The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-17
VICTORY FOR ADVOCATES
OF CENTRAlIZiNG PLAN
Portion of Efficiency Com minsion's Re-
port Recommending No Change
Ordered RECONSTRUCTED.
ACTION WILL re TAKEN IN 1915
Headquarters of Laymens' Movement
ChanSed-Presenf Day Literature
and Drama Condemned.

Nashville, Tenn. May 16.-After q
two days debate. advocates OF CEN
Trailing the three important boards
OF the Southern Baptist Convention won
what IS considered Il victory when the
delegates to-day voted to refer for
reconsideration the portion OF the ef-
ilciency commissions report. recon-
mending that the boards be main
tanned as ut present. AS now consti
tuted. they are the foreign mission
board. at Richmond; the home mission
board, at atlanta. Ga. and the Sunday
school board. At Nashville.
Before entering into consideration or
the efficiency commits sion's report TO-
day, the convention formally was pre-
scented with the new building OF the
sunday school board here. and decided
upon Houston, Texas, as the next meet
ing place In May. 1915. The presenta-
tion exercises were featured by Prcsi-
dent Lansing Burrows's address. in
which he eNcoriated present-day lit
craturc and drama.
The convention also approved the re-
port OF the nomination committee, Sc
lecting officers for the various board
When the discussion OF the efficiency
commissions report was resumed to-
day. DR.. Il. G. Dargan. OF Macon, Ga.
chairman OF the commission. arose to
point OF personal privilege. and Ga
planned The action of the commission
III making the recommendations
REPEATED DELIBERATIONS
BEFOKE COMMITrEE ACTS
Some people think" he said. that
because the report Wa not revolution
airy. we have not given the matter
proper thought. This is great mis-
take. ana the commissions action was
the result of repeated deliberations by
subconmittees and the whole COM
mission"
I'VE do not want to be rcvolu-
tionary." T.. c. Mcconnell. of Waco,
Tex, stated. but we believe there
should be progress. The day is near
at hand when there will be only three
great Christian bodies. the Baptists,
the Catholics and the Fedcralists. And
about a NTH OF our 3aptists will bo
among the Federalists. We are on the
verge of great upheaval. q Christian
catacIysm."
The speaker asserted that there was
need for action in this great crisis"
He assured his hearers that his re-
marks were not to he Interpreted as
being unfavorable 10 the present mem
bers OF the three boards. but express
ed the belief that the present board
system needed changing to IA central
organization. II do not want to be
quoted AZ crlticiZing our boards" he
added. "lf We do not appear satisfied
with the report IL Is because OF the
great swell of our hearts for some-
thing something better"
ONLY FEW AMENDMENTS
IO BALANCE OF REPORT
Several expressions of opinion were
offered at this point. but the speeches
were terminated by a motion to con-
slider the remainder of the report. and
take up the disputed clauses later
There WAS little opposition to the rest
OF the report, which. with few
amendments. was adopted.
After the adoption OF the bulk OF the
report, Mr. Mcdonnell reintroduced his
! motion, which Was adopted. to refer
the preamble OF section . and sub
stitute section OF section ! OF tho
! efficiency committees report" to
commission for reconsideration.
Tn" personnel of this commission is
| to be the same as the old body with
| tho addition OF T.. G. Mcconnell, Dr.
Livingstone Johnson. OF Raleigh. "
! c.. and DIR. w. q. Powell. OF Louis
| viilc. Ky. The sections OF the report
| mentioned recommend that the three
boards. as now constituted arc con-
! Continued on Eighth Pago.)