The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-08
The BAPTIST
CONVENTION
Thousands Of Delegates Are
Assembled at Savannah.
PRELIMINARY ME ETlNGS
3. Y. p. U. Convention Met To-Day and
Listened to Enthusiastic Addresses.
Banquet OF Seminary Alumni
Held Last Night.

Special from Staff Correspondento
SAVANNAH, GA, May ITO many
who will be In savannah this week in
attendance upon the Southern Baptist
Convention the most Interesting NEE tings
to be hold will be those OF tho TUfhan's
Missionary Union, Auxiliary to the Con-
vention. The meetings will be held IN
the Independent Presbyterian Church be-
ginning Friday afternoon. Tho present
officers, are Mrs. Charles A. stakely.
OF Montgomery, Ala, president; Miss
spending secretary; Miss Nellie Mar
tin. Of Baltimore and Miss M E. Wright.
OF Augusta, Ga, recording secretaries.
and Mrs. William Lowndes, OF Baltimore.
treasurer, Mrs. A. NJ. Gwathmey of
Richmond. Is tho vice. president for Vir-
ginia.
SYSTEMATIC WORK
This Union has systematzed the work
OF Interesting the Baptist women and
children of the Souea In the mission work
and of raising money to carry on the
work to fine point, and 1t Is admitted
that their organiza ton is more complete
than that OF the men Of the Baptist faith
The women are not such stcklers for
tho individuality Of the churches as are
the men and they believe more in gem
eral organization and combination.
The Baptist women have been taking
great interest in the work Of missions
for these many years. but their or
ganization and systematic work is Of re-
cent date, comparatively speaking. In
1884 at the meeting OF the convention
IN Baltimore, In 1856 at Augusta and in
1886 at Montgomery some women workers
met in private and discussed the aLv!sa-
billty Of a more general organization to
meeting looking to this end was held un-
til 1887, in Louisville. when a number of
women met by previous appointment to
consider the subject. Some were for Inn
mediate organization. but the majority
held that as they were only individuals
and not delegated by their State or
ganizatlons. It would be unwlse to or
ganize. It was agreed that they should
ask tho various State committees to send
delegates 10 q meeting to be he1dsln Rich
naond In 1883. to take such action as
might be deemed advisable after full COM
9znltation. The result was the orEaniza-
tion Of tho Woman's Missionary Union.
This Urtton appointed an Executive
Committee to be located at Baltimore.
Nd. and chose Miss M. g. Mcintosh. OF
South Carolina. as president and Miss
Annie W. Armstrong. Of Baltimore, as
corresponding secretary.
At Richmond May 1888 the Woman's
meeting was convened. composed on roll
call Of tfllrty-two delega tes from twelve
States. In accordance with the resolu.
tions, the delegates came prepared to
vote by instructions from their States.
Ten stntes most cordially endorsed the
movement as an advance upon other
methods. and as an aid to progress In
mission work TWO States, Virginia and
Mississippi. while expressing deep In
terest In woman's work. preferred to de-.
lay action in reference to the general or
ganization until further instructed by
their States. BY 1891 the fourteen South
ern States represented In the convention
had entered heartily into The organiza-
ton.
The Rev. DR.. r. P. Bell says this Union
is one OF the most wisely constructed
pieces of denominationel mechanism OF
which he has any knowledge.
AN AUXILIARY.
In It's relation to the Southern Baptist
Convention tho union Is Just what Its
name implies. which adnpta 1t to this work
which 1t has to do In the South. And I
note Its construction as It relates. on the
ono hand. to the Southern Baptist Con-
vention, and. on tho other. to State organ
izatons.
In its relation to the Southern Baptist
Convention II Is just what Its name tndi-
Gates. an auxiliary. and this position II
has scrupulo,lsly maintained. It has never
claimed nor sought to exercise any rights
and privileges as an independent mission
ary body. but has In every possible way
emphasized the fact that the boards OF
arms and that Itself WAS only helper
of these, working under their direction.
In pursuance OF this general idea several
things are emphasized.
The union is not In any sense collec-
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