The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1911-07-21
Special to the Globe:


Clarksville, Tenn, July 19-The
twenty-fourth annual convention of
Tennessee Colored Baptists is being
held here in the Mt. Olive Missionary
Baptist Church. There are more than
500 delegates present.
President T. j. Searcy of Memphis,
called the convention to order at 81
o'clock, and after delivering short
address appointed the following En-
rollment Committee: DR.. A. M. Town
send, Prof w. S. Thompson, Revs.
j. c. Fields, H. M. Burns and G.. w.
Woodson.
Devotional exercises were conduct
ed by Revs. J. Slaughter, of the Stone
River Association, and DR.. D. L.
Gains, of the Loudon District Associ-
alton.
Short talks were made by a num-
ber of delegates, and the INTRODUCED
ry sermon was preached by Rev. S.
T. Eldridge, of Knoxville
The feature of the afternoon ses-
sion was the annual address of Presi-
dent Searcy and that of the Presl-
dent of the Woman's Auxiliary, Mrs.
M. T. Hamilton. Dr. T. J. Townsend,
pastor of the Spruce Street Baptist
Church, Nashville, responded to the
address of welcome made by Rev. e.
M. Seymour, pastor of Mt. Olivet Mis-
sionary Baptist Church.
The conventional sermon at night
was preached by Rev. H. G. Harris,
of the Obion River Association.
The Convention this year promises
to eclipse any that has been held In
this state The Baptists of Tennes-
see are awakening to the great re-
sponsibilities resting upon them as a
denomination, and from Carter to
Shelby, the watchword is Prog
ress." Education will be one of the
principal features to receive consid-
Grafton at this meeting. The Baptists
operate the three educational institu-
tions in the state, one in West Ten
ressee, one in the central section and
one in the East The people of the
West feel that they have special
duty to perform to the school in their
section; the same is true of the peo
pie of the eastern part of the state;
but be that as it may, special pressure
IS being brought to bear to interest
all of the Baptists in centering their
energies to make Roger Williams, at
Nashville, a gigantic university that
will compare favorably with other
Rantist universities throughout the
country. The denomination in Ten
lessee has a special pride in Roger
Williams, and many of them have
been neard, since this meeting con
vened, to express the hope that Roger
Williams will some day occupy the
place in the education of the Negro
youth of the Baptist denomination
that it did before the disastrous fire
of a few years ago. It seems to be
the concensus of opinion that al
three of the institutions should b(
supported, but that Howe and Nelson
Merry should be used as feeders fol
Roger Williams.
Among the new moves tina
will be inaugurated at this con
vention, is the change of tn,
date of sitting. Instead of meeting il
July, as has been the custom fo1
years, the President recommended il
his annual address that the date b
changed to some time in September
This change is recommended in orde
that as many of the District Associa
tions and Sunday-School Convention
as possible may be held before th
sitting of the State Convention. TIL
object of this plan is to interest al
the Conventions and Association
more largely in educational work, AM
that the State Convention may b