The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-30
BAPTIST MEETING
COMES To AN END
Centenary Convention Is Sue
ceSSfuI In Every Way
100000 FOR MISSIONS
Final Day of Convention Is Given over
to Addresses With a 0octrinal
Flavor-Early History Of
Churches Detailed.
100000 FOR MISSIONS

After what all agree is a successful ses-
sion the first centennial convention of
the Alabama Baptist association came to
an end tonight with a final address on
Baptist Doctrine and History" by the
Rev. A. ]. Dickinson of Birmingham.
Resolutions of thanks to DR. Thomas NJ.
Owen, state historian, were passed; also
to erect a slab at the grave Of Hosea
Holcomb, the first Alabama historian,
near Bessemer.
It was announced that the 100000 de-
sired for missions in honor of the CEN
tenniai year was all in save about $4,000;
that 100000 scholars are In the Sunday
schools, and that histories of the 1916
churches of the state will be written.
The closing day of the convention dwelt
as has been the case all along mostly
with statistics, with a aash OF doctrine
thrown in for Sunday diversion. DR..
John r. Sampey of the faculty OF the
Theological seminary of Louisville, KY,
talked of Theological Education; w. ].
E. Cox of Mobile of Doctrine and Creed"
and Secretary NJ. M. Wood of Statistics
In Detail"
DIR. Sampey ran back to the early work
for ministerial education, which began in
1888, when the state convention gave SAB. 20
to this cause. A school for manual labor
was opened in 1896 at Greensboro, but
proving to be a failure was closed and
the property sold. Howard college was
established at Marion in 1S47, called the
Howard Literary and Classical school.
EekzLI;1LoI
In 1S4S with a fund of So, 900 authorized
to be raised, a chair of theology was es
tablshed at Howard college, and in 1856
the fund had been increased to $4,000
Jerre H. Brown of Sumpter county. a
very rich layman, contributed $4,000 for
the support of a professor of theology
at Howard and paid the expenses first of
70 preachers and later of 16 preachers out
of his own purse. In 1860 the fund for
ministerial education had grown to $279,550
but this like most other values of the
south, was wiped away by the war.
Shortly after the war DIR. ]. L. NJ.
Curry, the noted publicist, diplomat and
preacher was elected president Of Howard
and though his work was extremely DIFF
ficult because of the depleted condition
of the country, he started the school
again on a pathway to success. While
it is now doing what the members of the
Organization consider good work, it is a
fact that the support of the institution
is nothing like what it should be to meet
the demands upon it.
OF the 81 ministerial students at Howard
this year only II pay their own way, IL
preach regularly for assistance and IS are
unable to contribute to the expenses of
their education. Five others were turned
away at the first of the session because
there was no provision to take care of
them and 10 more are known to desire
admission but cannot be received.
Seminary Report.
In reciting the history of the Theologi-
cal seminary at Louisville DIR. sampey
sketched over the time from its organiza-
ton in 1859 to the present. In 1867 the
Alabama Baptists began regular support
by the appropriation of 1890 annually to-
ward the expenses. In 1870, there were
So Alabama ministerial students at the
seminary, and in 1908 81 all these paying
their own way. Quite number of others
from the state were given assistance in
the rounding out of their theological ed
ucation.
Since the establishment of the seminary
223 Alabama students were given assist
ance or graduated. Mississippi is now
raising $4,000 to be added to the en-
dowment fund of the seminary and Pres
idet Mulline hopes to secure $4,000 for
the same cause from the church In Ala
bama. 1t Is also urged by the officers
of the seminary that a chair of English
Bible study be established at Howard
college.
Interesting Figures.
The statistical report by Clerk M. M.
Wood covered the time from 1920 to 1903.
During that time the church contributed
as follows Missions, $SS0.2S9 ministerial
education, SIS, 439; school property, $780,
237; endowment $74,S26; colportage, 49,
go; orphans, sl21, 29I home expenses 49,
592 294 miscellaneous matters, $lS,596; to-
tai, $,132,70O.
Discussing these figures Mr.. Wood,
among other things, said: eff to this
could be added on home expenses SAL
49, and to the next period, 1857, 3O4, which
could be done with all safety, the total
would be 1851 ,2s4, which, in my, judg-
ment, is far below the fact"
Mr.. Wood goes on to say that if the
Baptists had paid last year ] per cent
per capita Of their wealth the collec-
lions would have been Gas more than
they were He also notes that in 70 years
there have been 1922 matrculates at
Judson college and 1883 in the 66 years OF
Howard college, $3.50 of the latter being
ministerial. In all of the Baptist schools
of the state the matriculates have been
1870 with 1880 graduates and 1908 min
isterial students.
Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session of Sunday began
with scripture reading by Rev. George
D. Brewer of Natasulga former chap
lain of the Alabama convicts and his
torian of the Confederate war.
The work of the Alabama Sunday
schools from the period of their organ
ization during the early days of the
church to the present high standard of
excellence was detailed by Rev. j. M.
Shelburne, pastor of the Baptist church
at East Lake. He noted the difficulties
that grew out of the many contentious
regarding faith and practice In the old
day and told a great many interesting
stories with regard to the troubles that
We're finally overcome.
Work among the young people as re-
ported by j. X. Rosser of Selma includ-
ed a great many interesting statistics. 1t
Is shown that at the present time the
total enrolment in the subordinate unions
is 20l5. with an average attendance of
14o4 Last year sl2O2 was raised for all
expenses to which the young people are
lending attention Among these is con-
siderable amount for the various schools
of the denomination
Prominent Laymen.