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THE BAPTIST CONGRESS. States of Negro Baptist Delegates, and tbe English View of the Negro. A North Carolina Negro Adrift in London. By C. C. Brown. London, England, July 20 1905. Doubtless some one will soon be asking when I propose to have a word lo say about the great Baptist con? gress, and I am ready to make answer now. The folks at home will all be ?disappointed by the reports that come to them for the simple reason that no man can make an adequate Teport. Our congres is net a law? making body. Among Baptists there is no such thing. Each church makes its own laws, according to th? New Testament, ar*d is not called upon to look to any superior head for instruc? tions. Our church polity is absolute? ly democratic and the people rule. This congress will not venture to pass a rule nor make a law of any 3?n<L It is simply the coming to? gether of men from all parts of the world, to discuss living issues, and , to seek to make a survey of the whole -field of operation. It has brought j into one body a large part of the learning and scholarship of the Bap Hat churches. We here meet, shake j hands, and tell each other how the j work ?ares in the land from which we come. Nothing has been said about any distinctive Baptist doctrines. In many matters we all disagree, and soon the harmony of our disagree- \ ment is charming to look upon. A I man who joins a Baptist church is j not questioned about doctrinal de- j tafls. The essentials could be written in less than a hundred words, and be? yond these we ask no questions and ?et up no sort of inquisition about creed. The matters assigned for dis? cussion are large and comprehensive. The papers here tell us that some of our English friends have had a long drawn out debate during the last few days as to how a man shall be cloth? ed in administering the ordinance of the Lord's supper. Such a question -would he impossible among us. We see no good to come from debates concerning matters purely external. The congress has given itself to such -questions as these: The Place of Baptists in the Chris? tian Curch"-By J. D. Freeman, of Toronto, Canada. "The Inadequacy of Non-Christian Religions to Meet the Needs of the World"-By R. Glover, of Bristol, England. '"Woman's Work on the Foreign Field"-By Mrs. Waterbury, of Bos? ton, Mass. (It will be noticed, if you please, that in this congress the wom? en are not subdued unto silence.) "The Awakening of China and Ja? pan"-Several spoke on this topic, mid Dr. Chas. S. Gardner, lately of South Carolina, took the palm for the simple reason that he made a good speech, striking out from the shoulder, while the others saw fit to read their productions. On Friday, the 14th, the whole morning was given to the discussion of "Constructive Work in Biblical j Theology." Dr. Mullins read a fine i paper on the "Friend of Modern Thought," but the fact that he read it robbed it of much of its power and failed to show Mullins at his best. On Friday afternoon and during -the whole of Saturday missionary topics were before the congress, such as "Self-support and self-propaga? tion of missionary churches;" "High? er Education in Missionary Schools," and "The Printing Pres and Christian Literature as Missionary Agencies." In front of the great platform there are many reporters. A complete ste? nographic report is being taken, and every word said will eventually come ont in book forra. This being true, one can readily jee how useless it would be for any writer to papers to seek to give his views as a whole. It would require pages of writing and hours of time which are not nowr -it his disposal. I am sorry for the people who will he called upon to read in any paper a hurried hash made out of the frag? ments one can gather here as he sits and listens . During all these days, my rule has been to be on hand to hear certain men; in the interim, I spend my time at other places, of which I will proceed to tell the loved folks at home, who, by the way, grow more lovely under the softening influence of the thought that 3,000 miles of water lie rolling between us. At 5 p. m., on Wednesday, at Mr. Spurgeon's invitation, we all went down and took tea with him at the Stockwell Orphanage, which his honored father established. Around a hollow square of about 150 yards, the various houses are built, all touch? ing