The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-21
The Greatest and Most
Profitable Meeting
In Half Century.
GREAT ADVANCE in
EDUCATIONAL WORK
The Reports On Woman's Work
a Leading Feature Of Days
session-Memorial Ser
vice in Honor Of the
Deceased Mem
bers.
tsnecal from a STAFF correspondent

Especial from staff Correspondent
CHARLOTTESVILLE. VA. November
'a0-This was closing day OF the eighty
second annual session OF the Baptist
General Association of Virginia. Wh:cn
In all respects has been the greatest ana
most profitable annual meeting the Bar-
lists have held In a quarter. perhaps n
half OF a century. This is the verdict
Of all the older members.
All the reports from the boards from
the treasurer and from the district as
sociatIons show that the work OF the de-
nomination has advanced in the past
wear wonderfully. The advancement
along the lines Of educational effort Is
especially noticeable. The new educa-
5tional energy which Is tingling IN the
veins Of all Virginia Is bubbling very
largely In the Baptist veins. ihesc
bright and encouraging reports and sta.
tlstlcs created an enthusiasm that foul.i
expression not only in the speeches maGs.a
but in all the decisive action taken by
the body, action that anticipates sfelt
greater things for another year and the
years 10 come.
The features OF the closing day-thc re.
ports on wonlan's work, a great speccii
By Rev DR.. Tampey on the work OF tile
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary,
the reception Of the tfraternal messenger
from the Methodist Conference OF Vir-
pInia. a memorial service in honor OF de-
ceased ministers, and the reports OF dele
gates to the Worlds baptist Congress.
Fraternal M MeSsenger.
DR.. ". w. Smith. OF Lynchburg. the
president OF the Randolph Macon 5syste:at
~ colleges and schools, was introduced
~ the body as a <fraternal messenger
from 4 ne Virginia Methodist Conferences,
recently In session at Danyalle. 8s In ,:L
pleasing speech char tic sfot ~tir'
man, Dr. Smith offered the Baptists he
Christian greetings Of his great churnn
and the congratulations OF the Metho-
sists 10 the Baptists upon the great
ihjnrs the latter have done for the ad-
yancemcnt OF the Kingdom OF the Master.
DIR. Smith laid much emphasis upon he
thought that united action upon the part
or the Christians OF Virginia OF all ds-
nominations can accomplish wonderful
things thar may not be so readily accom-
plished by separate action At the re,
cent session OF the Presbyterian synod,
held In Richmond. committee on Sab
bath Observance was appointed. whose
special duty 1t is to make effort 10 have
tho railways In Nirginia to discontinue
the running OF freight trains and excur-
sion trains on Sunday.
To Stop Sunday Trains.
The Methodist Conference at Danvilla
appointed a like committee. OF which
DR.. Smith is chairman, and his practical
mission as fraternal messenger TO ,hr
General Association was to suggest the
appointment of the committee to act With
the Presbytcrians and Mcthodists in car
rying out the work OF securing moro
strict Observance OF the Sabbath. The
plan, as explained. Is to first prevail with
then 90 before the Legislature of tile
State. The association promptly passed
a resolution approving the work proposed,
and appointed William Elyson Judge
w. W. Moffctt and Rev r. b. Garrett,
d. D.. a committee to cooperate with
the committees from the other State.
bodies.
President William Ellyson was elected
nessenserto TO the General Baptist Conven-
tion Of North America. The afternoon
session of the association was a memo
rial service Tributes were read to tlie
memory Of Rev. j. W. Ryland, Rev.
4 J, w. Ward. Rev. S. C. Clopton, d. d,
Professor r, II. Rawlings and Rev. john
Lamb, a number of short speeches eli.
logizng the deceased minister's named
above. The song service at this meeting
:
service. Ii was conducted by tho cl,oi.
OF the First Baptist Church OF this city
The beautiful. tender service was con-
cluded with the singing OF the hymn
I'm the Sweet Bye and Bye"
Detailed Proceedings.
After devotional exercises. conducted
by Rev. j. l.. Wiley the General Asso
citation commenced Its last days busi-
ness,
The first fifteen minutes were tnken IN
With routine business, and the treas
urer's books and exhibit were reported
upon by the Auditing Committee This
was a formal matter, the committee
simply reporting upon the we'll kept
bookf Of the treasurer.
The Committee on Co-opera ton made
a full report. which furnishes some inter
csting statistics concerning the work OF
the Baptists IN the State. The report
urges all the churches to Use the blanks
sent out by the committee, so that ac-
C,irate statistics can be made up from
year to year..
The report says: Tho total amount
received from all of the churches for
the year ending October a1st is $1a1 .721.17,
an Increase Of $7,39399 over last wear
When we take into consideration the fact
that last year we received by special do
nations $4,000, We find the actual In
crease In the contributions from the
churches to be sl1,Sass9. The Increase
Is distributed between several boards as
follow;
state missions ..,,,.,,,...,.,....$ .$3,S43 30
Sunday School and Bible Board, 1876 f67
Education Board ..'',',t'..,.... So 2l
Foreign Missions ,,.,,.,.,.,,.... 4,147 S6
Home Missions ..,,.,.....,t.... 1,5a6 40
',Twenty-thre OF the district assoe-
F atlons show an increase in their gifts to
the sevcra! boards and four decrease.
4 uNunlber of persons baptized during the
YEAR G,966, an increase ot 500 over lust
wear, number of churches In the State