Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-21
SOUTHERN BAPTIsTs
Fifty-Fifth Annual Meeting of Their
Church Conven ton.
The siomoriai Yo"r Observrnco-Re-
ports 20 be nndo Prom Home nnd
Foreign Missions : Tho Work IN
the south,

The fifty-fifth annual meeting of the
Southern Baptist Convention will be
held this year at Hot Springs, Ark, be-
ginning the Friday before the second
Sunday In May next, and continuing
until the business of the body is COM
pleted.
The Southern Baptist Convention is
said to be the largest representative
church organization in the world. Be-
slices the twelve delegates from the Dis
trict OF Columbia there are from Vir-
ginia. 121; Maryland, 81; Alabama, SO;
Arkansas, Al; Florida. IS: Georgia. 141;
Indian Territory, 4; Kentucky, 1885,;
Louisiana, 81; Mississippi. 65; Missouri.
Il; North Carolina, IS; Oklahoma, 81;
South Carolina, 81 Tennessee, a;
Texas. 1856; Il total of 1,13S.
Probably the most interesting matter
to come before the convention will be
the Inauguration OF u movement in
mortal year. a committee appointed 10
consider the subject has recommended:
That the year 1900 be observed as 4
memorial year by our Baptist churches.
In which special effort shall be made 10
more fully inform them of the gracious
during the past century, and to better
organize and equip them for the mighty
work which lies before them in the CEN
tury to come.
THAT every State convention or assoc
citation and every district association
within the bounds of the Southern Bap-
fist Convention be requested to hold
at least one session, and that every
church within the bounds of the South
ern Baptist Convention be requested to
hold at least one meeting each quar-
ter, the object of which meetings shall
be as follows:
GIVING OF THANKS.
1.-The giving of thanks to God for His
great mercies and blessings upon our
denomination and its work during the
past century, as shown specially In the
giving to us of faithful and able min
istry of the gospel; in our large numer-
ical increase; in the great enlargement,
wealth and intelligence among our peo-
plc I'm enlarged iberality; in the posi-
ton attained by them in the world; in
the influences vouchsafcd them as de-
nomination upon the social civil and
religious life of our nation and Of the
world: in their increased educational
advantages; in the spread OF our Sap
| fist doctrine; In the development OF the
| doctrine and the spirit of missions, and
| In our enlarged facilities for the evan
| gelzation of the world.
THE better organization and equip
| ping OF our people for the work which
| lies before them in the century to
come"
PRESIDING OFFICERS.
Since the organization of the South
ern Baptist Convention, I'm 1915, 1t has
hadbuteight presiding officers, and only
! two were preachers. In the Baptist
| Church laymen have the same privil-
| eyes as ministers, and as a consequence
the president has nearly always been
| taken from the ranks of the laymen.
| The first president was William j.
Johnson. of South Carolina who served
| three years the second, II. B. c. How
| ell, OF Virginia. whose term OF office
lasted four years; from 1859 to 1861 the
| lumcnted Richard Fuller. OF Maryland,
served as the chief executive officer.
| He was succeeded by p. II. Nell. of
| Georgia, who, after being reelected for
seven consecutive terms, gave way 10
James p. Boyce. OF South Carolina Mr.
] Bcyce. after being president for eight
years, was succeeded by Rev. Dr. Nell,
of Georgia. who. after IL service of
eight years, was again succeeded by
| James p. Boyce, who meanwhile had