The German Baptist Union Association, composed of German Baptist churches of the United States and Canada, is holding a convention in the church, corner of Huron and Bickerdike streets. The Association meets once in three years to deliberate on the affairs of the denomination.

The German department of the Rochester Theological Seminary, and the German Baptist Publishing House, at Cleveland, O., will receive a large share of attention during the session, as well as various other enterprises of a denominational character. The convention contains delegates from Canada East and Canada West, and from the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. The exercises were opened by religious services and a sermon by Rev. G. A. Schulte.

The convention organized for business by electing Rev. G. A. Schulte moderator, and Prof. J. Gimmel, of Brooklyn, and Rev. P. Ritter, of 2Cincinnati, as secretaries.

Prof. O. Rauschenbush, of the German department of the Rochester Theological Seminary, made an address showing the department to be in a propserous condition.

Twenty-two young men received instuction at the institution this year. A building for the accomodation of the students in the way of dormitories and dining-rooms was needed, and a recommendation was made for the purchase of such a building in Rochester.

Yesterday morning the committee appointed to examine and report on the course of study, recommended that the course be extended to four years, and that the study of the English branches be made obligatory during the first two years. The report was adopted after considerable discussion, and it was resolved that all German beneficiary students be required to give a pledge in writing binding them to return the amount received as a benefit, in case they ever left the ministry for any other reason than sickness.

The beneficiary students must also be recommended and approved by the church association, and by the educational committee.

The afternoon was occupied with the discussion of a set of resolutions, to the effect that the Association should purchase the building known as the Tracy Female Institute, located at Rochester, to be used for dormitories and dining-rooms by the German students attending the seminary.

Nearly every member had something to say on the subject, and after long and tedious discussion it was decided to make the purchase, by a vote of 48 to 19.

The session will be continued this morning.