The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-08
A NOTABLE DAY.--THE BAPTIST
HOSTS.

The Baptist University was built With
| out money declared Rev. o. T.. String
field in the Baptist State convention on
Friday night before the great collection
was taken that freed it from its deft
OF $4,000 1t would have been quite as
true to have said that the Baptist Female
| University was built on the faith ana en-
| thusiasm of o. l.. Struggled, Cary j.
| Hunter, N. B. Broughton, W. n. Jones ard
| other men of like confidence an6 like viii
| lingness to sacrifice for It's completion
| field went into the field to :ecure money
for the Baptist Female University, the
outlook was dark. There were no rich
men in the denomination who We're ready
to give largely to it's needs. The problem
! was to raise the necessary money in
small sums from thousands of men and
| women of moderate means. That was
! impossible until the denomination was
| unitedly and enthusiastically behind the
|
thusiasm and faith were secured in known
| of all men, and how generous men of linn
| tied as we'll as large means gave Of their
| substance is the most glorious page in
| Baptist history of this decade. The mag
| nificent building was completed and stu
dents thronged it's halls, but the fnan-
| cial burdens weighed heavily upon the
| hearts of the trustees and faculty. The
| story of the labors of the men who
ward is one that ' some day be fully
told, and they win deserve 10 rank with
the men who have wrought most success
| fully for the educational progress of this
| good commonwealth.
After the years of struggle and labors
abundant, with faith that The morning of
| cheer would make glad their hearts, the
trustees, the president, the faculty. the
| church and the State rejoiced yesterday
morning when the news cana thai the
burden of debt had been lift I'd and this
useful institution would soon be enabled
4 to do its great work unimpeded by flnan-
| cial burdens. After the eloquent speech
| of Governor Aycock, the Baptist State
| convention in session at Winston in a
| short time raised the money TO free the
| institution from debt Judged by the re-
! suits, it was the greatest speech Govern
or Aycock has ever made. Certainly the
effect for good on female education VII
| be far-reaching.
The freeing of the Baptist Female Uni
versity from debt was, of course, the
/ signal event of the convention this year.
| 1t is seldom that the convention does
not inaugurate or carry 20 completion
some great enterprise. There are 11c,-
900 members of the churches represented
in the convention-more people than he
| long to any other denomination in North
| Carolina In the early lays of the State
/ it embraced many of The men who led
| in the struggle for political and religious
liberty. Such Baptists as Lemual Burkett
! in the States early history rendered
| such service as puts all North Carolinlans
of all ages under obligations 10 them.
of Rev. j. D. Huffman on the Early His
tory of Baptists in North Carolina cannot
be read by patriotic man or woman
without feeling of thankfulness that tie
men who led the Baptist church OF the
early period were made of stuff Of which
martyrs are made. They laid deep and
broad the foundations upon which their
descendants have builded the present
| structure of their great, growing and as
gressive denomination. They gave more
| heed to preaching the gospel and carry
ing it into the remotest sections o. the
State than building school houses and
colleges. The history OF the denomina-
tion shows the wisdom Of the course pur-
sued. Widely scattered as the popu-
lation was, it was impossible for any
church to reach all parts os The State
| if it stopped to educate wherever it
| preached. It's preachers went everywhere,
-, into the mountain coves and into the re-
! cesses of the Eastern swamrs preaching
| the gospel and calling men TO repent. It's
ministry embraced very many who car
ried on their business during the week
and preached on the Sabbath. Thus it
| had large ministry which made little
or no demand for salary, and which ex-
cited powerful influence in their re-
spective communities.
The Baptist church today ana al every
period of it's history has embraced IN IFS
! membership some of the first minds OF
| the State, men and women OF the high
| est culture and ability. But it has as
we'll been pioneer church among the
| humble builders of the cabins WHO first
settled the Appalachian slope and drew
their nets on the Chowan. l. has preach
/ ed the truth in demonstration of the