The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-10-20
THE BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION

THE BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION
The meetings of this convention have
received generous attention from al.
New Haven papers, but few words by
way of explanation may interest some
of the readers of this paper. The Zap
fist State Convention was organized
seventy seven years ago for the purpose
of assisting and encouraging the feeble
| churches with pecuniary aid when need
| ed and with such wise counsel as they
| might be disposed to seek, and to foster
and build up Sunday schools wherever
there was call for them and with a
view to their developing into churches
in good time. With this object Of the
convention in view, and realizing that
there remains much land to be pos
sessed," the closing hour of the conven-
ton on Wednesday was given to the
consideration of 1.-The Enlargement of
the Work" Without detracting in any
sort or fashion from the real merits of
all the speakers at all the meetings, let
me say q word of the closing address
by Rev e. C. Sage pastor of Hope
Baptist church in this city. His special
theme was Motives for Enlargement"
of which the first was the motive of
gratitude. This, he said, arises from
the fact that in these Sayenty-seVen
years a very large proportion of all the
Baptist churches in Connecticut had at
some time in their history received sub
stantial aid from the convention in
money collected from the churches
which had reached the point where they
We're self-supporting and able to assist
the struggling churches. Gratitude also
in view Of the fact that the now large
and wealthy churches had received
many of their most loved and valued
members from the smaller country
churches, and gratitude for not few
noble ministers who had been reared
and trained in small country churches
Money, members and ministers making
threefod cord of gratitude, while The
awful sin of ingratitude was clearly and
forcibly illustrated.
The second motive was that of de- |
nominational spirit-not that spirit OF
depreciating the work of any branch CT |
the Christian church, but the earnest |
desire to see our Baptist principles
working out in the conversion of those |
who were not members of any church;
not the spirit of envy and hatred for |
other church organizations, but rather |
a spirit of righteous emulation in SEEK
ing to save as many as possible of those |
who are not In any Christian fold.
The third motive vas patriotism and
our motto should ever be For God and |
Our Country While as Baptists we
stand for individual responsibility to
God, we realize that to fear God and
honor the king" or the powers that be
which are ordained Of God, is one of the
first duties of every Christian. The re-
of men and women is just as
essential for the prosperity of the ma
ion as for the building up of Christian
churches on sure foundation. Final
". the greatest motive for enlargement
should be love to God, who so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten
Son for us, and love to our fellow men
manifested in working for their best and
everlasting welfare.
AS a most wonderful instance of what
his love can do in human heart, the
speaker gave a most tender sketch OF
he life and devotion of that marvellous
aint of the middle ages, st. Francis of
ASSIST. The speaker reviewed briefly
he life Of this wonderful man, who
hose poverty rather than riches that
lie might have nothing to draw him
way from God, whose will alone he
made the end and aim of his whole life;
Who made the Christ as He walked
mong men his only pattern, the Ser
non on the Mount his only guide, and
vas so impressed by the constant con-
of his cruicihed Saviour on
he cross and so carried away with his ,
eep sympathy with his suffering Lord +,
hat his own hands bore in their palms
he prints Of the nails, and added to all
his his burning consuming zeal for the ! /.
aviation of his fellow men, which he =
ED up as an example worthy of imi-
alton by every one Of us.
The speaker had carried his audience
long with him in these closing words
bout that dear saint Of God till he had
cached a lofty plain where it seemed :
s if the rays of the setting sun, stream
10 through the stained glass of that =
church, We're indeed rejecting
le glory of the living God and making !,
lie place holy ground. In this brief adj y
ress the members of Hope Baptist :.
aurch who listened We're in very close
,uch with their beloved pastor.
JAvNIAN