The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-09-23
National Convention 10 Meet
in Philadelphia,
ZOO DELEGATES YESTERDAY
Or. T. w. Walker Reported to the
Convention That the Dead Were
Being Buried as Fast
as Possible.

Feeling that they have accomplished
much good for their race, the delegates
to the National Negro Baptist conven-
ton, which has been In session since last
Wednesday ended their labors yesterday
and left for their homes. The next con-
vention will be held in the Holy Trinity
Baptist church in Philadelphia.
There were but 200 delegates present
yesterday when the session was called
to order by the Rev. DR.. D. A Gaddle
of Louisville, KY. He delivered a short
address and said that he was proud of
having the privilege of attending a con-
vention in Birmingham ana spoke of the
city as one of the greatest cities In the
south for holding conventions and said
that 1t had a great future before 1t.
DR.. T. W. Walker reported that the
dead were being buried as fast as possible
and that fifteen men were at work dig
cling graves. At this point the Rev. Dr.
Parks read telegram from his church
in Chattanooga stating that so had been
sent by telegraph to relieve the suffer
ing.
charge of the affairs of the National
Baptist publishing board. said that much
good had been accomplished by the meet
ing here and while misfortune befell
many of the people. yet the convention
was not responsible for 1t. It Is just a
misfortune. "Dr. Walker has discharged
his duty and this church is well con-
gtr fa1 I'd 1,a CHI ho cd
Many Panics.
DR. John II. Frank of Louisville, pastor
of the Fifth Street Baptist church, said:
History shows that because of explo-
sions, fires, false alarms, and so on,
panics have ensued among all classes of
people and in various portions of the
world. and that such fright, pure and
simple as seized our people Friday night
is not a freak of colored people only. 1t
is also well known that it is absolutely
impossible to prevent injury and death
in such a circumstance as that Of Friday
night. Who, then, Is censuragle except
the alarmed, needless people who rush
into deaths embrace regardless of the
advice of self possessed leaders? Surely
no thinking people will charge either
church pastor or the national convention
with the responsibility for the unparal-
leled catastrophe of our annual session.
"'God moves in a mysterious way His
wonders to perform in ways inexplicable
and marvellous Even panics are a part,
somehow, of His ways, and are not with
out designs of ultimate good. Our faith in
Him abides.
mot least among the lessons to be
learned from the sad happening Is that
the people generally and everywhere
should listen to the advice of the men
who urge soul preparation. race intelli-
gence and self-control."
DR.. SEWER Talks.
DIR. William Sewer Of Merharry Medi-
cal college, Nashville, Tenn, was intro
duced and delivered a short address. He
said that the medical college which he
represented was doing as much to solve
the race problem as anything else In all
the world, because 1t had turned out
more negro doctors than any other
school in the United States. He was
proud of his visit to birmingham, and
said that he had never seen white people
who were more friendly and desired to
help the negro in his efforts to build up
and be something.
Prof. Joseph A. Booker, president of
the Arkansas Baptist college, Little
Rock. before offering resolutions of
thanks, had the following to say:
81 have learned to watch every public
occurrence from a race point Of view,
not because cultivate race prejudice,
but because I want to see II there Is
in reality strained relations between my
people and the white people of this coun-
try and whether or not there Is a soft
ening of such condition. Nothing has
been more conclusive OF the fact that
the southern white man is kindly dis
posed toward the negroes OF this coun-
try than the stampede at Shiloh church
last Friday night. And, not only kindly
disposed. but real friends in time OF need.
From private citizens to the highest mu-
nicipal official have been made to feel
in more than one way the anxious care
and deep sympathy Of the white people
of Birmingham In this public calamity"