The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-12-11
THE BAPT|STS IN
STATE CONVENTION

0o1ieu 10 order in the First pan+io+
church of this city last night b. President
R. Il. Marsh.
mere were 3l2 delegates in a+tord-
ahce' An immense throng of visitors
vas also present. Never was there a
greater crowd in this church. NOT on1v
was every pew occupied, but the aisloe
were hlled with chairs while many
perched themselves on STEPS railirqs or
whatever could be utilized as a seat.
faiiing to find such a place, they stood
up until every inch OF space in the
church was occupied. Many who came were
unable to get in at all.
me convention was called to order at
go O'Clock by its PRESIDENT. DR.. r. II
MARSH, of Oxford, who announced thar
aiIef scripture reading and a prayer by
Dr. J. NJ. Frost. secretary of the Sun
day School board at Nashville, Tenn, the
Introductory sermon would be preached
by Rev. w. NJ Vines, Of AshevilIe.
Of. Frost read from Matthew the story
OF the resurrection and said: AN empty
S2pulchre, brethren, and a risen Christ.
that's our theme
The subject announced by Mr.. Vines
fer his Introductory sermon was Tho
Gospel OF the Twentieth Century," and
he took for his text the 18th. 18th and
goth verses of the 2Sth chapter of Mat
thew:
\ power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth. Go We therefore. and teach
all nations. haptizing them in the name
! of the Father. and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all
things Whatsoever l have commanded
YOU; md. 10. | am with YOU always, even
unto the end of the world"
BY way Of introductory, the preacher
said that when he stood in the presence
d 50 magnificent an audience. gathered
! from all parts of North Carolina. he was
reminded % the fact that it was assem-
bled in Gods name. for Gods service
and the upbIilding of His Kingdom.
And il occurs to me that as We as
semble here IL this last month Of the
10th century We may take q survey Of
the rast and an outlook of the future.
We would stand with Moses and hear
him say: No more this way; and witt
Joshua and hear him say: We have not
gone this way before
so. on the one hand we survey the past,
and on the other we look into the flu
ture. As we do so it ought to stir our
hearts 20 know that we are living at
the gateway CT the goth century,
The speaker then. by majestic steps.
traced the history Of the Christian faith
from the night on which the angels APP
peared before the Shepherds in the fields
and announced glad tidings of great joy
down to the time when George Washing
ton sounded the keynote of religious
liberty that was heard around the world
He said that just one year ago this
convention met in Asheville, on top of a
-.-+.:, .tD,+ s. h. od1a1 Fthn rnOln-
tain on which we stand tonight is high
err than that. 1t is higher than that or
which Christ stood in Galilee. For We
nave been going up and up through the
ages. until we are ready to step into the
2Gth century,
Mr.. Vines declared that this was the
greatest period in all time. 1T is &
period of opportunities and great oppor-
tunities bring great responsibilities.
The lives and sacrifices Of heroes arc
martyrs we're recounted. The speaker
added:
But time would fail me to mention
t these men of whom the world was no
' worthy. Their example should inspire u
With enthusiasm. 1t was their sacrlrceE
thot made this meeting of tonight posi-
> BILE. and give us heart TO go 1or"dfu II
!, the CONQUEST Of the world for Chr1st.
8 ms ltJI "a
70 the central statement OF his theme
s.rbo coenal needed for the 2Gth cen
. turv.'
This Question he answered by saylhs
that the Goth century needed the same
eospel as was needed for the LIST cehlui!
!, ard every century since. =,
oIt is the same gospel that the ahSel
announced to the shepherds. the SAM
that Jesus Christ proclaimed. the SalH'
tba+ Peter and Paul preached. 1t is th'
everlasting gospel. There is one GoSpe
and this is for all the centuries.
.The gospel fer the goth century. there
, fore. generally speaking, is the goSpel =
: cternitv-the Interchangeable, eterhal 6o'
pcI. The Bible is the book Oh oooN0 an
here is but one gosPel.
Referring particularly 70 US NV
church the preacher asked what me'ho'
il, il must adopt for p~rocialmlnS ara p'op"
; r,tin, tba oosDel in the Goth century.
uUiret >, he said. there must be al
,4I;oort and c0nSecrated ministry. .
inch dcnends on tho minister. tie mus
~ broad and not narrow, progressive an
no+ behind The times. The LORD may u
1. Mo ~ do something with your ignorance
: h,,t uo can do much more with you
Knowledge. Everything we ca" ~,
arorvthipq we can learn we ought 10 Il"
i, ~ His feet and crown Him LORD OF u,
.Nrbat is history? It's the S'a'ti
stenning of the Man Of Galiiae down III
centuries. tho lnowl
~What is literature? 1t is the hno" !;
~ Of the ages. ever teaching that !
al and back of all stands God
. ..ronsecrated. educated men are ""a
ra uar,e in This 10Th century. we can
no, All be great, but We can De sood: !.
a nhnrch will never rise above its minister
he sure Of that =,
,notbor requirement, the speaker sac
was spiritual and evangelical cn0i ~ ~
Tho Raptist church that is dead Il -
~,oadost thing in the world because"
, amnbasize life and not organization, !,
The need of a spirit OF progress in
9 chnrcb and It's ministry was alSo
! we must be "a progressive ri pto IN ii
no,1d take the world for ChrlSt i -
u antn century. We should keen our ~
: on,n to Gods truth and move - an
Tho sermon was d most eloouen1 90 ua