The evening times., 1898-05-06
SOUTHERN BAPTISTS MEET.
Openin. Session Of the Annual Con.

Opening Session of the Annual Con.
ventiOn mt Norfolk.
Norfolk. Va. May 6.-NorfOlk has been
captured. not by the Spaniards, but by
the Baptists. They began to arrive yes.
/ terday, and are still coming from all Sec
tions of the country. Most Of these came
from the Southern States to attend the
meeting of the Southern Baptist conven-
ton, which meets here this morn
ing. Many of the leaders of the Northern
Bap.ists are also on the ground to observe
the Southern meetings. and also to at
tend the sessions of the American Bap-
tist Educational Society. which meets BIZ
ennnially in Southern territory. Mary
lands contingent arrived this morning by
| the Bay line. with DIR. o. F. Gregory and
| the other Baptist pastors of Baltimore
leading.
Several preliminary meetings were held
yesterday in advance of the opening ses-
sions of the convention. The first of these
was conference of workers in the Bap-
| tist Young Peoples Union. which me;
| in the First Baptist Church. Rev. ]. W.
Prestige. Of Louisville, KY. presided.
| The corresponding secretary of the
Southern Baptist Young Peoples Union,
DR.. c. S. Blackwell. of Birmingham.
Ala. read report of his eight months
/ service. showing growth of interest In
| this educational work. There are about
1.20o local young peoples societies in the
! Southern church. with membership of
60 GO.
DR.. E. E Chierus. of Chicago. general
| secretary of the Baptist Young Peoples
Union. spoke words of greeting and en-
couragement. The meeting was stirred
to enthusiasm by the short address of d.
A. ]. Diaz. formerly Baptist missionary
to Cuba. but now laboring in the City of
Mexico. and Hon. j. l.. NJ Curry. eS-
United States minister to Spain who paid
a noble tribute TO the purity and courage
of the Queen Of Spain. which was well
received. Other addresses were made by
Rev. George f. Truett, of Dallas. Texas.
and Rev Carter Helm Jones. OF Louis
willie. Ky.
The annual meeting of the American
Baptist Educational Society was held in
the Park Avenue Baptist Church in the
afternoon and evening. The report of the
corresponding secretary. H.. l.. More
house. of New York. showed that $4,000
have been expended by the secretary dur
ing the year to nine colleges located both
North and South. Addresses We're made
by the president of the society. Dean E.
b. Hulburt. of the University of Chicago.
on THE Influence of Christianity Upon
Education" and by Prof. W. l.. Poteat
of Wake Forest College, North Carolina.
At the night session addresses were
made on Higher Education for Women"
by Rev. ]. M. Taylor, president of Vas
sar College and on "A Plea for Bible
Study in Colleges" by Rev. Kerr B. Tup-
per.
The executive committee of the Wom-
ans Missionary Union also had a meet
ing today preparatory to their tenth an
niversary, which will begin. Miss Annie
w. Armstrong is corresponding secretary
of the union. with headquarters in Balti-
more. where a large and useful work is
carried on.
\ meeting of the American Baptist His
toricai Society was held in the Freemason
Street Baptist Church. This society is
engaged in furthering and preserving
documents of interest to Baptists. Its
headquarters are in Philadelphia. The
trustees of the Southern Baptist Sem
mary. located at Louisville. had a lengthy
session. 1t is reported that the case of
DR.. W. H. Whitsitt. president of the
seminary, who has been bitterly assailed
because of some of his historical views,
was the chief topic of discussion.
The Southern Baptist convention will,
it is expected, be the largest ever held.
The territory covered by the conference
embraces all States south of the Ohio
River. east OF the Mississippi River and
Missouri, Oklahoma, Indian Territory,
Arkansas, Texas. Mexico and Cuba. The
constituency includes 11,701 ordained
ministers. 1868 churches and total
membership white. of 1,529. 1871. There are
2.SS5. l3l colOred Baptists in that terri
tory. but they are not organically con-
nected with the convention. The conven-
tion will be held in the Freemason Street
Baptist Church.
The officers of the convention are: Pres
ident, Hon. Jonathan Haralson, LII. D.,
Montgomery, Ala; vice president. Hon.
William Jonathan Northen, LII D.. At
lanta, Ga: Hon. Joshua Levering. Balti-
more. Nd: Robert Henry Marsh, d. D.,
Oxford. N. c.: Hon. James Philip Eagle,
Little Rock. Ark: secretaries. Lansing
Burrows D. D., Augusta, Ga: Oliver Full
Ter Gregory, d. D., Baltimore. Md: treas
urer, Mr.. George w. Norton. Louisville.
Ky: auditor. William Patrick Harvey. D.
D.. Louisville, Ky.
OF the foreign mission board c. H. VIM
ston, Virginia, is president, and Joshua
Levering, of Baltimore. is one of the vice
presidents. Henry Mcdonald. of Georgia, |
is president of the home mission board.
and +. E. Folk. Tennessee is president |
of the Sunday school board.