Newspapers / The Wilmington Messenger (Wilmington, … / May 8, 1897, edition 1 / Page 6
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upon It from the beginning. Commenc ing without means, and under many disadvantages, ,lts rapid, phenomenal success In all that was ever proposed, far surpasses the sanguine hopes of its most ardent advocates. ( Its reports are before the .denomi nation. They furnish, each time when made,) occasion for gratification and thankfulness for the possession by the convention of so great and growing a powerl in the development and further ance pf Its objects. They- evidence a wise, conservative and energetic man agement. What it may grow to be, if some "untoward happening does not overtake it, we may not, without seem ing exaggeration, venture to predict. ! Let it go on, then, sustained by our prayers and patronage, in generous, Christian emulation and good will to wards all other societies and agencies, which have for their object "America and the world for Christ.". The de mand is greater than all the supply. " Montgomery, Ala. V. A BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. The publication of Kind Words began In January, 1864, at Greenville, S. C, amid the throes of the civil war. It was originated by C. J. Elford, assisted by Dr. Basil Manly, Sr., president,-and Dr. John A. Broadus, corresponding secretary of the rst Sunday school board of the Southern Baptist conven tion. The "paper was then a small monthly;, and the subscription price was 10 cents. Its first editor was Dr. Basil Manly, Jr. In 1868 the Sunday school board, which had been, formed at Augusta, Ga., by the Southern Baptist convention in 1862, was moved to Mem phis, TennJ, and the paper was moved to that city. In 1870 the board bought the Child's Delight from S. Boykin, who was employed as editor of the com bined papers, and soon weekly8, semi monthly and monthly editions were is sued. (In 1873 the Sunday school board was merged into the home, board, then at Marion, Ala;, and Kind Words was transferred to the care of that board, then called the Domestic -and Indian Mission board. Its place, of publication was changed from Memphis to Macon, Ga., a large circulation having beenjat tained. From 1 being ! an expense,! it brought an Income of $1,000, and a little later $1,500 clear of all expenses. Four page j leaflets, or lesson papers, were also I published. . At the suggestion of Dr. I.jT. Tichenor, corresponding secre tary the Southern Baptist convention appointed a committee at Augusta, Ga., in the year 1885, to consider the possi bility of publishing a full line of Sun day school helps, under the auspices of the home board. A report was made by ithe chairman, Dr. Samuel Henderson, of Alabama, who ably advocated the measure before the 1 convention. The j report was adopted, and the home board began in the year 1886 the publi cation of the present series of Sunday school helps at; Atlanta, Ga., to which city Kind Words was moved from Macon, Ga. The series proved a suc cess, and from the beginning turned money into the treasury "of the home board. The circulation continued to increase, until the Southern Baptist convention, in its session of 1891, at Birmingham, Ala., created another Sunday school board, and located it at Nashville, Tenn. The Sunday school publications, increased by the addition of the Child's Gem. were moved to Nashville in January, 1892. Their circulation increased to such an extent that the Sunday school board not only has paid its own expenses, but has been able to maKe large donations to other causes. So, in our periodicals, now called convention lines, there has been from the first until now, growth in circulation, power and usefulness. REV. J. B. GAMBRELL, D. D. The Great Pacificator. - HOME MISSIONS. Fifty-Second Annual Report of the Home Mission Board Made to the Convention. The home missionf board may well feel at home today. L Throughout this old state of North Carolina stand many monuments of the board's work in former years. In nearly all her j cities, from Weldon to Char lotte, and from New Bern to Asheville among her country churches from the Atlantic to where the impetuous Hia wassee sweeps over the line into Ten nessee, j her missionaries have gone forth bearing precious seed, scattering it over I mountain and plain until now nearly 3,000 churches, with 220,000 Bap . tists, throng the sanctuaries in which her people worship God. We, who have succeeded to the work of our fathers, lift wondering eyes and grateful hearts upon these fields crowned 'with such a har-. vest, and thank God that we are per mitted to share in this glorious work, and to j meet upon her soil with this convention today. The hardest year ever experienced by the home mission board has passed into history.! We began it with a debt of $8,000, and an obligation to pay $5,000 on the house i of worship purchased ; for the First ! church, In New Orleans, making a total I of $13,000 over and above the support