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

ham will send ten new missionaries o
China. he can send tho Bill to INC.
II is needless to say that this was
a speech" of the most effective sort.
and the astounding offer aroused the
greatest enthusiasm.
Busincsn-lihc Body.
Over two hundred men Of affairs
were present at the conference, which
was marked BY the most intense ear
nestness throughout. The call for the
gathering was signed by Ex-Governor
Northern. of Atlanta, and by Hon.
Joshua Leverng, OF Baltimore. Mr..
Lcyering presided. and introduced the
various speakers.
most striking informal talk was
made by Mr.. j. Campbell White, secre-
tEry OF tho laymcn's movement. whose
Offices are In New York City. Mr..
Whites presence. which might be
called almost providential, since only
an accident enabled him to be in Rich
mond at this time. added greatly to the
force of the gathering Action was
finally taken appointing committee
Of seven to confer with q similar COM
1nittee from the convention, with a
view OF holding public meeting on
Sunday in the interest Of the move
rEent.
All the addresses made were practi-
meeting might almost have been
taken for group Of fnanciers con-
sulting as to the building of rail-
road, or the floating OF bonds for
some great business enterprise The
conviction was generally expressed
that the gathering was the beginning
or a movement that would rouse the
Baptist churches in a way that they
had never yet been reused to the work
OF missions both at home and abroad.
Mr.. LcvcrinS Spcnks.
In opening the conference, Mr.. Lee
vering told OF the famous ''Haystack'
prayer-meeting a century ago, when
Roger Williams and band of five
students OF Williams College mot to-
mether to pray for the spread Of the
gospel This meeting. the speaker
said, was the real practical beginning
of foreign missions, and on the 18th
of last November the centennial Of
that gathering was observed In New
York, when great body Of Christian
men met and before God prayed that
they might grasp their personal re-
sponsibility in this day. as that little
band had done century before.
The laymens movement which is
sp1inging up in all denominations and
in all parts Of the country, Mr. Lever
ing said. grew out of the increasing
conviction that the men Of this coun-
try are not doing their Christian duty
Men are Just beginning to realize that
it is as much their duty to give their
time and means to the Kingdom OF
God as 1t is to enter into any other
scheme or financial proposition.
What he proposed in his call, Mr.
lowering stated, was merely to ask
other men to unite with him in laying
before the business men of the coun-
< try simple business proposition; to
snow them what It means as any other
form of investment would show, and to
induce them to give their denomina-
tional boards such support as they have
never received before.
Continuing. Mr.. lowering told OF the
work Of the Laymen's Movement OF
New York, an undenomnational
| board. which has grown out of the
'Haystack Centennial." and which If
. engaged In stimulating the organiza-
tion of the laymen of all churches
1T is the purpose of this movement
said the speaker, ITO secure fifty or q
hundred representative business mer
OF this country who will at their owr
charges. visit every mission field or
+ the globe, and report to us frankly
and fully whether there Is any waste
mismanagement or neglect. and to re-
y pOit as " tue lotl,5 SUFFERING ana lapoI
of those on the firing line"
business ana Religion.
In conclusion. Mr., lowering intro
duced Ex-Governor Northern, OF Gcor.
gia. who opened his remarks by saying
that the whole object of tho gathering
was the injection OF business into re-
liglon,
"our business methods In religlo,
can be greatly improved II we cal
make business men responsible" IL,
declared. I'VE have turned over tn,
tnanagement OF our mission boards tot
nargey to our minister's"
Governor Northern then told OF th,
proposed laymen's movement stain;
Continued on Fourth Puge.)