Newspaper Page Text
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-Obe
Vol. 14, No. 21
WHEN a nation or a city is alarmed by
the approach of epidemic disease, what
course is adopted?
' Do the authorities send out a large num
ber of healthy citizens to catch the infection
and bring it into the alarmed community, or
do they quarantine against it?
If the authorities should open the way sos
the entrance of the plague, they would be con
sidered insane, and if they should send forth
large numbers of sound men to contract the
pestilence and bring it in, they would be con-,
sidered criminal.
Now consider this foreign horror which’
goes by the name of Prussian militarism:
.what is the best way to treat it? 1
Should ire shut it out, or should we send a
QudUion men to cat oh it?
As long as Prussian militarism stays in
Prussia, its none of our business.
If that is what the Germans like, let them
have it.
We have not discussed the existence of au
tocracy in Japan: we have not bothered our
heads about autocracy in Spain: we made no
protest against the autocracy of Russia.
Why have we suddenly become responsible
for the universe?
To show you how wildly vague are the
prevailing notions about our embarking upon
the European War, I will quote the preamble
to Dr. Gambrell’s resolution adopted by the
Southern Baptist Convention, a few days
ago:
ALMOST the whole of the Christian Index
_ is occupied by Rev. Alex W. Bealer’s
lucid report on the proceedings of the 62nd
Convention of Southern Baptist churches,
held in New Orleans.
' Our readers may appreciate a few items
taken from this report.
Dr. B. F. Riley, of Birmingham, Ala., has
lieen engaged to write a history of the Bap
tists of the South. The book is expected to
be composed during the current year.
The facts as to Bible distribution are re
markable.
I quote the official report:
BI BLE DISTRIBUTION.
We have now at our disposal for Bible distri
bution the annual income on $45,000.00, in addi
tion to the sum''annually contributed by the Wo
man’s Missionary Union. Yet, during the last
year, though we met all applications, only sl,-
165.49 of these amounts was needed. If it is
the will of the Convention, your Board will in
vite during the new year from the Foreign Board
and the Home Board and various State Boards
proposed pains for adequately supplying the Scrip
tures on all fields wnere Southern Baptists are
workipg.
The statistical report of Dr. Lansing Bur
rows contains the following:
THE GREAT WAR, PRUSSIAN MILITARISM, AND THE
RECONSTRUCTION OF MODERN CIVILIZATION
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION.
Thomson, Ga., Thursday, May 31, 1917
The Southern Baptist Convention, assembled in
the City of New Orleans, May 19th, 1917, repre
senting the views commonly held by the Baptists
everywhere- contemplating with mingled feelings
of sorrow and hope the conflict of the great na
tions, which we recognize as a struggle of mili
tarism, autocracy ami special privilege against the
simple, fundamental, indefeasible and inalienable
human rights.
Can you imagine a more indefinite declara
tion, as to the purposes which drag us into
the quicksand?
Is “autocracy” confined to any one nation?
Is special privilege a European monopoly?
Is militarism a local curse?
It is a most lamentable fact, that there isn't
a government on earth that is not afflicted
with one or the other of these evils; and any
one who knows about the land monopoly in
England, the special privileges of American
manufacturers, and the militarism even of
Switzerland, will read with astonishment Dr.
Gambrell’s statement that we are going to
cross an ocean 3,000 miles wide, in order that
we may help—with blood and treasure —crush
the soldier-business in Germany.
The Gambrell resolution further declared,
as to our aim in the War:
We insist that in the reconstruction of modern
civilization now going on that the President of the
United States and his counsellors, whom Provi
dence has thrust into th£ leadership of advancing
civilization shall, in the final adjustment of the
issues involved, see to it that everywhere religious
persecutions shall cease, that preaching and the
There are now 24,602 churches in the South,
an increase of 351 over last year. During the
year there were 160,497 baptisms which was a
decrease from last year of 7,738.
. Since last year 11,319 people were restored to
fellowship in the Southern churches and 40,6 74
were turned out of the churches or had their
names erased.
There were 22,994 deaths reported from the
churches of the South during the year. In the
South there are 2,744,098 Baptists, 58,546 more
than there were last year.
Dr. Burrows’ report further shows—•
The value of church property for this year was
$61,159,186.00, an increase of $618,000 over last
year. The contributions for local exxpenses were
$10,182,873 and for missions and. other benevo
lences $2,753,010, which was an increase of sl,-
13 4,119 over the amount given last year.
The total number of colored Baptistsn/in the
South is 2,150,900. There are in the out
side of the Convention territory, Bap
tists, making a total for the United States of
6,233,757. In Canada there are 137,922, in
Mexiro, West Indies and Central America 57,94,3,
in Brazil, Argentine and China 1 6.853, in Great
Britain 4 08,029 and in Europe, Asia, Africa and
Australia 115,614, making a total of 6.970,118
Baptists in all the world.
When these figures are carefully studied,
they leave you amazed at the local character
of the Baptist church.
exercise of religion shall be free to every human
soul.
I give the above because it fairly represents
current opinion.
Dr. Gambrell spoke for his resolution, and
was vigorously applauded. lli> resolutions
were enthusiastically adopted, and they were
published as the official voice of nearly three
million white Baptists.
Is a "reconstruction of modern civilization
now going on?”
Did the Almighty thrust President W ilson
into a second term ?
When I hear a minister of the Gospel, talk
ing to a great gathering of brother ministers,
and telling them, in effect, that God elected
to have seven million soldiers slain, and seven
million homes desolated, as a preliminary to
a ‘‘reconstruction of modern - civilization." L
confess my inability to understand that con
ception of God and of religion.
Not one of those private soldiers was in the
least responsible for autocracy, special privi
lege, or militarism.
Those who were responsible are still alive,
occupying the high seats in life.
If Christian civilization needed “recon
struction." after the religion of Christ had
been supreme for 1.000 years, who was at
fault ?
Never have I known the churches to wage
bloodless but earnest wars against autocracy,
special privilege, and militarism.
(continued on page two.)
The Southern whites and blacks constitute
the bulk of communicants.
Great Britain was the birthplace of the
modern Baptist church, and yet its numbers
are small.
Is it possible that in China we have so few
adherent’s that Dr. Burrows had to lump them
with Brazil and Argentina, to save appear
ances?
Less than 16,853 Baptists among the Chi
nese, after so many generations of effort, and
the expenditure of such huge sums of money?
Only 115,614 Baptists in continental Eu
rope. Asia. Africa, and Australia!
If Dr. Burrows would tell us what, propor
tion the 16,853 Baptists in Brazil. Argentina,
and China bear to the whole number that have
been educated, doctored, fed, and clothed, he
would command attention.
Our people have not been told how many
thousands of the Chinese they build schools
for and expensively educate, but who never
Isccom e ('h ristians.
These Orientals take the education, but do
not change their religion.
Revolve this question in your own mind:
Suppose our churches had limited their mis
(CONTINUED ON I’AGE FOUR.)
Price. Five Gents