each other. Five hundred orphan hoys and girls are here fed, clothed and educated. We entered through a lane between other houses, and came first to the Memorial Hall, erected in honor of the founder. Chas. H. Spur? geon. Thence we passed to the oper arena, on which many little white covered tables were spread, and there all who wanted to partake were fed with tea, bread and cake, while one side the Orphanage Bell Ring> performed and two or three hi dred children sung for our enterta ment. Rev. Thos. Spurgeon went among the children, and spoke a wc or two to the audience, introduce his valued assistant, Mr. Charl? worth. A band of orphanage sir ers traveled all over the British Is last year, and made $10,000 over th expenses for the maintenance of t institution. After spending an hou-* and a h; at the orphanage, we boa vlei t t*-. o story electric cars, an i made o .s?.y back along the Clapham re? fer a mile or more to the Spurge T".oernacle, made sacred and rn-.-; o ia] by the life and wont of t greatest Baptist preacher of the la century. Fury 35 years ago I beg< to read Mr. Spurgeon's sermons, ai have long desired to see the hou which he made historic. The building on the interior is complete ellipse. Lay an egg on paper, draw a pencil around it, ai the result will be a fair outline of tl lower floor. Above this, and runnii entirely around is the first galler and the pulpit is on a level with th gallery. Above this ?nd runnir likewise entirely around the house even in the rear of the pulpit-is tl third gallery. In all these gallerie the seats rise tier on tier, the last ro being several feet higher than tl first The protecting balustrade is neat filigree work of iron, painte with white and gold. Just ben en t the pulpit, between it and the rico is a second platform, on which is table and chairs. The pulpit project a few feet forward, and this sec?n platform eight or ten fee: further ? . * ?owards the front, ?,o:.h beb:? sin: rc..rded by a ne-^t rai i is, su:?p->' t ed by iron posts. The church has n choir. Latterly a piano has bee used to "pitch the tune," but even thi is an innovation which the elder Spui geon would not have brooked. Th building will seat 3,500 persons com fortably. A gentleman sitting nea the preacher raises the tunes, and th entire congregation seems to join i: the singing. Such volumes of soun I have never heard. But "My So: Tom" is .not maintaining the churcl in its ancient glory. He is a fin worker, but not so great os a preach church when; he.was chosen paster. (To be continued tomorrow.) Forty-eight negro delegate; ar here from different Baptist bodies ii the United States and Africa, and s< the overcasting negro prbiem pursue us all over the lands and seas. Th< English people have forgotten tha their Forefathers helped the Dutci to kidnap the Africans, and aided ir bringing them to America to oe sold into bondage. Over here as s rule, only the best side of the negro ii seen-the educated negro. He a received into the homes of the people sits at their tables, and on Sunday a half dozen pulpits of white churches were filled by them. A southern dele? gate, who asked for entertainment was asked if he objected to having another gentleman in the room with him. On investigating the case, he discovered that this gentleman -was a negro. The delegate then briefly con? fessed that it was a violation of south? ern customs and institutions to sleep with a negro. Thereupon he was offered another room, but being con? fronted by the fact that he would have to eat with "the brother in black," he excused himself, and found board at a hotel. The Englishman knows nothing of the negro. To him there is no difference, except that his skin is dark. In the south the negroes themselves know better than ?this, and many who are receiving some training and culturo already begin to show an unwillingness to associate with the rabble. The world will simply have to pardon the weak? ness of the southern people-if weak? ness it be-and let them abide in their inherited habits. But over here there is another side to this picture. Last evening, I walked out of the hotel court to look upon the passing thousands who throng the streets. As I turned into the strand, a negro accosted me "Good evenin', boss! Aint you a gen? tleman furn de States?" I told him yes, and then he began his story "I'm a North Ca'lina nigger, I