National Republican., 1888-05-20
MEETING THE PRESIDENT.
THE BAPTIST DELEGATES VISIT
THE WHITE HOUSE.
Short Session of the Publication So
ciety-Dr. Caldwell Creates n Little
Sensation in Regard TO an Expense
Account.

with 200 passengers, one from Philadelphia
with 1000, one from Chicago with seventy
five, one from far-ofr Minneapolis with 20D,
and two from Boston with an aggregate of
$40; and yet but twenty-five persons
assembled at Calvary Baptist Church yester-
day morning at the final meeting Of the Bap.
tist Publication Society. The slim attend
ance was, however, constantly REINFORCED
until the church was crowded toward the
close.
The first business OF the day was the elec.
tion Of officers, with the following result
President, Samuel A. Grocer; Vice presi
dents, Thomas Armitage, d. D., New York;
ii. II. Tucker, LII. D., Georgia.; Edward
Goodman, d. D., Illinois; Joshua Lever
ing, Maryland; secretary, Benjamin Griffith,
ID. D.; recording secretary, j. Howard Gen
dell; treasurer, Charles II, Banes managers,
Weston, d. D., Adoniram j. Rowland, d.
D., Isaac g. Wynn, ID. D., Jesse p. Thomas,
ID. D., Wayland Hoyt, ID. D., Rev. George
4. Rees, Rev. Willard H. Robinson, Rev.
Lewis Kaiser, John T. Beckley, d. d., Rev.
J. d. &. Pidge,. Ebenezer Morgan, William
Bucknell, B. i. Dennisson, W. Frederick
Snyder, Hon. Charles +. Abbot, Hon. IIora-
ito Gates Jones, d. c. L., George Callaghan,
George K. Grocer, Thomas j. Hoskinson,
David p. Loas, John s. Stevens, Harry S.
Hopper, Samuel j. Creswell, Joseph II.
Gaskill.
The enrolment committee had total of
$50 members in attendance, representing
thirty-six states and territories, as well rs
two delegates from England and one from
China.
Rev. c. II. spalding, of Boston, explained
the position Of the society toward Sunday
schools, and Mr.. Grocer thanked the dele
gates for the honor conferred upon him in
the reelection.
Rev. j. d. Fulton and DIR. j. NJ. Frost
made short speeches, and were followed by
Rev. DR.. William +. Hatcher In the speech
of the day, his theme being "Colportage by
states.n He did not use notes and did not
need them. He said Christians should be
ashamed of themselves to let the devil choose
such better instruments.or, rather, more
fitting ones--to carry out his designs than
did the Christians.
He referred to what he called the DEVILS
colporteurs, who are handsomely uniformed,
who have free passes on all the railroads,
and the best places at railroad stations and
on the steamboats,. The average colporteur
for Christian publication houses in his part
of the country, he said, Is pale, limp,
bloodless, sapless man, man who has tried
everything else and failed, whose very looks
and voice furnish the most powerful argu-
ment against the truths Of Christianity,
whose crumpled collar and neglected linen
is an offense to women, fright to children,
and disgust to men. ~ tell you,n he said,
'if we believe stock of that sort will help to
bring the kingdom of God we are mistaken.
The kingdom will not come in that way 1
know we have the heavenly treasures in
earthern vessels, but II the vessels are
cracked or turned bottom upward 1t will
not hold the treasure" He spoke also of
colporteurs whose piety was principally in
their gait and their voice. and urged that
fhay pntt1l liah tntt
they put flrst-class men in work and paid
them creditable salaries.
At the conclusion of DR.. Hatcher's re-
marks adjournment was about to be had,
when DR.. j. NJ. Caldwell, ex-president of
Vassar College, created much commotion
and not little excitement by asking whence
the board of managers derived their author
ity for the issuance Of a circular soliciting
subscriptions to pay the expenses of the re-
vision Of the Old Testament, claiming that
1T was not acting In harmony with the ac-
tion Of the denominational convention In
Saratoga in 1888, which declared that the
society's work should be the printing and
circulation of the Scriptures in existing
forms and not engage In work OF revision.
DR.. Griffith said that as he understood
the action II any one contributed money for
q revision the society should so apply 1t. DR..
Griffith was subjected to considerable ques-
ioning. He said the society was not re-
sponsible for or did not give its authority to
any one soliciting subscriptions to pay for
such revision, but, when the money came
to it, II applied it and would put Its impress
on the revision when published.
DR.. Caldwell maintained that in receiving
funds for the revision Of the Scriptures, and
not for its publication, was going quite be-
yond the province Of the society.
DIR. Biting, the Bible secretary OF the So
ciety, said he believed the action Of the
pafffct Of mi n
this society was committed the work Of
publishing the Scriptures in any language,
or in any form that might be required.
a they were to proeide for the wants and re-
,e luirements Of Baptists in this land. He be-
\ .ieved that 1t was their solemn obligation; If
persons contributed money for the publica-
ton of the Scriptures, In certain form,
they should apply the money.
DR.. Strong, of Rochester, contended that
!, the action, of the society as thus eX-
pressed was revolutionary, and DR.. Cald-
well moved that committee of five be ap'
pointed to consider whether thisssociety
would authorize such action.
DR.. Hoyt offered as a substitute that the
whole matter be referred to the board, with
instructions to report.at the next anniver-
sary what their understanding was of the
instructions of the convention of 1888 In
this matter.
The substitute was lost, and DR.. Cald-
WellS original resOlutlOn uuOpteu.
The chair then stated that he would an
nounce the committee hereafter, and the
society adjourned.
IN THE AFTERNOON
business was temporarily suspended and the
delegates resolved themselves into pleasure
seekers Numbers of them made the
rounds of the departments, but the vast
majority of them-estimated at 1900
called upon the President. Geographically
speaking, 1t was the most diverse body
which has invaded the white house in many
years, as every state and territory of the
United States was represented, as well
as a few delegates from foreign lands.
At . o'clock the delegates formed in line on
the north side of ii street and marched In q
body to the white house.
Rev. s. III, Greene, pastor of the Calvary
Baptist Church, headed the line, and on
arriving at the executive mansion intro,
duced the Rev. j. N. Murdock, ID. d., OF
Boston, to the President, who briefly ad.
dressed his eXcellency upon the motives and
duty which called together so representative
body Of Baptists and American citizens.
At the close of his remarks the officers of
the various bodies were introduced by name,
and grasped the presidential hand for an in
slant, receiving In return q pleasant nod or
hearty "Glad to see you, sir" II was q
physical impossiblity to introduce the entire
number by name, however, and they filed by
with as much haste as the dignity Of the
cloth would permit Of The line Of clerical
and lay delegates reached from the doors OF
the mansion to Fifteenth street and the
avenue, and when the hour for the closing
of the reception came many were yet within
the white house grounds, but without the
wished-for shake of the hand,
At 4 o'clock the various lines of cars tC
the river were crowded with the visiting
brethren, an excursion to Mount Vernon on
the Mary Washington having been arranged
The roomy Washington could not accommo'
date the crowd, and many were forced to
forego the anticipated trip. The boat re-
turned with its clerical freight about II
O'Clock, all expressing themselves as pleased