REPORT OF CONVENTION MISSION
C. H. SHAW,
37 Note.-It will be seen above, that money collected by Mrs.
Smothers in some cases is simply reported in a bulk.
Money reported to the superintendent after he closed his books for the Waco Convention will be receipted in the min - utes of the next year.
Below I will give the combined Missionary work of the whole state hy all the Association, co-operating with the convention.
\Ve, the undersigned, do hereby certify that we have care- fully examined the itemized account of Elder A. R. Griggs, superintendent of mission" of the state of Texas, foud it to be correct and in accordance with the above report.
Respectfully,
38
Lots procured. . . 16 Cost of lots. . . .. $1,090.00 Pages of religiou!'; literature distributed. . . 10,28.5 Money collected for Missions. . . . .. $6,769.88 Total collected since last report ... $13,374.49 Of this the General Convention gave ... $1,266.65 Associations ... 25 Churches. . . 795 Preachers ... . 661 Members ... . 69,950
(Numerical strength partly estimated.)
A. R. GRIGGS, Sup't of Missions.
Dallas, Texas, Oct. 22, 1886.
39
CHURCHES P O. COUNTY DELEGATES AMOUNT
- - - , - - - 1 · - - - 1 - - - - - S. B. Church ... IWaco ... McLellan ... M. Irving ..
,. . ... t... A. 1'aylor ... .
. . . . . . .. ..:. Deacon Bohldin Bethesda S.S· ... ·IMarshall ... H~~rison . . . W. F. Gro ... .
Friends.~ip As~'~
: : :'. :::::::::::-::::... ..f 3: ~!tt~>
z. T. Pardee.
P. W. Upshaw.
C. H. Shaw ... . C. Jones ... . Wm. Holland ....
Lakeview Church. '1' Hempstead
o
. ' • • • Waller .... . . J. E. Stoney.
S. W. C.~, S., D. C Spamsh Camps. Wharton... P H. Collier ....
Cent~!1'0int ... ' 1 P'l~~'te~~~;ll~' : .: ... .... .. ~: c°'1~;:i~y::'
.
••••.• "1'" " • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • . • • • • • • . • H. Washington.
Je1.cho.. ::::.: r-al~.~rt ::::: ... Robertson ...
f':'
P~~;:~S::J erusale~ : : : :: : : :: I B·..y~~· : : :: :: .. Brazos.
r ..
~alt~~il~' ..Palestine ... I Victoria .... M. Harrison .. . Rocklsland ... :Hempstead ... Waller. .. J. E Stoney ... .
... ... 1. Archil. ... .
N ew ~ope... .. lDallas ... Dallas . . C. N. Pryor ... .
~t.
Rose ... : :: :~:
: : Ii3r~~h~~
::~
: :: ... ... ..~~~!! fo~~so~~~~~
.,Mt. Olive ... IGalveston ... Galveston E. M Wright &
" I ... H. Thompson .. Due Bl'k Bayou&UAss'n!Jefferson. P. W. Wesley &
U I ... ,_, ... C. B. Love ... Due
An tioch ... I Houston ... Harris ..
Mt.~ion ... ,Bryan ... Brazos.. Robt McManny ..
I
& A Thompson Bet~\eh~m .::::'::' G;~nd~~~··.:·.· ... Johnson ... J. Simpson &
. . . .. ... . . . . I Luk Killgo ... , .
s. B,', Church ... ~Austin·:::', .... Austin.. ... Wm Massey & I
••..••.. 1 .•••.••••• ••• D A. Scott .... I.
Pleas an t Grove ... Bryan . ... Rrazos . . ... ! F. L. Ligh ts .. _. I
Zion Hill B. Ass'D .. lpalestine .... Palestine ... ',J. B. Dunbar &
" i Wm Duncan ... : ....
Zion Bap[:~t ChurChIP';r'i~':: : . .. . Paris .. . .. T.Moore,F.Hooks!
