BAPTISTS. 



urn 



2 



,ted during the meetings under the name of the 

 'Messenger of Peace." It has a seating capacity 

 [or !?"> persons. 



Other Societies. The Woman's American Bap- 

 tist Missionary Society (New England) had raised 

 $37,000 dollars during the year, and had supported, 

 in whole or in part, 55 teachers, most of whom had 

 been selected and appointed by the Home Mission 

 iety. 



The report of the American Baptist Historical 

 ociety mentioned a revival of interest since the 

 opening of its new rooms in the Baptist building 

 in Philadelphia, and the gradual growth of the new 

 collections which had been made to replace those 

 which had been destroyed by fire. The Committee 

 mi Studies in Baptist History reported that arrange- 

 ments had been made to begin immediately the 

 publication of historical papers. 



The Commission on Systematic Benevolence re- 

 ported progress in its work of increasing the inter- 

 est of the churches in the causes for which contri- 

 butions are sought, and in systematizing the met hods 

 of giving. It had proceeded by means of meetings, 

 the distribution of literature, and organization. 



Young 1 People's Union. The annual conven- 

 tion of the Baptist Young People's Union of Amer- 

 ica was held at Buffalo, N. Y.. July 14 to 17, and 

 was attended by more than 10,000 members and 

 visitors. The report of the Board of Managers em- 

 phasized the fact that the Union had completed 

 the first seven years of its growth. The distinctive 

 features were federation, education, and denomi- 

 nation. All these were needed, denomination to 

 give control and direction to the other two. The 

 report of the previous year at Chattanooga had 

 placed emphasis on the extensive development of 

 the work, in the extension of territory in the South, 

 in the general expansion of the work, and in inter- 

 nal administration. The year just closed had been 

 marked rather by intensive development. The 

 work of State and provincial organization had been 

 carried so far as to include nearly all the territory. 

 The general secretary had traveled extensively dur- 

 ing the year, and had addressed rallies, associa- 

 tioual gatherings, or State conventions in 24 States, 

 provinces, etc. The relations established with the 

 Baptist Young People's Union auxiliary to the 

 Southern Baptist Convention had been "harmo- 

 nious and delightful." The development of the 

 work in the South had been one of the salient fea- 

 tures of the year. A review of the seven years' 

 history of the Union was presented, which recited 

 that after the organization of the Christian En- 

 deavor Society numerous Baptist societies arose 

 and various views were current. Some representa- 

 tive men wanted an exclusive denominational so- 

 ciety. The Christian Endeavor Societies feared the 

 withdrawal of the Baptist societies. A federative 

 plan was suggested in Nebraska for the formation 

 of young people's societies for which no form of con- 

 stitution should be required, and for the federation 

 of all societies, of whatever name or affiliation, into 

 a State organization. This plan was practically 

 accepted at a meeting for organization held at 

 Chicago, 111., in June, 1891, when the present name 

 and constitution were adopted, and Chicago was 

 made the headquarters of the Union. A proposi- 

 tion to make the meetings of the convention bien- 

 nial instead of annual was submitted to the local 

 unions for consideration. The Board of Managers 

 announced that the designation Founding fund 

 would be dropped from the financial reports, and 

 contributions would hereafter be made to the debt. 

 The sessions of the convention were occupied with 

 conferences, addresses, reviews of progress in the 

 Christian-culture courses, presentation of banners, 

 and special meetings. 



Meetings of the German Baptist Young People's 

 Union were held during two days of the sessions 

 of the convention. 



Educational Society. The American Baptist 

 Educational Society, now ten years old, meeting 

 alternately in the North and in the South, met in 

 connection with the Southern Baptist Convention 

 at Norfolk, Va. It had during its existence made 

 37 grants to schools to 14 in the North, 10 in Ihe 

 South, and 13 in the West. It had granted $4.">2.- 

 600 to schools, of which $259,991 had been paid, 

 while the remainder had lapsed or was held for the 

 institutions. The additions to schools as a result 

 of this work had been $1,150,187, exclusive of Mr. 

 Rockefeller's grants to Chicago University. That 

 university, with its holdings of more than $12.000,- 

 000, might not have been a possibility, the report 

 suggested, without this society. 



Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern 

 Baptist Convention met at Norfolk, Va., May 6. 

 The Hon. Jonathan Haralson, of Alabama, was 

 chosen president. The report of the Home Mission 

 Board showed that $54,251 had been raised and ex- 

 pended on the field during the year, against $45,- 

 672 in 1896 ; and that $56,385 had been collected 

 and expended in building houses of worship, against 

 $51,540 in 1896; making a total amount raised on 

 the field of $110,636, or $13,424 more than in 1896. 

 The whole amount of cash received by the board 

 from all sources was $86,827. Four hundred and 

 sixty-seven missionaries had been employed, who 

 returned 4,739 baptisms and 9,509 additions to the 

 churches. In addition to the amount of money re- 

 ported as raised on the field the board had invested 

 more than $10,000 in cash upon houses of worship. 

 Nineteen hundred and sixty churches and stations 

 had been supplied during the year, 103 churches 

 constituted, 45 houses of worship built and 68 im- 

 proved, $59,629 expended on houses of worship, 

 and 297 Sunday schools organized, representing 

 7,710 teachers and pupils. The co-operative work 

 among the colored people had been attended with 

 gratifying results, and successful institutes had 

 been held among negro preachers. The Women's 

 Missionary Societies had contributed $35,636 to the 

 cause represented by the board, or $5.705 more than 

 in 1896, and their work in forwarding supplies to 

 frontier missions had been specially helpful. 



The Board of Foreign Missions reported that 

 while it had been burdened with an indebtedness of 

 $13,532 at the close of the previous year, it was now 

 free from debt, and had a balance of $2,976. The 

 total contributions for the year had amounted to 

 $124,249 as against $125,682 in the previous year. 

 The Woman's Missionary Society, the tenth annual 

 report of which was incorporated with the report 

 of the board, returned total contributions of $21.- 

 633. There were connected with the foreign work 

 76 missionaries and 117 native assistants, and 701 

 baptisms were returned. In China and Brazil 

 li large numbers" had been added to the churches; 

 in Japan, Africa, and Italy there had been steady 

 progress ; while less progress, but "good in some of 

 the missions," had been made in Mexico. 



The gross income of the Sunday-school Board had 

 been $64,000, and after promptly meeting all bills 

 and expenses the treasurer returned nearly $33,000 

 of assets, with practically no liabilities. Nearly $13,- 

 000 had been expended in aid of the Home and For- 

 eign Boards, Sunday-school missions, and other de- 

 nominational interests, and in gifts of books, Bibles, 

 tracts, and periodicals, and of boxes for Sunday- 

 school missionaries. The reserve fund, which had 

 been used in the previous year for the purchase 

 of a house, had been started afresh and was held 

 under safe investment for any emergency. The 

 board asked to be allowed to publish books. 