of ! our missionaries required to meet our financial needs for the year. ' The board found Itself unable to re duce to any great extent its appropria tion for the previous year without im pairing the efficiency of its Work. The great financial pressure which embarrassed all our mission boards served to increase the needs of our home mission field, and, made numerous and earnest the cries fof help that came from nearly every quarter. , The convention at its' last session in structed Its foreign mission board to make vigorous efforts jto liquidate the debt that for several years had embar rassed not only its own 'operations, but, to some extent, all the mission work within the bounds of the convention. It Instructed that board to ascertain what churches contributed as much as $100, and what Individuals as much as $50 to foreign missions, arid to persist ently endeavor to induce these churches -and individuals to make their contri butions during the first quarter of-the financial year. The convention recog nized the fact that such action involved the interest of the home board and state boards, an'd expressed its earnest desire that there might be no unfortu nate collision with these interests. Anxious that its sister board of for eign, missions might be relieved of a burden which was weighing upon all our denominational mission work, and respecting the express desire of the con vention that unfortunate collision might be avoided, though itself so heavily Involved, the home mission board for the first part of Ithe year made no effort to Increase Its contribu tions. Not until the 1st of January did It begin to make any vigorous effort to secure the means needed to meet lts annual expenditure. At this time its debt had grown to be $23,000, without counting the $5,000 which would fall due on the New Orleans house of worship. The success of our efforts is to be seen in the report of our treasurer. The board must be allowed to express its grateful acknowledgment to the women's mission societies of .the south who, under the leadership of the execu tive committee of the Woman's Mis sionary Union, did Invaluable service for us In the generous contributions they made and in the interest they cre ated in behalf of the work of the board. SUMMARY. Summary of work for the past con ventional year is as follows: Missionaries .. 372 Weeks of labor 11,073 Churches and stations.. 1,963 Sermons and addresses . . 4,5e Prayer meetings . 11,237 Religious visits. 62,175 Baptisms 4,0 Received by letter 4,746 Total additions... 9,4oo Churches constituted..'. . . 139 Hous.es of worship built ..... 57 Houses of worship improved... 129 Sunday schools organized... 313 Teachers and pupils ..... ..... 10,725 Bibles and Testaments........... 2,837 Tracts distributed (pages)......... 645,346 Amount expended on houses of - worship . . $52,040 - These 372 missionaries did work in states as follows: ' Alabama 3 Arkansas .. 20 Cuba 6 Cuban work in Florida 6 District of Columbia.... 4. Florida , 35 Georgia . ... 3 Indian Territory ... . .-. ........... 4 Kentucky .............................. 19 Louisiana p- '.. 23 Maryland ..' 4 Missouri . ... 4 Mississippi 12 North Carolina .. '. 4 Oklahoma Territory.-. . 30 South Carolina..... . .. 3 Tennesee ............ 53 Texas 66 Virginia . 5 Western Arkansas and Indian Ter ritory 56 Western North Carolina 10 West Virginia 2 Total . .......372 . The work in Alabama was among the negroes. ' CHURCH BUILDING. The board has paid during the year $5,441.64 on houses of worship. The greater part of this was paid on con tracts made previous to the beginning of the present financial year. If to this we add the $52,040 collected on the fields by our missionaries and expended in the construction and improvement of houses of worship, we have a total of $57,481 added to the value of "the prop erty of the denomination as a part of the work of the board. INDIAN CLAIM. ' The board is gratified to state vthat after long delay the Creek nation has appropriated $3,000 to pay the remain der due on the Levering school. THE MARYLAND BAPTIST MISSION U ' . ROOMS i have been doing a work of great value to'our board and the cause of missions. Their mission card presents monthly for study one of the mission fields of our convention, alternating between the two boards of home and foreign mis sions. It furnises tracts and literature in other forms, giving the latest infor mation from these fields. These tracts, written chiefly by the ablest ministers in the south, are of an unusually high order of merit. ' p- ' ' ' NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF WO-, Man's MISSIONARY UNION, APRIL, 1896, TO APRIL, 1897. Rejoicing in the knowledge that the Woman's Missionary Union is a part of the great Baptist host striving to ex ert an influence for Christ in the land, its annual report, as desired, is pre sented to the home" board. STATISTICS. Letters written.. 9,309 Postals written 230 Leaflets, pamphlets, etc., dis tributed.. .... .. 