The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-26
MR.PENDLETON
TALKS OF THE
CONVENTION
PASTOR OF THE FIRST BAPTIST
CHURCH RELATES MATTERS OF
INTEREST RELATIVE TO THE
SOUTHERN BAPTIST coNVEN-
TON.

At the First Baptist church We'd
nesday night Rev. Eugene r. Pendle-
ton, the pastor. in telling OF the South
ern Baptist Convention in Jackson
vile, said:
return feeling personally that we
have the pick of Florida. The breezes
blow freer, and the mosquito -four
isheth less in Pensacola, than else
where.
In Jacksonville last week were two
large conventions of more than two
thousand people each from many
states. When we arrived, we found
elaborate preparations had been made
for both. bunting was displayed on
the streets, places were designated by
flowing canvas signs, and cars were
especially marked for the convenience
of the delegates. For one of these
conventions illuminated words "Wel-
come" hared out over barroom, pool
| room. and places of questionable char
acter and entertainment Men in these
lines of business offered pleasure, de-
bauchery, sin to their visitors, and ex-
pected to fatten on the gain thus ex-
tracted from unwary pockets. On the
other hand, arrangements fer the other
convention were Of different charac-
ter. The best homes opened to 1t.
The hall in which 1t met was lined
with offers Of righteousness and the
Water of Life. The churches bore
electric signs: God is love" and
Welcome" One ideal meant q good
time, filed the resorts with people,
enriched the railroads and hotels on
Sunday at the seaside. The other
filed the churches, engaged in wor
ship and praise. One sought to get
what 1t could out of the town, the
other sought to give what it could.
Which think you was the force for
best citizenship?
The Southern Baptist Conventions
attitude towards civic matters came
up for full discussion under three
particular divisions, namely. First,
the convention went on record strongly
as in favor of law and order, as
against mob violence. The recent
lynching at Lake City is abhorrent to
Baptist ideas of government. 1t is
sickening to the Baptist conscience.
! Also, 1t stands for the enforcement of
| laval law, law protecting human
/ life, law protecting human property,
law protecting human happiness. 1t
can do no other. But, secondly, the
! convention went on record as favoring
| better laws, improved legislation, MAX
| ing the south better place to live in.
Having secured righteous emancipa-
ton from the Louisiana lottery, and
more recently from race track gam
bling Tin Florida) 1t would press on
| against the next great evil, the open
| barroom. Baptists feel that this great
| menace to the forces of law and citi-
zenship is doomed, it's days are num-
bered, but that 1t is high time for
good citizenship to rise out of sleep
| and push the battle. Baptists feel
that these plague-spots are respon-
sible for much of crime in our country,
| and that the removal of the curse will
curb crime. The recent deliverance
on this subject is one of the most
statesmanlike we have yet had and
looks forward to federal aid in this
| reform.
Better Sunday Observance.
The third item of profound interest
to us at this time is a better Sunday
observance. Baptists have never been
sticklers for anything like a Puritanic
| Sabbath, with blue laws, but they
do feel that when, as in Florida, there
is an open Sunday, it is time to call
halt. and see where we are. In our
cities there is no moderation in public
amusement. In Jacksonville, the vilest
shows exhibit Sunday the stands are
all open to sell, and little difference is
seen in the days of the week. And in
the wake of this open Sunday are
other things beyond. You give an
/ inch and an eel is demanded, and now
there is a movement for Sunday base
ball. A story told by a man from the
west may be applied to this subject.
A certain very bald speaker was we'll
under way, when a fly lit on his
crown. He ignored it completely, and
went on. Presently a mosquito lit by
the fly and went into business. The
speaker went on without noticing
either. Directly yellow jacket alight-
ed on the bald place and began bust
ness. He reached up with the re-
mark Nov all of you have got to
get off" We have endured the insult
to good taste and Christian feeling in
order to be broad and charitable. and
give a most liberal Interpretation to
American spirit of independence until
we feel the time has come to have a
J general cleaning up, and that all forces
for righteousness must begin with
| such home matters.
There has been much buncombe
| tamely submitted to by peace-loving
citizens out of regard for false view
of personal liberty. We are awaken
ing to see that the state, the home,
| the church. the coming youth have
some rights as well as the barkeeper
and the bum. On deck a boat on the
river at Jacksonville one evening some
we'll dressed, refined ladies occupied
chairs on the lower deck for a pleas
ure trip. During the ride a tobacco
chewer on the upper deck let go and
spattered two of these ladies until
they had to go to the wash room to
clean. up. One of these ladies was
my wife. How would you have felt
about personal liberty If it had been
your wife? Some of the largest cities
do not any longer allow Sunday the
aires. 1t has been found good gov
eminent to protect the churches and