The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-07
on the work of the American. BAPTIST Tub

DR.. Seymour introduced himself by say
ing that he was not before the convention
to advertise the society's publications, bat
for the purpose of giving some idea Of
the character OF its work and what il
was doing for the denomination
when | tell you that in the IS years
of our existence we have priu over
| 81 900 0C0 capies of books, averaging 200
pages to the copy. you will understand
something OF the extent OF the societys
work. When | tell you that we have
seLt 44,00O00O Of periodicals into the Sun
day Schools of our land. you will realize
something of the society's influence on
The young people of the denomination.
This is what we have done in the
past, and our business is Oh the in
crease"
DR.. Seymour then discussed the impor-
lance of good literature in the handa CT
Young people and in the homes OF tie
land
This is a reading age he said, "and
our young people will get bad books IN
less we watch them. 1t is a novel reading
age if you please. You read them,l read
them And we should, only we shonli
be careful what sort of novel it is that
we read"
TIL speaker said the Baptist Publ
cation Society stood for three things
l. The old Book-rthe basis of all books.
when l say old Book, l mean the
precious book. / use the term IS you
do when you slap a dear friend Oh the
back and say: Hello, old fellow 1t
is the book that strikes its roots down
into the basis of things and sends OR
thoughts up to Heaven. Keep the cid
Book first Men are working "a IT, and
have been in all ages. and it Will stand.
9 The society stands for the production
of the Bible.
Dr. Seymour said that Notwithstanding
the fact that it was novel-reading age,
the sale OF the Bible last year was great
er than the combined sales of the seven
most popular novels.
1.-The best selling book in the wcrlc
is the Bible, and it was never so much
read in the history of the world as it is
today.
8. The Society stands for the reproduc-
ton of the Bible.
There is no way to save souls but
through the Word of God There is no
way to reach the people with the Word
but in their own tongue and this makes
translation necessary. Already the Bible
has been translated into 400 different
languages and dialects, and there are D.
964 languages and dialects in the world.
So you can see what is still before us.
The speaker impressed upon his hear
RS the Importance of sending the printed
Word into the homes of the land Dur
ing the past year the colporters, ne SAID
had gone into $1,000 homes and left the
Bible In addition to this an effort is
being made to put gospel wagons in every
State and in some sections good WORN
5 being done with the gospel railroad
car.
And then what shall l say of the work
lmong the children. Oh, the harvest is
ripe. and so abundant. In this country
here are %, ,O00 900 children. or these,
,nly II 900 900 are in the Sunday School
This leaves 100000 out of the schools
s it not time to go to work.
SUNDAY SCHOOL LITERATURE.
DIR. Seymour was followed by Dr.. j. N.
frost Of Nashville, Tenn, who made a
epcris of the work of the Sunday School
Board of the Southern Baptist conven-
ton.
Dir. Frost began by saying that he
doubted If in all the world there was
iectlOl III WHICH religious pSopiS WOAO
confronted with such grave responsible
les as are now offered to the people OF
he South.
There are reported in the South 9,711
Baptist Sunday Schools, and this year the
onyention is furnishing literature to 81
700 of them The work is growing and
We are from business standpoint, $5,2Op
,etter off than we were last year at this
lime.
Dr. Frost called the attention of the
astors to the fact that the matter OF
sunday School literature was largely in
heir hands. and that they could accom-
)ish a great work by this means If they
would only exert themselves.
During the past year the Sunday
school Board has given away $4,000
3ibles, and in helping in this work North
Carolina has been in the very forefront.
FOREIGN MISSION WORK.
The Foreign Mission committee, COM
osed of G. W. Greene, G. T. Watkins,
7. w. Jones, ]. d. Parker, W. F. Fry,
T. D. Hackney and ]. d. Love, now
brought in it's report, which was read by
IS chairman, Mr.. Greene.
This report showed that last year there
we're more than 1900 conversions in Bap-
list foreign mission territory.
The work in Mexico has recovered from
he adversities of recent years and is pro-
,ressing.
In Brazil many converts are now being
made.
In Italy, where DR.. Taylor has labored
ong and faithfully, a new missionary
With his wife has just taken up the
work..
In Africa, where Rev. c. c. Newton and
lis wife and daughter gave UP their lives,
he work still goes on.
In Japan the gospel is being faith
ully preached and abundantly blessed.
The year 1899 was a great one for mis-
lions in China, over 600 converts being
made. This year there has been troubles
md war, but even amid this there have
,een 80 converts reported by our Bap-
ist missionaries in the last three months
The church has enlarged it's contribu-
ions for other purposes, but in North
carolina the increase for foreign missions
las been small. The need is for larger
lifts and more systematic efforts in be-
lalf of the foreign mission work.
MISSIONARY SITUATION IN CHINA.