124,962 Mission cards (prayer).... 22,253 Mite barrels or boxes.; 4,032 Papers.. ............ .......... 3,040 More strongly than ever before the need of money for the salaries of mis sionaries has been urged upon the at tention of societies. Boxes have not only been sent to frontier missionaries, but to those who are now Cuban refu gees. .Believing that all true progress among the colored people is. dependent upon their ability to help themselves, with that object in view, many Bap tist women are working among them with encouraging success. It is reported with pleasure that they are now issuing their own Sunday school publications. The expenses of the Woman's Mis sionary Union are $1,855.66 for this year, of which the home board defrays $750. W. M. U. officers receive no salaries. Respectfully submitted, ANNIE W. ARMSTRONG, Cor. Sec. W. M. U. AMOUNTS CONTRIBUTED BY THE WOMAN'S- MISSION SOCIETIES ,."--. FOR HOME MISSIONS. Alabama ......... . . . . Arkansas...... ". ......... District of Columbia Florida. Georgia.......... Kentucky...... Louisiana...... ................ Maryland.. .. ... contributions to Ger man work.. Mississippi ...... ........... . , . . Missouri...... North Carolina. . ............... South Carolina . Tennessee.. . . .. .. . ... ........ .. "Young South" .1 ... . Texas .... . Virginia .. .. Western North Carolina....... 2,098.35 970.60 267.86 529.87 3,594.32 2,865.59 1,009.65 4,164.59 1,719.47 1,352.94 1,709.07 1,818.94 2,655.32 3.00 1,384.50 3,406.48 265.55 Total..........: . $29,816.10 100.00 15.21 Additional receipts: Connecticut West Virginia .. Grand total..... $29,931.31 WORK AMONG NEGROES. v The work under the plan of co-operation with state conventions, both white and colored, the Home Mission Society and the home mission board, is in oper ation in Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Four teen missionaries are In the joint em ploy of these boards, three-in Alabama, three in South Carolin, four in North Carolina and four In Virginia. The board repeats what it said last year, its profound gratification that the plan oX.work adopted by it 'years ago as the best that could be selected to uplift the colored people, has outlived the opposition it inspired, and is now recognized by brethren of both races, north and south, as the wisest method of meeting the spiritual wants of this race. This year the board made a small ap propriation for a course of lectures to be delivered at the Atlanta Baptist seminary. Four brethren, Dr. W. H. Young, of Athens, Dr. M. McGregor, of Atlanta, Dr. D. D. Ragsdale and Dr. Henry McDonald were selected by the president, Dr. George Sale, for this ser vice. In addition" to the forty young men studying for the ministry, these lec tures were heard by all the students of the seminary. The success which has attended this effort has encouraged us to believe that the inauguration of similar courses of instruction in other schools in the south would be a wise expenditure of .the small amounts required to support them. The board is gratified to see the pro gress made by this race. The schools provided for them by the several states, those which have been established by the various denominations and by pri vate liberality, and the constant con tact with the white race among whom they live, afford powerful stimulants to their moral and intellectual develop ment, while the churches and Sunday schools which they maintain by their own contributions are grand agents in their evangelization. MOTHERS MEETING AND INDUS TRIAL SCHOOLS OF COLORED WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN BALTIMORE. During the past year in the spirit of Him, "Whose we are and Whom wr serve," we have continued to lend a helping hand to the colored people in our midst. We believe, quietly, but effectively, good is being done. In a locality where there is no jcolored Bap tist church, God opened the way, and we now have one more industria school- making a total of five schools. Ladies from the white churches have faithfully, willingly and gratuitously given time and labor. The expenses to the home board of the five schools have been but $50. WORK AMONG THE FOREIGN POP ULATION needs to be greatly extended. There are tens of thousands of these people In Baltimore, Louisville, St. Louis and Kansas City, where we are now work ing. Missouri alone has about 800,000 The French population of Louisiana, the Germans of Oklahoma and Texas, and the Mexicans alone the Rio Grande from El Paso to the gulf, make at least as many more to whom we ought, to send the word of life. This is a hard and difficult field. Minds that have been imbued with the erroneous doctrines and superstitions of a corrupt Christianity, unfold them selves slowly under the Sun of Right wiusness. but the rlmoressions they re ceive are enduring-, and their religion, when matured bv experience, is of sturdy growth, and the fruit of their godly lives is cheering to behold. The liberality of our German churches