Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-14
REPORT OF THE BOARD
NO CHANGE IN THE PRESENT sYs-
TEN OF ANNUAL CONVENTIONS.
EDUCATIONAL PLAN FOR 1899 1900.
The Christian Culture Courses-Thc
Financial Observation-Disclosures OF the
Work Accomplished Last Year
suggestions and Conclusions.

a very important feature Of yesterdays
proceedings was the presentation Of the
reports OF the Board of Managers ana
OF the Treasurer. The former contains
very many important suggestions ana
| considerations, and most important Of all,
the conclusion not to change the present
plan Of annual conventions at this time.
The latter report gives the receipts ana
disbursements for the year.
The text Of the report Of the Board OF
Managers is as follows:
Organization, Inspiration. Education.
! C"hsecFatOn. CHARACTERIZATION, CO-ODora-
| ticn. Stewardship, FellOwshp-these are
| the successive Watchwords which have
J been sounded out as rallying cries at the
! great conventions. They Indicate the
| principles, aims, methods. and scope OF
! the Baptist Young Peoples Union of
| America. In every department OF life
! mere is q growing recognition Of the need
! ana value Of organization. our union
| STANDS for an effective organization Of
| me forces OF young life I'm our churches.
! ne compactlng Of organization needs 10
| De accompdnied by the inspiration Of new
! force. Enthusiasm I'm turn needs TO be
supplemented and guided by intelligence
intelligence needs the touch of cOnSecra-
! ton. conservation finds it's end not in
I .'''1N't itihAN lNAol UtIltfllON. blI In fllll-
| lstry 10 the worlds needs. Ministry is so
| broad and manifold as to require the
largest cooperation The cooperative
EFFORTS OF the churches cannot be carried
ON without quickeniug of the sense Of
stewardship. The sense of stewardship
VIII develop broad and generous fellow
snip. Such are the ends toward which
we haNt sought 10 make our organization
cohlIl3utory. We gather to-day i'm our
annual convention with another watch
WoId. which really gathers up into itself
az mat nave gone before-Dscipeship
Inc development Of symmetrical Chris
IAN character that shall express itself
we seek.
a YEAR OF PATIENT EFFORT.
The past year has been one of patient
ana persistent effort 10 extend the IN
Huthce or our organization. Extensive
journeys nave been made by our general
secretary. who has attended State or pro-
Nincial conventions in New York. Yer
mont. Rhode Island. Wisconsin, Michigan.
indiana. Nebraska, Kansas. Missouri.
OoioI4do, Virginia, South Carolina Texas,
ana the Maritime provinces and has adj
dressed meetings also at various poinfs
lh .Ollo pennsylvania, Connecticut. Illi-
mons, west Virginia, Alabama. Iowa. Ken
lucky, california, Oregon, Washington
british Columbia. Montana. and the Dis
tilcl of Columbia. These journeys have
gwen opportunity for "a wide survey Of
needs.
Among the difficulties which attend the
prosecution of our work are: a. The
Vastness of our field. with its complex
conditions and interests. o. The limited
efficiency of our State organizations. our
movement Is comparatively new Organ-
HaIon az the outset outran life. s net
work was thrown around States and pro-
Elnces. while as yet local centres were
Few In number and but imperfactlv de-
NcIopea. Inc marvel Is not that there is
some lneiilciency, but that under an the
CONDITIONS so much Is being done. 3D. The
lack Of financial resources This holds
good not simply Of the international or
tahlzauon. but also of the state and as
soclalonal unions. In comparatively few
or which has there vet been devised any
adequate system of support for The work
t4) me educational character Of the
work. While this is the strength of our
movement IL is the feature which makes
most 1uSisteut and persistent demand
upon energy and patience. There is ready
recognition IN theory Of the need and
value of some such educational work as
is cQmprehended i'm the Chrstian-culWre
courses. but there are practical Official
Ties alike on the part of our pastors who
are busy men, ana of our young people
Who for various reasons. hesitate 10 take
up prescribed lines OF study.
FEATURES OF ENCOURAGEMENT
over against the difficulties of the work
We gladly set the features Of encourage
ment: ID \ growing sense of community
OF life and interest. and am extension of
our work throughout the vast fed. No
where has this been more noticeable than
I'm the South, where our work has gained
appreciably during the year in extension
and in force. o. a marked 5ettarment
in the efficiency OF some of our State or
ganiZatiOns, and an intelligent EFFORT TO
make the machinery instinct with life
and energy. 80 The beginnings Of an
effort 10 evolve some orderly system of
support for State work. G) 4 growing
appreciation OF the need and value of
our educational plans The broad survey
which has been made warrants a report
of substantial progress Every movement
has its phases of development. \ shrawd
writer tracing the history of belief in an
individual soul rs 10 passes from the sim
plicity of early faith through he maze
OF questioning and doubt back 10 aSsu-
rance. once said: "A man hrst Word Is
Yes: his second is no; his third. Yes
again. Many stop short with she first
Comparatively few attain 10 the last.
This statement finds It's Illustration In
the history of every great movement the
cnt husiaSm of it's initial stage n incNltd-
blv succeeded hV a reaction of Thought
and feeling. This Is the testing time. IN
which the courage OF many ldlls nd ihef
! zeal cvapOrdtes. The taithlul ana I"I-~ee-
| ing hold ON. and are rewarded with a
larger success. These phases are lot al
ways clearly defined. In am org lnM3tlon
! like ours covering so vast territory
| including so many types OF life. ana con-
stanflV receiving Hccrssl1nS. thc lIi''
| stages are synchrOuOus ana 10 requires
! "a broad survey as a basis FOR any sale
generalization The extensive tours made
during the year. ana The sun more eN-
tended cOrrcspOndencc furnish such n
| basis. and justify the claim OF suos'antlai
progress.
RESULTS or EXAMINATIONS.
The number of examination papers re-
ceivcd exceeds that of any former year.