The age-herald., 1900-06-17
THE WOMEN OF THE ORIENT
Returning Missionaries Describe Con- diii0ns in China and the Far East-0ther Items of In-
 terest in Society.
BY ANNIE KENDRICK WALKER.

At a meeting of the First Baptist church yesterday morning concerted action was taken that at once placed the women of the Baptist churches of Birmingham and vicinity abreast with the twentieth cen tury movement inaugurated at the recent meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, when resolutions were passed to make the com ing year memorable in the annals of mis- sions by increased giving along all lines. The Womans Missionary Union is an aux Hilary to the Southern Baptist Convention, and endeavors to carry out the recom- mendations of the Home Foreign and Sunday School Boards, the work of the auxiliary being carried on through the Central Committees in all the Southern States. While the plans by which in- creased appropriations to missions may be made have not all been formulated by the earnest women who are laboring in this cause one of the suggestions was that which brought together a large number of women yesterday when the Woman's Mis- sonary Union of the Birmingham Baptist Association was organized. The women of the various states will cooperate most earnestly with the recommendations of the board and similar action will be taken in each association in all parts of the South. The Central Committee of Alabama, of which Mrs. l.. r. Stratton of Birmingham is president, in the recent annual report showed the amounts contributed during the past year by Alabama women to mis-
 sions to be between four and five thous- and dollars, while the contributions from other states for the past year amounted to
 nno Hytir eas,t t1n work of the Baptist women of the South in promoting foreign and home missions while since the organization of the Wo- mans Missionary Union twelve years ago more than a half million dollars has been raised for mission work in foreign lands and in this country.
 The Southern Baptist Convention will make the closing year of the century nota- ble by its appropriation of more than $300,- 900 to home and foreign missions, and in this work the Baptist women of the South will give every possible assistance along all suggested lines of service. Alabama women will increase their appropriation S90O for the coming year.
 At the meeting yesterday Mrs. Stratton was called to the chair and spoke most in terestingly of the purpose of the meeting. It had been suggested, she said, that a plan of cooperation on the part of the Baptist women in promoting mission work was that by which organized effort would be made to carry out the recommendations of the mission boards, in their desire to make the present year memorable in the cause. The uniting of the women societies of the city and suburban churches into an organization would result, she continued, in arousing interest, thereby resulting in enlarged giving for home, foreign and state missions and Sunday school boards. Mrs. Stratton made characteristically earnest talk, and she at once increased the interest of every woman present. The Woman s Missionary Union of the Birmingham Bap- tist Association was subsequently, organ iZed, the report of the nominating commit tee resulting in the election of the follow ing officers: President, Mrs. w. w. Bus sey; vice president, Mrs. R. M. Hunter secretary and treasurer, Mrs Harvey Moore. A constitution was adopted, the clause relating to the object of the organi- Zation reading follows: "To inspire a deeper interest in mission work and effect a closer bond of sympathy between the va rious missionary societies." The meetings will be held quarterly at the various Bap- tist churches in the city and vicinity. At the preliminary meeting a definite plan of