is not less than fourfold greater than that of our English speaking people. CUBA. The enforced removal of all our pas tors from that island, more than a year ago, left the work in the hands of the body- of the membership. Many have removed to this country. Some have joined the contending armies, and the conditions have been extremely adverse to our -cause. - - But such has been the diligence and faithfulness, especially of the women that the schools have been continued the prayer meetings and religious ser vices on the Sabbath day observed, and quite a number who have professed their faith in Christ are awaiting bap tism. With the return of peace we may confidently expect the renewal of a prosperity not surpassed by the bright est days in the history of- our work in Havana. Rev. J. V. Cova has been laboring during the year among the Cuban pop ulation in Tampa. He encountered dif ficulty and delay in procuring a suita ble house for holding worship. This ob stacle, by the aid of the brethren in that city, has been removed, and his congregation now meet in a most com fortable place in a good location. His family has suffered a great affliction during the year. LATEST FROM CUBA. Under date of April 6th, Dr. Belot, a prominent member of the church, who has charge of our property in Havana,- writes: "There is no reason to be discouraged about the schools and religious matters; on the contrary, considering the ab sence of pastor and ministers to guide the mission, the deacons and ladies in charge of the spiritual progress of the people are doing much better that could be expected. The meetings are well at tended, and there is a gradual increase of numbers who want to join the church, others waiting to be baptized. The religious work is not interfered with either by Catholic clergy or by police;, this body protects when needed. "The schools are doing well. The work has been interrupted a short time on account of epidemics, but has. re sumed now. The number of scholars attending increases gradually." OUR CITIES. While the past work of the board has been largely in the country, the grow ing towns and cities have not been neg lected. Churches have been aided in not less than 90 per cent, of our most important centers of population. The changing conditions of our civilization are carry ing larger numbers to our cities than ever before. It is a surprising fact that some of the cities of Europe supposed to have attained their full growth have recently taken on new life and are in creasing as rapidly as the great cities of the northwest. These rapidly-growing - centers of trade are the most important part of the mission work of the convention. The religious destiny of the world will be shaped by the influences that eman ate from this country within the life time of the next generation, and those influences will flow out from our cities along the highways of commerce. It is painful to see how vast' is this department of our work, and how in adequate are our resources to per form it. ' - Mission work in cities is costly. It requires houses of worship in keeping with the surrounding architecture, pas- tors oi culture ana aoiiixy wnose moae of living must not be below that of the a ' m j m a f average of the people to whom thy minister. How, with our scanty in come, we are to meet the demands of this great work is an unsolved problem. THE INDIANS. The Indians living on our frontier. whose lands are now narrowed to such meager confines, once owned from the Atlantic to th Mississippi. We cannot return him the land of which our fathers deprived him. That Is lost to him forever. But we can turn his eye and heart to that better land. and lead him to the Redeemer, who will give him an inheritance incorruptible and undeflled, whose fadeless beauties shall be his forever. MOUNTAIN REGION. We rejoice in the progress .of the gos pel in foreign lands In every triumph of the truth of God in Japan or China or Hindoostan or among t& benighted tribes that dwell in the jungles of Africa, but we cannot forget that it is the triumph of Christianity over the civilization, the - enlightenment, the moral, the Intellectual and material forces that are concentrated in this great nation that will constitute its highest earthly glory and Insure the fulfillment of the Lord's command to give his Gospel to every creature. If the intelligence of our churches should ask, how can we most surely and most speedily accomplish the divine purpose of subduing the earth to Messiah's reign, the answer would be, We must evangelize America and so imbue all our people with the spirit of the Gos pel that "Holiness , to the Lord" shall be written upon every heart and brain and every earthly posssesion. With consecration of our people, from our land, swift as the morning light to the ends of the earth, right eousness would go forth as brightness and salvation as a larftp that bumeth. ENLARGED BENIFICENCB. The experience of the last three years demonstrates the necessity of