Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-10-15
THE BAPTIST CONFERENCE
PROGRESS OF THE oHUROH IN
LOWER DELAWARE.


At yesterday afternoon weeks session O.
the Philadelphia Baptist Association, pro
ceedings were opened with prayer by th,
Rev. Il. II. Hewlett of Berean Church
Philadelphia, and devotional exercises
followed. The Rev. DIR. II. l.. Waylant
spoke of the needs of the colored Baptis
congregation at Dover, and the Rev. II
o. Jones, colored, agent for Delaware o.
the American Baptist Publication Society
was also given an opportunity to speal
upon this subject before proceeding will
the regular order of business. Mr.. Jonet
spoke of the struggles of the little Dover
congregation, which now meets in o pri
vate house, but is earnestly desirous oi
erecting place of worship. He declared
his purpose of devoting his entire ener.
gies TO the Baptist mission work in Della.
ware, and closed with an appeal for aid
for the Dover congregation. A collection
for this purpose was then taken up, with
gratifying response.
The reading of church letters having
been completed, the regular order waf
proceeded with at $3.50 o'clock, and the
tary of the Pennsylvania Baptist General
Abbociubiou, bpoho VI tue WOTk VI Lnhl
organization. He said il was started in
1927, and its work was to establish new
churches and take care of them until they
are able to stand alone. In Pennsylvania
alone, he said, there are more than 200
weak and struggling Baptist churches,
and closed with an earnest appeal for
such sympathy and aid as would enable
b the association TO continue its good work
with renewed vigor.
The speaker not having occupied ali
the time allotted to him, the Rev. Thomas
L. Lewis, pastor of the Baptist Church
at Bethlehem, Pa, was invited to speak
upon the needs of his charge. lie said
his congregation numbered only 3S, but
the city of Bethlehem was a promising
field for Baptist work. The church OF
which he is pastor was erected at cost
of $15, 900, of which the sum of "a 900 is
still due. OF the debt it is necessary to
raise $2,700 by Christmas, and the
churches of the Philadelphia Baptist As
sociation are asked to generously contri-
butte this sum.
The Pennsylvania Baptist Education
Society was the subject of an interesting
address by the secretary of the society,
the Rev. G. M. Spratt, d. d. He said
while the Baptist church is increasing in
membership it is not increasing in minis
terial force, and greater efforts are needed
for the Baptist universities and places OF
learning, for which he made an earnest
appeal for sympathy and support.
Tho Rev. James French, siperipten-
dent of the Philadelphia Baptist City
Missions, was introduced by the modern-
81 tor ms "the man with but one idea," and
that idea was mission work. Mr.. French
spoke of the great mission work accom-
plished by the society i'll Philadelphia,
10 chapels having been erected in the
past Ave years. OF these chapels, all are
self-supporting save two. Mr.. French
also spoke of the good work being done
by these mission chapels.
The report of the missionary committee
was read by the Rev. w. W. Dalby. The
object of the committee is to visit the
smaller and weaker churches of the asso-
eiation, hold all-day meetings, and en-
courage the congregations in their work.
The church at Bethlehem, Pa, was recon-
incnded Ms being eminently worthy of the
association's support, and Shiloh church,
colored, of this city, was mentioned as
having made good progress.
The Rev. Walter Galley of Philadelphia
followed with a stirring and eloquent
appeal on behalf of the Bethlehem
church, saying that of the $11, 900
already paid on the edifice, the sum
$4,000 was raised in the city of Beth
lehem, with its small colony of 3S Bap-
fists, and its hundreds of Lntherans,
Moravians and members Of other denomi-
nations.
A motion, made by the Rev. Charles II.
Thomas, for committee of three to
report upon the advisability of having n
missionary appointed specially for the
mission work of this association, was
adopted, after considerable discussion, by
a vote of 43 to 8. The committee, as
named by the moderator at the evening
session, is Mr.. Thomas, the Rev. w. III.
Conard of Philadelphia, and Washington
Jones of this city.
The Rev. james M. Guthrie, pastor of
Great Valley, Pa, Church, made an
appeal for memorial chapel it is de-
signed to build, at cost of $4,000, on
the side of the old Baptist church nj
Valley Forge. The services then closed
with the benediction by the Rev. Luther
II. Steele of the Wissahickon, Pa. Church.
EVENING SESSION.
The evening session was largely at
tended, the body of the church being
crowded and both galleries fairly filled.
The first IL verses of the second chapter
of Acts were read by the Rev. John T.
Craig, formerly of this city, and prayer
was offered by the Rev. Charles War
wick of Philadelphia. Devotional exer.
cises continued until 8 o'clock. The Roy.
L. b. Palmer, ID. d., WIS then introduced
and spoke of the work of the American
Baptist Home Missions, illustrating his
remarks with II large map of the United
States and Mexico, and pointing out the
distant points where work is being done
The Rev. Il. Nj. Luther followed in AZ
address upon the American Baptist Mis-
sionary Union, in which he spoke of tn,
grand work of reformation accomplished
by the union in foreign lands. Last year
he said, the union expended $360, ,OO0,nnC
secured IL 900 converts. Its total expen
ditures since its organization amount tC
$1,000, 900, with over 900, 900 conversion
as the glorious result.
At the conclusion of this address tn
moderator requested voluntary of th
choir. and solo, prayer" by W. f
Sudds, was exccllently rendered b.
Thomas Siucox, accompanied by John ID
Kurtz Oh the organ.
The Rev. q. U. Biting. d. D., CORE
spending secretary OF the American BaI
tist Publication Society, spoke OF til
socieiy's work. Ho said it was NOR
general and far reaching than the wor
done by the societies represented by til
other speakers, nv it took i'll the entir
worLi, md its agents and colporteur
went in advance Of the missionaries an
preachers, and sowed the seed Of tn
word of God. The address was carnes
and eloquent, and created a deep imprei
sion.
The exercises closed with the loxolog
and tha bcnedicli0n 10y the Rcv. d. !
Moore of Shiloh ClIucil, this city.
DELAWARE STATISTICS.
The statistics OF the Delaware churches
MS given in the letters tn the association
are TX follows:
Wihnington-Seco Baptist -Churc
membership, 1874; Sunday school recort
Q schools, SO officers and teachers, 5S
scholars and baptisms; library, l,O5
volumes contributions, $500; superb
tondents, Alfred Gawthrop and G..
LeMaistre. Ordained ministers, the Rev
II. b. Cook, ID. D., and M. Heath; churc
property, one church with Cos sitting
value $50, 1000; disbursements, SO, ,447.7
Sunday school expenditures, $500; care
poor, $104.S5; ministerial education
$3S.76; Bible and publication wor
$s5.01; missions, city, $254.S3; Stat
$50; home, $3.50; foreign, $l60, II
printing minutes SIS total, "a, ,637.87.
Delaware Avenue--C Church member
764; students for ministry, 1 &; Sundi
schools, q; officers and teachers, A: