The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-09
NEGRO BAPTISTS
THEIR CONVENTION CLOSES
THIS AFTERNOON.
Reports from Many Boards Read at
Today's session-Annual Recep-
ton This Evening.

This being the closing day Of the annual
meeting of the Afro-American Baptist con-
vention of New Jersey. it was a busy one
for the officers and delegates.
The proceedings were opened at an early
hour with devotional exercises, which were
conducted by the vice-president of the con-
v%ention. the Rev. A. Y. Young, of Pater-
son.
The session was devoted during the
morning to the reception of reports from
the various boards of the union.
The home mission board. through it's
president. the Rev. w. A. Harris, told of
the work that had been done during the
year in assisting the poor churches of the
State and in helping the new ones that
had been established.
Tit educational board reported. through
its chairman, the Rev. L. H. Roberts, of
New Brunswick. and the board urged for
an educated ministry for all the pulpits
and recomm ended that none be ordained
to the ministry unless they be educa-
tionally qualified. The board and the con-
vention renewed its faith In and support
of the Virginia Theological Seminary.
The report from the Foreign Mission
Board was made by the Rev. ]. c. Love,
Of the Union Baptist Church of Montclair.
ODOn the nOOr OF the convention IN us
cussing the mission work of the Baptists
of the State tile opinion was expressed
very generally that more Of the money
raised in this State for mission work
should be devoted to the spread OF the
faith in this State. and less sent abroad.
Ii his statistical report the Rev. w. S.
Smith. of Jersey City. said hat there were
ninety churches in the State with seventy
three ordained ministers, besides the many
li%centiates. There are 16. 700 members Of
these churches. with fifty-three houses Of
worship owned and valued at S420,0 600.
He said that there were about 10000
negroes in the State who were Of the
Baptist faith, but had etained their MEM
bership in the churches of the South
from which they had come.
The report of the board of managers
was read by the secretary, the Rev. w.
r. Watkins, Of Orange, who said that the
churches had been attended with much
prosperity during the year, and that two
new churches had been established, one
at Silver Lake and the Canaan Baptist
Church at Paterson. Two new associa-
lions nave been organized, the Sea Coast
Association, of which the Rev. A. G..
Young is president, and the Middlesex
Association, of which the Rev. z. w.
Roberts is president. The report COM
mended the work of the missionary and
educational boards, and said that Wnlle
all desired had not been accomplished
yet the year had been a successful one.
Yesterday was a big day for the de-
nomination in this city. and during the
entire services of the day the church was
crowded with those Who were anxious to
hear the sermons that were preached dur
ing the day. The morning sermon was
preached at II a. m. by the Rev. d. V.
Harr. The annual reception in honor Of
the conference will be held in the church
in the evening and is to be the social fea-
ture with which the convention is to be
closed. The following liz Q committee OF
women Of the church whc viii look after
the entertainment of the delegates and
clergymen: Mrs. Jordon Lenten. Mrs
Martha Haston, Mrs. Martha Lynch, Mrs
Alice Steele, Mrs. Elvira Smothers, Mrs
Alice Little, Mrs. Lucretia Virgins, Mrs
Martha Blackwell, Mrs. r. L. childs. Mrs
r. f.. Hall, Mrs. Theodore Johnson, Mrs
A. Belmarton, Mrs. NJ. Birdsong, Mrs
Sarah Wilson, Mrs. r. A. HENDERSON, Mrs
Annie Williams, Mrs. Kate Bruce, Mis-
Jennie Marshall, Miss Rosa Edmonds, Mrs
II. E. Craft, Mrs. Henry Burrell.