Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-12-04
Centenary Missions Meeting
OF THE AUG STA BAPTIST DISTRICT AS
SOCIATION.

| OF THE AuGU sTA BAPTIST DISTRICT AS
| ISOLATION.
On Sunday night, the Augusta Baptist
District Association closed its Centenary
Mission Meeting at the Baptist church,
which had been begun on Saturday morn
ing at 10 o'clock. The Association in
cludes in its bounds the counties of Au-
gusta, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Bath and
Allegheny. 1t is composed Of 80 churches,
and the total membership last year was
1000. The meeting which closed Sunday
is one of a series to be held with each
church Of the Association, in celebration of
the centenary year of Baptist modern mis-
sions, it being now on the eve Of one hun
bred years since William Carey, the first
Baptist Missionary to India, sailed from
England. In 1892, the centennial is hoped
to be commemorated by the Southern Bap-
fist church by putting an even 100 mission
aries into the foreign field.
On Saturday morning there were present
from other points, Rev. p. Swami OF
Goshen, Rev. S. T. Chapman of Covington,
IGGN. ID. IL. OSllI6llb VI DuClld looets eehst
Rev. J. H. Taylor of Laurel Hill, and lay
men Byerley of Rockingham, and Smith
and Dill of Augusta. Mr.. L. M. Byerley,
the colporteur of the Association was cleo
ted Moderator, and Mr.. John w. Todd Of
Staunton, Secretary.
The inquiry s'What are Baptist doing to
give pure gospel to Catholic countries?"
Was the first on the programme discussed.
Revs. J. H. Taylor and s. F. Chapman,
and layman John w. Todd spoke on
it, the last named gentlemln abiding in
touching terms to Rev. Geo. B. Taylor, the
head of the Baptist mission work in Rome
and a former pastor of the Staunton Bap-
fist church.
The next subject taken up was 'Practi-
cal Methods for collecting mission money y
This was discussed by Rev. B. H. Dement,
and Mr.. J. w. Todd. the latter gentleman
giving description of the method pursued
by the Staunton Baptist church. He said
there were six Boards. and member was
months in which to work up the cause of
his particular Board.
At night Rev. B. II. Dement, spoke on
"What special claims has foreign mission
work upon Baptist?" He held that as the
close and literal followers Of the precepts Of
the apostles, the first missionaries, the
Baptists might be considered people on
whom oreign missions had a special claim.
The song service Saturday night led by
Prof. G. L. Wilson, was very delightful
one. Miss Lily Mathews presided at the
organ and Miss Nellie Miller led the choir.
On Sunday the day was commenced by
the Association with an interesting service
held III the Sabbath school with the chill
dren. Talks to the children were made by
Rev. Messrs. Dement,. Swami and Chap
man, and by Prof. G. l.. Wilson. MI, De
ment gave his idea of getting children to
work for the mission cause, and it proved
to be the old Bible plan of giving the work
men SO many talents to operate with. He
said in his experience he had seen q SIS bill
broken up into nickels and each Sabbath
school child given a nickel. With this nickel
1T was to make more and the increase was to
be for the missionary cause. He had seen that
nickel returned by a child with as high
an increase as So, and some even went up
to So. Another method was to give chill
dren work to do. the pay for which they
would give to the missionary cause.
At II O'Clock, Mr.. Dement, preached in
the auditorium up stairs, his subject being
Faith and Works.
On Sunday night, the Associat ion held
it's closing meeting and Rev. MI. Dement,
spoke on ''What are the reflex influences OF
mission work upon those who engage in
it,, - as did Messrs. Swami and Chapman.
Another subject, ''How can our female
members work for missions?" was discuss
ed. A member suggested that the query
was not written rightly. The women OF
the church already knew how to work fol
missions and were doing great work fol
the cause, the query, he thought, ought
to read: 'sHow can our men be taught tC
learn from our women how to work fol
mi,si ons?"
The closing service was interspersed with
some excellent singing by the choir.