lhe pastoral Office, and the vide heli or useial-
nps- II omen. 10 earnest and COusccTatCd men, then
we NAV EXPECT larger and more constantly IN
creasing acccsstons To the ranks Of the ministry
DISCUSSION.
Rev. DR.. j {. Long, OF Grocer Thcolo-
oiraI Seminary, made m earnest, able. and
very effective speech, in which he spoke
tenderly and eoquently Of the grand old
fotb hers OF the denomination in Virginia
who have passed away, but took the hope
f,lI view that while these were giants IN
those DAYS" who lowered above any on
the young men OF their time, yet the young
men have been educated and been thor-
oughly equipped Tor their work, until the
Baptist ministry Of Virginia to-day Is OF Il
far higher type than ever before.
Rev. DR.. A. Il. Brown, OF Richmond
College, made one OF his ablest and happi-
est speeches. in which he kecnly and effec-
tiyeIy latirized the objections Of modern
scientists and .O-callcf "higher criticism
TO the old Bible which God gave and has
preserved, but ably and elOquently insisted
that we must prepare our Young preachers
10 meet and cope with the ablest repre-
sentatiyes OF these theories. He closed
with an eloquent and effective appeal Tor
more interest in aud help for this Educa-
tion Board and the dear boys under its
care.
Rev. DR.. f. G.. Robinson, OF Brown
University, was called out, and made an
able speech, i'm which he insisted that we
want more OF quality than OF quantity IN
the ministry. and that our education
boards should see to il that they only help
the men who are worth helping, and that
they send out not men who are third-rate
scholars and very poor preachers. Dut
men called Of God. "apt TO teach" ana
ab lc to do the work TO which he IS called
and for which he Is educated.
The report was adopted
The Committee on Obituaries presented
fitting tributes to the memory OF Reys.
Jobn O. Turpin, DR.. W. II. Kirk, and W.
L. Hatcher.
Various matters Of detail were acted on
as the Association was dissolVing and
many Of the delegates fastening TO take
tbe trains or boats which were to bear them
homeward.
The resolutions OF thanks to the people
OF Norfolk for hospitality were something
more than the usual form, Tor never was
there more bounteous, graceful hospitality
than the good people OF Norfolk showered
upon Us.
Members OF all denominations and eiti-
Gems generally opened wide their doors,
and never was real Old-Virginla hospi-
tality" more beautifully illustrated.
The polite, intelligent, and attentive lit
tle napes who served the delegates-tht
courteous members Of the Norfolk press
who made such full reports OF the pro-
ceedings-as well as the pastor tDr. Bur
rows) and the very efficient COMMITTEE o
! Arrangements-all placed your reporter
under obligations for many courtesles an'
| kinduesses, while he can never forget IN.
| elegant "homen where he found sucl