The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-17
The General Association
Of Virginia Nests at
Charlottesville.
WILLIAM ELLYSON
FOR PRESIDENT
Large Richmond Delegation Ar
rives-Intcresting Preliminary
Service - The Annual
Sermon - An Ad-
dress Of Wei
come.

4 II : Z . 6
Especial from slatf Correspondent)
CHARLOTTESVILLE VA, November
1c-Rgh, upon the lnountainside, IN
plain view Of the spot from which am
now writing, there was many long years
ago a little Baptist church-a building
made of logs and chinked with red clay.
Thomas Jefferson, then young man.
Used to attend the meetings held In this
church. one day he read over the short
constitution and bylaws of that little
church. and in after years, after nc had
written the Declaration of Independence,
after he had written the major part OF
the Consti tuition OF the United States, he
declared in a letter, which is stili IN exist
encc that he obtained his FIRST IDEAS
OF Il pure democratic-republican form of
government from tho government and
he constitution and bylaws OF that little
BAPTIST church located on the mountain
overlooking the town OF charlottesville.
Under the shadow Of that mountain,
and in plain view OF the ground upon
which that little log church stood. the
1,fty-second annual session of the Bap-.
list General Association OF Virginia is
now being held.
Pure Democracy.
1t is really the one hundred and hf-
ueth State gathering Of Baptists. but.
the body has been known by Its present
name only nfty-two years. Nevertheless.
whatever OF changes there may have
been the Baptists have never changed
their form Of government, and to-day 1t
is as pure democracy as itt.was when
Mr., Jefrerson copied after 1t 70 form the
greatest government under the sun.
~ 4 %~t avn !, rAAt
gates from, the local churches In Virginia,
each OF which Is a dem ocratc govern
,nert OF itself have arrived In Char
lottesville within the last twenty-four
hours to attend the annual State meeting.
The only preliminary meeting held today
was that OF the board OF trustees OF the
Orphanage located at Salem. The work
OF the past year was reviewed and
most gratifying exhibit was made,
The association was called to order at
7:3o o'clock. and after preliminary
service, condu ducted by tho president, Judge
W. w. Monett. OF Salem. the annual SER
mon WAS preached by Rev. ]. L. Rosser.
OF Grove Avenue Baptist Church, Rich
rnond. This was followed by an address
of welcome by DR.. Turpn, Of Charlottes-
vile, and a response by Rev r. A.
Williams, and then the association was
regularly organized for business. The
association will meet at o'clock to-
morrow morning and hold three sessions
during the day and night.
The Proceedings.
At 1880 o'clock, when Judge w. w.
Moffett, the president OF the association,
called the body to order, fully four hun
dred dclegat tcs were In their seats and
the conmodious edifice OF the First Bap-
list Church WIS packed with people.
The gallery had been reserved for tho
girls OF the Ra wings Institute, and they
filled 1t to overflowing. Judge Moffett
led the preliminary devotional exercises.
assisted by DR.. w. F. Dunaway, Dr.
w. A. Hatcher and others. Rev. j. p.
Rosser, the young association pastor Of
the Grove Avenue Baptist Church. OF
Richmond, who had been appointed to
preach the annual sermon, took for his
text the twelfth and thirteenth verses of
the orty-cighth Psalm walk about
Zion and go around about her and tell
the towers abou. her" The brilliant
young minister said his text simply meant
find the truth and then tell It to every
body. The sermon was at once nn at
tack upon atheism and scientific agnos-
ticIsm. So called, and strong and elo-
guent presentation OF the simple truth
OF God In Christ. The three elements
of the perfect equipment OF the preacher
are Gods promises, the gift Of the Spirit
presented and the conclusion that against
these no power can prevail, thrilled tho
vast audience.
Officers Elected
Immediately after the sermon the as
tocIation nj once proceeded to business
and the first business was the election
of officers, which election resulted rs
follows President. William Ellyson. OF
Richmond; Vice Presidents. George A,
6clmelz OF Hampton Rev. Fl. W, Trib-
BILE OF Charlottesville; Rev. J, ]. Hen
derson of Bristol; Major b. I, Gunter
of Accomac; Secretary, Rev Hugh q
Smith, OF Appomnt tox; Treasurer - a.
Jacobs; Auditor j B. Montgomery, OF
Richmond; Fl. Theodore I5llyson, assist
mt secretary. Rev DR.. John b. Iurpl''
the pastor OF the First Church, made an
earnest address of welcome, which was
responded to by Rev. II. Aubrey VII
Hams Of Fredericksburg
After the election of Officers the as
location adjourned until 8 o'clock to-
morrow morning.
The attendance upon this annual meet
Ing is very large, but Charlottesville's
proyerba hospitality is equal TO the
themselves in the matter OF entertaining
The Meeting Place.
The meeting is belng hold In
)he First Baptist Church, Of which Rev,
Dr ], y, Turpin Is tho pastor, The
churcl ediice Is a new one, completed
within tho past two years; and is a mod
hrn, up-to-date structure arranged with
byery possible convenience for general
worship and for Sunday school work,
There are ample class rooms, whIoh
are being used now for committee rooms.
and In all respects it Is an ideal building
In which, TO hold State meeting of even
so large a body as The Baptist General
Association, Many delegates came In last