come furn Wilmington, North Ca'lina, wid Buffalo Bill, two years ago. He fetched a lot o' niggers here, and went off and lef 'em helpless. I aint ha 1 a thing to eat today. Way you live? ' I told him. "Dat's it sir; I'm been to Florence and Sumter and used to work at Wedgefiel'. I wish to Gaud I was back home agin, but I don't see no way of gitten there." I told him I had just left four North Carolinians at the hotel door. He sprung towards me. and begged me, for God's sake, to tell them he was here. I gave him a shilling to buy his supper, and we parted. When I returned, he was stil standing in the same place. "Why don't you find work?" I asked. . Boss, a nigger aint got no chance in dis country onless he kin sing and dance." So, then, the English seem to use the educated negroes and honor them, and leave the ignorant man \n? labor er to suffer on the streets. For the unschooled laborer, I guess, the southern States has the kindest feel? ing and offers the best home. The newspaper scribe who sits here in London, and undertakes to give the people at home any just and ade? quate conception of the Baptist con? gress, will find that he has a large contract on hand. One addres fol? lows another through the three daily sessions. One might name the topics discussed, and give his ideas of iii individual speakers, but even this would be a sort of composite patch work, and not the thing needed. That the congress has been a great and influential meeting and has made itself felt in London and in all Eng? land is manifestly true. Its influence will surely be felt in aiding the "pass? ive resisters" here, who are being im? prisoned and having their goods sold rather than submit quietly to the paying of taxes for the maintenance of schools in which their children are being taught the doctrines of the Church of England. The congres will meet again. The time and place and programme are in the hands of a committee, who will duly report. The idea of a world-congres, without leg? islative functions, is peculiar to the Baptists, and the success of this one will assure us of others that are to follow. I find that I cannot write as fast as I travel. Yesterday I divided the day into two parts. In the morning, a party of us went up to visit Wind? sor Castle, the home of the king, parts of which are more than a thousand years old. It was in the beginning of this journey that I made my first "bad break." Five of us were to? gether, and we were late, shaving only two minutes to buy tickets and reach the train. "We went down under? ground to reach the depot, and heard a great commotion, as if the train was at hand. Standing at the ticket office window, the rest of the party clamor? ing and running about, screaming out that the train was at hand, I could not for the life of me recall the name of the place to which I wanted to go; so I finally became desperate, and asked the agent to give me tickets to the place where they bury dead kings. The agent compassionated my con? fusion and handed out tickets for Windsor. But now to tell about my visit about the chapel of George III about the tower where James I was imprisoned-about the room from which Anne Boleyn went to the Lon? don Tower to be beheaded-about the royal china-the dining table 200 feet long and 10 feet wide-about the presence chamber, the sleeping apart? ments for royal visitors-all these things would come nigh to making a book, and I am not now in that busi? ness. In the distance, I could see the former home of William Penn, where he resided before he set out to estab? lish a republic in Pennsylvania, and I got a glimpse, too, of Stoke Pogies' church, where Gray wrote his im? mortal Elegy. Irecorded many items of interest in my note book for future use. On returning to London at 3 p. m., we set out to find Bunhill Fields formerly Bonehili, or boneyard. 