The evening times., 1901-05-20

Special FcatJEss Comm mOratiyc Of
the First Meetings of the New Cen
tury-Thc Societies Represented at
the Convention and Their Work
SPRINGFIELD Mass. May 2o.-Tha
National Anniversaries Of the Northern
BaDtists began here today and win con-
tinue until May =. As this is the first
general gathering Of the new century.
there viii be some special features in the
meetings commemorative Of this fact
There viii also be an important report
from a special Joint committee. appointed
a year ago, looking to the Unifying Of
some Of the agencies of the several so
cieties and the further consolidation of
their work
The Baptists Of the country stand sec
ond, in point of numbers. of the Protest
ant bodies, being exceeded only by the
Methodists. The latest statistics report
IS go Baptist churches in the United
States. with q membership of !. .233. .226. and
$3.50 ordained ministers. The baptisms
for the last year were 80, ,235. and the net
gain 51.55o which Is about one and one
fourth per cent over the total member
ship of 4 year ago a conservative esti-
mate would put the Baptist adherents OF
the country at not less than eleven mil
lions, or about Cne-seventh Of the total
population The church property is val
ued at SSS146,3S6; the church expenses q g
gregate SO 1856 q year, and the benevo-
lent contributions q little over SI3. 800, ,0J0
The seating capacity of the houses of
worship would accommodate only one
half the membership There are -7q4, $50
scholars in the Sunday schools In its
educational work. still speaking for the
whole country, the denomination has seven
theological seminaries. one hundred and
five universities and colleges. and ninety
schools of academic grade These insti-
tutions have property valued at SIS. 81. 900
| in addition to endowments amounting to
81. .561. 900 The instructors number >. .46s.
and the students are s, 9,553. of whom 2 1876
are studying for the ministry
Before the Revolutionary. war the BaD-
lists made slow and painful progress in
the American colonies They suffered
! from all sorts of civil disabilities. and the
! hand of political and ecclesiastical perse-
cution was heavy upon them Their strug-
/ giles and suffeTings in Massachusetts.
/ Rhode Island, Virginia and elsewhere are
! part of the history of civil and religious
| freedom When that war came their con
/ sDiCuous patriotism and their heroic in
/ sistence upon absolute liberty Of con
/ science for all, n matters of religion,
! drew to them the attention of all parties
and elected a remarkable letter from Gen
/ erai Washington. The prosperity of the
/ Baptists, therefore, dates from the War
/ of the Revolution. though they had pre-
/ viously made a strong impression upon
! the country, North and South Especially
! in the Southern States did the deGomina-
/ tion rapidly increase, and that more par
/ ticuIarly in the rural districts This is
I partly seen in the condition Of things to-
/ day. OF the nearly four and quarter
millions of Ba9tists in the United States
more than tYo-thirds are in the South.
and OF these more than half are coIored
/ people In round numbers. there !. 500. .G)l
! negro Baptists IN the South and 80. .92l
I white Baptfsts in the same section, while
the Baptists in the North number about
/ 10000
/ in 1915 the disseHsioHs and discussions
/ which sprang out Of the subject of slav-
cry divided the Baptists, as they did other
religious bodies. Since that date the
white BaDtists Of the South have been or
/ ganized for home and foreign mission op-
/ erations in what IS known as the South