Birmingham age-herald., 1895-05-10
THEF0RMAL OPENING TODAY
It Is the Semi s-,'tenniaI Meeting of the Grand
 ~f Organization
AND Al SHE LEADERS WILL BE THERE.
Thre iousand a Conservative Estimate of 5.,sAttendance-The Young Peoples Aj cS
 e Societies Hold Conference.
 Prof. Nell Is Moderator.

Washington May 1.-The southern | Baptists are swarming into Washing | ton on all of the railroads from that sec | tion of the country, and the Norfolk l boat arriving this morning brought 800 | of them The convention does not for
 mally assemble until tomorrow, but l there are allied organizations holding | their sessions coincident with the main l gathering and these suffice to bring | delegates on ahead, as well some members of the organizations who may
 not themselves be accredited delegates | to the convention.
 l It is the semi-centennial meeting of
 the convention, and this fact alone | would make 1t one of the most interest," l ing in the life of the organization since | it separated from the northern branch 1 of the church. in 1845 This being a dele | gate body, whose members are chosen, l as rule by ballot, from the churches l or societies which they are here to rep resent, it may be said to comprise in it's l ranks the leading lights of the denomi- l nation in the south.
 The series of meetings was inaugu-
 rated last evening with the annual ses- | sion of the Baptist Educational society, | which was held at the First Baptist l church, on Eleventh street.
 | This morning there was held a con- | ference upon the organizing of the young | peoples societies of the southern Bap- | tist churches into body to cooperate l with the convention in directing the
 work among the young people. It was | called to order by Rev. Dr. R. H. Pitt, | editor of the Religious Herald, and Prof. | P H. Nell of Alabama was made mod orator, and O. P. Gregory of Maryland, secretary.
 A number of propositions were pre- | scented to the meeting, among them one | to postpone the consideration for year. | Finally it was agreed to refer all the diff | ferent propositions to special commit l tee, which will report later.
 l The moderator named the following as members of the committees: c. c. 1 Meadow of the District of Columbia, R. | H. Pitt of Virginia, o. F. Gregory of l Maryland, T. H. Pritchdrd bf North Car olina, A. J. S. Thomas of South Carolina, l J. B. Hawthorne of Georgia, A. J. Dick | inson of Alabama, N. A. Bailey of Flor ida, Carter Helm Jones of Kentucky. w. s. Penick of Louisiana, J. J. VanneSS Of Tennessee, J. B. Cranfill of Texas, R. P. Johnson of Missouri, A. J. McKemaway of Arkansas.
 Tomorrow morning at o'clock the meeting of the Womans Foreign Mis- | -sionary union will be held at the Cal
 vary Baptist church, when an address or welcome Will Dt dthNSISQ Dy AhiiSs Stakely the wife of the pastor of the | First Baptist church
 As the delegates are not expected to | have all registered before tomorrow, 1t | is not possible to estimate the size or | the crowd which will be here, but it is | believed that 5000 would be conserva- tive estimate. Dr. Stakely said day or two ago that from the way applca- tions for accommodation were pouring
 in he thought there would be in the neighborhood of 1000 delegates present by the time the convention is called to order tomorrow. Many of these will doubtless have other members of their families with them, and these will go to swell the size of the gathering. The very best of arrangements have been
 made by the local committee for the comfort and welfare of the visiting
 host. Postoffice facilities have been
 prepared, and everything has been done
 to assure the delegates that nowhere
 can they feel as much at home as in the
 beautiful capital city.
 Dr. H. Pitt presented the report of the
 committee on the subject of organiza-
 tion of young peoples society as fol-
 lows:
 That it is the sense of this conference
 that an organization of young people
 auxiliary to the Southern Baptist con vention is eminently desirable.
 That the Southern Baptist convention
 at it's approaching session be requested to provide for such an organization.
 That Committee be appointed by this meeting to present their resolutions to the convention. It is also recommended that this con-
 ference make the most explicit and em-
 phatic declaration that such organiza-
 tion as may be effected ought to fully
 recogniza the inviolable independence
 and autonomy of the church, and leaving
 it to each church to settle for itself
 whether it shall have a young peoples
 union or not, and if it shall have union,
 whether there shall be outside afflliation
 or not, and the character of such affilia-
 ton.
 That the conference extends fraternal
 greetings to the Baptist Young Peoples
 Union of America, soon to hold it's an-
 nual meeting in Baltimore, and bids
 them God-speed in their beneficient
 work.
 After a long and rather warm debate
 the motion to adopt the report was de- feated-yeas 164. nays 215
 The announcement was received with applause, despite the efforts of. the mod orator, and the victorious nays" began
 singing the well-known hymn. whose
 first line is "Blest Be the Tie That
 Binds" to a vigorous accompaniment
 of misses from the defeated ranks. The