The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-12
Presidents Annual Report.

President w. D. Duke presented the
following annual report
RI Richmond, Va. March IL, 1906
Dear Brethren and Sisters:
Your Executive Committee begs TO SUD
nit herewith the report OF the assocla-
tlon for the year 1905:
officers and teachers on roll. SOL; aver
age attendance $50; sos per cent
Scholars on roll, 1855; average attend
ance, 4.59S; $3.50 per cent
Church members on rol lo'o1V' III
schools, 1859; 31.7 per cent,
New scholars, 2.571.
Conversions, 255. = o. u. s2s
Baptisms. 251. 9iJrtftfS
Cs,ntributions-asso s535.17; or
phanage, s5S1.00;! total, s6.l29.4.
All of these figures, except roll OF OIL
GERS and teachers, are larger than the
corresponding figures for 1904. average
attendance of scholars having increased
364.;
The treasurers report shows balance
on hand, January /. 1906, of s33o.3s Tor
the association. During the year the
association has contributed towards inc
support of the missions at seventeenth
and Christian and At Fourth and Cary
Streets, known as Baptist Netghoorhood
House, Branch and Branch B. Which
Council. In addition. the association
made loan of 5000 to the Baptist Coun-
ell during the year, to assist that organ
ization in its mission work "A contribu-
ton Of 5000 has recently been made to
the Emmanuel Baptist Church. which
does not appear inathe report for 1905.
The above report does not include the
figures for Branches A and B nor the
afternoon school at Emmanuel. An after
noon school has recently been established
at Fulton.
During the year an Institute or training
school for Sunday school workers. was
held at the First Baptist Church, under
the auspices of the association. This
school afforded valuable instruction for
officers and teachers. md although At was.
was not attended as largely as we had
hoped, we believes that much good was
accomplished. Our thanks for the sue
cess Of this venture are due. not only to
those who conducted the courses. but to
the efficient committee In Charge Of
which Brother Wa. Harris was chair
man. Tho institute was made possible
by the liberality OF the Sunday School
Board Of tho Southern Baptist Conven-
tion, which gave the services OF Brother
B. w. Spillman. the leading spirit OF tho
meeting. S ty;s
Are Not Keeping Pace.
The large increase in attendance Of
scholars during the year. was due mainly
to the increase In the size OF some OF
our larger schools, We hope that the
example set by these schools will be fol-
lowed by all our, schools SO that this
year we may be able to report more
general improvement.
1t is to be noted that the effective
force OF officers and teachers has not, APP
parently. kept pace with the increase In
attendance OF scholars. The number Of
officers and teachers is about one hum
bred less than, that Of seven years ago.
although the number. of church members
in the schools is greater than for many
years past. We believe that many OF the
problems that confront us Will be solved
by laying tho Sunday school work more
heavily upon the hearts Of the more In
tellgent and efficient Of our church mem
ters who are not actively. engaged In
this important branch Of our Master
service 1.-THE harvest truly Is great. but
the lnborers are few; pray 70, therefore.
tho Lord of tho harvest. that He would
send forth laboers into His harvest
Before closing our report we would
urge our schools to- increase their contrl-
buttons to tho association treasury. Tho
demand upon lis has not been pressing
until recently but now tho need is great.
Instead of f1ve hundred dollars we should
have not less than one thousand dollars
per annum with which to prosecute our
work OF fostering the Sunday school cause
and assisting needy churches within our
bounds. Randolph Street Emmanuel,
East End, Copton Street and others are
Knocking at our door for help. and we
should assist tho Baptist Council In Its
mission work to n greater extent than
NE have done before. This unusual de 4
nlhnd means progress and improve nlent.
Let us arise and do our part. All signs
spoirit to unprecedented development Of
our work, and we have our. tsayiour's
promise to encourage us to attempt larger