BAPTISTS. 



63 



Number of yearly meetings, etc., 40 ; to- 

 tal number of quarterly meetings, 165 ; num- 

 ber of licensed preachers, 114. 



The Free-Will Baptist General Conference 

 met in its 23d session, at Fairport, N. Y., 

 October 2d. The Rev. O. B. Cheney, Pres- 

 ident of Bates College, was chosen moderator. 

 The Bengal and Orissa (India) yearly meeting, 

 which had been organized two years before, 

 was admitted to the Conference. Reports 

 were received from delegates who had been 

 appointed to attend the conferences of affili- 

 ated Free Baptist bodies, and of the Church 

 of God, and the American Christian Confer- 

 ence, at Louisville, Ky. The delegate to the 

 latter body reported that, on all essential points, 

 the Free-Will Baptists and the Christian body 

 were agreed ; but that the minor points in 

 which the two bodies disagreed were held by 

 each so tenaciously that no union could now 

 be effected. The measure adopted by the pre- 

 vious General Conference (held in 1874), for 

 permitting persons who had not been immersed 

 to be received into full membership in Free 

 Baptist churches, was repealed. The effect 

 of this action is understood to be, not to pro- 

 hibit the admission of such persons, but to 

 withdraw the sanction of the whole Church 

 from the practice, and leave the subject to be 

 decided by each church upon its own respon- 

 sibility, whenever cases may arise calling for 

 action. The following resolution was passed : 



Whereas, We learn of various associations of Bap- 

 tists, in different parts of the South, holding sub- 

 stantially our views of doctrine, and embodying in 

 their practice our views of Church polity; and, 

 whereas, many of these brethren are not only in 

 harmony with us in faith and practice, but are 

 known distinctly by name as Free Baptists ; there- 

 fore, 



Resolved, That we take this occasion to extend 

 to these various associations the fraternal greetings 

 of the General Conference of the Free- Will Baptists. 

 and to extend a most cordial invitation to any and 

 all of them to take a place among us as members of 

 the denominational household. 



Resolutions were adopted on the subject of 

 temperance, affirming it to be the duty of all, 

 and especially of Christian ministers, to prac- 

 tice temperance, discourage the use of alcohol, 

 and seek its extermination; supporting the 

 principle of prohibition ; discountenancing the 

 support of political candidates who may use 

 intoxicating liquors; disapproving the use of 

 tobacco, and the ordination of young men who 

 habitually indulge in it ; and disapproving the 

 use of fermented wine at Communion. A num- 

 ber of decisions were made upon questions of 

 Church polity, the most important of which 

 were, that it is improper for ministers to bap- 

 tize persons who do not intend to join some 

 evangelical Church; that a church should not 

 refuse to grant letters to members in good 

 standing \ hen properly requested to do so; 

 that the hand of fellowship should not be with- 

 drawn from members in good standing with- 

 out " church labor," or notification that such 

 action is contemplated; that but three ways 



are recognized for the termination of church 

 membership, viz. : by death, exclusion, or dis- 

 mission by letter or vote of the church ; that 

 persons holding letters of dismission, and re- 

 taining them unused, should report to the 

 church granting the letter at least once in six 

 months, and a failure to do so for two years 

 should work a forfeiture of membership ; and 

 that unordained ministers ought not to admin- 

 ister the ordinances of the Lord's Supper and 

 Baptism. Among the resolutions on doctrine 

 were: 



Respecting the import of holiness : We believe 

 that holiness, sanctifl cation, and consecration to God, 

 imply freedom, through grace, from the voluntary 

 violation of God's law, but not the perfection of the 

 faculties and judgment. 



Respecting the extent of pastoral service over dif- 

 ferent churches : We believe the Bible commands 

 the ministry to go into all the world, and, in preach- 

 ing the gospel to every creature, perform the work 

 of a pastor for just as many churches as circum- 

 stances and ability will permit. 



Respecting the design of Baptism: We believe 

 that Baptism is designed to represent : 1. The burial 

 and resurrection of Christ. 2. The remission of 

 sin, and the resurrection of the soul to newness of 

 life. 3. The final resurrection, secured by the 

 resurrection of Christ. 



We believe it to be the duty of all Christians, as 

 such, to partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Sup- 

 per. We also affirm, that our pastors and churches 

 can, and should, withhold the elements of the Eu- 

 charist from any and all persons who are known to 

 be unworthy. 



The Conference resolved to celebrate the 

 Centennial of the organization of the denomi- 

 nation in 1880, by an effort to raise the sum of 

 $500,000 for the several departments of Church 

 work, as missions, education, the payment of 

 church debts, etc. The next session of the 

 General Conference will be held, in view of 

 this occasion, at the nearest point practicable 

 to New Durham, N. H., where the first church 

 was organized in June, 1780. 



The anniversaries of the benevolent societies 

 of the denomination were held in connection 

 with the meeting of the Conference, and much 

 of the action of that body was based upon the 

 consideration of their situation and needs as 

 presented in their reports. The gross receipts 

 of the Home Missionary Society for the year 

 had been $10,713. The society was out of 

 debt, and had a small balance in the treasury. 

 The receipts of the Foreign Missionary Society 

 had been $10,939. The statistics of the prin- 

 cipal missions of the society are included in 

 those of the Bengal and Orissa yearly meeting. 

 The Woman's Missionary Society had been or- 

 ganized a little more than three years. It had 

 contributed freely to both the home and foreign 

 mission-work. The receipts of the Education 

 Society had been $1,446. The number of stu- 

 dents in all the theological schools of the de- 

 nomination was 79, and the number graduated 

 during the year was 10. The total receipts of 

 the publishing establishment had been $115,- 

 717, and its present net assets were $64,300. 



The 45th annual Conference of the Free 



