The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-11-25
THE ADDRESS OF WELCOME.


Dr.. Prtchard delivered the following
speech of welcome substantially:
1t gives me a peculiar pleasure to ex-
tend to you cordial welcome to our
hearts and to our homes We greet you
and have for weeks besought the Lord
to send you with power and grace and
have invoked heavens blessings upon
your coming.
In 1865 there was a settlement two
miles south of Wilmington Col Yea
mans became dissatisfied and established
Charleston not being satisfied with their
location, some established the town Of
Brunswick. In 1775, some came from
that point and established this town call
ing it first New Town, but afterwards
Wilmington The first person baptized
in Wilmington was Mrs Elizabeth Grif-
fin i'll 1916. For forty years an old col
ored man (Merrick) was a prominent
factor in the Baptist cause here.
The old church was begun III 1858.
The first pastor was man by the name
of Gregg second A. w. Chambiss,
then A. w. Battle, then DR.. Repeton. then
Dr. Mcdaniel then Wm. fill Jordan,
then J. L. Prichard. 1t was under lis di-
rection that the present house was begun.
DR.. VIM. l.. Young was here during the
war He was succeeded by DIR. Hiden
he by Dr. J. B. Taylor, and he by myself
have been thinking what our Con
vention has accomplished Tacitus
says that the sources Of great rivers are
sacred. My mind reverts to Greenville
in 1880 when those If men organized this
Convention In 1882 at Rives' Chapel
the BIBLICAL RECORDER and Wake For
est College was established Ia 1888 at
Rockingham, in Richmond county, Trus-
tees were appointed to put into imlne-
diate operation our college. II seems
to me that these are epochs i'll cur his
tory Besides this. in lS49 a memorable
meeting was held in the city Of Raleigh.
1t was one OF the III ost remarkable meet
ings of the kind oi which | ever heard.
/ S47. 900 was raised there and not over 100
! delegates were present. The speech of
! DIR. Poindexter at that time was the
| greatest effort | ever heard. | believe it
! was in 1882 when another impetus was
! given to State Mission work. Perhaps
l should say that before flat, in 1874,
! the work of the Board e Ministerial
/ Education was given Impetus which
! it has never lost.
| have referred to these different
| epochs in our history to say that at this
! session it should be our aim to do that
which shall greatly develop the bene-
| ficence of cur churches | hope my
highest means for affecting this is our
ministry Right here is our fault. We
have comparatively but few Efficient
pastors. Let me say that we
must go to work. L hope we shall labor
and pray for this end. Two things
have for a long time have been on III
heart. First, the prosperity and en-
dowment of Wake Forest College. The
other thing that lies on my heart is how
shall we develop the churches of our
State. 135, 900 Baptists in our State,
and yet we are doing comparatively
nothing.
And now let me say that l am glad
to see you. At one time, l did not
know about this. There will be 500
people here The largest Convention
before this was held at Raleigh III 1870,
when Dr. Yates was present. Then
there were $50 people present. But we
bid you all welcome, are glad to see