The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1917-07-06
TIE JOY OF TIE
FIRST STEP.
Rev. j. p. Robinson, D. D.

How well do | remember when but
a little boy OF seeing my omther's
family gather around the fireside. TO
rejoice over my little sister then
bull few months old whine she
made her first step to walk. 1t was
a real joy and comfort to the entire
family to see her as she strove to
make that step. Altho trembling with |
fear and perfectly nervous, she at
tempted to make another after the |
hrst one and succeeded to the de-
light of all. Our family then felt that
the jof OF little sister had begun in
life to such an extent that all hands
went up NTH reverberation and
praise because another link had been
made In the march of our family life
Yet little ply little the child strength
ened and gref into maturity as was
anticipated by the family as the
years passed by.
In the same like manner, the Ma
tional Baptist Convention unlncorpo-
rated, has taken upon itself a task
which Will bring to the whole family
or Baptists and the race generally
great strength Of wisdom, knowledge.
and leadership. ! refer to the bring
ing forth of the National BAPTIST
Theological Seminary which has been
the talk of so many conventional as
semblies.
4 know there are those who stand
aloof and criticize the beginning of
this great work because it is an eff
fort put forth to bring culture and
refinement both to the ministry and
the chuches composing this denomi
nation. But we must remember that
everything must have a beginning
and therefore we have begun and
with God to help we exepct to push
it to its completion. For be assured
there are many real men and women
behind this movement, men and wo
men who know no failure and who
will put every fibre Of their being in
to the work and see to it that what
has been begun in due time will be
fully accomplished
The announcement that has gone
out to the world will not allow this
great undertaking to become a mere
void but this effort to our great plea
sure, delight and profit is going tC
be success. 1t is an undertaking
fraught with great blessings for the
denomination and race and why
should it not succeed? God helps
those who help themselves. We have
money and men and why not go tC
the Lord in this task? To prepare
and educate the future Baptist minis
ter for his church is a task of ouI
own. We need not expect any one
to DO this for us. ! am satisfied when
! realize ] have many friends and
yet we NUT know that our friends
will not do for us that which we can
do for ourselves. Now we have made
one step. It is easier for us to make
the next and to push on to perfection
and completion. We are going to be
bomharded and shot at from many
sides hut ! trust this viii make us
only the stronger in our endeavOr tC
do that which is right. As we 20 or
from one step to another, We become
less nervous and less apnrehensive o.
failue to complete the task so wei
begun
Let rs remember that those who
accuse us with the exception of those
who have become heirs to some prom
ertv, are persons who have neve
built as much as chicken COOP o
own land enouh to bury themselve
in. So that all they may say aSains
us should be as sounding brass ant
tinkling cymbals for they are tint
greatest wind TANNERS of the 20tl
century. 1t is true they have collected
money TO Baptist Theological Sen
mary for many years, but all the
have to show are resolutions on pa
per that they have been Offering cor
tinually and continuously. If Their
, has been one foot of land bought o
If the denomination has received an
3 benefit form these collections and DR.
, nations | fail to know about it. S
that we of the National Baptist Cor
!. vention, unincorporated, need nc
| stop to listen to the calamity bowler
: but press forward to our we'll begu
!. task of making the ace and demon
S nation feel proud of themselves, a
. We go forward to do battle for Go
and lift up mankind But when W
5 meet in Atlanta Ca, every man, al
: ISOLATION and convention that has S
e willingly promised should have the
r subscriptions paid. ! say thi sbecaus
r l know it meets the approval of tn
e President and all the leades of on
$ Convention. Let us not just idly tai
| but do business for God and on
r Christ. Thus we will prove ourselve
worthy of the trust imposed upon U
e as leaders of the denomination. w
S are also calling upon the laymen a
}, well as the ministers, Sunday Schoo
n and Associations to send up the
e name and subscribe what they wi
in helping to carry out the plans Il
d cidental to the operation and mai
e tenance of this great Baptist Sem
l. nary.
J. / feel that God has blessed many
e our denomination with this world
Z. goods and they are fully able to con
to the help of Gods work.