Omaha daily bee., 1889-10-07
MISSIONARY MASS MEETING.
Interesting Services at the First Ran
tiet (hurpb

thtCTtSttug SERVICES af the FIRST bAp-
tist Church.
A missionary mass meeting Of all the Ban.
tist churches in Omaha was held at tho First
Baptist church last night, under ,ho auspices
of the Omaha Baptist Missionary union.
The exercises consisted OF the usual invo.
cation, followed by select rendition by the
Whatley male quartette The pastor, Rev.
A. w. Lamar, then read the scripture lesson,
after which the Rev. Il. II Ewing made an
eloquent aud touching prayer.
After hymn In which the entire congro-
cation joined, the Rev. A. W, Clark, pastor
of Calvary Baptist church, delivered most
interesting address upon the subject, "a
Backward Look Over the Field" He
skctched rapidly and lucidy the hrst discov-
cry and exploration of the valleys of the Mis-
sissippl aud Missouri rivers, and tho begin
ming Of the first settlement upon the site of
what is now Omaha, following up the growth
In population during the succeeding years
and the amount and value of the nu merous
improvements ana large buildings.
The growth of the churches was then
taken up and followed, from the first sermon
on Nebraska soil by the Rev. Moses Merrill,
Baptist missionary, in 1884, down TO the
present day. The history of the Baptist de-
nomination begins with the Rev. William
Leach, who came here us missionary IN
1855, and earned most of his salary by prac-
ticng dentistry. Other churches were es-
ny llt NuElOuS UttlOUlluullOus, Dub
they did not grow in proportion TO the in-
crease in population. Since the estab.
llshmept of the first actual settler
on Nebraska soil in August, 1854, the
population of Omaha has increased to
100000 while the churches have increased
very slowly. There are only sixty-two
church buildings in Omaha, with seating
capacity of about 1000.
The Baptist church was first organized in
1879 by the Rev. A. S. Barnes of New York
yyhn with bia n
frame building In 1866 the church was re-
organized under the Rev.W j. Kermott, ana
frame building was erected on the present
site. The present building was completed IN
$780, when DIR. Jameson was paster.
There are now eight Baptist churches in
Omaha in good working condition.
Two years ago last July the Omaha Bap.
tist Missionary union was organ lied. As
result the Baptist churches in this city have
been brought into closer relations with each
other; the sum of $1,000 has been raised and
expended by the society in city mission work,
and last, but not least, two Baptist churches
have been organized, one in South Omaha
and one IN the northern part of the city near
Kountze Place.
In closing. the speaker made an earnest
appeal for more churches and an increase in
the scope Of the work of the missionary
society. 1851. .sr.s....
The address of Rev. Clark vas followed
by solo by Miss Lille Chamberlain, after
which the Rev. Il. w, Foster addressed the
audience on the subject Present Aspect of
City Mission Work in Omaha" He re-
peated what Mr.. Clark had SAID about the
slow growth of the church in Omaha aud
appealed to his hearers TO do all in their
power to aid iii spreading the gospel and
increasing the number of the churches aud
the size OF the congregations, He also stated
that there are now eighteen places in the
city at which the gospel is preached by Bap-
list ministers, including churches and mis-
sions.
AT the close of his remarks Rev. A. w.
Lamar, the pastor, announced that the con
tributions for the evening amounted to
Sll7.3l This sum will be given to u newly
organized Baptist church among the co lored
people in the southern part of the city.