The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-11
BUSINESS OF THE BAPTISTS.
BIG CROWD AT THE OPENING OF
THE CONFERENCE.


dent HaralsOn-A Total of .2I4 Del
egates Entitled 10 seats in the Con-
vention-Of the SI3 Entitled 10 Vote
7O5 Present-The President Re-
Elected.
Washington. May 1O.-The first session
of the Southern Baptist conference was
held this morning at 10 o clock at the First
Baptist church on Sixteenth street. The
church was well filled long before that
hour and when, at 10 o'clock Judge Haral-
son. the presiding officer. arose and called
for order every seat on the floor was taken,
and the galleries were beginning to fiji
up. The people kept coming, however,
long after every available inch of space
was filled and standing room was soon at
a premium. The great heat caused the
people to be very uncomfortable Fans
and folded papers and hats We're utilized
to create artificial breezes. but the morn
ing was close and torrid and the enthusi-
asm of the churchmen alone kept them in
their places throughout the exercises of
the day.
The meeting was called to order prompt
ly by President Haralson. and the relig-
ious exercises that preceded the regular
DR.. T. f. Skinner of North Carolina. A
hymn was first sung. and then Dr. Skin
ner read from the scriptures and offered
prayer. He then called for suggestions
for hymn from the people, and q voice
was Immediately raised TO propose Il
Love Thy Kingdom, Lord, At once the
singing was begun, before the organ could
be started, and for two stanzas the song
was raised without any accompaniment
whatever.
Then President Haralson said that the
meeting would go ahead to organize the
convention, and until that was done no one
would be regarded as entitled to the floor.
he turned the matter OF erecting the or
ganizatiOn over TO the secretaries, who,
details.
Dr. Burrows, the chief secretary, read
out the lists, prefacing them with the
statement that the maximum number en-
tltled TO seats on financial basis was
Sl3, and the number Of representatives of
associations elect 40i, making total of
all delegates of LIZA
He then gave the detailed list of each
state, as they We're brought to the front,
footing up as follows: Alabama, entitled
to 81, of whom 45 were present; Arkansas,
emitted to 13, present 3; Western Arkan-
sas and Indian Territory, entitled to 2;
present 2; District of Columbia, entitled
to 5, present ); Florida entitled to II, pres
ent H. Georgia, entitled to 119, present l04; 4;
Kentucky, entitled to l0l present l0l; Lou
iisia5na, isa5 enutled to y; present 49, Mary
sissippi entitled to 30, present 26;
missouri, entitled to y, present 49, North
Carolina, entitled 70 40, present 40; Wes-
tern Carolina, entitled to 3, present 3;
South Carolina, entitled to So present SO;
tennessee, entitled to 80, present 80:
Texas, entitled TO q, present 90; Virginia,
entitled to l32, present 1872; Mexico, enti-
Tied to !, present /; China, entitled TO /,
present /.
This made total CT SlS entitled to vote,
with total of 705 present
When these preliminaries had been com
pleted President HARRISON called for the
election Of officers, and DR.. Ellis at once
nominations were closed Immediately and
Judge HARRISON was unanimously re-
chosen president of the convention, which
once he has filled since 1889. He made
brief speech, thanking the conference
for the honor and expressing his belief
that the convention would be a complete
success If every delegate would lend his
cooperation to the officers. He called at
tention to the rule which forbids applause
and declared that he should strictly en-
force it, The time at the disposal of the
delegates is short and there is more work
than ever to do. In addition this is the
first time the conference has ever met in
Washington, and, as fully two-thirds of
the delegates have never visited Wash
ington before, ii is likely that very many
of them would want TO go around the city
to see the many sights.
He feared that there might be neces-
sity for cutting off one of the daily ses-
sions, else one of two things might hap
pen. hllner the people WO0lu De deprived
of seeing much they had come to see, or
there would be no convention. So the queS-
tion of daily sessions would be referred TO
committee who would confer with DR..
Stakely and announce their decision later.
Judge HARRISON said he hoped that the del
egates would not make very long speeches,
and not try to entrap him in any parlia-
mentary tangles In conclusion, he said
he hoped for no other honor in this life
than that which had been conferred upon
him so frequently.
Judge HARRISON announced the commit
tee on order of business, as follows: H. r.
Harris of Virginia; l. r. Tichenor of Geor-
gia; b. b. Willingham of Virginia; t. B:
Bell of Tennessee and w. II. Whitsitt of
Kentucky, and the committee withdrew to
Nominations were then made for the vice
presidents four in number, as follows: J.
Taylor Ellyson of Virginia; ": J. North.
en- of Georgia. Rev. T. II. Fitzpatrick Of
Georgia. L. 3. Ely of Missouri; James I;
Eagle of Arkansas, Joshua Levering of
MARYLAND b. II. Carroll of Texas and !.
T. S. Parks of Texas. 10,
While these proceedings were going on,
District Commissioner Ross arrived and
was escorted to the platform.
During the progress of the nominations
Dr Eaton of Louisville moved that the
secretary be directed to cast the ballot
of the conference for Dr. Parks of Texas
for first vice president DR.. Parks Is one
az the ave surviving members of the con-
ference of 1S45 The bylaws were quoted,
however, and it appeared that the rules
Drohibited the election in that way. The
chair ruled that the bylaws were strictly
in Contradiction of the motion, but he sug
arested that a way might be found out of
the difficulty. So DR.. Eaton made his mo-
tion in such form that the chair could
wink at the law, which he did gracefully,
and on a viva voce vote the Texas vet
eran was unanimously elected first vice
president.
Teliers were then appointed to take the
votes on the other names, and while they
were counting the ballots the conven-
ton unanimously reelected Drs Lansing
Burrows and o. f. Gregory as secretar-
les.
Commissioner Ross, who made a brief ad-
dress of welcome.
DR. c. c. Meadows, moderator of the
district conference, spoke in welcome on
behalf of the Washington churches.
He was followed by Rev. DR.. J. r. Sam
pey of Kentucky of the Southern Sem
mary, who made a ringing address in re-
sponse to the hearty welcome extended to
the delegates He made a happy refer
ence to the late war, and declared that
the southern people have the very warm
est feelings for those of the north
The committee on order of business re-
ported in favor of two sessions each for
to-day and tomorrow, morning and ev-
ening session. No recommendations were
made as to Monday.
rfst., adj fbo