Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-08-03
HnH w STEPHENS.

lQk Tue noIlu . DaPtiaN S0o 'SHe'ee
London. says:
One of the American guests, whom
all delegates open their eyes to see, Is
the Hon E. W. Stephens, the first
President Of the new Union Of all the
Baptists in the United States In my
few minutes with him he kindly gave
me the history OF the various Baptist
Unions OF America, going right back
TO 1914 and to ls45, when the slavery
issue was acute, and led to the forma-
tion OF the Southern, as distinct from
the Northern, Baptist Convention.
"Our new Union,H said he, in ex-
PLANTATION. "does not interfere in the
least with our denominational organ
iEation, North or South. 1t is a fra
ternal Conference. This World Con-
gress Itself, take it, is an enlarged
expression Of the same spirit. One
factor at work has been the percep-
tion that our missions have to CO.
operate with each other. For this
reason alone IL is OF the utmost i'm
portance that good relations should be
established. But not a coalition
some OF our people are touchy about
that-simply a federation.
ats purposes are necessarily pros
pective. But the effect OF it is already
most happy. II has a happy effect
upon other denominational move
ments in America, particularly upon
the two branches OF Presbyterians
who are watching the action Of the
BaptistS. :.
las to the Baptists OF America, "
Mr.. Stephens continued, I'VE have
never divided on doctrine; we all be-
llieye practically the same thing. And
you may take it from me that there Is
lpo denomination iu America SO unit
led, harmonious, aggressive and pro
gressive. Yes" he repeated, emphas'
ising again the four points united
harmonious, aggressive, progressive.
For five-and-thirty years the Hon
Z. w. Stephens has sat in the editor
Iial chair, and what he does not know
about American State journalism j
not worth knowing. He is the Presi
dent Of the American National Edi
. torial Association, and after our Con
gress is over he goes to Liege, in Be
glum. to attend the Worlds Pres
Congress. He is a man OF many pre-
sidencies. In addition to his Baptis
presidency Of the New Union, he
also the President of the Baptist Stat
Convention, of the Southern Baptis
Association, and of the Baptist Cor
vention OF North America. And Il
q addition to these positions he is, q
V already stated, the President OF th
National Association.
5 ''Our British journalism" said |
S suggestiyely.
ri alt seems TO me that English papel
; should print more American new
4 That is one great mistake you al
d making. You give strangers the in
l. preston that you care nothing aboI
It America"
p "But we do" l protested.
ayes; / happen to know that. Thel
d is evidently a most cordial feelir
}, everywhere. A great improvement
q on few years ago Your sympath
r. tic attitude at the time OF the Spa
n- ish. merlcan War is not forgotte
ID As America becomes more adsanc'
Is and grows older, there will be an !
"a crease OF good feeling between u.s."
N "But talk TO me about our new
n papers, - said |, attempting to swift
Perhaps we are a little too fllppar
but there is lack OF sprlghtline
with you. Your long editorials strll
us, and the absence OF the short par
graph. Any one who reads the hea
lines in an American paper gets at Il
news; here one is compelled TO re;
through the article II he wants
'e know anything. Then your large, u
e wieldy sheets OF paper give us Il
II idea that you Britishers must ha'
J. plenty OF time on your hands"
N Newspapers out there print wh;
will sell the paper, and we recognii
e the fact that people want religion
d news. Monday mornings papers, Il
n instance, always print reports OF th
) Sundays sermons. All our papel
e have religious editors, not perhaps d.
0 voting whole time to 1t, but special
d responsible for religious happening
e "How much space would your Lor
a don Times give to the meeting las
I night, l wonder?"
In reply suggested that be nigh
require the aid Of a powerful micro!
lcope.
well, all l can say is that it is yer
a different with us. Leading papers ii
, the States would give two and thre
, pages to the meetings of Baptis
Convention. What space they woull
, give to Worlds Congress it is i'm
possible to say
Here at this Congress l conside
you have a splendid representation O
Americans. Every board is represent
ed-North and South-by its secre
taries. In looking down the program
me this feature has struck meth,
vast number Of really representative
men who are here. And don't forget
TOO, that you have several Of the edi
tors Of the largest American Baptist
newspapers.
VI consider IL most interesting
Congress. Talk about enthusiasm
We Americans came over here expect.
Ing to find you slow and cold. 1t 4
just the opposite. Why, / have seen
more enthusiasm here than / have
ever seen all my years in any religious
body In America. In the Southern
Baptist Convention applause is ruled
out OF order, and just look what you
are doing every day"
"In moving about, one OF the fea-
lures which strikes me is the great
gentleneSs and courtesy of nature and
manner which one finds everywhere.
anticipated certain reserved
aristocratic airs, but it is exactly the