The Washington herald., 1912-06-30
WORLDWIDE MEETNNG
OF BARACA.PHILATHEA
ASsEMBLAGE AT NORFOLK

Forgetting the din and turpult Of Chi
cago and oblivious Of the dogs Of war
Just being let loose at Baltimore, up,
ward OF 100 delegates and visitors as
sembled last Saturday evening IN Armory
Hall, Norfolk. at the welcoming meet
ing Of the sixteenth annual convention
Of the Worldwide Baraca-Philatheal
Union. The convention was in session up
TO and including Thursday afternoon,
and IL has been estimated that in all
1000 Notwithstanding representatives,
from practically every State in the nation
were in attendance.
Unbounded enthusiasm was created at
the opening meeting by the presence and
the words OF Mr.. Marshall A. Hudson,
Of Syracuse, n. Y, president and found
er Of the Baraca movement Mr.. Hud-
son expressed himself as delighted with
the arrangements that had been mIde by
the local committe. headed by James e
Woodhouse and also spoke very kindly
Of Norfolk. The city was indeed in its
thea" fiuttered in ribbons and streamers
from every store.
On Sunday the morning services in Nor
folk and Portsmouth churches took the
form OF addresses by visiting delegates.
The Great Masterpiece" was the typical
subject Of an address at the Park Avenue
Baptist Church, Portsmouth. Of lGr. GIL
nent Southern Baraca class at winston
Salem, y. c. The Baraca-Philathea
movement" said Mr.. Stephenson. is SIM
ply one way OF forming mantle great
masterpiece Of GOd-lntO a mere perfect
likeness Of the Creator"
Probably the most picturesque event OF
the convention was the visit by the Bar
acas 70 the Philatheas at Monday noon.
After ar inspiring morning session at
the Cumberland Street NJ. Z. Church,
during which speakers from all parts Of
the country were heard. the Baracas
marched in order 10 the Freemason Street
Baptist Church. where the Philatheas
were holding their morning session As
the Baracas filed into the gallery. over
looking the young ladies below with their
profu5ion Of blue and white colors-ths
| symbols Of the movement-the men sang
/ Welcome Philathea," the campaign song.
The Philatheas in turn sang Welcome
| BaTaca." Men and women then Joined
| in a devotional service led by Dr. W.
| W. Hamilton. Of Lynchubrg. Va. In the
course Of a brief address DR.. Hamilton
| emphasized in a forcible manner the
spiritual quality Of the movement
Another notable event was a joint
mass meeting Of men and women at
/ the Colonial Theater on Tuesday even
| ing. Rev Holmes S. Gravatt. pastor Of
the Camden IN. j. Methodist Episcopal
| Church, struck again the keynote OF the
convention by speaking on The Sym
metrical Character" Afternoon eXcur-
sions to Virginia Beach on Monday. and
to other points Of interest on other after
moons gave the convention week a pleas
ant recreative element.
| Regarding the convention as a whole,
visitor might say that he heard some.
| thing profitable about the organization
/ of the union; he may remember some
valuable exchanges Of views as to sys-
| tenn in particular classes: and ne un-I
| doubtedly learned a better method Of
| studying the Bible Il was clear 10 him.
| however that the chief value Of the
convention lay not in these things, but
in the pleasure and help that came from
the contact Of delegate with delegate;
in the realization Of the esprit de corps
that exists between young men and
young women engaged in a purely spirit
ual aim.
| \ man who tacitly assumes-as some
men do-that religion as such Is on the
wane. would have mad his Ideas revolu-
tIonized had he walked into one OF the
! Joint meetings. large body Of men
and women worshiping God is at all
times admirable. But 200 young men
and women-select teachers and stu
dents from all parts OF the land-put-
ting all their youthful strength and
fervor into a gospel song was indeed an
inspiration.