.. . . .. .. .. W M. Corner & 'I
Zion Tra~:ler . C·1;~k~~i11e.... Brazos _. H. Booth ... I ' • • Shiloh···IBryan ... L. W Wells ... '10 : . : :
St. Paul Church ... : Hempstead ... Waller... . ... J. E. Stoney. . . Bethlehem ... : Hamond Station Robertson ... Schott Beuford " . Waco W,,?S.conv ... .. E. B. Weaver ... · ... .
J H Holder ... .
&A. H. Criner.! ...
White Chape\. ... Tunis ... .
Shiloh Church ... Ammona ... . W. M. Corner & I
" S. W. R. Cole. Due
New Hope ... Bennett... . ... S. W. R. Cole ... Due Salem Ch?,rch ... Bryan ... Brazos ... Wells & i
S. H. Holston .. , Central Ass'n... ... . . . . [' Womans M. Society Navasota.... . ... Mrs. K. Brigance ....
Shiloh Bap. Church Bryan ... Brazos. . .. ·ID. H Chivers & I
" Hillsboro ... R _ B. Gousbie .. I Mt. Messiah B. Ch. . . .. '1' ... I H. H. Harrison I
____ ._. __ ._-'-__ ~"-._._ .. _._.'_____ I &A. Oliver ... 1.
$5 00 500
. 3000 I 50
500 500
5 00 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500
500 500 500 5 00
2 50
500 50
75 25 300 1000 500
400
40
C _H_u_R_c_H_E_s _ _ 1
,0. . COo"~ --"-~O'=-I .. 00:_
Bethlehem. IAnderson ... :.. . . ·IR. A. Andrews 1
" I · ... ·... &R.S. Cottonl··· 500 Palestine
:~ss·n. :i~~~~~~~:::::: t;i~~~'
...i:~:::~ft!s
.. 11
, . . . 1000
,':::.:::::'::::'1,
:Jo~~~~r~~li.~ ISt. Paul. ... 'Alderado •... Johnson . J. Simpson . . . . . Franklin Grove .... ·1 ... ··· ... F L. Lights ..
Spring Hill B. Ch. ,Marlin. ... ,Falls. J. Moore ...
:R'~o'
kC:k':G~l:a:n~d:
. . : : : I~ea~n> > H ~oberts°~: ~
:. :~ {~f:~~~h.
J. E. Stoney and
... I .. :'" .... , T. Archy ... . St. Paul ... .
Mt. Corinth ... . Palestine Church .. . La Grange Ass'n .. . La. and Tex. Ass'n. I
Eva~~pring~·S. S. 'I'
T
L. &1. S. S. Con T
Oak 5.5.·_···.1 .. ··· . . . Cainian B. Church .. ;Calvert ..
St. John Ass'n ... 1 .... .
.. ! . J. E. Stoney .' J Hairold arid
., J. L. Starks ... . . M. Harrison ... .
I. Toliver and
I S. C. Smith ... . ID. Abner, Jr . . . . ... ,E. W. D haas.
. . . ! an.d L M. Luke ... N. Sloan ... .
... F. W. Gross and I L. M. Luke ... .
! . . . ... .
,L. J. Massey .... . C. H. Anderson.
Bethlehem ... IAnderson .... . .,5. R. Cotton and
S. Western Ass'n. '1 R. A Andrews ... .
.... ]. H. Baptist ..
. R. Burry, ... . . ' A. R. Griggs and
.1 C.N.Pryor ... . . F. G. Davis ... . . IC. H. Shaw and
i;v~?~:h·';~~';C~~~IIB·~~j,~·';'·
.. ··· :1:iFRG.cDr~i~"··
Smw~'s~t~i.sr;~ t~s~;'
:: ..
i' . : : : : ~: ~'. ~~lli~~' ~~d ..1
! : R Owens
G. ii' Arvi~·: . . . . : Ii~~i~vi·li~.:.:: Walker . . . 1
.... .. . ... -Flatonia . . . 1 • O. E. Perpeona .. ', .. . Friendship S. Club .. INavasota.Grimes ... ::.:: 'i1r~'NilLE~~~~ ... .
