Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-26
GOING TO FAR EAST
BAPTISTS WILL STUDY MISSION.
AIRY WORK IN CHINA.

| PHILADELPHIA, February 26.-Several
| hundred Baptist ministers and laymen as
| sembled yesterday In the First Baptist
Church, 18th and SAMSON streets, to bid
| farewell to the delegation of clergymen
| who will leave today for a tour of the
orient. This delegation, or commission.
has been appointed to study the work OF
the American Baptist Missionary Union in
China and Japan. The members will con-
vey to the missionaries and native Chris-
tians Of those countries the fraternal greet
ings of the Baptist denomination. The
commission is the first ever sent to the
orient for this purpose.
Those who will leave Broad street sta
ton at 4 o'clock this afternoon are the
Rev. DIR. J. Henry Haslam, pastor of Geth-
semane Church; John w. Lyell of the First
Baptist Church of Camden, N. j.. Frank A.
Smith of Haddonfeld, N. j., and David p.
Leas of Epiphany Church. The party will
go by train to the Pacific coast, visiting
Los Angeles, and will sail from San Fran
cisco on March g. They will visit China,
Japan and the Philippine Islands
Others to Go.
A second party, consisting of the Rev.
Frank S. Dobbins, district secretary of the
American Baptist Missionary Union, and
the Rev. DR.. b. l.. Whitman, pastor of the
Fifth Baptist Church, will leave this city
about April l. They will travel over the
same route Dr. Haslam and his asso-
ciates, but will pass on through Siberia
after leaving Paking. and across Europe
on their homeward trip.
The Rev. DR.. Wayland Hoyt delivered an
address at last nights meeting, in which
he voiced the sentiment of the Baptist Min
listers Conference in bidding godspeed to
the travellers. Their mission, he declared.
was the most important that could be in
trusted to body of men. The denomina-
ton looked to them to learn concerning the
influence of Christianity upon China and
Japan: to tell of that influence upon their
return to America and thereby, If possible,
give a great stimulus to the popular sup
port of foreign mission work.
Greetings from the Baptist conference
to religious workers in China and Japan
were read by DR.. Hoyt. These greetings
were prepared by a committee consist
ing of DR.. Hoyt, the Rev. George ii.
Ferris and the Rev. Jacob Sallade
Copies will be left by members of the
commission at every mission station they
visit. The letter of greeting follows:
ITO our dear brothers and sisters, the
missionaries il China and Japan: Through
the delegation visiting the scenes of your
so strenuous and successful labors, the
Baptist Ministers Conference of Philadel-
phia and vicinity sends you the warmest
greetings. We are jubilant because of
what you are, and of what you are accom-
plishing. We are glad that such conse-
Grated hearts and brains as yours are con-
fronting such new era in China, which
wonderful new era yourselves and your
predecessors have done much to bring
about. Vertically going forth with sacri-
flee and weeping to the hard sowing. you
are showing in a surprising way the power
of our Christ by the various and afiiuent
harvest you are now gathering to His
praise. He is the Leader who can never
know defeat. Be sure we do not forget
you. We hail you as the brave and SPLEEN
did pioneers in the great world conquest.
We pledge you our prayers and help"
Great Task Appreciated.
At the conclusion of DR.. Hoyts address
each member of the commission spoke
briefly, telling of his appreciation of the
responsibility Of the task before the COM
mission.
During the early part of the session w.
H. p. Faunce, president of Brown uni
versity discussed the Question, do We
Need an Expurgated Bible" The meet
ing closed with a reception to the menu
bers of the commission.