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


herd 70 come with u~. ! believe that
can speak for every brother here when
say that we hope tod shall greatly
bless u here. But nofwithstauiiu. th,
great work we have done. there remains
a great work i'll the future for ~ t. da
THINK we may say that we have come
here 70 buckle ON the 4rmor mud .,e
forth 10 conquer the State TOR our I.,r.I
At this moment Rev. y B cobb
presented to the President ol the Con
vention a gavei which was made. from
q tree that shades the spot where stood
the house where the Baptist Stat, Con
vention was organized. The handle Of
Il was made from the laurel OF Ashe
county cut by q brother on his return
from meeting of the Ashe and ALE
ghany Association.
The President RESPONDED unu,or,ri
ately
The following visitors accepted seats
l. I. Tichenor, Secretary Home Mission
Board Southern Baptist Convention i
Is. Roone, Western Baptist Convention
L. II. Lide, South Carolina W II
Daniels, South Carolina O. T. Meek.
New \ ork
The Corresponding Secretary read the
report of the Board of Missions
Remarks on the Home Mission report
Were III order
Dir. Tichenor: While | shall pass bv
other things for want Of time. | wish To
tell one of the most thrilling stories Of
the modern missionary enterprise just
now AZ the Southern end 81 Florida IS
located the town of hey West About
two years ago brother Wood our mis-
-.
his text when he noticed Il strangely de
formed man from Cuba. He went home
to find him seated on his door steps He
had come over from the Island Of Cuba
in search Of some one who could tell
him OF the story of the cross need
not tell you what followed There were
frequent interviews. The aext SUNDAY
this strange looking man was present at
a baptism. " hen he saw the ordinance
he rushed up TO the baptistery aud ex-
claimed III his broken English II too
want to be baptized That il the way
the Book tells Us to do." After that
forty Cubans were baptized in Key West
\ mighty work commenced th"n in Iia-
vana. These people had the spirit Of
apostolic times. Bro. Wood wrote ask
ing permission to go over to Havana.
He went. | marvel at his report He
said that there he found an Association
bounded together on articles of Baptist
faith, with brother Alonzo Diaz as their
preacher Let me say that he is "A re
lnarkable man. He has wrought out
his belief not from Baptist standard
works, but from the Bible. He is as
good "a Baptist as any one who sits be
tore me He was educated for physi
clan at the University of Havana.
Wrecked at sea he was picked up and
carried to Brooklyn, New York. While
there studying to become an oculist, he
fell sick of pneumonia. With no one
to care for him he came near dying. \
young woman after while came 10 see
him, prayed for him and gave him Il
New Testament He began to read it
and to translate it; but found that he
could get IA translation, secured one
and read it. The passage about the
blind Bartimeus whom Christ healed
convicted him and led him to Jesus. He
cried out, as Bartiineue did, Jeuss, thou
son Of David, have mercy upon me" He
rose up a new man and became a mis-
sionary Every newborn soul is / mis-
sionary. so he thought of his people
down there in Cuba, in the darkness Of
Catholicism. He went back TO the
family circle; but found that they T~ould
not hear him. so he taught Others
Many came to hear him. Gods Spirit
was there. One, and another, and an
other was converted The house be
came too small for them. They organ
lied an Association and rented hall.
The Association was called Gethsema
ne-200 of them. Not long after this
work began the Priests began to boy
colt him in his practice as "A physician.
So he went to New York, became an
American citizen and returned a Col
porter Of a woInan's Bible Society He
Joined the Baptist church at Key West.
Bro. Wood returned to Havana with
him and al night he secretly baptized
several at night one night while Civ
ing invitation TO those who wished to
become Christians he saw his mother
coming down the aisle. He thought she
was going 10 reprove him, but she had
been converted and desired to join the
church DiaZ is d wonderful preacher.
Judge Way yland says he has never seen an
audience more swayed by man, except it
be by Moody sometimes. Four hundred
people crowded his hall in Havana. II is
impossible to accommodate all who
come. He baptizes every week. He is one
of the most apostolic men | ever saw
He never tires He has had his trials
He was arrested for Christ ard i'm
trisoned He was much discouraged at
first, but said, We'll if Jesus wants me to
serve him. | will serve him here" He be
gal to read a copy Of the gospel of John
loud enough Tor the prisoners to hear
They listened. He then preached 70 them
In the meantime his brethren had met
for worship but not finding him. they
went in search of him and soon secured
his release through the American Con
sui. The people thought he was a rev
o!uticnist and he sold many Of his books
He also presented the Mayor who had ar
rested him with Il Bible. Soon afterwards
the Mayor himself was converted, and
has been baptized into the fellowship Of
the Ba ptist church at Havana. after
this many attempts have been made TO
asassinate him. The priests would
gladly see him killed. He carries his
life in his hand, every day.
Also, at Santiago de Cuba, there are a
thousand men, of several congrega-
tions. banded together for the worship
of Sod \ great work is being done by
an unknown man. He keeps his name
secret that he may not be imprisoned
and killed. Recently Diaz has seen him
but his name is yet kept a secret
1t is a remarkable fact brethren. that
Cuba is Baptist and Catholic. And ii Is
remarkable that Catholics are turning
so readily to the idea that Christ is the
Saviour.
A @. McManaway moved that the
Board Of Missions expend so, 600 next
year for State Missions.
This was the hour for the special order,
State Missions Addresses were made by
many brethren. Bro. Gwaltney made a