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Daviess County Association, 1899
A Large Meeting – Moderator J. S. Coleman re-elected.

      The Daviess County Association met August 15th with the Third Baptist church, Owensboro. This Association has 58 churches and a membership of 10,000. Moderator J. S. Coleman unanimously, this being the 27th time he has held this position. He is presiding with his usual vigor. Editor S. H. Ford, of Ford's Repository, conducted devotional services, and Secretary J. W. Warder led in prayer.

      E. H. Maddox and W. P. Bennett were elected assistant moderators; Chas. E. Eads and Clarence Wells, secretaries, and James H. Parrish treasurer.

      No letters were read, they all being turned over to a competent committee to digest, systematize, and report upon. Much valuable time was saved. Committees were promptly appointed and the body got under way in good shape and quick time.

      The report on temperance made by F. D. Hale copied the strong resolutions passed by the General Association with the following significant addition :

"Be it further resolved that we will neither work nor vote for any man, for any in the state of Kentucky, who is not in favor of securing the passage of a local option bill, giving to each county the privilege of voting as to whether there shall be liquor saloons within its bounds ; and that we hereby pledge ourselves to work and vote for men, irrespective of party who are in favor of such bill."
The second evening was set apart as a mass-meeting to discuss this important matter. The reader of the report made a brief concise statement, cutting the line, and then gave way to the main address of the evening, which was made by Interdenominational Secretary Young, who held the 2,000 people present in a masterly way. His humor, facts, arguments and denunciations followed each other in rapid succession. In his address, as in the one following it, by J. H. Boyet, Louisville, there came out much strong opposition to Candidate William Goebel, they both charging him with killing the Roberts Local Option bill in the last Legislature. That bill was a petition to allow counties to vote as counties as to whether the people in those counties wished to have or not to have saloons. That was all there was in the bill. The resolutions were adopted unanimously, and then endorsed unanimously by the great audience, men, women and children voting. J H. Boyet said he would let the birds sing over his grave before he would vote for a man who would kill such a bill, and the audience gave vocal endorsement of the expression.

      The report of W. H. Owen, the treasurer of the District Mission Board, showed that $2,117.51 contributed by the various churches for missions had passed through his hands and had been distributed as follows: State Missions, $245 84; Foreign Missions, $312.65; Miss Julia McKenzie’s salary, paid by the Third church of Owensboro, $600; Home Missions, $268.74; State Sunday-school and Colportage, $114.74; District Missions, $67.65; balance on debt of Board, $169.70; amount on hand in district fund, $306.08.

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NOTES.

J. S. Coleman: "This is a grand session. It is full of the Spirit."

F. D. Hale: "This has been one of the largest and most harmonious of our sessions."

R. N. McNemer: "At Richmond, Ind., I frequently have the pleasure of baptizing Quakers."

I. W. Bruner: "I believe Mormonism is better entitled to be called heathenism than anything else."

Interdenominational Local Option Secretary, T. W. Young, was recognized and made a fine impression.

When G. L. Morrill delivered the introductory sermon F. D. Hale whispered to us: "That was an extra sermon."

J. W. T. Givens, pastor of Walnut street church, is everywhere all the time, shaking hands and assisting everybody.

Moderator Coleman was appointed delegate to the Southern Baptist Convention, and Pastor Hale to the General Association.

Col. Alexander Hogeland, of Curfew fame, was recognized and spoke about the importance of personal work in rescuing wayward boys.

D. Whittinghill: "The question, 'Who is greatest in the kingdom?' gave great trouble when it was first raised, and it is giving trouble yet."

J. S. Coleman ; "No Association in Kentucky has developed as has ours. More Baptists are in its territory than in any similar extent of territory in the world."

B. F. Swindler and "Nick" McNemer, former members of this body, had a warm reception. They seemed happy shaking hands with old friends.

D. Whittinghill: "Fred Hale is the clearest speaker I have ever heard. He leaves no doubts about his positions. He splits the line every time, leaving its mark on both sides."

B. F. Jenkins: " Our young preachers go off to college and seminary, and so when we organize new, mission churches we have to raise money and put missionary pastors in the field."

G. L. Morrill, of the First church, preached the introductory sermon at 8 o'clock of the first day. The sermon was a shipload of strong and beautiful things carefully arranged. He spoke to a great audience.

Editor J. N. Hall, who came out for a day, was called home by telephone because of his wife's illness. She has long been ill with a disease beyond the physician's skill. Many friends expressed deepest sympathy for him.

The association's host, Pastor Fred D. Hale, is hardly ever heard, but the lines are being deftly handled, so that everybody has "the best" home, and everything in the Third church's model building moves without any creaking.

The Woman's Work meeting was one of the largest ever held in Kentucky. Mrs. Jas. H. Parrish presided. We have never enjoyed speaking more than when we were before them. One of their number will give us a full report of it all.

From the report on Home Missions we caught that the Southern Baptist Convention gives .04 per member for Home Missions; Kentucky, .05; Daviess County Association, .03, and Walnut street church, Owensboro, J. T. W. Givens, pastor, .11 cents.

Pastor Smith, of the First Negro Baptist church spoke of his work. His church has built a $25,000 building, having all modern appliances. Brethren voluntarily gave him $30 on his now small debt. We had the pleasure of speaking for his people Wednesday evening.

Barnett's Creek church withdrew from Panther Creek Association, a hardshell body, and was received unanimously. Missionaries of Daviess County Association had often visited the church, and one of its efficient preachers, Joe T. Taylor, has served it as pastor. The church has 82 members.

Moderator J. S. Coleman offered resolutions to the effect that since Greenville had decided it could not entertain the General Association at its centennial meeting that this Third church, Owensboro, be asked to claim it for this end of the State. The resolution was unanimously adopted, and Pastor Hale announced that he was sure his church would do as requested. Secretary Warder gave assurance that the State Board would give consent for the change.

The weather was delightful, the big building just suited to such a meeting, the Owensboro people more than hospitable, the very air of the meeting charged with earnestness, the three pastors all alert, and so an extra good session of Daviess County Association was held. This was our first meeting with this body and we had our expectations more than filled. We were delighted.

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[From The Baptist Argus August 24, 1899, p. 5; via Baylor U. digital documents. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]




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