Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-06
SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
Golden Jubilee to Be Held in Wash
ington in May.
A GREAT GATHERING EXPECTED
How the Church Separated From
Its Northern Brethren.
THE VAST WORK IT DOES

The Southern Baptist convention Will
meet in Washington in May. The opening
Is set for Friday, the 10th. The arrange
ments are in charge of local committee.
headed by Rev. DR.. Stakely of the First
Church, corner of 10th and o streets north
west. Most Of the sessions will probably
be held in the First Church. which is adj
mirably suited to large gatherings, and Is
central in location.
The Southern Baptist convention Is one
of the largest delegated religious bodies In
the land. and perhaps the largest in the
number of delegates appointed to the differ
emit afhliating associations. The audiences
during these annual conventions are num-
erous. The convention met two years ago
In Atlanta, and was attended to such an
extent that Trinity Church was taxed to
its utmost capacity to accommodate just
the delegates.
1t In the Golden Jubilee.
The convention this year Is called the
Golden Jubilee. Although this Is the if
tieth year of the Southern Baptist conven-
ton, 1t Is only the thirty ninth session, as
no convention was held from 1868 until
1856. Semi-annual conventions had been
held up to 1868. 1t is proposed, in recogni-
to make a special effort to increase the
contributions of the churches to mission
work.
The first session of the Southern Baptist
May 10, 1875 The convention met last
May In Dallas, Tex. The total number en-
titled to seats was 1,115. and there were
present ~ delegates The convention ad-
the southern boards of the convention, and
they have since decided that 1t shall meet
in Washington.
The Separation.
The convention originated in q with
drawal of the southern churches from
union and cooperation with the general
convention Of the Baptist denomination In
the United States. which was popularity
known as "the triennial convention" That
body had been organized in Philadelphia,
May q, 1914. It had at first the one object
of aiding MISSIONS being an aftergrowth of
the starting of the first American Baptist
foreign mission in India by Adoniram judi
son. his wife and Luther Rice, who sailed
for India in the year 1912. Mr.. Rice re-
turned to the United States, and through
his addresses awakened great interest in
of the Southern Baptist churches from the
northern churches was an aftergrowth Of
the anti-slavery sentiment in the north.
The separation virtually took place by
the action of the Home Missionary Society
at It's meeting in Providence r. l., in April,
1916. At this meeting resolutions were
adopted recognizing that there should be
no distinction as to eligibility to Office
among the members, but at the same time
suggesting that it was better for the north
ern and southern members, amicably, to
form separate organizations.
Thus was started the Southern Baptist
convention, which at once secured the en-
thusiastic support of the churches in the
south. Rev: J: B: Jeter. ID. was the first
president Of the board Of foreign missions
Of the southern convention.
General Officers.
The general officers of the convention
are as follows: President. Jonathan Har-
alison, LII. D.. Montgomery. Ala; vice
presidents Francis Marion Ellis, D. D..
Baltimore, Nd: John William Jones, D.
D., University of Virginia; Samuel Howard
Ford, D. D., LII. D., st. Louis Mo-: VIM.
Jonathan Northern, LII. D., Atlanta, Ca
Secretaries, Lansing Burrows, D. D., Au-
grsta, Ca; Oliver Fuller Gregory. d. D.,
Baltimore, Md; treasurer. Mr.. George w.
Norton. Louisville. KY; auditor. William
Patrick Harvey, D. D., Louisville, KY;
secretary foreign mission board, Rev. Dr.
R. ]. Willingham. Richmond. Va.
Statistics of the Church.
The convention at the time of its organi-
cation took charge Of missions in China,
Brazil Japan, Liberia and Africa. The
total receipts Of the foreign board of the con-
vention last year amounted to Si37 O37. The
receipts of the foreign board of the conven-
ton last year amounted to $1O6,332.69 and
the contributions from native converts were
S5044.27. The receipts of the home board
of missions the past year were SGT, 16S.5l.
These boards conduct missions in China,
Africa, Japan, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Italy,
among the colored people, the Indians and
among the whites Of the mountain region
Of the south and on the frontier.
The convention has connected with 1t ga
associations, o. 610 ordained ministers, 1886
churches, 2G543 1897 members, and 1882 per-
sons were baptized last year In the
churches. The total white membership is
1,363, 351, and the total colored membership
is ,291 ,046
To Re EliulIle for Divorce.