Held in Peace Baptist Church, Talladega, November, 1891. The same
officers were re-elected, and also the same missionaries, except that
Rev. C. R. Rodgers was chosen to fill the place made vacant by Bro.
Pollard’s resignation. A grand session--never before in our history
had our business seemed to be so much in the hands and hearts of wise,
cultivated men and women. The Rev. Mr. Parks and Hon. James White,
of Chattanooga, were with us. The mayor of Talladega, pastors of
white churches, and everybody else, gave us a word of encouragement
and expressed themselves as pleased and profited by our presence.
Prof. Peterson, a recent member of the faculty of Selma University,
was introduced to Alabama Baptists. One hundred and fifty churches
and forty associations, besides Sunday school conventions and Sunday
schools, were represented by two hundred messengers. The year’s income
from all sources was reported by financial agents as footing up to
$12,440. Statistical secretary reported as follows: “Seven hundred
and eighteen churches and fifty-eight associations. Twenty-eight
of the associations give an aggregate membership of 83,000. Thirty
associations have failed to report their numbers.”
Dr. C. S. Dinkins had been operating an academy at Marion, for the
use of which he had paid $1,000. Our school property increased in
value from $3,000 to $30,000. The president of our Convention, W.
R. Pettiford, was at this time president of a successful banking
enterprise. Last, and perhaps least, one of our number had made an
humble contribution to the literature of the denomination in the form
of a little book entitled “_Plain Theology for Plain People_.” Thus had
we grown in twenty-four years.
Before the next session Dr. McAlpine was made teacher of institutes,
under the Southern Board.