Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-05
THE BAPTIST HOSTS.
They viii Gather In Washington This
Week In Great Numbers.
YOUNG PEOPLES CONFERENCE.
Different Views NJ to What Change,
II Any, Shall he Made in the Or
ganixation-Busine to Come De-
fore the Convention.

There IL great and growing interest
in the meeting OF the Southern Baptist
Convention TO be held in the city OF
Washington this week. From the far
South the attendance will not be. per-
haps, unusually large. although the know
ing ones look for a great company from
Georgia, Texas. and Alabama. Kentucky,
too. will doubtless have a large contin-
gent.
The national capital, always a centre OF
attraction to the citizens of this great
country, is never so beautiful as in this
balmy month. The avenues are shaded
with large trees. whose beautiful green
forms a striking contrast to and relieves
white buildings which loom up on all
sides. The visitors will enjoy all this.
Of course. with peculiar zest, since they
will have a sense of proprietorship In 1t.
They will miss sight of Congress,
that august body being no longer In ses-
sion, and they will probably not have
the opportunity Of formally calling upon
the President. as II is understood that
he has gone 10 his country home.
wv OoIley, LOT the summer.
But. Notwithstanding, there will be
ample entertainment outside Of The va
rious gatherings. for the sake Of which
these hundreds come together. The War
and Navy Department, the National Mu-
scum, the Smithsonian Institution. and
the many other departmental buildings,
together with the Washington monument
and the many beautiful drives around the
city, will all be highly attractive TO the
delegates and visitors.
PRELIMINARY MEETINGS.
However. all the indications are that
the meetings themselves will be more
than ordinarily interesting. There will
hN several preliminary meetings. The
National Baptist Educational Society will
meet on the evenings of May Sth and
9th. The latter of these meetings will
probably be in the interest Of Columbian
University. Among the speakers on one
or the other of these nights will be Or.
w. II. Harper. OF Chicago; Hon. w. l..
Wilson. Postmaster-General. of Wash
ington; Professor O. T. Mason, of the
National Museum. and DR.. F. ". Ellis,
Of Brooklyn. late OF Baltimore.
on the 9th of May will be held the
conference In the interests of the young
people. The first session Will be called
fist church. whore all these meetings will
occur, and there will probably be an
other session In the afternoon. This con-
ference has been called largely through
the Influence of the Religious Herald. II
cannot, with any certainty, be foretold
what It's decision will be. Already there
has been manifested a great contrariety
Of opinion. Some are opposing further or
ganizatiOn, and those who favor 1t are
Inc ha o. a,
organization should take. Some favor
an organization partly independent and
partly auxiliary. Some favor n better and
more systematic arrangement inside OF the
Southern Baptist Convention, while others
like the idea of an entirely Independent
body II Is probable that these will find
some common ground on which they
may all stand.
BASIS OF MEMBERSHIP.
The chief question In the convention
Itself apart from this young peoples
business VIII be the modification OF the
present basis of membership. This is
now almost purely financial. The sum
Of $3.50 contributed to the boards Of the
convention furnish the basis Tor one dele
gate Besides this. district associations
in sympathy with the objects Of the CON
vention are allowed to elect one dele
gate each.
Virginia Baptists give this year nearly
1890 TO for ign MISSIONS thus LEADING
1t is supposed. all the Southern State
In addition to this they give over $40 900
10 home missions. This entities VIZ
ginia to 1872 representatives in the body,
besides associational delegates 1t is now
almost certain that the delegation will
be full. The year has been very bur-
densome 10 all religious enterrrises. in
common with secular business, but IL is
said that the boards of this convention
VIII go TO the session in very gratifying
| financial condition.
The meeting of the Board of Trustees
| Of the Southern Baptist Theological Semi
nary Will be held the day before the con-
vention. 1t will be a session OF great in
terest "A successor to Or. Broaddus as
president of the seminary will be elected
| II , not yet known who will be chosen,
but the Indications point to DR.. w. H.
Whitsitt. Professor of Church History,
and the oldest OF the faculty. Some one
also Will be chosen probably to take one
| or the other of the chairs occupied by
| Dr. Broaddus. Nothing at all Is known
| as to who will be selected for this re-
sponsible place.
PAY THEIR OWN WAY.
The convention meets this year on the
pay-as-you-go plan for the first time in
10 hi9'VisF <N4i'sig Two INVITATIONS Tor
| the next session are in sight-one in
Louisville and one in Chattanooga Both
| of them are on the old pan of providing
| entertainment for everybody.
The convention opens Friday morning.
and will probably not adjourn before
| Tuesday evening or Wednesday. a num-
| Der of Richmond people viii go in add-
| ton 10 the regular delegates. Especially
| will this be true of the Young Peoples
| Conference, in which there is great In
| terest here. one OF the most important
| boards of the convent.on-Foreign Mis-
| sions-has its headquarters here. Pro-
| fessor II. II. Harris Is its president. and
| Rev. DR.. Il. j. Willingham secretary.