The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-10-19
BAPTIST GENERAL
ASSOCIATIONS
WORK IS Done
Secretary of State
Reed Made Fine
Address

The forty-flfth annual session of the
West Virginia Baptist General Asso.
cfatton was brought to a close last
evening with one of the very best ses.
sions Of the entire association. In
spite OF the fact that many of the
ministers and delegates were compell'
ed to leave the city yesterday, never.
theless the large auditorium Of the
First Baptist Church was crowded at
this service.
After devotional exercises OF thirty
minutes conducted by Rev. B. n.
stelIe, pastor of the Clarksburg Bap
list Church, Hon. Stuart F. Reed, Sec.
rotary of State, was introduced and
made splendid address on the sub,
iect "Pathnnders of Progress" His
address dealt with the progress OF cur
Mountain State and with brief his
tory of many of the prominent men
and women OF the State who have
helped materially in the development
OF the State along all lines.
Mr.. Reed PORTED out by statistics
how high West Virginia stands in tAe
comercial world; how high she stands
as to her natural resources in coal
gas, eli. timber and ore, and predicted
a still greater future for our little
Mountain State.
He gave a brief summary of the
brilliant men of the State, many Of
whom are domiciled within her Dor.
ders still, while a great many have
gone into other countries to help in
the development of foreign lands.
Mr.. Reed is a brilliant speaker and
held the attention of his audience
throughout the entire address. His
remarks were calculated to make
west Virginians who are proud Of
their native State prouder and those
who cIaim other States as their birth
place envious OF the fact that they
are not native born West Virginians.
Mr.. Reeds address was followed
by an excellent address by DR.. d. p,
Purinton. President of the West Wiz
gfnia University. DIR. Purinton is an
unusually happy speaker and mis- ad-
dress on the subject The Religious
Future of West Virginia" was mas
terly discourse.
DR.. P1lrinton in his remarks predict
ed n great future for West Virginia
beth religfously and educationally'
While West Virginia is rapidly devel,
cping along material and commercial
lines, the fact must not be lost sight
of that she is rapidly advancing along
the lines Of religion and education Dr.
purinton made the statement that II
the west Virginia University continu'
ed to develop as. rapidly as t1e signs
Of the times would have us to belieYe
she will and as rapidly as other uni
yersfties OF the land are developing
and have developed in the past tWen'
tv-fve wears. that in the TWENTY-FIVE
wears to come she will rank higher than
any of the high grade colleges of the
land at the present time. He also
predicted n very great advancement
along religious lines for our State OF
West Virginia. This address was CIV
On the closest attention.
A pleasing feature of this session
was the singing of song entitled
"The Great Commission" composed
BIZ DIR. IT. C. Johnson. pastor for thirty
two years of the First Baptist Church
Of Charleston. A trio coTpased nt
Rev. Johnson, Rev. E. ]. Woofter' 81
Salem, and Rev. a. B. Withers, OF
Bridgeport, sang the song, which was
Inspiring. The congregation was loud
In its applause and the gentlemen
were obliged to respond to an encore
After n brief business session in
which tine following resolution was
adopted, the henediction was pro-
nounced by Rev. b. D. stelle, OF
clarksMlrg. With the benedictlon the
forty-fihGh anniversary of the West
Virginia Baptist General Association
was brought to a close, after most
s,,ce,s fri meeting and the delegates