increas ing the number of our people who con trbute to missions and systematizing our work that our boards will receive a steady income through . the entire year. -;. , : . ' . " .' The number of those who contribute to mission work does not equal one third of our membership, and about two-fifths of the amounts given to our Home and Foreign Boards is received in the month of April, the last month of the financial year. The fact that a denomination whose churches all lie in the area of our con vention, and whose membership though not more than one-seventh of our own, contributes without special effort more money to Foreign missions than South ern Baptists can be made to give under whip and spur, shows a condition which demands a speedy femedy. The churches of Georgia" have proved themselves to be fully equal in their enterprise and liberality jto those of other states of the convention. The following facts will show how little is being done by them' in comparison with their numbers and ability, and how wide is the field for improvement in mission work: Out of 1,748 churches, aggregating 156,575 members, 452 churches, more than one-fourth, gave absolutely noth ing to missions. These churches had an aggregate membership of 32,862, more than one-fifth of the entire mem bership of the churches in the state. There were 176 churches with a mem bership of 11,019, that gave less than $2 per church, and . whose aggregate contributionwas $192.16, .or one and six-tenths per member. There were 241 churches, having a membership of 17,848, ffiat gave less than $5 per church. The total contri bution of these 241 churches was $737.59 Half the . churches 'grave practically nothing to missions, while the remain ing 879 churches, with an aggregate membership of 95,000 are reported as giving but $52,247.48, about fifty cents per member. These figures, taken from the last re port of the mission board of the Geor gia Baptist convention, were compiled by Dr. J. G. Gibson, the painstaking corresponding secretary of that body, and are as nearly accurate as present information will allow. Possibly some states might show a better condition but we are sure this exhibit made for Georgia is better than that of the great majority of the states, and certainly better than the average of the churches int he bounds of the convention. These facts justify the assertion that of the one million five hundred thousand upon- our church rolls, not less than one million have no interest in mission work, and never make any contribution to it. In view of the importance of the evangelization of our country and of these wide and widening fields, -the board realizes how inadequate are its present resources for the work com mitted to its hands. Five times its present income would not fully meet the demands made upon it. The board asks the convention to lend its moral support to an earnest effort to raise next year for its work not less than $100,000. It "is perfectly in the power of our people to raise one dollar per capita for mission work. They would do it If they were informed as to the needs that are pressing upon us, and had pastors who would lead them to this work for the Master. If the convention will sanction the measure and givet he board its moral support, It will, in "connection with state boards and Other boards of the convention, enter upon a vigorous effort to so develop our churches and people as to make their liberality corn measure and gives the board its moral work of the convention, both at home and abroad. Charlotte Observer: Oxford, May 4. The municipal election passed off quietly and closed with a democratic victory. Mr. J. C. Biggs was elected mayor by a majority of 85 votes. The entire democratic ticket of town com missioners was also -elected. A dis tressing accident occurred on the Air Line Tuesday night, at Gainesville, Ga. A Mr. Bartlett, of the auditor's office, (Southern Railway) in Washington, was on his return home from Atlanta. At Gainesville he got off the train to get on again the train was in mo tion. In some way he lost" his hold or footing, and fell between the cars. The wheels passed over his legs cutting them both off. Captain Marshall, who was conductor, did everything possible for the injured man. His recover is doubtful. Judge. W. A. Hoke, whose health broke down while he was hold ing a recent term of Burke superior court, and who has been off duty for nearly two months in consequence, has about recovered and will open a spe cial term of Caldwell court the last Monday in this month. Judge Adams is now holding court for him beyond the mountains. Dr. Sinclair David- soif, of Gaston county, met with a pain ful accident several days ago. His horse fell with him, breaking his leg. THE FOREIGN BIISSION WORK OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONTENTION. When the convention organized in Augusta, Ga., in 1845 they immediately appointed a committee on Foreign Mis sions known as the Foreign Mission Board and