The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-05
Annual Union Mission Services
BY the Baptists.
A GREAT WORK BEING DONE
Proposed to Establish Night
Schools at the Mills.
klLeoATMETHoDlsT CHURCHES
Trinity's Presi ent Delivered Thrs
Discourses to Large Audi
ences in Raleigh
Sunday.

1t has a long time been a custom for
the Baptists of this city to devote the
first Sunday night in each year to city
missions. This work has this year been
peculiarly blessed, and the members Of
that denomination in Raleigh met Sun
day night in the First Baptist church to
discuss plans for this year and raise
money for carrying them out.
The meeting was presided over by the
pastor, Rev DIR. J. w. Carter, who
spoke of the Importance Of city missions
and pointed out the danger of neglecting
that which is near for that which is far
away There is no branch of mission
work, he said, more important than that
in cities-if that is neglected the whole
mission work is a failure. Other mis-
sions demand our attention and support
but the work in this city is especially
important The Baptist denomination
had just as well talk of abandoning one
of our churches as TO abandon the mis-
sion work here.
The city missionary, Rev. A. l., Belts,
was then introduced and presented his
report of mission work since he began
here, March /, 1896:
Sermons preached, 121; prayer meet
ings held, 1875; religious visits made
T46; meetings held on field, :; number
of professions. 80; number baptized, 10;
Mission places and number of profess
sions at each: Swain street, 6; Car
aleigh Mills, 2; South West Mission, g.:
West Raleigh, II. Bibles and Tesla
ments distributed -; tracts distributed.
x II.
field, Tor have BEEN, 5; pupils in same,
500; officers and teachers in same, IS;
members of church at work in same, IS,
Contributions to all Sunday school ex-
penses, $4,000; amount raised for mis-
sion furniture, $3o.S5; paid out, $2970:
on hand, $1.15; cost of Improvement at
Swain Street, $1,000; amount subscribed
and paid in to build a mission chapel at
Pilot Cotton Mills, $176.00.
The following is report of the church
work done at West Raleigh church:
Number of members received, IL;
amount collected for infant class room
and baptistry, $1,000; amount sent to
Townsville Orphanage, $30.S5; for
State missions, Slit; Foreign missions,
$500; Home missions, 1896; ministerial
education, S7.25; ministerial relief, SIS.
At the conclusion of the reading of this
report Mr.. ]. w. Bailey, editor Of the
Biblical Recorder, was introduced. He
congratulated the Baptists of the city
on the mission work they We're doing,
and said ii was encouraging TO see so
many people assembled TO consider
plans for promoting city mission work.
People would weep, he said, over the
condition of China, Japan, Africa, and
India, but tell them about the needs at
home and they will pay little attention
to you. With individual effort comes
individual responsibility. Every man
can do something; he must do something.
The city, he said, had been compassed
round about by the Baptists. Go East,
West, North and South-in each direc-
ton there is a mission. And yet the
Baptists of the city didn't do what they
ought for this work. He urged them to
give more literally.
Rev. John u. White, Secretary of the
State Mission Board, was the next
speaker. He began by telling of the
large part played by cities in the religious
and political history of the world. He
said the first mission work in the world
began in the cities. 1.-THE city yields
a very powerful influence upon the coun-
try, and in many nations the city act
ually rules and controls. Where is
France? In Paris. Where is England +?
In London. Where is Germany? In Ber-
lin. If you will purify and eyangelize
the city the country will become righte-
Gus. The city is the artery through
which the life blood of the country flows.
If the city is contaminated the country
must be the same. The city is either the
best or the worst place in the country.