The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-11
BlPIIsIS II CONVENTION.
Delegates From Western Wash
ington Meet in Seattle.
REPRESENTING 81 CHURCHES.
Twelfth ANIMAL Session Marked BY
anA Laynen-PastOFs' Conference
the Feature Of Yesterdays Pro
eeedings Interesting Papers
Read - Toaay's Programme.

The twelfth annual convention of the
sixty seven Baptist church congregations
In Western Washington was called to Or
der by Rev. w. G. Jones. OF Everett. yes
terday at the First Baptist church In thus
city. The convention is one OF the largest
ever held by the denomination in this state.
and prominent. divines from all parts OF
the Northwest are In attendance. The
opening day yesterday was one VI the
most important Of the convention and was
devoted to a conference of the pastors.
At the pastors conference q large num-
Der Of the pastors and iaymen were present,
and several interesting pagers on topics ap-
pertaining TO pastoral and church work
were read and discussed. Two sessions
were held; one In the afternoon and one
In the evening. The feature of the AFTER
noon session was series OF fifteen-min-
ute addresses on the Pastors Practical
LIFE These papers were prepared by
wcll-known divines and were quite as in
terestlng and valuable TO lay members as
TO the ministers themselves.
Judge r. s. Greene read a paper on the
"Docirinal Value OF Jude" just before the
Introduction Of the chief business OF the
session. He made a scholarly presen.a-
ton of his subject. and touched quite gen
mas OF Christianity and their origin.
says Pastors Read Too mach.
Following this paper. Rev. L. s. Bower
man. pastor Of the First Baptist church OF
Seattle. delivered an instructive address
on the topic, The Pastors Habit Of
Study" In the course of his remarks he
said that the conditions surrounding the
life Of minister had tendency to induce
slothfulness In the matter CT study. He
advised against spending too much time
with newspapers. twenty minutes day to
them beirg sufficient, he thought. He also
thought 1t unwiss to try to keep abreast
of current literature, or even CT Its small
subdivision, philosophy, because OF the I'm
possibility of succeeding In conclusion he
urged constant study Of the Bible in order
to become fully imbued with It's spirit and
teachings.
Pastoral Visitation was the subject OF
paper by Rev. ~ Hayland, pastor Of the
Swedish Baptist church at Tacoma
House to house visitation" he said In
part lis OF great value, not only In SOW
ing the problem Of reaching the non-church
gcers, and In bringing the message OF God
to those who are unable to otherwise re-
ceive 1t. but to the pastor himself as ex-
perience, teaching him much more than he
could get from the study Of books In his IL
brary and enabling him to preach with the
spirit and knowledge obtained by actual
contact with life In its various phases. We
have authority for such visitation in
christ's and the apostles example and In
the teaching OF the scriptures. Such visits
should be made reiigiously. not with long
face and oppressive solemnity, nor degrad-
ing the visit to a mere social chat
Rev W. II. Gibson discussed the subject
OF finance as regards pastor and church.
in an eloquent and practical manner. One
point that he made was that 1t Is extreme
~ bad judgment for a pastor to preach
an able sermon and conclude with an ap-
peal for the payment OF his salary-the ser
mon would be spoiled.
Rev. o. L. Hoien. pastor Of the Norwe-
gian Baptist church at Ballard. read a very
able paper on the subject OF Latent
Forces and their influence on the life OF a
pastor.
Adds . Touch of Levity.
Rev j. Cairns. pastor of the First Baptist
church at Fremont. was on the programme
for q paper on Volcanic Forces" He
mentioned this with a touch OF ievity and
then announced that he would consider the
pastor as "a leader. not a driver" His
remarks stirred his hearers to enthusiasm.
He said in part:
I'm order TO be a leader the preacher
must himself be divineiy led. The history
OF eli great leaders OF the church shows
this Where they were led by personal am
bition or worldly aims. history always has
recorded their failure The church that
viii be driven is not worth driving. Be a
driver OF the devil: be a leader OF your
church. he said in conclusion.
The Social Iife o. the Church" was the
| subject OF paper prepared by Rev. NJ w
Miller. pastor OF the puyanup Baptist
church. As Mr. Miller was absent. his pa
per was read by Rev L. j. Sawyer. OF the
| North Seattle Baptist church Some ex-
| tracts as follows:
we take II for granted that Chris
tsan church ought 10 be the social center
Of the community In which II is located
Man. being a soclal e,slrg. the social work
! % the church ts necessary part ~ the
church life and work vifhia she church
| that there may hs unity az action. and that
! the work o. the church NAV be effective
fer sissunisea church can accomplish little
| in the way az winning ren - Christ
Outside work includes attention 20 the
| TEMPORAL needs of mankind. without which
| attention little can e~ done far his sairft-
| ual Improvement II Is small and selfish
| nature tina, IL unmn3fal a. sae fact that
| zza unaa Gs the worlds Inhabitants have
! no hczrses ard but little clothing ard have
| never known what IL Ia 30 have Their hsan-
/ ger satisfied. sns that ere person In every
| three 81 The worlds population Tee down
| each night hungry.
| But there are dangers connected with
| ;Ae social work ~ the cAurca that need
| 10 - guarded against II Is a grave quex-
/ .sor as 20 WHERE the modern chgrch's
/ tendency 70 advance along social lines Is
| gong 80 Land II 81 ezcsns that the
institutional ehwreh has corse TO stay. bat
! '.oc.sis' ana 'sociahies are Eatae 10 run 20
! seed
j social Life In che Church.
| church hy bringing pastor ard people g,
seek 8 closer ac1Gas-ranr@ With each
| other, ard rsopse as sesi as Pastor should
| ssA 20 u that all are rsAss welcan@ 20 ait