G~~d·H~p~·W: A~~~IW~~;' :'. '.: ::.:: McLennan ... ,W. W. Willis .... 1 . . . .
Samaria Bap. Ch .. 'I' Corsicana. . . ' . . . . . I W. W. Hayden .. . Cainian Hap. Ch ... Bryan ... 'Brazos ... L. W. Wells .... . Friendship Bap. Ch.!Navasota ... ;Grimes... . -D. Taylor and
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . 1 . . . .. . . . .. .1 S Thompson ..
St: M.aria··· .. I:::··· .1 ... ,A. Oliver ... .
\1t. Z,on Hap. Ch .. 'Bryan ... IBrazos ... 'A. Thompson-and S·
W'C:A~~;n
L:'B:IL-~~g'B~~'~~h:
'::':::::'"IlwMia~av~ey'~'~d'"
N~~Zi~·~B~P··cj,·.lriall~~·.:::: ·1··· A l'BHMo~~~lier ... . Marlin Bap. Ch... Marlin... Falls... iA. B. Moore .... . Rock Dam Ch ... Marlin ... ;Falls.... ,G. W.Greer ... .
• Money paid Elder A. R. Griggs for Missions during the year.
500 3 25 500 7 00
500 I 50 500 500 5 00 500 5 0 0
500
I 50
500
I 50
I 00 500 500
500 500 500 2 50
1000 5 00
2 50
500 500 500 500 500 500 500
41
LIFE MEMBERSHIP.
Rev. A. H. Rowland and Rev. S. Cobb paid $2 .. 50, due $7.50.
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP.
Rev. R. DiekerROn, *2.50, Rev. C. Jones, promised.
Rev. Sam Andrews paid $2 .. 50.
Bowens Association, A. Moore, $5.00.
Mt. Pisgah, Frankfort, S. C. Clark, $3.75.
Willow Grove Association, Rl'V. F. H. Chadburn, due $5.00.
\Voman's Missionary Society, Bethlehem, $5 00.
Samaria Baptist Church, Kerenes, W. \V. Hay, $2.50.
Macedonia, Louisville, $.50
\Villow Grove \Yoman's Mis~ionary Society, Mrs. I,avana Thomas, $1.50.
\Voman's Missionary Society, Hearne, Mrs. H. Tattnell, 155.00.
Woman's Missionary Society, Brenham, Cora H. Patterson,
$.5.00.
East Texas Association, C. M. Buttler and .T. Rowe, $10.00.
Womans Missionary Society, Brenham, Hattie Alexander,
$5.00.
Indepedent Baptist Church, Calvert, Rev. S. H. Smith, N. O.
Bryan, H. Terrell, R. H. Perry, $23.00.
Washington Church, vVashingtol1 County, D. H. Shivers, G.
A. Amazon, $5.00.
J,incoln Association, H. L. Davis, A. J~. Sledge, E. M. \Vright, dm' $5.00.
Baptist State Sunday-school Society, A. B. Moore, A. Taylor, R. H. Perry, J. II. Stewal·t, M.OO.
Cypress Association, E. W. Foreman, C. C. Chambers,*$1.5.00.
Crockett Church, A. Moo!'e, $5.00.
Sisters' Missionary Society of Antioch, Mrs. K. Miller, Mr~.
M. Sharkey, $5.00.
Springfield Church, I. Toliver, $5.00.
Bethlehem, E. G. Nicholson, $.5.00.
Pleasant Grove, E. G. Nicholson,
*
$1.00.42
A PIOUS AND EDUCATED MINISTRY.
BEl<'ORE THE BAPTIST STATE CO~VENTIO~ OF TEXAS, OCT. 21, 'Ro.
