The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-09
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
DR. ]. D. Hufbam Tells the Story of the First
N. C. Paptlst Convention.

The principal topic under discussion du-
ring the afternoon was the matter Of
! systematically collecting and preserving
the historical records and papers of the
Baptist church in North Carolina It was
finally decided that a special committee
should be appointed to raise fund for
historical investigation and the proper
publication and preservation of all records
and papers relating to the church and
the great men of the denomination. The
report on the cooperation with the col
ored Baptist convention was submitted,
and encouraging results noticed.
Or. ]. Fl. Hufham read a most inter
estng history of the North Carolina Bap-
fist State convention. which he had COM
piled and written after years of labor.
This was perhaps the principal feature Of
| the afternoons session, and no doubt one
OF the land marks of the entire conven-
tion. 1t was listened to with the most
wrapt attention, from beginning to end
| by the entire audience.
After the opening prayer had been of
fered by Rev W. R. Cullom, of Wake
Forest, President Marsh announced the
names composing the Central Committee
of five and the cooperating committee of
one from each association in the State
as provided in the recommendation of the
special committee. The duty of this CEN
| trail committee is to devise ways and
means for securing the cooperation of
| every member of every church of every
association IN North Carolina in the
great undertaking of raising 800, 900 dur
| ing the year for educational purposes
| The committee as announced is as fol-
lows: c. f. TAYLOR and e. w. Skies, Of
Wake Forest College; N B. Broughton
and R. T. Vann. of the Baptist Female
| University: L. NJ. Curtis of Chowan Bap-
| fist Female Institute. and the following
associational members. one from each as
ISOLATION: j. A. White, A. Fl. Harnly, =.
L. Wagner, w. c. Barrett, w r. Brad
| shaw. D. L. Hewett. a. F.. Brown. l. W.
| Thomas, S. ]. Porter, A. |. Justice, c. j.
Brown. j. w. Bailey H. B. Downing, G.
| W. Scarborough, n B. Cobb c. H. Utley
G.. T Watkins, Josiah CrudGp, c. S.
Cashwell. F.. NJ Lightfoot. c. j. Woodson
w. Fl. Rich. H. Sheets, e. d. Cole, J. A.
| Campbell, B. l.. Hoge, G. H Church, w
! e Newton, r. c. Morgan, J. f. Love, +.
~. Jores c. G. HAYWOOD B. w Splman
| r a. Smith. G.. l.. Finch, G. J. Dowell, W.
| r. Cwaltney. e. Frost, j. A. McKaughan
/ 3. Craig Jonathan Wood j. NJ. Jordan
/ e. Allison, A. c. Davis, T. Bright. c. L.
Bagby, r NJ. Farthing and J. r. Wild.
The reading of the Report on Obituaries
was withheld for the time being.
CO. OPERATION WITH COLORED BAP-
] lists.
! The report on Cooperation with the
Colored Baptist Convention for Mission
Work was read by Rev. Dr. n. B. Cobb
| in the absence of Rev. S. j. Porter, chair
man of the committee. According to an
arrangement entered into two years ago
| for a three years cooperation between
the Home Mission Board and the Colored
Baptist State convention, there is still
one years work lifet along this line. The
results have been gratifying in the eX
| IRENE The New Era Institutes held by
the General and District missionaries
have been most successful
| DR.. Cobb. in speaking to the report,
said: IF we are ever to reach the col
ored people at all, we must do it by bet
tering their ministry; for it is a well
known fact that some of their ministers
| are the worst among them ALL 1t is true
| that some of them are good, consecrated
| men, especially those who have been
| trained at universities like Shaw and
come under the influence of white men.
| But those trained under negroes are
really retrograding instead of advancing.
| In my county of Hartford, not long ago,
| there was a serious difficulty in a color
| ed church because the preacher had sold
| out his congregation to one of the politi
| cal leaders. and this was one of the
most intelligent negroes in the place. They
need training which will take them out
Of politics. 1t is q notorious fact that since
the Civil War the preachers are the po-
ltical leaders of their hocks.
From our experience there is no doubt
| that these New Era Institutes supply
! just the influence that is needed.
HISTORICAL PAPERS.
Now came the most interesting part of
the afternoon proceedings. First, Rev
H. w Graham announced that. after six
years of work, he would soon publish his
history of one of the great periods of the
church IN North Carolina.
Dr. j. ID. Hufham then stated that he
had prepared a complete history of the
Baptist State convention in North Caro-
| lima covering one hundred years, from
! its first inception to its final organiza-
| ton at River Chapel, Chatham county
| in 1882, then through it's conflicts and
| triumphs in four associations, and finally
| its gradual evolution up to its present
condition. This was the first time the
history of the convention had ever been
written and he asked permission to read
! few pages at least, until someone should
stop him. The reading was called for. but
after the few pages had been read, no
one called on him to stop, and he proceed
| ed amid an almost breathless silence of
| interested attention to narrate the whole
story of that first gathering of represen-
tatives of NTH Carolina Baptists, who
| all came to the meeting place at Rives'
Chapel on horseback or in sulkies. for it
was before the day of railroads in the
State About thirty counties were rep
resented, and the historian went on in
glowing language to draw vivid pictures
Of all those leaders of the church as
they were assembled in that initial con-
i yention
At the close of the reading, DR.. A. A.
Marshall moved resolution expressing
J the appreciation and the great pleasure