The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-18
Affairs Of the Missionary Union, O.
Home Mission Society and PubIica-
ton Society TO BE Considered.
CONSOLIDATION IS PROPOSED
BUT MANY DELEGATES THINK THE
TIME Is NOT YET RIPE.
Church Not Growing I'm and
There Is Movement owards Great
err Efficiency and

Special 10 the indianapolis Journal.
ST. PAUL. Mimi. May Iz-About 1000 OF
the brightest men and women among the
Baptists OF the North are TO be here next
week, beginning on the 18th. TO hear re-
ports Of the three great Baptist mission
airy societies. the Union of Boston, the
Home Mission of New York, and the Pub
LEGATION OF Philadelphia. and 10 decide what
ought to be done 10 increase the efficiency
Of these benevolent administrations. Col
lectively, these Baptist gatherings are
called the May anniversaries The visitor
10 national Baptis, meetings. say the Ami
versaries, TO Presbyterian meetings. like
the General Assembly. 10 Methodist gather
ings, like the General Conference. or 10
Episcopal. like the General Convention.
notes the fact that temperament seems TO
play a larger part in these religious divi-
sions than does doctrine. The experienced
observer can. without hearing measures or
names. distinguish between these meetings
merely by the appearance and bearing Of
the people who attend them.
Baptists come here this year I'm a state
of unrest and dissatisfaction with the man
agement of all three OF their missionary
societies. A feeling pervades the denomi-
nation that something ought TO be done TO
secure greater efficiency and economy.
Consolidation is in the air in the abstract.
but applied to actual Baptist affairs the
plan has gained few adherents. and the So
cieties will not be consolidated. At any
rate they will not be consolidated this year.
A proposition was made that delegates to
these anniversaries should be chosen from
associations and not from the churches di-
rect. This suggestion seems TO meet with
little favor because it removes the socie-
ties from the close control OF those who
give through them.
The third plan has been to devise a uni
form basis of representation in all three
societies. This has been agreed TO gener-
ally, and it is likely 10 be adopted. II will
result in the same delegates sitting as con-
stituent members and managers of all three
societies. Baptist anniversaries, at least
those of the North. have always been SO
democratic and so voluntary that anybody
came into the meetings who wanted TO do
so. voted If he chose and thus helped to
run things, although he may have been the
least among Baptists and represented little
if anything. II is proposed hereafter 10
have delegates sit by themselves in the
body of the hall as do delegates TO most
other bodies. But this innovation. which
Baptists count somewhat radical, will not
be put into effect in St. Paul this year. 1t
will do well if it do so next year.
COOPERATION QUESTION.
The Missionary Union has a committee
Of nine which will report here during its
meeting upon the relation Of all three So
~cieties. The Publication Society. while II
has no committee. has it in it's programme
TO consider such relation, and throughout
Home Mission Society interests the matter
Of coordination and cooperation has been
discussed with more or less warmth, often
more, for several years. 1t is the collec-
ton part Of the business that chiefly con-
Germs the unions committee OF nine, but 50
widespread is the interest that its report
will involve the whole matter of the rela-
ton of the societies.
Baptists Of the whole country have in
vested in educational interests s45.O 600.
The Missionary Union sent into the foreign
field year before last $4,000. and it usually
spends about that sum per year. The Pub
LEGATION Society has two departments, one
its business. the other it's missionary. From
the one it receives annually $4,000 and
from the other $4,000. The Home Mission
Society has an income Of about 10000 a
year. Here is a total exceeding S2.2o0.00 a
year. All Of it comes exclusively from
Baptists North. The Education Society
represents Baptists South as well as North,
and it often adds to endowment funds OF
Baptist educational institutions as much as
$4,000 in single years.
Another possible change in benevolent adj
ministration is the closer alliance between
the women's societies and the Home Mis-
sion Society. The latter is quite willing TO
accept the change, but IL remains 20 be
seen whether the women will agree 10 IL.
The famous chapel cars are likewise under
discussion. These are controlled by the
Publication Society. and are now eight in
number. The railroads haul them free. and
they go from town TO town. serving as
church for a time. and then proceeding
elsewhere. Their work is criticised 10 the
extent that it is charged that when the
car quits the place the church goes 10
pieces and has 10 be organized again next
year or the year after. The Publication
Society has a missionary department, and
in that it conflicts 10 some extent with the
Home Missionary Society.
There is a proposition to turn the chapel
cars and perhaps all missionary work OF
the Publication Society over 10 the Home
Mission Society. But the Publication So
ciety feels that the cars are a trust II
cannot divest itself of. and the Home Mis-
sion Society feels. it is said. that the chap
clear method is a mistake. and does not
want the care Of the cars.
THREE PRINCIPAL BODIES.
There are three principal bodies OF Bap-
lists in the United States. These are the
White Baptists North, the White Baptists
South and the Southern Negro Baptists.
The largest of these bodies is the White
Baptists South. some single Southern
States having as many Baptsts as all
other denominations together. For exam
pie, North Carolina Baptists number 49,
900: Alabama. 32oOOo; Texas. $4,000; Viz
ginia. $4,000. and Georgia 10000. The total.
all kinds in all States. reaches the large
number Of four and one-quarter millions.
But Baptists are not growing In numberA
II is true that there has been some revision
OF church rolls and a cutting of OF un-
known memberships. but the standstil
l. 49, -