Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-19

THE MzPAH BENED|CT|ON
Dispersed the Endeavorers to
-o@ Their Homes.
A SWEET. SOLEMN SABBATH
Rev. John j. Eager Entranced the Montgom~
erisus- Compress Men Confer.
Railroad Earnings
SWEET, SOLEMN SABBATH

/ .
Montgomery, May Is. A(Special) Yes
terday was full of interest to the dele
gates to the state convention of Chris
tan Endeayors. - 8Asa
/ At $50 O. IA. a Sunrise" prayer meet
| ing was held at the First Presbyterian
| church, which was attended by almost all
of the visiting delegates and by a large
number of the members the associa-
| ton who are residents ef this city. This
meeting, which was one of the features
| of the weeks convention. was led by
Prof. W. P, Taylor OF. birmingham.
AT $3.50 the delegates attended the sew
| eral UNCONVENTIONAL Sunday schools of
| the city churches, and afterwards attend
| ed the regular services at the churches of
At $3.50 in the afternoon a mass meeting
| was held at the First Presbyterian
church, which was very largely attended.
1.-THE Christian Sabbath" was the sub
ject of all of the sdiseourses of the after
noon. Rev. e. P. Davis, the pastor of the
church, was the speaker of the occasion.
His subject was "Christian Endeavor and
Sabbath Observance" and he spoke most
eloquently and forcibly. He was follow
ed by number of delegates, who spoke
briefly along the same line, and the two
ably and profitably spent.
The night session was devoted to the
closing services, which were most impress
sive. A fellowship meeting was held at
z o'clock, which was full of interest and
which lasted for an hour. This was fol-
lowed by some spirited music and some
convention echoes, after which Prof. w.
P. Taylor of Birmingham delivered an
address on Facts and Figures" which
was greatly enjoyed
At $40 worship services were resumed,
being led by Rev. p. B. Bagley of Wash
ington, whose presence in the convention
has been a source of great pleasure and
profit to all of the delegates.
The closing conservation service was
followed by the Mizpah. benediction, and
the convention adjourned to assemble
again next year at such place and date
as the executive committee may an
nounce. no s1.4s.s
Famous Missionary.
A very large congregation at the First
Baptist church yesterday morning had
the pleasure of, hearing very eloquent
sermon by Rev. John H. Eager a brother
to the beloved pastor Of that church and
a missionary to Italy from the southern
Baptist church. -
Rev. Dr. Eager took the book of Reve-
lations as his subject. and spoke most
eloquer1tly. His sermon was greatly en-
joyed and at its conclusion many of his
old friends and many with whom he has
met since his return few days ago to
Alabama congratulated him on his eff
fort. He delivered splendid address at
the night service on Italy. Rev. Mr.. Ea-
ger Is a man OF, fine appearance and ex-
celleht address, HE iss47,years old and
Is native of Mississippi. His father
Rev. John Howard Eager, was a minister
Of the southern Baptist iehurch in that
state and educated his son for the minis
try in the Mississippi college at Clinton
and In the Southern Baptist Theological
seminary at Greenville, s. c., from which
latter institution he was graduated in
1879. During his various vacations Mr..
Eager acted as summer supply in Vicks-
burg, Memphis and Baltimore churches,
besides doing regular pastoral work In
Midway, KY, and in Manchester, Va.
In 1879 he was accepted by the foreign
missions board of the Southern Baptist
church as missionary. to China, a field
which had been his study and desire for
many years While still under appoint
ment to China Mr.. Eager was called by
the board of Italian missions and ac-
cepted the change, sailing for Rome In
October, 1880. Two weeks before he
sailed he was married to Miss Olive May
Board, daughter of DIR. G. A. Board a
prominent Baptist of Bedford, Va. For
ten years uninterruptedly they remained
abroad In Rome, during which time they
became much attached to the Italian
people. Six years ago they moved to
Florence, where they still reside, and
where they have made for themselves a
home and place among both the. Anglo
Saxon and the native residents of that
beautiful Tuscan capital A good mu-
steal ear as clear, fine enunciation and
much patient study have combined to
make Mr.. Eager one of the best Italian
speaking Anglo-Saxons in the whole of
Italy, and this fact has made him most
acceptable speaker to the critical italian
ear. He, has been able, therefore. to do
good, earnest and efhcient work In q most
difficult mission field. eN
His present stay Of some months in
America will be spent In travelling and
speaking In the interests of missions, as
was the several months of his former
visit in 1888. Mr. Eager has had numer-
GUS fiattering propositions to return to
the home field, but he persists In his de-
terminat ton to spend his life in the cause
OF religion In Italy He Is now the
guest of his brothers BrasGeorge B. Ea-
ger. the well known pastor OF the First
Baptist church isssins this city. After
preaching the commencement sermon for
his alma mater I'm clinton, Miss, and
also speaking before the Baptist Young
Peoples union,in Milwaukee, Mr. Eager
Will go to Baltimore, where he will sup
ply the pulpit Of the Eutaw Place church
during the month of August The date OF
his return to the field. of his chosen work,
Is fixed for the list of January next.
Compress Men Confer.
The Compress Association of Alabama,
and Georgia, comprising ALI of the COM
presses In these two states. met in annual,
session here last Saturday night. and ad-
1ourned after a session OF several hours.
The proceedings of the meeting were pri-.