The Washington times., 1895-05-11
CROWDS OF Church men
Formal Opening of the Baptist
Convention.
COMMIsSIONERlROSS WELCOME
Rev. Mr.. Eager Delivered the Annual
Sermon on the Subject of a True
Christianfty-C Government
Has No Functionfn Acknowledgment
for the Students fFund.

The formal opening of the Southern
Baptist Convention was had yesterday MORN
ing at the First Baptist Church, President
Jonathan Harralson presiding. Earlier
than 10 o'clock, the opening hour, there
was a very large crowd in attendance, the
delegates thems selves forming quite
numerous throng The opening prayer was
by Rev. DR.. 7. E. Stannier, of Delaware.
The election of officers necessitated
the determination of accredited Delegates,
of whom there were shown to be present
7O5.
DR.. Ellis, of New York, nominated as
president Judge Harralsou, who was chosen
unanimously making his sixth term. Judge
Harralson responded appropriately to
this additional honor.
The committee on business was consti-
tuted of H II. Harris, l. 7. Tichenor, u. b.
Wellengtram, T b Bell, W H. Whitsitt.
The election of vice presidents was then
heds with the result: Dr.-J. t Parks, j ii.
Fitzpatrick, b II. Carroll aud j. T. Eilyson.
Dcctors Lansing Burrows and o. f.
Gregory We're reelected secretaries.
MR.. ROSS ADDRES
At this point Commissioner Ross was in
troduced and made q sf.-t but sincere ad-
dress of welcome to Washington to the
convention In his ADDRESS Commissioner
Ross spoke in complimentary terms of the
greatness, numerical and otherwise, OF the
Baptists of America.
The address OF welcome on behalf of the
Washington churches was made 10y Or. Z.
9 Meador, the moderator Of The District
Conference, in which he congra tulated the
convention on its choice OF Washington a s
its place of meeting A feeling response
was made to the address OF welcome, by
Dr. J. L. Sampsey, Of Kentucky.
The chairman appointed the following
committee on memorial exercises: Henry
Mcdonald, c. s Gardner, F. II Kerfoot,
Franklin Wilson and George Cooper.
The committee VIII make arrangements
for the memorial exercises of DR.. Broad
| Ius, late president OF the Baptist Theo-
logical Seminary. The successor of the
deceased president is Prof. William Heth
! Whitsitt. of Tennessee.
Reports OF departments were then made.
| Work among the colored people was dis
| cussed by DR.. II. L. Morehouse.
The report OF the Sunday-school board
was read by Rev. T. P. Bell, its CORE
| spending secretary. The receipts for the
| year were S53,03452, an increase of
| nearly So 900 over last year.
| Report OF the foreign mission board was
| made by Dr. j. n Wittngham. The con-
| tributio.ls for the year have been more
| than ,0G0.
| Home missions were discussed by DR.. l.
| T. Tichenor, who showsd%hat there were
| 425 miss ionarieS, 5 .921 persons hap
| tized, cash receipts $s8 $40.
RECEIVED BY THE PRESIDENT.
A proposition by Dr.tR: II. Eaton to pro
! vide for convention committee on resti
| tuition was killed. ga
The President recsiSed the convention
| and ladies in attendance in the East Room
I yesterday aftcrnoousata 4 O'Clock, after
| which photograph pfthe body was taken
4 from the steps of the Var Department.
| First Baptist Churoh was packed To the
doors last night with thefrfeuds and MEM
/ bers OF the couyeutiu1s 1t was excess
sively warm, but theEdiscomfort was dis
| counted by the genera interest ill the pro-
| ceediugs. Hon j. Taylor Allison, Mayor
Of Richmond, presided.
The special feature of the proceedings
was the annual serIneR TO the convention,
| which was preached by the Rev. George
p. Eager, OF Montgomery, Alabama.
The sermon was preceded, however, by
| several important matters OF business
| The report of the committee on co-opera-
| ton with the Northern Baptists was read
| by its chairman, Dr. I. T. Eaton. and was
| well received. 1t recommended closer
| union and heartier cooperation in the most
| fraternal language. Cooperation as to
the education of the colored race was espe
| chilly commended.
MESSAGES OF COOPERATION
The audience was addressed by Rev.
Alfred Watson, the fraternal delegate
from England. He delivered the messages
of cooperation, love, and fraternity
from the old country. and referred to the
| democratic spirit being developed in Eng
land. He spoke against the principle of an
i esta blished church, and predicted that
the day would come when the incubus Of
the Church of England would no longer
exist.
Rev. Mr.. Eagen then delivered the sermon
which was on the general subject OF q