120,000 persons have been buried there, most of them in the time of the great Black Plague, so vividly por? trayed by Eugene Sue. Bunhill is about a half mile from the Bank of England, and lies in the section made famous by the preaching of Whitfield and Wesley. After a diligent search, we came upon the consecrated spo*., and stood uncovered beside the graves of John Bunyan, Daniel De Foe and Isaac Watts, the great hymn-writer. All these tombs and their inscriptions I can tell about later, but not now. Just across the street is John Wes? ley's chapel, the house in which he died, and the grave in which he is buried. Close to his side is the grave of Adam Clarke, the great Methodist commentator, and not far away the grave of Richard Watson, author of the theological institutes. I stood in Herley's pulpit, and feit that I was on holy ground. But it is midnight, and this letter must end at this point. Cures dizzy spells, tired feeling, stomach, kidney and liver troubles. Makes you well and keeps you well. That's what Hollister's Rocky Moun? tain Tea will do. 35 cents, Tea or Tablets. China's Drug Store. Chief engineer Stevens has ''signed the pledge" not to resign the Panama job. Comforts the heart, strengthens the mind. Is good lil or well. Makes the face bright as the summer morn. That's what Hollister's Rocky Moun? tain Tea will do. Cures when all else fails. 35 cents. China's Drug Store. Well it is really a nice thing to be yonr own master, if you don't care about payday. When 'you feel a sense ol' weight and oppression after meals it means in. I ?gesti?n. Hollister's Rocky Moun? tain Tea positively cures indigestion, constipation and stomach troubles. 35 cents, Tea or Tablets. China'* Drug Store. THE LIEN LAW. Pro Bono Publico Hits jit a Whack But Does Not Say WTiat Shall Replace lt. Mr. Editor: In the Daily Item of July the 17th instant, I noticed with great pleasure something that your worthy correspondent from "Pisgah" gave to the public. A part of his article touched upon what I call the most vital subject of the day in this State. To wit: the "Lien Law." Here is the short paragraph in his article which I allude to: "The poor service by negroes in Sumter is just what we have had on the farms for years. Trifling don't ex? press the word as to how they work. And no wonder when they can buy anything they want on time. There is no incentive to labor much. It is hoped that some day the merchants will see and realize the folly of so much credit to these people when there is no gain to them or the coun? try at large." This is excellent and to the point Mr. Editor. And the only fault I find with it is that he did not go a step further, and tell the people the cause of it all. "Pisgah" should talk out in school and call things by their right name. He should call a spade a spade. He should have called it by name and say that the vipor they call the Lien Law is to blame in a large measure for the condition of things. Why is it that our legislature insists on keep? ing this old thread taire and rotten law on the statute books. Why not repeal it at once. Have those mem? bers who oppose the repeal, axes or grind, or are they influenced by a few merchants who are still dabbling in the lien business? Just think of it! The man who is always good and pays the merchant promptly, pays as much on lien prices as; the man who is doubtful in any transaction. This of itself is enough to condemn the lien law. But there are several other reasons why it should be wiped out of existence. It is a well known fact that the lien lawT is an ?incentive to the abominable practice o? extensive, in? stead of the intensive place of farm? ing:. See the great waste of labor, time and fertilizers, when the inten? sive plans is practiced. Now to the remedy. The farmers not only hold the key to the whole situation, as well as the votes, in their own hands. Now why not organize in self defence and resolve to apply the remedy with stinging force at the ensuing state and county elections. The cotton growers association organized and you are already reaping the benefits of that organization. Why not the farmers organize in every township, hold meetings, pass rigid resolutions building themselves not to vote for any candidate for the legislature un? less he will pledge himself on the stump to vote for the repeal*of the lien law, and then watch to see if he fulfills his pledge. The legislature should also amend the dog law and put two dollars instead of fifty cents on the yellow dog. It would be far befrier for all con? cerned that farmers should be farm? ers, and laborers should be laborers. Then labor would become more plentiful and enable the brainy man to_ remain on his farm instead of rushing to the tows and cities renting out their land to be half cultivated by shiftless and lazy tenants. Farmers let me tell you that to my mind there is no dount about it, but what the