The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-12
BUILDING UP THE CHURCH
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION DISCUSS
ES WAYS FOR ITS PROMOTION
pies Society Was Theme for
Special DiscussiOn-The Mission
Field Also Gone Over During the
Day by Men Familiar With Its
ms and Outs.

Eastern Minnesota Baptists closed an
interesting two days session at I'm
manuel church last evening.
The closing evening was opened with
a song service by the Young People 9
society Of the church.
Rev. James w. Ford, principal of
Minneapolis academy spoke on How
We Can Make the Most of Ourselves"
He epitomized his topic as follows:
First, by getting the right idea of God;
second. by getting the right idea OF
life; third, by giving our minds fair
chance.
The address Of the evening was by
Frank S. Abernethy, state president Of
the Baptist Young Peoples union, who
said in part:
stand that though they are In the world
they are not of it, for, as 1t was with the
k pnylde Master a 80 it is with US, my
40 comprehend this, and act upon it.
then will there be found more loyal fol-
lowers of Master.
And In the second pace l believe God
wants us to go forward in greater loyalty
to our own local church. The church is a
greater institution than is the Young Peo-
pies society 1t is institution recog-
nized by the New Testament and it rightly
demands our loyal services. Show me a
church where the pastor has the enthusiast
show you church of power, and one that
Is helping men and women to decide for
Christ: Also too often do we find that
they. have discharged what they believe 10
be their duty toward their Young Peoples
society, they have discharged their duty to
the church. 1t Is mistake; serious alike
in Its effects upon the work of the church,
and in its influence upon the young people
themselves.
The church expects, and has right to
Of q in
all the services of the week. Perhaps the
two meetings most often neglected by the
young people are the Sunday evening serv-
ice and the md-week prayer meeting. You
attend the young peoples prayer meeting on
Sunday evening and at its close you realize
how tired you are, and decide not to stay
a-.d he also goes home. 1t seems to me
one of the most painful experiences of a
hard-working pastors busy Sabbath day,
church a at he INNING People Of the syenns
service. Then there is the midweek
prayer meeting. You should attend that.
Take an interest in the Sunday school.
What we need in our churches is young
men and women on whom our pastors can
depend, whom they can lay burdens and
with whom they can divide responsibility.
Mr.. Abernethy also urged greater 10y
atty to the denomination. The ten
dency toward interdenominationali
he thought, was a tendency toward be-
lifting ones own denomination, which
should be guarded against.
During the last two years our organization
has made marked progress
AS a result of this the Baptist Young
People of our state occupy an enviable po-
sition in the eyes of the rest of the country.
The International Sacred Literature Banner
was awarded to us at Chattanooga last July
for excellence in the work Of the sacred lit
erature course. Our Nova Scotia friends had
had it for four consecutive years, till no
doubt they began to think it was theirs indeed.
But without much hurrahng, without any
announcement to the rest Of the country Of
her intentions. Minnesota quietly. stepped in
and carried off the. banner. Will she win it
again this year or will she allow our friends
across the line to be successful in what we
hear they are overturning things in an en-
deavor to Accomplishment it back? Some of
us say no, and in that negative have put an
emphasis which is backed up by a determi-
nation that has set us hard at work.
The Central church, OF Minneapolis has
served notice upon the Fourth church that
we have had the banner long enough, and
contest is now going on between these two
societies which IS exceedingly interesting
and which assures material assistance to the
effort the state is making, while down in
the little church at Lake Crystal brother
Andrus is keeping very quiet, but we under
stand Is doing a lot Of thinking and more
work, and may surprise all.
This annual contest for the banner how
ever, helpful as l believe it to be, we do
not consider the mission of our state or
ganization. 1t is rather simply one of the
visible indications to the outside world of
something deeper. 1t has been the means of
stirring into activity more than one society
which is now faithfully and conscientiously
carrying on not one, but all three of the
courses. Yet even this Is not the real pur-
pose of work. We call these courses,
the Christian culture courses.
The service closed with the benedic-
ton by Rev. w. E. Barker, of Red
Wing.
In the morning Rev. E. r. Pope spoke
on the home missionary work in this
state. Mr.. Rockefeller, he said had
subscribed very literally, and good mis-
sionary work was being done at Be-
nidji and at Hibbing. But the church
debt in the state was $135, 600, and it
needed more churches, parsonages and
preachers. The Twin Cities needed city
missionaries. Northern and Southeast
ern Minnesota each needed a district
missionary.
Rev. c. A. Williams also urged the
Importance Of the home missionary
work. Rev. S. E. Price spoke briefly on
the foreign work, and Rev. c. H. Gam
BILE discussed the work of the publica-
ton society.
In the afternoon there was a general
discussion Of the bible School," among
those participating being Rev. H. E
Barker, DR.. E. G. Clark, Martin Bacon
and Mrs. Randolph.