Instructed them to begin work as soon as possible. This board is composed of twenty-one members living in Richmond, Va., and also one vice president living in each state tak ing part in the work of the convention.. Dr. C. H. Winston, professor of physics in Richmond college, is the president of the board. . He is an unsalaried officer Who gives of his time and thought to its affairs. For each state there is ap pointed a vice, president. This officer looks after the officers of the board in his state, and is the point of contact be tween the board and the various state conventions. The treasurer of the board, J. C. Williams, who keeps the books and is responsible for an accu rate account of the more than $100,000 passing annually through his hands, receives a small salary, ine omcer linnn who the ereat burden of the work falls, and who is required to give his PROF. CHAS. H. WINSTON. LL. D. President Foreign Mission Board. whole time to the affairs of. the board, is its corresponding secretary. It is an interesting fact that during the fifty two years of its existence the- board has only had three secretaries. James B. Taylor, whose name is fragrant of goodly and heroic service 'in. times that tried men's ; souls, gave twenty-six years to this office. H. A. Tupper, cul tivated, wise, and in love with missions, gave oyer twenty-one of his best years to this work. And now, R. J. Willing ham, in the prime of a strong manhood, has been called to lay himself upon the altar of this service. His four years of toil amid great difficulties have shown special qualifications for the high office. Rev. A. J. Barton, of Nashville, Tenn., has been eleated within the past year as assistant secretary. He is young and vigorous and is making a fine Im pression wherever he goes. . " ITS MEETNGS. - - I The board holds a regular monthly meeting the second Tuesday, in the month and is subject to frequent call R. J. WILLINGHAM, Corresponding Secretary, Foreign Mis , elori Board. meetings.. The meetings require time, thought, earnest and painstaking work, anda,; position upon the board is not one of empty honor. . ITS ORGANIZATION AND WORK. The board is divided into eleven com mittees, of three members each. These have in special charge different depart ments of the work. The committees thus constituted are as follows: 1, On China. 2. -Africa. 3. Japan. 4. Italy. 5. Mexico. 6. Brazil. 7. Finance. 8. Ney Missions and Missoinaries. 9. Pub lications. 10. Agencies. 11. Woman's Work. . Any matter pertaining to any of these subjects is referred to the proper committee. Thus it. is that both in these committees and. in their reports before the board there is need of pains taking care, laborious work and ripe judgment. The convention has missions in Chi na, Africa, Italy. Mexico. Brazil and Japan. . Below we give the table of mission aries etc., as shown at the last meeting of the convention: REV. A. J. BARTON, Assistant Corresponding Secretary, Foreign Mission Board. FINANCES AND THEIR MANAGE MENT. : The board pays the missionaries every month. They are expected to give all of their time to the work, and hence they need more than If they worked at secular business during the ; week and preached only on Sundays. Letters of credit are sent to the treas urers of mission stations. With these' letters of credit, the treasurer there draws for the amount allowed" and then pays the missionaries on t The cost of sending money is i duced to the minimum. In 4b there is no trouble or danger of lo.. money in the mails, and the missionary knows definitely what he i can expect. If" the funds are not on hand when the missionary treasurer's draft comes, 'ft is necessary for the board to go to the banks and borrow. The letter of credit of the board is good anywhere on earth. The relation between the board and-its missionaries is voluntary, fraternal , and co-operative. They recoenize that . the man on the field is the best Judire as to plans and methods. They recognize that different fields require different methods, and that a man can work to best advantage under his own nlan. Therefore,' in methods and plans of work there is the utmost freedom. It is discretionary with the men upon the field, Whether they confirm to the styles of dress and living oif the people among whom they laborj or retain American customs. So with, all the other methods by which jthev would reach the hearts of the heathen and win them to Christ. ( ' THE BOARDS AIMS AT SELF-SUP- PORT. i . ; In the very beginning the converted heathen is taught to give t,o the Lord. He is not taught a weak dependence, but as rapidly as possible is developed to sustain his own church,' Especially in the employment of native helpers is the board careful in giving its money. The aim of missions is to redeem a land from the darkness of heathenism and to give them the light of a 'pure gospelj They are led both to sustain this gospel for themselves'and to give fits light and joy to others. It, is recognized that