lien law and the practice of quitting the farms and renting to the brain? less and moneyless man, white or colored, is almost wholly the cause of the great demoralization of the labor question as well as the over production of cotton. And now in conclusion I will only say that here is an opportunity for your wide awake "Pisgah" corres? pondent to come'to the front and show his patriotism by being the first to call his people together at his township and pass the resolutions re? ferred to above. Then other town ships will follow. Your only salva? tion is in uniting the farmers. Prono Publico. Jim? DEALERS IN HARNESS, SADDLES, UP ROSES AND WHIPS. REPAIR WORK A SPECIALTY. ll East Liberty Street. May 17-tf. EXCURSION RATES FROM SUMTER, S. C. -TO Old Point, Va, ) Virginia Beach J- $7.50. Oceanview, " ) Carolina Beach, N. C. Wrightsville Bch , $5.50. Myrtle Beach, S. C. Through Pullman Sleeping Cars on Train No. 32 Direct to Norfolk, An iving Norfolk 7.00 a. m. August 17th. Tickets Limited to Return on any Train until August 31st, 1905. ATLANTIC COAST LINE. For Reservations or any Information Write W. J. CRAIG, Gen. P. A" Wilmington, N. C. J. T. CHINA, Ticket Agt., Sumter, S. C. WHISKEY j MORPHINE I CIGARETTE j ALL DRUG AND TOBACCO HABIT. j HABIT. ? HABIT. | HABITS. Cured by Keeley Institute of S. C. 1329 Lady St., (or P.O. Box 75) Columbia, S. C. Confidential correspondence solicited W. A. BOWMAN, Prest. C. W. BOSH AMER, Sec. S Treas The Sumter Banking & Mercantile Company, Sumter, S. Q. ^m^mmCapital Stock $50,000?^??*^ Wholesale Grocers, Fertilize ersand Farmers' Supplies. Sole agents for the celebrated brand of Wil? cox &?Gibbs Fertilizers. We are prepared to quote the very closest cash or time prices on all lines of Groceries, Fertilizers and Farmers' Supplies, And invite your investigation before making your arrangements for another year. Come to see us. We will save you money, and give you a hearty, courteous welcome. Sumter Banking A Mercantile Company, Masonic Building, 2d door from the Postoffice. Sumter, S. C. Reduced Prices on Real Estate. Cotton has fallen in price and with its fail comes business depression in this sec? tion. Have several tracts ot land on which the prices have been reduced in conse? quence. Now is the time for the man with money to buy. The depression is only temporary and with the rally will come a profit. ter, new 5-room house and new barn, with btabies for 4 horses. Frc m $3,0C0 to $2, 500. 105 acres, 50 acres cleared, four miles from Sumter. New house : reduced from ?35 to $25 per acre. 1014 acree, ll miles from city, 500 clear? ed, well tenanted ; reduced from $15 to $1?.50 per acre. 108 acres, 75 cleared, 6 miles from Sum Call and see me. Can offer some good investments. 450 acres in Clarendon, four miles from Summerton, 200 acres cleared ; reduced from $7,500 to $6.500. Also several others tract reduced ia similar pioportions. R. B. BELSER, Attorney at Law Real Estate Broker Court Fouare Phone 12 MUmtie Coast JLine. Fffective June 19, 1905. Passenger Trains arriving and leaving Sumter. Tram 35 Florence io Au^utta Arrives 5 15 am " 54 Columbia ro Wilmington " 8 10 am " 4 77 Florerce to Sumter '* 9 20 an? *57 Fayetteville to Sumter 44 9 20 am " ?2 Charleston to Greenville heaves 9 31 am " *6 Orangeburg to Charleston (Tuesd'y, Thured'y, Saturd'y) " 9 3> am u *7S Sumter to Lucknow Leaves 9 <0 am *' *77 Lucknow to Sumter Arrives 6(0 pm M ?a Greenville and Columbia to Charleston " 6 30 pm " 32 Augusta to Florence M 6 30 pm " *56 Samter to Fayetteville tt 6 50 pir " *78 Sumter to Floretee Leaves 7 10 pra " 47 Charleston to Orangebarg (Tnesd^Thursd^Satu^'y j - g -?Q PM * 55 Wilmington to Columbia M 9 35 pm " 78 Sumter to Bishopville Leaves 9 50 am " 77 Bishopville to Sumter Arrives 6 00 pm Freight Trains carrying Passengers. Train *24 Sumter to Hartsville Leaves 8 15 am ** *19 Sumter to Robbins Leaves 10 00 am " *20 BoDbins to Sumter Arrives 7 30 am " *25 Hartsville to Sumter Arrives 9 10 pm Northwestern Railway. Train *70 Camden to Sumter Arrives 9 00 au ** *71 Sumter to Camden Leaves 9 36 am " *63 Camden to Sumter ? 5 45 prn " *72 Wildon Mill to Sumter Arrives 12 30 Dm " *7:\ Sumter to Wilson Mill Leaves 3 30 pro 41 *6i? Sumter to Camden " ? 31 pm Train* marked * daily except Sunday ; all other trains daily. For further information, apply to J. T. CHINA, Ticket Agent A. C. L. B?HH9 ?