The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-16
HOME MISSION WORK
Of CHURCH SPLENDID.

The report nf The House MISSION
BOARD makes alItision to it's long
service which extends through sc,e
most stirring period OF human history.
1t also e,nphasizes tho peculiar sig
nific,nce of the time in which the
convention is meeting. The board
entered the year most hopefully, and
for a few months the greatest Opt
fnisin prevailed. Then. came the out
burst ofsthe war, and with II a sudden
sdro1 incxEsetpts andsttfe stct-rr 'hecest
city foF1 ee1nomy@ Srds resfattiona at
every posat .nosslhle d Though the year
has beeft- one of unusual financial
stress. 4he work has had a glorious
sucr ess. IN he department of evan
gelism. penteeostai showers have Tar
len $50
The enlistment work has brought
fine results and has also provided a
great fund of information.
Gratifying progress has been made
In the department OF church. extern
sion
Missions among foreigners, Indians
and negroes have been prosecuted
vigorously.
The corporation with the Negro
National Baptist Convention continues
with gratifying results.
A double blessing has fallen on tie
mountain schools The work of the
evangelists ir these schools has been
helpful. and the character OF the
teaching more and more thorough.
In Cuba our cause IL more solidly'
based and full of encouragement than
ever before We are pressing upon the
people there the idea of self-support.
We have missions at important
points along the Panama Canal. and
especially ~ Colon and Balboa
Heights. More attention has been
given to publicity during the past year
than in any previous time. Referring
TO the effect of the war the report
says: -.,tt .+r- 49,.
vast devastation OF property, de-
structloH OF life, and national bostili-
ties these things bring a new era In
world affairs. We must make gond
for the losses sustained on account OF
this great war. Europe will be we'll
night bankrupt Her time and energies
must be given to rebuilding after this
dreadful disaster of war has come 10
close. The millions that have hi-h-
erto gone to foreign missions from
England and Europe must be sup
Piled by us. Those multitudes of men
slain in the flower of young manhood
are lost to- the progress of warriag
nations and the progress of the worid.
A draft will be made upon us to sup
| ply our men and money for foreign
missions. The fields everywhere are
! open to us. Il Conditions, hitherto IN
! many places hostile, are changed and
I the cali IL compelling Cor us to come
over and help them. Because OF this
he onlistmcnr of our forces and the
/ development of our resources is more
/ irAstent than ever in our history,
/ Moreover. in the homeland unparallei
/ ed opportunities confront us. The tide
| of immigration has been stayed by the
/ European conflict. only that it may
roll in upon us like a flood in tht
near future. II we are. wise we shall
prepare for this influx of foreigners
4 Surely Ii we are to send men arc
money to foreign lands we cannot ne
glecr the millions that come withau,
cost to us III our very doors. Fol
I this great work the tnightiest task
before +as is the enlightening and en-
listing Of our people. Our work i;
hott extensive and intensive. The
conversion of the lost and the cultGrt
of converts go hand In hand. Weak
ness follows hard on their separation
We are on. the road TO stagnatior
when the evangelistic note ceases IL
our message. But superticiality and
inefficiency inevitably follow negiec
In teaching and training. The super,
iatiVC task of Southern Baptists today
Is Che enlightenment and enlistmcn
and equipment of our churC his. We
have vast numbers bat they lack the
discipline that conditions efficiency
! Progress, in many places. gratifying. il
| being made, but our task is only fair
/ " begun The response TO our effort,
in the intensive k~should spur III
TO greater activity. The fact that on
people in many quarters are dissatis
fled with their poor progress and are
measurably alive to their responsible
itv constitutes the ground for GU
gre8test eneourag cement"
| or the boards financial affairs tbs
repor: notes the disastrous effect or
! business throughout the South OF the
great European war and declare hat
this accounts in large measure for tho
| falling off in contributions and the
| increased Indebtedness of the board
| Treasurefs ard others who hold more,
| for Home Missions are urged to remit
promptly and regularly Total re
ceipts for the year S3S1,6S5.2e. Deb
at the close of the year s22,4ol. The
I Board Concludes as follows;
I'VE present what we consider ~,
most glorious report of our history
Everywhere the Lord has let His flc'
| shine upon us. Thousands upoi
Thousands of lost soufs4have been led
to Christ, scores z. and scores .
churches have heen. given d lfe1pfi
J life and neutrality-suspicious. I'm til,
mountain and in The Valleys our wGi.l
! has prospered amongsthe natives ant
iamong the foreigners. And this not
witkstanding the financial depression
that has been upon our people. VIVA
may We not txpect. for the new year
/ Business depressionsha passed. aal
country is entering upon period o.
unparalleled prosperity. We mus
/ largely feed and eiothe the world. Tn.
! nations are looking this way. MI
! lions of them win come to our shore.
/ bringing both opportunity and respon.
i sibility to us. II est
+ The nations OF the Western Worlc
are coming colser together. our own
country leading in 4 his great, move
me;.t for closer relations ON the par
of the republics or this hemisphere
We face the LATIN American Repub
| lice from the Rio Gyande to Argentine
and by as much Of oar commercial
and business relation are inImedlateE
to be more closely related Ttos thes.
other republics SS nj @thlich Jiassst NJ
be ready to seizesst4re uprnrtnni.ie!
for extending our great work,
| This material fprDxnRrity presents
lone of the most serfOIxSs i'm pedi ents