The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-10-21
NOT EXACTLY APPROPRIATE.

Weather Showed Much Sprinkling, Some
Pouring, but no Immersions-The Bap-
inst State Convention Great Success In
Spite of the Weather.
The papers which have announced In a
humorous vein that the various rainy days
of the state convention have been ''good
Baptist days" evidently forgot that that de-
nomination holds to the belief in dipping or
immersion as being the meaning of baptism,
and that with them sprinkling, or pouring
even, doesn't count. But however that may
be, as all broad minded Baptists have no
quarrels with other determinations. so the
delegates to this convention have made the
best of the water in the air and the mud
under foot and have enjoyed most profit
able and successful series of lectures, ad-
dresses and meetings of different kinds in
this their thirty-third annual state conven-
ton.
The clerical delegates to the convention
began to arrive early on Monday and by the
time that the hour for beginning the minis
ters' conference in the evening had arrived
there was goodly number present. CON-
mittees were soon appointed for convention
work and then the convention listened to
the annual sermon which was preached by
Rev. Q. FL. Seasholes. of Lansing, who has
lately come from Texas pastorate. Dur
ing the day Tuesday number of papers on
most important subjects were read and dis
cussed.
The regular sessions of the convention
proper began Tuesday evening when the
the annual convention sermon was preach
ed by Rev. G. H. Irving, of West Bay City.
The address of welcome was given this eve
ming by Pastor G. V. Nothrop, of the Bap-
fist church, this city. The response was
made by President Howard, of Grand
Rapids.
Since then the convention has been been
made up of a continuous series of helpful
and inspiring addresses, papers, and discus
sions which have been lasting benefit to
all who heard them.
One of the profitable features of the
convention has been the display of books
made by Chas M. Roe for the American
Baptist Publication Society. The display
includes hundreds of books including Bibles
in every style as well as Works in general
literature, history, and fiction. This society
deals not only in its own varied publications
but in the best books of all the large houses.
Other exhibits were arranged in various
parts of the church and correspondence,
check and committee rooms were provided
for the convenience of guests.
The various committees who had charge
of the different parts of the work of enter
tertainment succeeded in living up to the
promises made when the convention was in
vited, and no delegate who had attended to
his part in the preparation for entertain
ment was left unproyided for. AS it was,
there were places enough and to spare but
this was only owing to the failure of con-
siderable number to come after they had
notified the entertainment committee of
their intention to do so. In this connec
ton, however, 1t might be suggested that
the persons who offered entertainment
which did not happen to be called for are
just as much entitled to the thanks of all
concerned as are the ones who actually en-
tertained delegates. Delegates were as
signed to every person who offered enter
tainment, and as the committee could not
tell who would fail to come 1t is under the
same obligation to all.
The convention has been success in
every respect and reflects credit not only
on the enterprise of the Baptist people and
especially upon Mrs. Northrop who had
charge of the matter of securing accommo-
dations for the delegates, but upon the
whole city, and is good lesson to precede
the work of caring for the Epworth League
convention next spring.