The morning news., 1897-04-03
BUSINESS OF THE BAPTISTS
THE STATE CONVENTION IN SESSION
AT GAINESVILLE.

Deep Devotional Feeling Notice
adjective Hundred voices Join I'm
the Opening Hymn-Ex-GOv. Nor
then Reelected President-HOn.
III. w. j. Ham Delivers the Address
of WeIcome-Dr. Henry Mcdonald
of Atlanta Makes the Response.
Two New Associations Added TO
the Membership - Great Record
Made by the state Mission Board.
Gainesville, Ca, April 2.-The Georgia
Baptist convention began its seventy-hfth
annual session this morning in the First
Baptist church of this city.
Very delightful devotional services were
conducted by J. ]. Whitfield, a promi-
nent Iayman of Hawkinsville. A deep
devotional feeling prevailed over the en-
tire assembly and the evidences of strong
faith in God and in Christ as the re-
deemer were marked.
The welkin was made to ring as more
than 800 Joined in the grand old hymn
How Firm a Foundation"
Ex-Gov. W. j. Northen was reelected
president of the convention by acclama-
tion.
Or. J. H. Fitzpatrick, Rev. S. Y. Jane
son and J. NJ. Waller and DR.. John Me
Can were made vice presidents.
The valuable services hitherto rendered
by DR.. ]. D. Ragsdale as secretary We're
rewarded by his reelection to this office.
Hon. H. w. J. Ham, a man known Ear
and wide as a humorist, made, in benalf
of the Gainesville church, the address of
welcome The man fun of humor rs a
lecturer was found to be full of faith as
a Christian.
DR.. Henry Mcdonald of Atlanta gave a
most harpy response to the address of
welcome.
Two new associations were added to the
membership of the body, the Chattahoo-
chee and Hiawasee, making the total
number of associations A, representing a
constituency of more than 10000.
Prominent men present representing de-
nominational interests are: Prof 2. d.
Pollock, chairman of the faculty of Mercer
university, DR.. Charles Manly, president
of Furmar, university of South Carolina.
Rev. e. b. Baldy, a prominent young
minister of Kentucky, is stopping over
on his way to Aiken, S. c., where on next
Wednesday night he is to be married to
Miss May Henderson of that place.
The state mission board was organized
at Gainesville twenty years ago. The sec
retaries of this board have been the la
mented DR.. Devotee and for a number of
years, DR.. j. c. Gibson. The work this
year has been the most prosperous of its
history.
A large number of men are employed by
this board. They are preachers, colp0r-
teurs and Bible institute teachers. Forty
two Institutes have been held, where more
than 600 preachers have been in attend
ance. Many Sunday schools have been
organized
The institute work has been principally
under the direction of DR.. b. d. Ragsdale,
who has become a great expounder of the
scriptures.
More than $4,000 has been spent by this
board in church buildings alone.
over 1000 converts are reported by the
workers of the board during the year.
Thirty INDECENT ministers and ministers
widows are cared for by the board.
The denomination in the state has given
for the year considerably over $4,000 for
home and foreign missions.
The work in the state is done mainly in
the destitute portions of the Wiregrass
and the mountains of North Georgia.
The convention sermon was preached to-
night by DIR. w. II. Young of Athens.
The sermon was scholarly and manifest
ed the research of a master mind.