The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-10
BAPT |ST UNIONS
EVOKE ARGUMENT
Pastor Thinks They Are Often
Unnecessary in Smaller
Churches.
ELECT OFFICERS TOD
Middle District Association Will
Meet Next Year in Powhatan
County.


county. Will be the meeting place next
year of the Middle District Baptist
Association, and Rev w. II Lawson
will preach the Introductory sermon
This was decided yesterday at the
meeting of the association, which has
been in session the past two days at
the Weatherford Memorial Church,
South Richmond.
Inc fnal session takes place this
morning. 1t will be devoted to the
final consideration of several import
ant church activities, and to the cleo
ton Of officers for the coming year. The
choosing of the officers at the close of
the convention is a departure from
the practice that has obtained up to
this year. the officers having always
been elected at the beginning of the
annual sessions The change was de-
cided upon at the present meeting
The officers to be elected this morn
ing are: Moderator. Clerk, treasurer
and the executive board.
Speaks His Mind.
The Training of Our Young Peo-
pie" was the first subject announced
by Moderator Davidson at the open
ing of the session last night. 1t fur
nished Pastor w. C. Scales, of the
the opportunity OF scoring what he
considers a reprehenslble tendency in
the smaller churches-the unnecessary
formation of Baptist Young Peoples
Unions. when some other form of &C
ttvity would be far more useful He
quoted Wagner's dictum that no or
sanization even rises higher than Its
leading spirit and denounced Baptist
Young Peoples Unions when without
efficient leadership. Without a good
and dominating personality to guide
these organizations. he said they be-
came a force for INDIFFERENCE Instead Of
good.
The pastor. in his opinion, holds the
key to the situation. No one has as
good an opportunity as he. to guide
and lead tho young people of both
sexes to a life in Christ.
Through the MEDIUM of the Sunday
school and mid-week meetings. he has
frequent opportunity to work good.
With the efficient Baptist Young Peo-
pies Unions he has no quarrel-they
but too many of these young people
organizations soem to aim at turning
out good public speakers instead Of
servants of the Lord
DR.. a. Bagby. who spoke on the
same subject, thought that too much
stress is laid on the Importance OF
church organizations in forming the
characters OF tho young The task
belongs properly to the home. and no
amount OF present day sophistry. in
his opinion. will ever be able to shift
the responsibility to other shoulders.
Defends Organization.
An unwillinEness to leave the sub
feet OF the Baptist Young Peoples
Union in. the somewhat compromised
position in which It was left BY the
first speakers. prompted ". B. Miller
to its defense. While he admitted that
1T was not always possible to attain tc
the ideal organization. he held that
even a moderately successful Baptist
Young Peoples union in a church. was
far better than none at all. He ex-
pressed himself as unable to under
stand how II would br easier TO effect
the evangelization OF the young by
the means suggested by the irst.speak-
err. The Baptist Young Peoples Union,
he thought. was sure to do good wher-
ever organized.
Reports were heard on the subject OF
home missions. and two illuminating
addresses were delivered bearing on
this phase OF church work Dr. Wes-
ton Bruner, formerly of Cavalry
Church. this city. and now superinten-
dent OF the evanGelistic work of the
Home Mission Board. spoke on the
work In the city OF Baltimore and in
the Far West.
He laid special emphasis on the
evangelistic department. OF the work.
The other address on the subject was
delivered BY Powhatan James.
Following are the names of the
speakers and the subjects discussed at
the morning and afternoon sessions:
Wednesday, 10 4, VI.
mission Work in Porto Rico" DR..
A. B, Rudd
Temperance" David Hepburn.
Reports We're heard on the state OF
the church and executive board, and
were discussed by ]. II. Hobson. Dr.
J. r. Bagby. ]. w. Reynolds and VIII
liam Ellyson.
Reports on State Missions were dis
cussed by w. II. Lawson. William
Ellyson, George II. Swami and DIR.
James Nelson. OF Richmond Woman's
college.
Wednesday. p. VI.
THE Laymen's Movement" r. A..
Gary.
Reports on Foreign Missions; dis
cussed by DR. r. ]. Willlngham and
DR. w. Fl. Smith.
In addition to the business OF elect
ing officers for the ensuing year. the
association will this morning consider
orphanages. the state OF the churches
womans work and miscellaneous bust
ness Immediately upon conclusion of
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