The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-14
CONVENTION OF THE BAPTISTS.
Liberal Appropriations for For
eign Missions.
Over 10000 Baptist Churches in the
South, But 5000 Homeless Cougrega-
lions, Mostly In the southwest-The
Sum of $3.50, 1000 ApportIoned for For
eign Missionary Work.

convention to order this morning. De-
votional exercises were conducted by
the Rev. Mr. Corea, Of Virginia. G. A.
Nunnelly, of Memphis, presented q re-
port recommending the establishment.
of permanent building board. TO have
general charge of erection OF church
ediflces within the territory of the
Southern convention. The report
showed that although there were now
over 10000 Baptist churches in the
South, there we're 5000 homeless con-
gregatione. Most of them were in the
Southwest. In Texas alone there were
1000 Baptist churches without shelter.
The report also stated that there were
Thin the ten million people, hundreds
thousands without the Gospel and
that two thousand missionaries were
needed within the territory of the con.
vention. DR.. Tichenor, secretary of the
home mission board, ordered the dis.
memberment Of that board, which had
heretofore had charge of the work of
aiding In the construction of churches.
The report was rejected 80 to 1855.
j. j. Taylor, Of Mobile, Ala, treas
urer Of the foreign missionary board,
reported the appor tionment of the levy
for the foreign mission work of the
ensuing year. 1t aggregated $3.50, 600.
distributed as follows: Alabama, S1o,-
800; Arkansas, So, 600; District Of Ool4
umbia, Sl.200; Florida, $1,000; Georgia,
SIS, 900; Kentucky, $4,000; Louisiana,
$4,000; Maryland, $4,000; Mississippi,
1000; South Carolina, 5000; North
Carolina, SO. 900, Missouri, 50, 600; Ten
nessee, $4,000; Texas, $4,000; Viz
GINA, sal, 1000 and Western Arkansas
and Indian Territory, 5000.
The report was adopted, after which
che convention resumed the considering
OF the report on pagan fields. DR.. R..
Ii. Graves, for thirty years missionary
residing at Canton, China, in discussing
the report, urged eloquently aggressive
work in China. The result OF the jap
aneee- Chinese war, he said, would be to
open China to modern thought and en-.
lightment, and now was the time for
Christianity to strike He suggested
that at each communion service every
church momber give five cents to carry
the news OF the Gospel to the heather.
DR.. Willinghsm, secretary of the
foreign board, said that during the fifty
years of the existence of the convention
thirty missionaries to work in foreign
fields. The report was adopted, as was
the report OF the treasurer OF the home
mission board, presented by Rev. Yeat.
man, of Washington, which showed a
marked improvement in tho financial
condition during the past year.
Rev. Mr.. Richmond, Of Baltimore, ad-
dressed the convention on the work
among the German-Americans and Rev.
Albert A. Diaz, Of Havana, who is q
pastor of congregation Of 5000 Cuban
Baptists, on the work.in Cuba. The
convention took recess till evening,
and this afternoon Secretary Of the
Interior Smith gave an excursion to
Mount Vernon to all the Georgia dele
gates. j. 8. Cohen, Mr.. Smiths private
secretary. was in charge of the party.
The feature Of the evening session
was an eloquent and earnest address BY
Rev. j. B. Hawthorne, of Georgia, on
the history, work and future prospects
of the Southern Baptist Convention
The occasion of the address, was re-
port on the work Of the Homo Missionary
Board among the native white populs-
ton of the South. The address was a
practical announcement that the time
for reunion Of the Northern and
Southern churches had not come, and so
far as the Southern Baptist Convention
was concerned, was q thing of indefinite
future.
The speaker said the issues OF the
war had been decided by the arbitra-
ment of the sword; secession WAS dead;
slavery was dead, both beyond the
reach OF any resurrectlng power. No
man could now seek to revive them
without receiving an instant and over.
whelming rebuke, and no political sig.
nltcance should be ascribed to the
perpe'uation OF the Southern Baptist
Convention. a consolidation of the
two wings OF the Baptist Church would
make On unwieldly organization. Two
or even three organiza tions could &C.
complish more than one. No doctrinal
difference WAS involved.
There are now, he said, more Baptists
In the South than in all the world to-
gether. He also spoke Of the work OF
the Baptista In Cuba, whore nearly 3. 600
Baptists testified to the great results of
the work begun by Albert A. Diez nine
years ago. He also spoke of the grand
opportunities and great undertakings in
the new South, and declared that be-
hind 1t all were the great heroes of the
old South. They we're mistaken, he said,
who did not believe that Southern ge-
MUS and energy we're the dominating
forces. In closing. he alluded feelingly
to the negroes and said If the South did
notsave the negroes they would degen-
crate into barbarism and destroy 1t.
Christian negro Is like Christian
white man, and whether he went
abroad or stayed here, as long as he was
in daily contact with us all obligations
to God and ourselves demand that we
shall give him the Gospel OF Christ. lie
announced with pleasure that the home
missionary board, North and South, had
agreed upon a plan Of cooperation on
terms OF perfect equality for work