The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-11
DELEGATES BOUND WEST
To Join In the Annual WORK OF
This BODY Of Christians.
IN NORTH CAROLINA
Rura Country.


Chattanooga special for the Baptist State
Convention at Morganton were Rev.
Chas. w. Scarborough, of Murfreesboro;
Hon. Jno. c. Scarborough and Rev, A. l..
Belts, OF Raleigh; DIR. Jno. Mitchell and
Rev. w. II. GwaItney, of Wake Forest;
Miss Fannie Heck and Miss Rosa
Rroughton, Of Raleigh, Rev. Jno. n. Cop
pedge. of Nakefield; B. b. Buffaloe, OF
Milburnie; j. William Bailey, and j, O..
Caddell Of the Biblical Recorder; L. a.
Dunn. of Forestville; DIR, I. Il. Skinner,
Or. Garter. Alr. .Ino. H. Ray, Mr. n. Is.
Rroughton. Sir. Jacob s. Allen, Rev. Jno.
II. White and ]. W. Denmark, of Raj
eigh. The convention viii be called 10
order by Rev. II. H. Marsh, ID. d., the
nresident Of the convention. The annual
sermon will be preached tonight by Rev.
r. b. Richardson. of High Point. 1t is
said that the convention will take up the
matter of the completion of the Baptist
Female College and make a special eff
fort 90 arrange for its early completion.
Some of the brethren remarked at the
depot yesterday afternoon that resolu-
fion opposing State aid would be unanl-
monsly passed by the convention.
WHAT WAS DONE LAST YEAR.
The Baptist Board of Missions ami
Sunday schools met yesterday evening 10
consider reports for each department of
work Reports show progress along
every Iine The Baptists in the State,
east of the Blue Ridge, have had this
year 9s missionaries ar work, aud say
$4,000 is expended in their work. On
these mission fields alone there have
been this year 1000 additions to mis-
sion churches, and 116 mission churches
are now In course Of erection. For all
objects $4,000 has been collected from
mission churches during the year. Forty
six new church buildings have been built
by Baptists during the year.
Yesterdays Biblical Recorder contain
ed an interesting article on the convention
with a graphic sketch Of the progress
and Tower Of the chuch, which we repro
Guce below:
PABTTST STATE CONVENTION.
@The North Carolina Baptist State CON
reuf5on viii be in annual session at Nor
Canton. beginning Wednesday of this
week II represents the white Mission
arg OF Raptists of North Carolina, save
those who are represented by the West
ern North Carolina Baptist convention,
the constituents of which number 90
600, more or less. 1t is organized on Il
simple, representative basis. The churches
organized first into associations. Each
of the associations, of which there are
forty-four, is entitled to three delegates,
and each church, of which there are more
than 1,600, is entitled to one delegate
for every ten dollars it contributes to
the funds of the onyention-provided no
church shall have more than ten dele
gates. Accordingly, we reckon that the
convention in session at Morganton might
have between 1,200 and 1900 delegates
But many churches do not keep strict
account of their contributions, and there
fore do not send the number of delegates
to which they are entitled; others elect
delegates, but the travelling expenses is
so great they do not come. And so, FIVE
hundred delegates is a very good attend
ance Ii it were possible to have all the
1900 present, it would be greatly to the
advantage of our work; but it is impos-
sible, and if it were, it would be inn
practicable.
BAPTIST INCREASE IN NORTH
CAROLINA.
'sThis is the sixty-fourth session of
the convention. In 1880, when it was
organized, it represented a constituency
of very weak churches, composed of poor
people, whose position in the world and
whose doctrine were cordially despised.
1t represented then about $4,000 Baptists,
scattered and but meagerly organized-in
!. several associations covering large Sec
lions of the State. The decade of 1890
1910 will be placed in history as the
most pregnant of all the periods Of our
Baptist progress. Ia that period the de-
nomination took shape. Some conserva-
tive, far-sighter brethren comprehend
ed the Baptist position and possibilities
in this State: the convention was organ
lied, the Biblical Recorder established
and Wake Forest College founded-the
three being the expression of unity, the
means of intensifying unity, and the eff
fort to make the union powerful. The
convention ut Morganton will represent
churches whose membership aggregate
100000 baptized believers. There is a
Missionary Baptist church in every town
and city, and in most Of the villages in
the State, Notwithstanding their main
strength is in the country and the con-
vention has now to crown its work by
putting a church for the preaching OF
the simple gospel in reach of every in
habitant of the State, and earnestly en-
deavoring to promote the Kindom of God
across the continents and the seas.
COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING.
"The Colored Baptist convention of
North Carolina is organically separate
from the Baptist State convention; but
they work together in the Home Mission
cooperation institutes for the education
of the colored ministers, and there are
forces at work which will make their
relations more intimate. The colored
convention represents about 10000
church members. These added to the
membership if the Western North Caro-
lima and the Baptist State conventions,
make total of 100000 men and women
OF North Carolina actually in the member
ship OF Missionary Baptist churches. This
is more than all the members Of all the
other denominations in North Carolina
combined 1t is one-ffth of the entire
population of North Carolina, men, wo-
men and children, many Of probably most