The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-05

RETARDED.
'Mr. Pollard Says Church Rows
Keep Baptlsts Here ',l Back.
IrHlslONE OF THE CAUSES.
Writer Says that Baptist Equipment 9
Essentially Lacking IL Machinery
for Crushing the Unruly
IL Brother Il

with q Wow to giving to the Southern
Baptist Convention, which meets this
week In Savannah, a bird s-eye View Of
\ the progress Of the denon,inat Ion ~ the ~,
\ Will print In It's Forthcoming !ssue 9
symposium consisting OF letters from sew
eral points, including Baltimore, Louis.
y vile B Atlanta, New Orleans, Norfolk ana
vicinity, and Richmond. E.
All OF the articles are interesting n
4 The extreme, or Will be when they ap.
4 pear, but the one on Richmond, prepares e
Known attorney. ~ unusually spicy. IT
can hardly to said to be encouraging
"a q ROyvTI IN RICHMOND. .s
4 1t does not show the situation ter be
what IL might from a. UNCONVENTIONAL
point Of view, and Mr.. Pollard attempts
\ to place his finger upon the weak spots.
n doing % h n makes q y zone
'"rhe growth Of Richmond Baptistst
4 however, has not been encouraging. Be.
tween 1877 and 1882 their percentage Of
d growth was So !! be tween 1882 and 1882 It
was a. while during the last decade II
fell to co. 1t Is diffcult to explain this
Of growth, but tho writer suggests that
) It may be due partly to the following
causes:
Y u. "A marked falling OF in the interest
Of he churches In their Sunday schools.
In 1899 the enrolment Of the Sunday
schools was 50 per cent. as great as the
enrolment OF the churches, while in 1902
the percentage had fallen to Il, 3j5
70. During the last decade many Of
our churches have been engaged In re-
building or Improving their houses OF Ror-
( ship, and u much Of the energy Of the
members has been Il expended in raising
large amounts Of money thus diy erting
attention from soul say Ing to money
i Ing. y e !. 81
4 from some unseemly and bitter church
and denominational controversies. which
I could but retard our ,Erowt h. The Bap-
p lists are no more rrelsome than other
+ denominations, a&b but our Baptist equip
ment Is essentially lacking in ma chtnery
for crushing the unruly brother. Il his
4 own religion does not stay HIS $destrucu I've
hand, the deadly work usually continues
without let or hindrance.
~. Older Baptis IA G tell me that siour
pastors and SSunday-school teachers are
not emphasizing our distinctive prihci-
h pies rs much as formerly The Bapttsts
Df Richmond are excelled by other de.
nominations In average culture, tn
4 and influence. We excel only In nuEn-
i bers and In tho impre gnability Of. Jour
u principles. To cease. TO en- haslxSt these
Il principles IS 70 cease to grow. NJ n IN
..Our5respects;fo for future growth and de-
I selopment are sbrig ht. Our six teen church
h houses are handsome, convenient md
4 We'll located. OUR d .rnhership s.aboun da
4 ii, men OF culture. wealth. influence and
4 religion. Our pulpits are hlIed by able
and consecrated mi niaters. II we do not
/. In q the next decade o. ccomplish great or
things towards saving Richmond I'VE will
be lamcntably nnfal thtul to the great
commission which God has entrusted to
y ps,' 53sf}s Ell ii n, ~ III
y: HOW IT Is IN NORFOLK rs
The article dealing with the situation
In Norfolk and vicinity was prepared by
I Dr.. "A. p. Owen. " I nd i show the .situs-
stion there 10 be most encouraging. $50
In percentage" says Dr. Owen. tthe Bap.
Il nominations. and have grown very much
more than the populat on. Il, ~