The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-30

out of the many contentious regardlns faith and practice In the old days WsIs noted, and many stories regarding the manner in which these difficulties were overcome interested the audience.
 Work among the young people as re- ported by J l.. Rosser. of selma m cluded great many interesting sta tistics. It was shown that at the present time the total enrollment IS 2,O15 with an average of 1,4O4. That during the past year s1,2o2 was raised for all purposes to which the young people are lending their attention.
 Ray Rushton read a paper on the relation of Baptists as concerned with Alabama public men. He paid high tribute to a number of leaders who have been from time to time members ot Baptist organization. lncludeo among these men have been Governors, Senators, Congressman, Justices of the Supreme Court and of the minor courts, in fact. men who have taken high place in the States public life.
 Rev. J. H. Foster. of Anniston, was interesting in a paper on the reforms of the century and the part taken in them by Baptists While this was more or less technical dealing in a large way with church affairs, num- Der of public reforms, their develop. ment by the Baptists of the State and their triumphs, were spoken of. In- dividuai efforts in the matter of re- form was also touched upon.
 Night Session.
 congregation almost filling the large auditorium was present at the night session of the Baptist Centennial Sunday night, when the meeting was opened with reading of the scrip lures from the Acts Of the Apostles by Paul V. Bomar of Marion.
 Immediately following. the hymn, Justice J. R. Tyson of the Supreme Court of Alabama was introduced to speak to the delegates and other Bap- lists present upon the subject of the State Baptist Historical Association.
 Judge Tyson stated that it was his purpose to arouse an interest in the work of the society and in the history of Baptists throughout the state. That the rich material with which to work would arouse the deepest enthusiasm on the part of historians and the pub lie at large if they but knew of Its presence.
 A description of the beginning of the Baptist faith in Alabama, the hardships, the failures, the sacrifices, and the triumphs of many prominent Baptists were used as Illustrating this great wealth of material. The daunt- less courage of the Baptists of the old world, and their hardshipg when ehey came to America in the very early days was told with vividness. In closing thanks were given in the form of a resolution to pr. Owens. director of the State Department of Archives and History, for the preser- vation of the material already on hand and for his endeavors in obtaining new information.
 Rev. A. J. Dickinson. pastor of the Southside Baptist Church of Birming- ham, was next introduced to the con gregation. Mfr. Dickinson's topic as printed upon the program was Our Baptist Cultus in Alabama" President Denson in introducing Mir. Dickinson stated that he did not know the mean ing of the subject, and was very much interested in the explanation which was to be forthcoming. On arising Mr. Dickinson stated that when in times of weakness his forefathers had relied upon the scriptures, and that in this instance he would do likewise.
 He took his text from the tenth chapter of Second Corinthians. In the course of his remarks MF. Dickinson stated that there was more need of a common sense religion like that preached by the pioneer preachers in the place of the theology that so many people in the church at present argued over.
 we need more religion nowadays or we won't know what to do with all the theology that we have" was the expression used in many places.
 Mir. Dickinson also told of the Sandy Creek, N C., church and It's work. From this church, said MT. Dickinson