The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-11-01
baptist state convention.


The Baptist State Convention convened
in the First Baptist Church, of Salem, on
Tuesday morning. Quite a number of del
egates arrived on Monday evening to at
tend to committee work.
There were some $50 delegates present,
representing every part of the State. The
church was beautifully decorated for the
occasion, the delegates being lunched in
the basement ny the ladies of the church.
The Convention was presided over by
the President, Mr.. F. w. Aver of Camden,
and mum bered among its prominent laymen
Congressman Buchanan, of Trenton; Judge
E. A. Armstrong, of Camden, and others.
The Convention was welcomed to the
city by the Pastor of the church, Rev. A.
H. Sembower, who gave some historical
facts in regard to the Baptist denomination
in Salem, stating those of this belief had
landed with Fenwick in the year 1913.
The President of the Convention, Mr.. +. W
Aver, responded, stating that when thef first
Baptist Convention met, in the year 1929,
there were only ten churches in the State,
while at the present time the number has
increased to 2a0. He urged upon the min
listers increased efforts to extend the work
of the Convention in multiplying the
churches.
Rev. Edwin McMinn, of Moorestown,
read the report of the Committee on For
eign Mission Work, which, while it show
ed a vast amount of work done, also made
plain the urgent need for greater labors in
this direction. During the past year the
churches have contributed for this work
1885. 72O So, which fell short of the actual
amount needed, which was 1856, 197 70,
the shortage being $40, 477.16, to be made
up from other sources.
Rev. DIR. Palmer briefly reported the
work of Home Missions, showing that the
Church has not been unmindfnl of the
home interests while in foreign fields.
Rev. J. II. Folwell read the report of the
Committee on Publication Society and
Bible Work, which showed the urgent
need of funds to prosecute this important
branch of church work.
The report Of the Temperance Committee
was giver by Rev. c. j. Yerkes, ID. d.,
which took decided ground in favor of local
option, and strongly condemned the action
of the last Legislature in repeating this
law, and urged upon the people to support
only those candidates foI the Legislature
who are pledged to re-enact this law.
The annual sermon was preached on
Tuesday afternoon by Rev. James L.
Dickinson, of Orange, from the text, ITO
be spiritually minded is life and peace
Many flattering tributes were subsequently
paid to the discourse. The speaker assert
ed that the churches are lamentably On
trolled by a worldly mindedness, and that
the preachers are not altogether to blame
for it, for while the minister is said to
take charge of a church it is none the less
true that the church takes charge of the
minister.
The following officers were elected for
" D---.l-s II NJ 49,
Camden; Vice Presidents, j. Nj. Carpenter,
Burlington, and Rev. d. j. Yerkes, ID. D.,
of Camden; Secretary, Rev. ]. c. Buchan-
an, Pemberton; Treasurer, Rev. Asa Suy-
dam, Pennington; Managers, Judge E. A.
Armstrong, Congressman Buchanan, A.
Armstrong, W. W. Boyd, t. Burrowes,
Rhuston Case, W. w. Case, Irving f.
Davis, ]. II. Gaskill, t. S. Griffiths, j. F..
Leaning, L. w. milford, II. c. Apple
gate, Jr,, Addison Parker, J.. H. Parks,
w. II. Parmley, o. W. Rogers, d. F. r.
Runyon, P. A. Runyon, A. H. Sembower.
F. A. Slater, II. B. Steelman, c. Edgar
Shipten, J. NJ. Watson, w. V. Wilson,
together with the President, Vice Presi-
dents, Secretary and Treasurer.
The report of the Board on Mission
Churches was read, and the Pastors of TIE
mission churches at Long Branch and
Union Hill made brief addresses, as did
also the pastor of Central Church, Tren-
ton, which has but recently been entirely
freedsof debt.
On Wednesday morning the Committee
on Memorials made their report, and, some
fourteen o. fifteen members OF the Con-
vention having died during the year, the
morning was taken up with brief address
es, eulogistic of the lives and services of
sf,a had