Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-11-12
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION,

DdpllSt Oeucral dSSoClhtiou VI VIZ
ginia will convene in its list annual
convention in this city tomorrow night
at the First Baptist church, of which
Rev. J. Fl. Butler is pastor. This is a
representative body of the Virginia
regular Baptists, now including some
% district associations, $50 odd
churches, some 400 preachers aud
pastors and membership of near 100,
900.
It's deliberative body solely, and
does not i'll any way interfere with the
autonomy OF the individual churches,
but its work is of the utmost impor-
lance in organizing the efforts of the
denominations in the spread of the
Gospel.
TIE officers of the association are as
follows
President, Thomas S. Dunaway; vice
presidents, George Cooper, L. B. Allen,
A. P. Cole, George E. Truett; treasurer,
Norvell Ryland; recording secretary,
Hugh C. Smith; assistant recording sec
rotary, II. Theodore Ellyson; auditor,
James Leigh Jones; statistical secretary,
George j. Holiday.
The organization comprises five
executive boards, as follows: State
Mission Board, Rev. DR.. George Coop
err, president; Education Board, Rev.
DR.. w. E. Hatcher, president; Sunday
School and Bible Board, H. w. Battle,
Petersburg, president; Foreign Mission
Board, T. G. Jones, president; Home
Mission Board, ]. S. Felix, Lynchburg,
president.
The work of The Home Mission Board
is very important and steadily growing
in magnitude. There has been good
deal of talk among the prominent mem
bers of the association about the en-
ployment of man for his whole time,
at sufficient salary, as corresponding
secretary of the board.
Mr.. William ENyson is now the sec
rotary of the board, and his services il
the position have been of the greatest
value, but it is said he refuses to take
the position with the salary and devote
his entire time to the work. He is the
choice of the association, and they
would gladly pay him good salary to
take the position.
There has also been good deal o.!
discussion of the question of consolidat-
ing the Sunday School and Bible Board
now located in Petersburg, of which
Rev. J. NJ. Pitcher is corresponding sec
rotary, with the State Mission Board.
Many feel that it is department OF
State mission work that ought to be
under direct supervision of the State
Mission Board and its secretary; that
one man could do the work of the
boards; that expenses would be reduced
and the calls on the churches be dimin
ished
There is a good deal of division OF
opinion on this subject, however, anG
whether the subject will come up or
not is uncertain, in body like the
General Association, where free speech
is the rule. 1t is hard to tell what may
be suggested and what may be done.
A member, high in the councils OF
the denomination, says the association
has felt the depressing effects ofthe last
year and that the average receipts will
be considerably below those of last
year, but that taking all into account,
the final exhibit is very gratifying
one. He says all the boards have done
good work, and the calls upon the
churches have been answered by lib
eral response.
The Virginia Baptist ministers meet
ing will take place at the First Baptist
Church to night at 1880 o'clock. Rev
W. S. Royal will read a paper on Ser
vice of Song" and Rev. F. G. MoCon-
nell, D. D., will read paper on Gle
climate Methods of Raising Money for
Religious Purposes"
Many of the delegates to the associ-
alton have already arrived and are be-
ing entertained at the homes of the
citizens of the various Protestant de-
nominations.
The committee of the Baptist Church
appointed to receive the delegates to
the Association had a meeting in the
church yesterday evening and appoint
ed subcommittee to meet all the
trains and boats to-day and to morrow
to meet the incoming delegates. The
committee who have the matter in
charge are Mr.. John t. Nails, chair
man; Mrs. D. A. Windsor, Mrs. ]. T.
Nails, Mrs. DR.. Mulholland, Miss
Rosie Broadus, Miss Rosalie Broadus,
Miss Nellie Joyce, Miss Eva Taylor,
and Messrs. E. G. Joyce, T. A. Lewis,
Benjamin Mullings, ]. R. n. Curtin,
R. A. Wilkerson, w. H. Yeatman and
George III. Hayden.