Having been invited to read a paper before you on the present demands for a pious and educated ministry, I, with no small degree of reluctance, and a keen sense of the all impor- tance of the subject, offer a few ideas which we trust may be -developed by onr general discussion.
The term" a pious ministry" is synonymous with a Godly, a holy, a devout, a religioUi:! ministry, while "an educated ministry" is that development of the mental or physical pow- ers of perception, discernment, reasoning and judgment, in the ordinary degree, so that at least the pulpit will be on an equality with the pews in all questions literary and of daily life and walks, whether it possesses the extraordinary degree of intellectuality or not.
In the history of the Baptist Church the pastors have been men of longevity (very long lived), and have on a whole out- lived their day, and hence have not been able to keep pace with the constant march of progress, and the perpetual rt'search being made in the labratory of thought alld sciencl', and while it is a fact that we owe much to this class of mcn, old Brothers Mose, Jack and Jim, for our success as a denom- ination boasting of one and a half million communicants and two hundred thou>iand ministenl, as just represented at the St. Louis National Convention of Baptists, and not to our learned men, Dr. Simmons, Rev. S. P. Anderson, Dr. Baptis, Editor Perry and others, who have by their name, accolll- plishments and art placed themselves among our ministers of national repute.
Too much honor can not be heaped upon the old head~,
too many slabs of honor cannot be erected to their names, for the Godly lives they lived, yet without proper mental diseip- line, have had their hearts disciplined by grace, and lived worthy of the vocation to which they were called, and were
43 so zE'alous for Christ't> cause that even to whistle the" Mock- ing Bird" waR sin almost unpardonable.
They preached on in their way, and lived circumspectively before the worlrl, and to-day their names are norms for us, and 'tis to this that we owe our numbers. Men saw their Godly ways and were const,·ained to follow Jesus.
'l'o speak of the demands for a pious ministry leads us to infer that there are some ministers wanting in the essential which is seemingly paradoxical, and especially so since God does the calling, and secondly, since the church does the ordaining.
It seems to me that a man in the pulpit that knows his im- morality, should be at once suspended (and I mean by the neck), and a church that winkH at the vileness of its ministers should be sold out at sheriff'H sale and the doors locked.
If a minister is not able to care for his own good name, no church ceremonies can do it for him. It seems to me that the true spirit of the minister should be to honor his profes- sion, and not make the profession honor him, and when hE' has dishonored his profession step down and out until he has been purged with hisses and made clean.
'1'he ministry, morally and intellectually, cannot be elevated to its proper status of Christi;;,n manJines"l and dignity, until the pews, the children, the membership, the deacons, shall have acquired the moral courage to come forth and decide by their vote as to the character and qualifications of their min- ister-whether he be yellow or black, or his hail> flax or silk- saying to this illiterate thou cans't not enlighten us until thou hast first been enlightened; to that one thou must not teach the beau tie!! of character and the rewards of holiness till thou hast shown forth to us by a clear record that thy garments are unspotted from the world.
Of the two evils, a man with no literary attainments is to be preferred to an educated bufoon, bragadacio and villain, with whom your daughter and son would both be in danger, should they come individually under his influence.
44
An immoral 'minister is as detrimental to a church's pros- pel'ity, and a:; ruinous to Christ's cause as a general's sword turned npon his own men.
The first great demand for an educated ministl'Y arises from the fact that we are now over one million in number, more in number than all other colored denominations combined, and, :-lince this is true, the ministcrs have mon~ expected of them and should hc hctter and braver men, to hold that whieh we have aequired.
The ignorance of two decades has passed, and we now live in the fair morning of books and letters, schools and colleges, and fair sons and danghters, who, even whill' urebin~, ~ay the teacher-the minister-made a mistake in his morning service.
The very fact that a minister has a congregation of five hundred good common-sense people, and one hundred of these school ehilnren with their teacher, is a pressing demand for more light in the pulpit.
