The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-17

With n religious earnestness and
fcrvor breathed in every word said or
sung, the fifty second session Of the
Southern Baptist Convention was
opened last evening: at five minutes
past s o'clock at tho hugo Auditorium.
especially arranged by tho city for tho.
use of the army offdelegatcs. Officers
were elected, addresses Of greeting
were delivered, ard the annual SER
mon before the body was preached
The hour set for.calling the conyen-
tion to- order was s:15 O'clock, but
long before that time the immense hall
was filed to overfiowing, every seat.
being occupied except few IN & the
section set apart for delegat tes, AID
the aisles ana approaches were packed
with people eager to take part in tho
exercises.
No Disorder. is
The behavior of the audience, nuns
bering perhaps not fewer than 1000
persons, was marked by extraordinary
decorum, for despite the anxiety Of all
to reach those seats nearest the plat-3
form, there was no struggling or in-5
sistency, and quiet reigned within the
building. Every car on every limo runs
ming within easy distance Of the Audi.
torium was packed with mon and wo-5
men, some Of whom wore the red badge
OF the delegate. but all Of whom had
some personal interest In the great
injecting Of the Baptist denomination-I
a meeting which promises to be the
most Important, both In point OF NUM-
bers Of delegates, in general .Attond-s
ance. and In scope of work, that tho
Southern Baptists have ever known.
This promise was more than fulfilled
last night, and later. when the Off
cinl announcement was made by tho
president, Dr.. Edwin William stenhens.
of Columbia Mo-, applause could not
! for Il time be controlled. despIta the
determined effort Of the presiding Off IS
Ger.
Even the street car men seemed to
catch the enthusiasm that obtained, for
| when car filled to overtlowing was
| stopped by a party of men and wo-
men demanding transportation, thu
conductor exclaimed, IT you are Bnp-6
! tist. can find room for YOU" WEI
''We are was the reply, and room
/
Dureuu OF information.
| In the outer Railways OF the Audlto-
| rum, the local committee had estab-
| lshed n bureau of information, In
| which arc telephones for the use OF
| the delegates. and where q large force
| OF attendants are placed to attend to
the comfort or those visiting the con-
| vention. In this same hall all exhibits
| of the various religious publishing
| houses. whose publications seemed to
attract the attention both OF the min-
! isterial and lay delegates.
Within the Auditorium a countless
| row of seats slant down to an iln-
/ mense platform at the east end, at the
| Sides OF which are committee rooms.
so that the delegates serving on cons
| mittees are In close touch with the
alfnirs of the convention. s99
At the west end q gracious gallery
4 takes care OF many hundreds of those
| unable to secure seats on the main
1 floor, the whole building being lighted
|. and ventilated in a most comfortable
| manner.
| The seats on tho main floor nearest
/ the platform are reserved for dele
| gates, and 1t was Noticeable that t.,4
1 this great space not woman found
| a place. All seated there were men.
| earnest, alert, quick to catch and mark
an important utterance, and alive to-
the every point bearing on tho work
OF the convention.
On the platform We're seated rresi-
dent Stephens, the presiding officer, Dr,
Lansing burrows and DR.. Q. II. Greg-
ory, the secretarles Mr.. George w,
Norton. the treasurer; Or. William
Patrick Harvey. the auditor: Hon. Hem
! ry r. Pollard and Mr., Charles Aurelius
\ Smith, vice pre- S idents, tho choir OF the
convention, numbering 100, under tho
| leadership of hfr. james II. Harwood,
principal OF the High School. q nnm-
her OF distinguished Baptist diylneaG
and laymen and a small army Of neWs-