The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-10
SPLENDID WORK is BEING
DONE BY CONGREGATIONS
OF BAPTIST CHURCHES
First Church Added 1872 Members and Raised Nearly
Property Purchased For New Sunday School-Dr. Nc
Daniels Annual Letter Inspres-Second Church Makes
Excellent Showing.

Moseleys *. jesse Burroughs, Guy Il.
| Wiley
Board of Management of First Bap-
list Church Endowment Fund. Inc
Daniel $. Mccarthy, Archie w. Pat
| terson. Thomas c. williams. Jr. Basil
NJ. Gwathmey, Whitmell s.. Forbes
Charles X. hagan. Thomas r Jeffries
Luther II. Jenkins. Robert Lee
Powers Norton r. Savage. RUSSELL c.
! Williams 1.-TWO vacancies).
| Church Trustees-Samuel p. wad-
! dill, Arthur l.. Peasants Lewis c.
/ Bosher. Thomas C. Williams, Jr,
| Robert Lee Powers, Archie w. Patter-
son, Richard Gwathmey
| A beautiful spirit OF harmony pre-
vailed at the meeting. The reports
and the letter of the pastor were or
dered printed and messages of comfort
and cheer sent to the sick members
/ and those in sorrow and distress. The
meeting c,sssd villa the reading of
the church covenant and the singing
I OF "Eiest HE tile Tie That Binds"
! Following IL the text of DIR. Nc
Daniels eleventh annual letter 10 hts
congregation:
My Beloved Brethren.
| To-day we close the eleventh year
| In this sacred relation of church and
pastor. Viewed in one way IL seems
long time: our children have grown
u
! over the river during this period.
Viewed in another way. 1t seems but
I a watch in the night: the beautiful
harmony among the- membership and
the busy tasks in the Kingdom have
made us unconscious OF the fight of
| years. IL has been a long road. eleven
miles: and yet the objects of interest
have crowded the Journey so thickly
that we have arrived ere We knew II.
Growth I'm Membership.
The year 1915 witnessed steady
and healthful growth In the member
! ship of our church. The Lord added
unto us day by day OF such as were
being saved. Scarcely a Sunday passed
without accesslons, The hand of fell
lowship was extended to 1916 fe-
males and eighty-reven rsaies. Among
these were twentv-four from lakewood.
who represent the work OF the field
secretary OF the Baptist Council and
not distinctly OF this church. They
asked TO be received BY us because
there was no church at lakewood. and
! 1t Is expected that they will unite with
the new church at lakewood should one
/ be organized. In the meantime they
are holding Sunday school In a rented
house and are being mtniEtsred to BY
a splendid young preacher from Rich
mond College. whom they support.
| THE mem herahip at present fs 400.
all of whom we can locate)
Reorganization of Finances.
Our financial system Was changed
with the beginning OF the year. The
budget system was adopted and put
into operation by the every-member
canvass The members In general re-
ceiyed the canvRssers cordially and CO.
operated heartily with the new plan.
The results have been gratifying
Every object Of benevolence has re-
csived an increased contribution. cx-
cept one, which showed a small de-
crease OF sss4S, due TO an error in tire
apportionment. Since the treasurer's
books closed. the chairman Of tho
finance committee has authorized tho
payment of one hundred dollars out of
last years general fund TO this board.
Offerings for current expenses In
creased proporttonately beyond benev-
olences. This Is due 10 the fact that,
whiie we have always presented the
interests of the various boards and
sought to enlist our entire membership
In their work. no systematic campaign
was ever conducted for current ex-
rensex. The two, henepoiences and
current expenses now stand together
on the 6criptural foundation of: Upon
the fret day of the week lat every one
OF ven lay by him in store a. God hath
prospered him" The home and foreign
mission boards were given special coli
lections last April because the budget
system was only adopted In January.
and these boards would have lost the
amounts due them for the eight months
preceding. This was thoroughly ex-
planned when we adopted the system
and I commend the church for the
beautiful spirit and liberal manner In
which you met this difficulty. At the
southern Baptist convention In Hous-
ton the laymen agreed to raise sum
cient funds 20 liautdate the indicted
ness of the home and foreign boards
One thousand dollars was apportioned
TO our church, aHa our committee
promptly secured that sum and more.
Contributions for the year amount TO
| sss.fs7.s1. II is the missionary spirit
| which keeps this church alive and
healthfui II permsates every orsani-
zatton and gives power and effective
ness to their efforts
status Of Endowment.
The endowment fund has increased
during the year and sson will be large
enough for the board to make another
investment. Many inquiries have come
from interested parties and quite n
number have inserted the church in
their willis The pastor knows OF
members who will leave the church
sums ranging from two hundred and
itttN uoitATE TO Hity tnouSand collars.
The legal title Is THE First Baptist
Church Endowment Fund, Incor-
porated." and bequests should be made
TO that specific title. Testators may
specify how requests to this fund are
to be used Those desiring any fur
ther information upon this subject may
secure the same by applying to the
pastor
Religious Activity of. Our Organized
The number OF our organized classes
has more than doubled during the year.
They are bound TO the church by cords
Of loyalty and devotion. There are no
conflicts, because our interests and
aims are one, To me the most en-
couraginG feature OF these classes is
their evangelism BY committees and
individually and collectively they seek
for the lost. The mems classes in par
ticniar have been very successful In
winning the unsaved and enlisting un-
affiliated Baptists. without them the
additions would be far less and the
pastors arm seriously weakened.
expect this loyalty OF the classes to
the church to- continue. for their on
sers and teachers are among the most
faithful members of the church. They
can make their classes whatever they