Evening star., 1896-11-17
THE OPENING SESSION.
DIR. Whitman Prenches to the Column
bia Baptist AssOciatiOn.

bia Baptist Association.
The opening session Of the nineteenth an
nual meeting of the Columbia Association
of Baptist Churches Of the District Of Co
lumbia was conducted last evening in the
meeting house of the E Street Baptist
Church, the attendance being SO large as
to severely test the seating and standing
capacity of the auditorium. The meeting
was resumed this morning, and will con-
tinue Wednesday and Thursday, with ses-
sions morning, afternoon and eksning of
each day.
The session last evening, which Was Sole
ly of a religious nature, was opened with
the singing of an anthem by the choir of
the church. The association was then call
cd 10 order with a few appropriate words
by the moderator, Rev. Samuel II. Greene,
pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. Rev.
DR.. Greene called upon Rev. G. EFT. Stew
enson to invoke divine blessing. After the
singing of a hymn, Rev. G. w. Mccullough
read from the scriptures and Rey., A. F.
Anderson offered prayer. -
A selection from the Messiah was. sung
by Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. Evans. and at
its conclusion the moderator announced
that the annual sermon before the aSsocia-
tion would be preached by Rev. B. l.. Whit
man. president of Columbian University of
this city. Rev. DR.. Whitman announced
his theme, "A word of cheer for Christian
workers" There Is divine factor. he
after they sum up all the elements for
which they can fairly account there re-
main certain results frequently reached
which these elements do not explain. In
the purely material sphere, he continued,
the factors can be reached and outlined
with tolerable completeness. but in the
mental and moral spheres the difficulty of
getting them is enormously increased,l, =.
And here, Rev. DR.. Whitman went on
to say, "a very frequent experience Of man
IS that after he has shaped his plans SO
as. apparently, to cover the whole ground
he finds results that his plans did not con-
template; effects for which there is no
cause in sight; or the absence of, effect
from some cause which apparently miscar-
ries. To account for this We have the con-
oeption OF the prophet that the hand of
God must be reckoned among the factors
of everyday life. -;-
Because of this definite element, we must
assume extraordinary forces at command
under proper conditions. The record of the,
world properly is made by epochs rather
than by centuries. And epochs are merely
the emergents and embodments Of un-
usual spiritual forces. 1t was so in the call
of Abraham, the giving of the law, the de-
liverance of Israel from bondage, the
founding Of the church, the great crises in
the history of the church, Pentacost the
Reformation the revival of missions. Our
whole theory Of prayer rests upon the con-
viction of such emergents of spiritual
power. The saving Of the interests of the
kingdom goes to the same thought. Our
expectation for the future is based upon it,
There Is thus a sphere of experience
| whose principal has not been mastered
| Many things we know, but alongside of the
sphere of the known is located the very
large sphere of the unknown. In that We
are still compelled to walk by faith. Ex-
perience in the sphere of the known would
| lead us to the thought that 1t is possible
that deeper understanding of the things
| that are as yet unknown may clear away
the inconsistencies and contradictions that
| now trouble us.
According to the law of gravitation. a
body moves toward the center of the earth.
| This law apparently Is suspended when the
| movement Of the body earthward is inter-
fered with. We find. however, that prin-
ciple lies deeper which compels the re-
statement of the law and so we make it
! read tends to move toward the CENTER
Thus the interference is seen to be not an
| interference. but simply suspension of its
| operation in common form.
Very likely, when we learn more about
| the world which Is to US as yet unknown
| we shall find that underneath of inconsis-
| tencies and contradictions there are funda-
I mental truths which unity all and make the
| world a world of order worthy of the max
| ing by the good God.
What now is the application of all this?"
| asked Rev. DR.. Whitman. ut is rebuke of
| discouragement on our part. The fact of
| the interposition Of God in our lives is a
perpetual safeguard against depression of
| spirit. He that believeth shall not be put to
| shame. We can afford to go just as fast or
| slow as God goes. The effect of righteous
| ness is quietness and assurance forever
| He that believeth shall not make haste 1t
| is a call to faithfulness. With all the
variety Of our tasks, there is-uniformity in
| the demand that we shall be found faith
| full"
At the conclusion of Rev. DR.. Whitman s
| sermon, prayer was offered and an anthem
/ sung. Next the committee on order of ex-
| ercises, consisting of Rev. ]. ]. Muir, pas
I tor of E Street Baptist Church. and
| Messrs. 8. M. Yeatman and D. g. Foster.
| submitted a detailed program for the
| meeting. the same was published in The
| Star several days ago. The report was
| adopted, and after the singing of a hymn.
| bonedictfon was pronounced, and the asso-
citation adjourned until 1890 o'clock this
| morning.