The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-08
BAPTISTS IN HISTORY.
SECOND DAY OF THE BIG NEGRO
CHURCH FESTIVAL.

"reminiscences OF the Early Baptist
Fathers-The Wants of the Colored
Ministry Discussed-The Relation of
the White and Colored Bapt SITS
To-Day's Programme at the Taber-
necle.
One thousand people were at the negro
Baptist centennial yesterday. The street
cars were crowded to and from the taber-
nacle all day. While there was not over a
thousand people in the tabernacle at one
time, fully 5000 witnessed a part of the ex-
ercises. The morning session opened at 9
o'clock with devotional service by Rev. E.
W. Walker of Dawson. At 10 o'clock Rev.
g. II. Dwel,e Of Augusta spoke on the Bap-
fist church history He touched upon the
inability of the negro Baptist in the earlier
part OF the century TO keep
record of the church work, and
that being the case he regretted
being unable to speak Of its history COM
plete. He dwelt upon the lives Of Marshall,
Gibbons, Cox, johnson aud a number of
work. Their works" said the speaker,
ARE written in blood. The seed which
these men planted have been carried broad
cast into the world, until now they
number 10000 in this state, not to
speak OF the thousands who have
goue before." Tho speaker alluded to
the connection Of the negro Baptists with
schools, newspapers, ETC., Of the negro
Baptist church. They are worthy our
pride,n he said. Able men are at their
head, and are making themselves bOth felt
and heard As to the present, we have
more thsn fifty associations, which are per-
meating every nook and corner of the state
with their moral, religious and educational
Influences
Rev. William H. Tiliman, Sr., of Atlanta,
spoke on the same subject. He dwelt
mainly upon the spiritual work Of the
churcG. He dated his first connection with
the church back to 1855. Early after
the war he entered upon the min
isterial work, and has arduOusly
striven ever since to instruct and enlighten
his brethren In speaking of the work of
their fathers, he said they would have died
and their labors gone to naught, and the
church would not be known today were it
not that they had faith.
Rev. Levi Thornton of Greensboro was
next introduced to speak on the "Reminis-
cences of the Baptist Fathers, and the
Church During 100 Years" He dealt with
the faithfulness of their forefathers, their
faithfulness in preaching the gospel, in up
holding the principles of their faith.
their Christian zeal, and lastly of their
meetnesS and fOrtitude under long suffer
ing. He reviewed their progress covering
period of twentythree years.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon Rev w. H.
Mcintosh of Macon discussed the Wants
of the Colored Ministry He believes that
the qualifications of minister are so plainly
set forth in the Bible that the subject needs
but brief notice. The first thing neces-
sary is a Te2enerated heart. AS
new heart is necessary to an
entrance into heaven, so also is
it necessary to the entrance to the ministry.
A minister should be blameless and of
spotless and pure life He is a teacher and
must have something to teach and this re-
quires the acquisition of knowledge. Be
sides knowing thoroughly the Bible, there
are no prescribed rules by which minister
must be guided in the acquisition of kuowl
edge. He would not ordnin man to the
| ministry simply because he has the desire
In no case would he ordain him if his
character was not above reproach. No
| learning could compensate for tbs absence
of the grace of God from the heart OF
| minister. He advised all young men studying
for the ministry, not 10 be in a hurry to get
| married. While marriage is honorable, vet
education is indispensable.
Rev. Alexander z lis next discussed in
highly entertaining manner the Wants of
Uue OOiOTeu hllifiSJfGs' lnOuBu q man may
ne or have assembled the mountain of
science, nor quaiVed the fountain of poe try
he should at least have the natural capa city
and heart OF pioty Such minister the
speaker thought VIII meet the wants OF the
present age. Rev. w. g. Johnson of All
gusta closed the discussion of the wants of
the ministry i'll mastery effort that thor
oughly euthuSed the audience. The exer-
else closed at 80 O'clock for the day. The
programme for to-day is as follows:
0 to 10 a. m.-Praise service, led by Rev. G. A
johnson, Americas. Ga.
10 a. m.-"Ihc Home Mission Society and Its
Work for the Colored People" DR.. A. E. Will
Jams, Crawfordville Ga; Prof. S. Y. Pope
Waynesboro, GA. ; Rev. q. A Goodwin Gaines
vile, Fla, and Rev. S. Graves D. D., Atlanta,
Ga.
1890 p. m-"Womaa, Her Work and In
iuence," Misses S. B. Packard, Atlanta. Ga. j.
p Moore, New orleans. La, and Rev. L. Bur
rows. u. D., Augusta, Ga.
3 y. m-"The American Baptist Publication
Society and Its WorK for the Colored People. ="
Rev. +. *. Love. Savannah, Ca, and Rev. y. w.
Waterman, Townsville, Ga: Rev. G. B. MitcheI
Forsyth, Ga, and Rev. B. Griffith, ID. D., Phila-
delpha, Pa.
NIGHT SESSION, 8 o CLOCK.
Education" DR.. j. II. Bugg Lynchburg,
Va; Rev. j. A. Metts, Hightown, N j. Rev. j.
A. Battle, ID. D. Macon, Ga.
n,rrrn ~~ryDc