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LA YMEN’S MISSION A RY MO VEMENT
WO years ago the Georgia Baptist Con
vention appointed a Laymen’s Mission
ary Committee to organize the work in
Georgia. At the last convention, held in
Dublin, this was reinforced and strength
ened, and F. L. Mallary of Macon was
made the chairman.
The movement in the Georgia Baptist
Convention was in line with the action
T
taken by the Southern Baptist Convention, and was
the outgrowth of the general movement, which, orig
inating In the little haystack prayer meeting over one
hundred years ago, was organized in New York about
three years ago, at an anniversary celebration of the
prayer meeting.
The reorganization of the Georgia Baptist Com
mittee under the leadership of F. L. Mallary was the
signal for an advance all along the line. With his ac
customed way of doing things, he took vigorous hold,
and set about immediately to push the work through
out the State. He gathered about him a select num
ber of men true and tried in the work, and began at
once the task of arousing Baptist Laymen in Georgia
on missions.
The Atlanta Campaign, which was organized and
conducted under the auspices of this committee, was
projected for the special purpose of enthusing the
laymen in the churches composing the Atlanta As
sociation.
The Baptist Ministers’ Conference set aside Sun
day, March 20, for the Laymen, and turned over their
pulpits to them at the Sunday morning hour, a ban
quet was planned at the New Kimball House for Sat-,
urday evening before, and a rally of Baptists at the
First Baptist Church Sunday afternoon.
The Campaign is now a matter of history, and to
There seems to be a tendency on
the part of some young people to
make light of everything that is said
or written against dancing. I have
often heard some of my friends say,
on reading such an article, “Oh,
that’s some old fogy who has forgot
ten that he was young once himself.”
Lest any one should take that atti
tude toward the following lines, let
me say that the writer is still in his
twenties but he has seen much of the
wreck and misery which the dance has
wrought among .his friends, and knows
whereof he speaks. Not long ago, one
of my dearest friends told me of his
downfall as the result of dancing. He
is a member of a Baptist church, and
comes from a respectable family.
About a year ago he began to dance,
at first merely as an occasional pas
time, but later he went more often
until he had formed a regular habit.
One night the temptation was too
strong for him and after leaving the
dance hall, like scores of other boys,
he went to the “red light” district and
while there he contracted a vile dis
ease that will stay with him through
life. As he told me of his misfortune
he said over and over again, “Oh, if
I had never learned to dance I would
have been all right today.”
Yet, we see those every day who
will say there is no harm in dancing,
and, sad to say, many of these are
church members and call themselves
Christians. Not long ago my father
was forced to give up a pastorate in
one church because he preached a
sermon against dancing. Ido not,
pretend to be a minister, but I say
God pity a church that has got so far
away from His ways as to place their
stamp of approval on this institution
which is the devil’s strongest weap
on in young lives.
Dancing vs. Decency
Sy J. E. H.
say that it accomplished its purpose, is a mild state
ment of a splendid fact. It was an inspiring sight to
see considerably over one hundred picked Baptist
laymen at a banquet, met for the distinct purpose of
discussing the affairs of a world-wide Kingdom; it
was an inspiring sight to see such an occasion graced
by the presence of three Baptist Governors of Geor
gia, all interested in the world-wide proclamation of
the gospel; it was an inspiring experience to listen
to the testimony of laymen, who believe in the Great
Commission, and who are willing to devote their time,
experience and money to carrying it out.
After a very delightful menu, speeches were made
by Dr. B. D. Gray, Secretary of the Home Mission
Board, Prof. J. T. Henderson, of Bristol, Tenn., Cor
responding Secretary of the Laymen’s Missionary
Movement of the Southern Baptist Convention, Gov
ernor Joseph M. Brown, Ex-Gov. W. J. Northen, Clar
ence Mason, of Charlotte, N. C., and others. The
meeting adjourned at 10:30 o’clock, and proved a
splendid preparation for the services the next day.
At 11 o’clock Sunday morning all the principal pul
pits of the city were occupied by visiting laymen,
who, under the power of the Spirit, literally thrilled
the large congregations who heard them. It was a
great, and an Apostolic sight to see and hear the
voices of these laymen, some of whom had traveled
five hundred miles and all of whom paid their own
expenses to “gossip” the gospel. It had a telling ef
fect, and many were the splendid experiences related
afterwards.
Sunday afternoon a splendid meeting in point of
results accomplished was held in the First Baptist
Church. Echoes from the morning services were
heard, followed by two splendid addresses from Dr.
B. D. Gray and Prof. J. T. Henderson.
I have never yet known of a danc
ing Christian who amounted to much
as a worker in the church. For sev
eral years, as a young boy, I sat in a.
Sunday-school class under the teach
ing of a woman who had room in her
life for the dance, the theatre and
the card table. She had no influence
with the boys in the class and won
dered why they were not brought to
Christ, when she herself was serving
mammon and we knew it. Christ says,
“Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
He does not say ye had better not, or
ye may not, but ye cannot. The Greek
word used in this passage is “dun
amai,” which means to have the pow
er or ability. In other words, such
service is impossible. How, then, can
a man or woman who does the works
of mammon claim to be serving God?
A common sense view of the dance
ought to convince any fair-minded per
son that it should not be tolerated in
decent society. On the ball room
floor a man takes positions with his
partner that, if taken in a parlor or
in any regular walk of life, would con
stitute good grounds for a divorce suit.
Why then should such indecency be
allowed under the guise of dancing,
simply because there is soft light and
sensuous music to accompany it?
Sometimes I wish that some of the
people who think the dance is harm
less, could see and hear the things
which happen after the dance is over
and the fellows get together. Many a
high school boy has lost his honor
at just such times as this. And the
talk that passes between the boys on
these occasions would be enough to
cause almost any parent to make a
vow that no child of his should ever
attend another dance with his consent.
Wer e i to tell some of these things
(Continued on Page 16.)
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The climax came Monday morning at the Minis
ters Conference when Prof. Henderson addressed the
Baptist ministers and laymen present on the working
features of the movemnt. It turned into an institute
and many questions were asked, and-much confusion
cleared up. At the conclusion everything, it seemed,
melted and ran together, and the meeting broke up
with a splendid manifestation of the Lord’s presence
and power.
It is not to be doubted that history was made in
Atlanta the past few days in a Baptist way. As the
result of the splendid insipration received, the At
lanta churches are going forward on missions, greater
gifts are going to be made, more of them, also, and
burdens are going to be lifted from the shoulders of
pastors and secretaries, that will mean great things
for the Kingdom of Heaven.
I?
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION.
The Southern Baptist Convention will be held in
Baltimore, Md., May 11-17. Rates of all lines will
be given by the secretaries a little later. Tickets
will include the great Sunday School Convention
which will be held in Washington immediately fol
lowing the Southern Baptist Convention. For ac
commodation at hotels and boarding houses apply
to Mr. Wm. Edgar Byrd, 213 Courtland St., Balti
more. A list of these hotels and boarding houses
will be ready for distribution about April Ist.
W. H. BAYLOR,
Chairman Executive Committee.
*
Cheer the Editor’s heart by sending
in your subscription to The Golden
Age now.
9
