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it T H E JI (library) c- t>a V ~ J /«M|| . Bey /fc l —^»^S?SS3^--7® Y IN VOLU ME TWO NUMBER FOURTEEN. MARVELOUS MISSIONARY MOVEMENT (Editorial Correspondence.) Richmond! Richmond and soldiers! But not the charging legions of Grant nor the defending Gray lines of Jackson and Lee! They are the marching, militant soldiers of the Cross —with hearts aflame like another army of Crusaders, giving battle to the Saracens of sin. Many great things have been done during this session of the Southern Baptist Convention, but when all is done that may be done the climax of interest and memory will gather about that late hour on Friday night, after stirring speeches by J. W. Bailey of North Carolina, and George W. Truitt of Texas, when Walker Brooks of Rome, Georgia, made an impassioned appeal for men to invest in the kingdom of God like they invest in the kingdom commercial, and then launched the most wonderful campaign the South, at least, has ever seen by the startling announcement that he would give FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS—Five Thousand a Year for Ten Years—to help send the gospel to the lost in foreign lands! Dr. R. J. Willingham rushed to his side and said: “Do you people realize what this brother lias said? He has declared that he intends to give Fifty Thousand Dollars to foreign missions—five thousand dollars a year for ten years to send the Light to those in darkness!” The great convention was dazed. No such thing had ever taken place before in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention! Hundreds of hearts burst into singing: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” A little gray-haired man cut in the audience rushed up on the platform and threw his arms around Walker Brooks and mingled his tears of rejoicing with the happy tears of that happy Chris tian lawyer. It was Dr. R. B. Headden. the pastor of the man who had placed this glorious gift on the altar. Dr. Willingham looked as if he would crush this epoch-making giver to his heart! It was an nounced that another man had said. “Send out ten new missionaries and send the bill to me. ’ ’ The hour was late and a general offering was not asked for, yet a number stood here and there and pledged —some themselves and some their treasure. Heaven kissed the wondrous scene. Next day men and women were saying on all sides: “Well, after all, we have never done anything for missions. God help us to love .and live and give a hundred fold more than ever before.” The Layman’s Meeting. The gift of W. W. Brooks only prepared the way for the great Layman’s Meeting held on Sunday aft ernoon at the First Baptist Church. Nothing like it, either, was ever before held since the organiza tion of the convention in 1844. The auditorium was packed, floor and galleries with men —chiefly plain, earnest business men who have been wonderfully awakened to the thought, W. W. brooks of Georgia, Gibes Fifty Thousand Dollars During Southern "Baptist Contention — Starts Campaign For Ten Million. ATLANTA, GA., MAY 23, 1907. “Let us play no more, but live and work like men redeemed for other men who are lost.” Capt. Frank Cunningham, the beloved business man and sweet gospel finger of Richmond, had ar ranged a progyam of stirring music. Earnest pray ers followed. Ex-Gov. William J. Northen, one of the most honored and consecrated of our lay men, presided over the meeting, presenting as the first speaker, Mr. Morney Williams, a great Chris tian lawyer of New York, who was one of the orig inators of the Layman’s Movement. Mr. Williams spoke in beauty and power on “God's Call to Every Man.” He was followed by Joshua Lovering, the great but humble merchant prince of Baltimore, from whose home, of wealth his own daughter has gone to the foreign field. He showed in a clear, businesslike way how Christian business men can send the gospel to “every creature,” according to the Lord's command within the next twenty-five years, if they will work according to business prin ciples and give like they say they love. Many other brief speeches were made—one man declaring that he had determined not simply to give one-tenth hereafter, but half of his entire in come. The Layman’s Meeting revealed the only spirit that will conquer. The convention honored itself by re-electing Pres ident E. W. Stephens, the vise, handsome, great hearted layman of Missouri, and likewise Secre taries Lansing Burrows and 0. F. Gregory, who have been secretaries for a quarter of a century and will continue, doubtless, till the judgment day, if they live that long. Richmond’s Missionary Mayor. Hon. Carlton McCarthy, the mayor of Richmond, who was delightfully introduced by Dr. J. B. Hut son. the beloved Nestor of Richmond pastors, proved himself to be more than a mayor giving welcome witiiin the city’s gate, and a preacher of truth as well. He spoke in eloquent consonance with the Layman’s Missionary Movement, welcoming the hosts of God’s people as those who could take the world for Christ in this generation if they would only mean business. The response was from Dr. J. B. Gambrell —that is enough to say —for people always feel that they have had a shower bath in August when he speaks. The Convention Sermon. Dr. A. J. Dickenson, of Birmingham, preached the convention sermon on “Messianic Religion,” from the Master’s words, “My peace I leave with you,” etc. He declared “that the religion of Christ was not merely a religion for all men, but the religion for ALL of man. There is nothing that a Chris tian man can ever feel, think or do that this r.eli-* gion does not, or should not, touch.” “Out of Debt—But In Again.” Over $400,000 for foreign missions and $231,000 for home! “Out of debt,” said Dr. Willingham. • ‘ when the books closed, but now we are in again— for our expenses are over a thousand dollars a day.” These gifts are vastly better than they used to be but only a pittance compared with the millions of dollars that are coming to send thousands of preachers at home and abroad. Beautiful Incident at Ford’s Hotel. One of the most beautiful and touching incidents that occurred during the Convention in Richmond took place in the dining room of Ford’s Hotel. The guests were at breakfast. Dr. J. B. Hawthorne, “the grand old man,” who was easily the hero of the Convention, and the most beloved and com manding figure in all the vast gathering in Rich mond. sat beside the comely consort who has blessed his life for nearly half a century. Unex pectedly to many of the guests, and wholly un known to Dr. Hawthorne, Dr. IT. W. Battle, of Greensboro, N. C., arose and spoke to the expect ant company. The waiters stood still, astonished, and the guests with knife or fork half poised, lis tened with delight while Dr. Battle delivered in substance the following beautiful impromptu speech—rich in flowing periods, and brimming with tender and lofty sentiment: “I have been asked to present to Dr. J. B. Hawthorne this cane, as a slight testimonial of admiration and affection, from a number of his brethren, guests of this hotel, who eagerly take this opportunity to pay heart-tribute to our worthy friend and peerless preacher. It may not be inap propriate for me to say that this little love-incident originated in the generous heart of the venerable and distinguished brother, Dr. D. W. Gwin, who immediately preceded Dr. Hawthorne in pastorates at Montgomery and Atlanta, and who now graces by his presence this circle of sympathetic and con genial friends. “In the providence of God many men are en dowed with qualities which command the admiration of their fellows. They are to be congratulated for such special dud shining endowments equip them for high and beneficent service. More happy I count that man wfro, while extorting admiration at the behest of imperial genius, wins hearts by the tender magnetism of a nobility of character too strong to stoop,too pure to wear the tinge of dis honor. too lofty to envy, and too unselfish to with hold the golden treasures of love answering to love. Southern Baptists—indeed all who know him '-—have long accorded to J. B. Hawthorne their ad miration; and now, as the glory of the evening shadows falls about the majestic form, they perceive that their admiration is encircled by a deathless aureole of love. Beloved, beyond the reach of words, almost beyond the reach of thought, this is a token of heart-throbs! (Concluded on Page 12.) TWO DOLLARS A YEAR. FIVE CENTS A COPY.