The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-05-25

To the Editor OF the Banner.
Would few jottings in regard to
the above convention. whose last ses-
sion was held in Dallas, Texas, May
18th to 18th, be of interest to your
readers?
BIT OF HISTORY.
The Southern Baptist Convention
was organized in Augusta, Ga, in the
year 1916. Itsrecent session was there
fore It's fOrty-nlnth. Next year it will
celebrate its semi-centenniai anniver-
sary In the city where it was organized,
provided the committee appointed for
this purpose cln secure a building
large enough to accommodate it. The
convention has outgrown every church
ediiice in the south, and indeed all of
the smaller cities. Nonebut the larger
cities can now afford to offer it their
hospitality.
SAM JONES' GOOD woK.
The recent session in Dallas was
held In "the Sam Jones' Tabernacle, ,,
as it is popularity called, and it is safe
TO say that in all its history it was
never housed so well. Last year it
was held in Nashville, Tenn, and was
very well accommodated in the "Sam
Jones Tabernacle" in that city. But
the acoustics of the tabernacle in
Dallas are much superior to those of
the Nashville tabernacle, and it is
much better ventilated.
BY the way, Mr.. Jones is placing the
Southern Baptist Convention under
many obligations to him. The great
revival meetings he is holding in the
southern states necessitate these inn
mense buildings, and In providing for
his own meetings he is, at the same
time, supplying "a long felt want" in
this convention.
A GREAT GATHERING.
The Dallas tabernacle has seating
capacity of more than $780, and at
the very first service of the conven-
ton IL was packed from end to end
and side to side, while on several sub
sequent occasions hundreds were
turned away, as they could not he
seated, nor find standing room even.
Delegates and visitors were present
from every southern state, and quite a
number from the north.
NOT AN EccLEsIAsTICIsM.
The Southern Babtist Convention is
In no sense an ecclesiastical body. II
has no power to make or unmake laws
for the churches. It's one great object
as expressed in its constitution is to
"elicit, combine and direct the ener.
giles Of the whole denomination in one
sacred effort to propagate tho gospel
In my judgment this sublime obi ect
exalts it above any merely ecclesiasti.
cal body. The fact OF so many people
gathered together, many OF them
having come hundreds of miles. and
At their own charges, for purpose &
utterly unselfish, was to my mind sub
timely impressive.
HOW WE DO 1T.
In order to more effectually carr,
out this object the convention has or
ganized three boards known respect
fully as the "Home Mission Board. ,
the Foreign Mission Board and tn,
Sunday School Board" The frs
two boards are charged with the dut,
Of soliciting and Disturbing contribu
ttons for home and foreign mission
work. The Sunday school board pub
fishes series Of lesson helps for tn
Baptist Sunday schools Of the south
all profits accrulng from the bushes
being turned over to the other boards
and used for mission work. This
the youngest Of the convention
boards, having been organized onl,
three years ago. It has paid expense
from the beginning, however, and las
year paid into the treasures OF tn
other boards sS,4lS.45.
SOME FIGURES.
The home Board Is doing work il