foreign missions can only start the work in heathen lands, and the ulti mate universal spread of the gospel in a land must be the work of the natives,' who Jearh to love and serve our Master., j iThe examples of self-denying liberality ' and faithful service in native Chris tians would already fill a great volume. HKV. JAMES It. TAYLOK, Li. I. This faithful, minister is now pastor of the Baptist church at Salem. Va. He was for many years the pastor of the First Baptist church in this city. He gave good proof of his ministry, for he was religious, earnest, true in all relations, faithfully watching over and serving his flock by .example and pre cept. He was not only beloved by his own members but he commanded the confidence and respect of every man and woman he knew beyond the- vale of his own congregation. He adorned the doc trine of Christ, was "a good, man and full, of the Holy Ghost." The writer knows him intimately and bears hearty testimony as to his high character and fidelity to his profession and calling. He is still living we rejoice to know and is present at the convention. His many brethren and friends will be glad to irlir. V. I r4- , . . 1 I ,., T T 111 give nun uiusi cuiumi electing. : At will be an interesting coincidence that the ,8th of May will be" the annivercary of an important event in the history of the First Baptist church, May 8, 1881." That day will be long held in remem brance by the members. After the Us ual religious services Dr. Taylor made an appeal to raise the money to pay off the church debt with which the members-had been so long burdened. The lot had been purchased in 1858, and the work' of erecting the noble structure had been going on by degrees. During Dr. Taylor's pastorate the debt had been reduced from $11,000 to $6,000. He greatly desired to see the burden lifted it was in the way of prosperity and efficiency. Addresses were made by Messrs. W. A. French and J. C. Ste venson. A finance' committee was raised, and by 1 o'clock to the joy of all the debt was wiped put, over $6,000 being subscribed. Subscriptions ranged from $5 to $1,500. There was great en thusiasm and tears of joy were freely shed. ; , : . ' During Dr. Taylor's pastorate there were three hundred additions. On 15th July, 1883, he retired from his charge,, having previously given notice, of his purpose to resign. This writer, on the announcement of his resignation, wrote this: - - "There is no complaint or disturb ance that causes this unexpected step on the part of the Doctor. Since Octo ber, 1875, he has been the active, faith ful and .very useful pastor, of this church, and during his" more than seven years service he has i done a great deal for his people here, giving therri the example of an earnest," godly life, adding considerably to the mem bership and bringing its, financial con dition into a much more healthful and satisfactory codition. He has preached the gospel in love, has never indulged, a controversial spirit has been diligent in his labors and,,, has commanded all along the respect, "confidence and good wishes of the conimunity. He has re ceived many calls to go elsewhere dur- iner his nastnrnto in W ilmln o-tnn hii c . ... . i ....... .q v v y i. v he had a work to do here and until he felt it was done he could not agree to go to another field of. labor and useful ness. He will visit Europe, spending a few months in Great Britain, and at Rome- with his brother. Rev.- Dr. ! George Taylor, who resides there. . Upon his return he will enter upon his work in his new home His many friends here will regret to part with him, and all will wish; him happiness, success and an abundant entrance into the Kingdom above." " He' visited Europe as he purposed and after his return he became pastor at Lexington. Va.. and for a time Professor of Moral Philosophy in Wash ington andLee University.- While at Lexington he was instrumental n building a new church. He is now -pastor at Salem, Va., president of the Virginia Baptist Historical society, and a trustee of the Southern Baptist Theo logical Seminary. He has written the life of Rev. Dr. Cornelius. Tyree.be- siris a nnmhf r nf trapto ' Dr. Taylor left his church "in splen did condition" in this, city, was the voluntary testimony or his able suc cessor, the late most popular and la mented Rev. Dr. Thomas H. Pritchard. The North Carolina Presbyterian had a pleasant reference to his resignation, speaking of his efficiency and faithful- , ness, and the example he set his peo ple. He impressed us as one of the most, truly religious and sweet-spirited of all the scores of Baptist ministers we had known. He, is a son of the late excellent and most useful Rev. Dr. James B. Taylor, of Virginia, . and brother of the most estimable and able president of Wake Forest college. Rev. Dr. Charles Taylor.
The Wilmington Messenger (Wilmington, N.C.)
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May 8, 1897, edition 1
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