Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-23
MAKES AN APPEAL
Booklet on State Missions Ad.
dressed to Bap-
lists.
SUM OF $4,000 IS ASKED
To be Expended in Founding New
Churches and Helping
Others.

Rev. Edward L. Grand, of Normal,
who Is state superintendent of mis-
slons for the Baptist church of Hi
nois. has just completed the prepare
ton of Il general appeal TO be issued
to the Baptist churches of this state
for moral and financial aid in prose
cutting the mission work of the
church. II gives a summary of the
work and sets forth its needs in part
Is follows:
The meeting in Chicago. October.
1903. was one Of the best ever held by
this body. The messengers and vi>i-
tors enrolled numbered SO All the
exercises We're of very high order.
Springfield Will be the place of meet
ing Oct. 1920. 1904. Taking into con-
siGeraticn both the location and out
side attractions. Springfield is the
most desirable city in the state for
the meetings. Many hundreds of
young Baptists in Illinois have never
visited the capitol of the state. This
VIII be fine opportunity for them to
do this. and at the same time attend
the meetings Of the general associa-
ton.
Rev. f. Il. Rogers. ID. d., is the SEN
Tor pastor. and Rev. !. b. Rogers is
the junior pastor. of the Springfield
church. These brethren will earnest
ly assist in making the meeting this
year one of the greatest in the his
tory of the state.
Illinois is increasing in population
more rapidly than any other state in
the union.
1t has some of the most rapidly
growing cities in the United States.
1t is one Of the three or four lead
ing states in its influence to the ma
ton and the world.
Rural Population Changing.
Its rural population is rapidly
changing in character. the American
giving place To the European. thus
greatly weakening many Of our cOun-
try churches.
Illinois has become next to Penn
sylvania the greatest coal mining
state in the union. Many Cf its coal
fields have been developed quite re-
Gently. and many more will be in the
near future. This is giving Il new
population and a new problem in
mission work from Joliet and La
Crosse on the north to the Ohio river
on the south.
The board asks $4,000 this year for
state missions. Is that a large sum
for the more than 1000 white Baptist
churches of Illinois to give for state
One church i'm the
state expended more than $4,000 last
year for its local work; another one
more than $1,000. and still another
more than $1,000, and several 9th
ers more than $4,000 each. and vet
the whole denomination in the state
is asked for only $4,000 for state
missions.
The Baptist denomination holds
some vital fundamental doctrines
that are not taught by other denomi-
We profess to believe these
truths. We. in common with other
Christian people, must make Il vigOr-
Gus effort to save our state from the
powers of evil but in addition to this. |
we must, as Baptists. give the people |
the gospel rs we understand it to he
taught in the word Of God. There is |
no way of expressing our denomina
tiCnal loyalty so effectively as by a |
:
work.
1t is such as the national societies are
net doing and local associations can
not do.
what Is being Done.
The main features of the work are: !
(a)-To plant new churches in |
growing centers of population.
(b)-To aid old churches that are |
divided. weak or pastorless, by send
ng a missionary to spend some time |
among them. Last year the district
and the superintendent
liGed 80 such churches to secure pas
.Ors.
(c)-To aid. in some cases. weak
churches while building a meeting
house. or in paying off an old debt on
he property.