The morning times., 1896-11-17
COLUMBIA BAPTISTS MEET
Rev. DR.. Whitman Opens the Con-
ventiOn With an Address.
f Street Church Filled With Menu
bers of the Faith and
Their Pastors.

The annual convention OF the c Ilumbia
Association of Baptist Churches began
last evening with the annual sermon by
President Whitman, OF Columbian Uni
verslty, at the Street Baptist Church
The convention will continue in progress
for three days, and marks the close OF
the nineteenth year of the association
The decorations for the meeting were
simple and consisted Of u few green plants
on the rostrum. The regular choir WAS
enlarged for the occasion and n special
aud interesting program of music was
rendered.
Rev. DR.. S. H. Greene. pastor of Cal.
vary Baptist Church, and present moderator
of the association, presided over the meet
ing. With him and DR.. Whitman on the
platform sat Rev. DR.. j. j. Muir. pastor
of The congregation: Rev. G. W. McCu-
Tough, Rev. &. E. L. Stevenson and Rev.
A. F. Anderson.
The choir sang an anthem a s the audience
gathered, and Rev. Mr Stevenson delivered
the invocation. Rev. Mr.. Mccullough read
a Scripture lesson and DR. Green made Il
few annouDcementsgu sguverniHg theremaining
sessions of the convention. A prayer was
offered by Rev. Mr. Anderson.
pr. Whitman SPOKE from the passage in
Isaiah that runs, "Be not careless indeed
but reverence carefulness of the things
which trouble them.'
1t was an eloquent sermon-thc same
description is coupled with most of the
public utterances of Colum5ian's head 1t
was o powerful Sermon too, more in the
nature of logical and convincing argH-
ment before a college chapel than to Il
great congregation.
There is a divine factor in human ar-
fairs,'' he said after forming u foundation
for the simile in a dissertation on chemical
and physical factors. THE factors of man $
life are time and place, the cause and effect
of affairs We have to recognize them
whether or no by common consent
I'VE are especially liable to overlook
the hidden factors of life. Every result
must have a cause, in spiritual as well as
in physical life. Every intellectual or
mental movement We cal trace directly 20
movement Of the brain itself. There is
an actual expenditure of brain tissue in
every intellectualemoveme ent.
"The difficulty of,our study is increased.
however, as we go from mental to moral
considerations. Moral law is that law
written on the nature Of man. When this
moral law is violated the effrct is felt on
the moral nature.
Right and virtue do not always conform
with each other. Virtue is the doing OF
ones convictions.1 Right is the accomplish.
ment of actual duty. Men are often yir
tuous when they are right. 1t. is thus
easy for q man to do actual wrong and be.
licve he is doing right. No better Illus
tration OF the proposition can be found
than in the motncrs of Inuia, who, in Their
blind worship OF some divinity cast their
new born babes into the waters Of the
GaHges.
You often find results unaccounted for
by previous forces. God is dlwa Us present
and has a hand in the affairs of mankind.
So the ancient seers who wrote tho
Scriptures thought. There is no getting
beyond God. There is no escape from
him.
The business session of the convention
will begin this morning in the same church.
Elaborate preparations have been made at
the church for the social entertainment of
the delegates while the meeting lasts, an,
it promises to be one of the most interest
ing conventions in the history Of the asso-
citation.