These little faces with their bright eyes now arc only so many pointers to the bright minds, deep inquiries and potent demands, that are swift coming upon the lazy and non-stu:
dious pastor that has grown fat in his nest from rich food and no study, and as a consequence he must either stalld up or stand back for the studious minister to enter.
There are times when the laity need helping ovcr mental sand-bal's and difficult questions which arise in the course of evel'y-day life, and jnst at this plaee 'tis the pastor's duty at snch times as he lllay be asked, and when he Hel'S fit, to come holdly to his ~talld and meet, in a Christ-like way, meekly and intelleetually, all issues of the day cOllcerning isms, labor and capital, poverty and wealth, wages and industry, the present necessities and the coming demands of his flock, and have on hand such a colleetion of general information at hi~
fingers ends that all may retire saying he birthcd, named and discussed his subject in such a mood 'that all were enlightened and hence milch benefitted.
45 Second, the day has come when the minister, like the law- yer and doctor, is paid for his skill, and his services are only in demand when 'tis known that he is a successful lawyer, or a ronnded and devout minister.
Men like to pay for that which pleases their tastes. One kind of food constalitly taken spoils digestion and assimilation, and finally is rejected, so different texts with the same sub- ject matter will bring on dis:,;ention and even quaking among the members, though they have been silent for years-because the world is advancing, and the ignorant side can't hold the enlightened side down.
The minister should be the hardest student of all profes- sional men, bu; generally it is vice verse. The lawyer may present his clients cause in various ways, and as similal' canses have been presented by learned professors of law in England and America. The doetor may treat his clinic ac- cording to some German, French or American author, or try all. But with the minister 'tis the bible first, last and all the time, and the one that tells the story of the bible has very much to do with its sweetness.
Many a handsome pattern has been spoiled in the hands of a had tailor, so mauy a sinner has been hardened hy a poor presentation of Christ and His claims.
The glorious day is fast dawning when ignoranee must go, for there now remains no excuse for It.
On every hill in Waco may be fonnd a school· house, and thi" may almost be said of this hroad and glorious country.
The amount of mental development that is being moment- arily evolved is driving ignorance before it, and in warning we .vould say, for the benefit of the Baptist, do not prevent its dawning. Get off to school, though you be old; educate your ehilf1ren, and the hright noon of intelligent and decOl·us ehurehes and pastors will soon be here.
Lastly, but not least, if ignorant men are left to run the churches as their pastors, they will, as Prof. Tefft, of Rich-
46
mond Female College, says, "drive all the progressive young minds into infidelity." At that day I did not see it, but now I fully appreciate his remarks, for the time has come already, and ignorant men who say "don't do as I do, but as I tell,"
can lead no longer, and now ministers must conduct them- selves in such a way as to command the respect of the school- boy and girl, the young men and women, and the gray-haired
~age, in his every-day life, and in his pulpit adopt his argu- ment to the minds of a conservative age, and to the pressing demands of a catholic, reasoning and sprightly rising genera-
tion. J. W. VAUDAVELL.
TWO DECADES OF FREEDOM.
In 1865 there were not more than 30,000 negroes in the
"United States who could read and write. Now we have 2,000,000 that can read and write, and we count our profes- sional men and women by the scores and hundreds. Then we had but two colleges, Oberlin and "\Vilberforce. Now we have more than forty institutions of higher learning, from the classic walls of which hundreds of young men and women are going out every year. Then we had less than a dozen newspapers. Now we have more than a hundred ably conducted monthly and weekly journals. Then the Ameri- can negroes owned about $20,000,000 worth of private prop- erty. Now they are worth $200,000,000. Then we had about
$500,000 worth of church property. Now our church prop- erty is worth $5,000,000. Then we had very few competent teachers and mimsters. N ow we can count our educated professors and preachers by thousands.
In view of these facts and figures, let us take fresh courage and gird ourselves for the race before us. N ever in the world's history has a race of people made such wonderful pl'Ogress in so short a time. As politicians we have failed,