Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-21
A Large Number Of Delegates As
semble for Business Today.
ENCOURAGING REPORTS RECEIVED.
Showing the Condition of the Dis
trict Churches.
NEW OFFICERS ELECTED.

BaptiStS OF this city not only in the welfare
of the particular church to which they be-
long but in the advancement of the entire
denomination in this locality found another
illustration in the large audience which
gathered in the Calvary Baptist Church. Sth
and II streets. this morning. The occasion
was the annual meeting of the Columbia
Association of Baptist Churches. For if-
teen years the association has been in ex-
istence and has dc ne much to enlarge the
denomination and to stimulate the work
which is carried on by the various churches.
The association has no direct powers of
legislation. and Is merely bond of union
between the various churches to aid in
general work and strengthen church feeling.
1t has charge of the city missions. however.
and is given certain sums of money to be
expended in this purpose. 1t supplies the
pastors for the Grace, Anaeostia and Mt.
Tabor Tenleytown) churches and owns
the property well as supplies the pastor
of the Maryland Avenue Church. 1t has
charge of the mission Sunday school on
New Hampshire avenue and H street, the
West End Mission in Georgetown and the
East Washington Heights Mission. 1t also
has In charge the church at Hynesboro'
Park, Md.
The annual meetings are times in one
sense of review and advice and of encour-
agement. so that all the workers composing
the various churches may enter upon their
labor for the new year stimulated by the
Interchange of ideas and by the knowledge
OF what others are doing along the same
lines of effort.
The Annual Sermon.
The association is to be in session three
days. and the opening session was held last
evening at the Calvary Church, when the
annual sermon was delivered by Rev. r. r.
Revs- Green Clay Smith. E. Hez Sven and
j. J. Muir. This morning the business ses-
sions were opened by the moderator, Rev.
]. j. Muir. After singing. prayer was Of
fered by Rev. MIR. Naylor. The letters from
the churches were read, stated below, by
the secretary, Mr.. Yeatman. The associa-
tlon then proceeded to the election of Off
GERS.
Upon motion of Rev. f. Hez Swem. the
clerk was unanimously directed to cast a
ballot for Rev. DR.. c. g. Meador as modera-
tor for the ensuing year.
DIR. Meador then came forward and was
received with few pleasant words by the
retiring moderator. Rev. j. J. Muir, who
greeted DIR. Meador as father in Israel,
and added that from his experience in the
position for the past two years he could as
sure him that 1t was an easy place
DIR. MeadOr's Thanks.
Dr. Meador then expressed his thanks for
the honor which had been conferred on
him. In pleasant way he disclaimed the
appellation of father in Israel but said that
he could look back over a period of forty
years. He said that the present prosperity
of the association was a remarkable illus
tration of the progress that had been made
by the denomination in this city.
Mr. A NJ. Clapp moved that the modera-
tor cast the ballot for the election of MIR. 5.
NJ. Yeatman, the efficient secretary for 50
many years Of the association, as secretary
of the association
Mr. Yeatman called attention to the bad
precedent which such motion afforded. in
asmuch as il cut off all other nominations.
While recognizing the point, the associa-
ticn was of the opinion that MIR. Ieat-
man was the man for the place, and so
the moderator was instructed to cast the
vote for Mr.. ~ ca tman, and he was again
elected to serve his sixteenth year in this
capacity.
Mr.. waring E. Evans was reelected
treasurer by the same unanimous vote as
was given the other officials.
The moderator appointed Rev. s. II.
Greene. Rev. j. j. Muir and Rev. Z. Hez
SVEN as a committee on order of exer-
cises.
An Invitation to Lunch.
Rev. DIR. Greene. the pastor of the church,
said that he believed a man who had the
duty of announcing lunch was apt to be
the most popular in any assemblage. He
was sandidate for this honor. as he was
commissioned in behalf of the people of his
church to invite the members of the associa-
tion to luncheon. He said that the ladies
had prepared luncheon in the Sunday
school room and a cordial invitation was
given to all
The association after prayer by Mr.. L.
Richards adjourned until o'clock
The reports from the various churches
were read by the secretary and, in addition
to the statistical information, a summary
Of which is given below. the reports con-
tanned comments in regard 10 the general
condition of the churches and also men
toned such facts as were deemed likely to
be of interest to the association.
The report from the Anacostia church
paid tribute to the life and character of
their late pastor, Rev. Z. s. Towne who
died during the year. 1t was stated that
Rev. Mr.. Stevenson had been called to the
pastorate and his work had met with much
success.
In the report from the Z Street Church it
was stated that during the year 5000 had
been contributed toward the payment of
the debt on the new church lot. making
total of about $1,000 which had been paid
for this object during the past year. .inde-
pendent OF the contributions toward the
regular current expenses. Appropriate
reference was made to the loss sustained by
the death OF the late Geo. l.. Sheriff. who
was for many years one Of the liberal sup
porters of the church.
Mr. MeadOr's Forty Years Service.
The report from the Fifth Church spoke
OF the relations which had existed between
the pastor, Rev. c. c. Meador. and the
church for the past forty years and the
ties or anection which had been strength
ened curing these years and which 1t was
hoped would continue as long as DR.. Meador
should live During the year the pastor s
salary had been increased.
reference was made to the new church
enterprise and II was stated that a lot
had been purchased at the corner of 9th
fnd Z streets southwest. Arrangements
had been made to sell their present church
property, but owing to the stringency of
the times they had not been carried out.
II was hoped that building operations could
be begun at an early date.
A tribute was paid in the report from the
I1rst Church to the late Rev. DIR. James II.
Cuthbert. former pastor of the church.
Rerererce was also made to the death of
MIR. Calvin r. Samson and il stated that
he had given to the church the sum of
t17,OO1. and in his will had left $4,000 for
the use of the church
Grace Church.
Owing to the i'll health of their pastor.
Rev j. D. Smith. the report from Grace
Church stated that the congregation had
accepted his resignation and that the
church was now without "a pastor The