Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-17
JOHN D. NELL REFLECTED
HEAD OF GEORGIA DAPTI5Ts
State Convention at Conn.,
merCe Promises TO Set Rec
ord for Paying Debts
BY ALEX w. BEALER.


;oday and by a unanimous vote re-
elected John d. Nell president and b.
D. Ragsoale, Of Macon. secretary. John
VI. Green. Atlanta C. HOOD Com
merce. and e. W. Stone, Newman, were
elected vice presidents.
Rev. Gilbert Dobps, pastor at Com
merce, delivered the addres OF well
come and IL was responded TO by ReV.
l.. a. henderson. OF May sVille.
E. II. jennings, from the Athens Tab
ernacle; II. NJ. FugaLe, Waynesboro; w.
4. Fuller, Newman; l.. f. Waller, Rock
i4art; II. B. Hardaway, RoysLon; Henry
Welton. Arlington; u. w. McNeal, ELL
jay; w. T. Chambless CoIquitt county.
and Henry Afford Porter, Atlanta, pas
-ors who have come into the state since
ne last meeting, were introduced to the
convention when DR.. Henry Alfred Por-
,er was introduced as the pastor of the
Atlanta Sescond church. He said If any
body did not know the location of the
state capitol he would say that 1t was
Ist opposite the Second Baptist church.
A DEBT-PAYING CONVENTION
New reports from the education and
Missions boards shows that this will
be a debt-pdying cOut entlon. The sem
Iment that all the colleges and other
Institutions belonging to the convention
must be freed from debt seems TO be in
he very air. This will probably be
recommended by the committee of FIVE
md the convention will take steps to
axe II pass
More than forty automobiles have been
rovided for the use of the convention
they are parked about the station ana
when train comes in and delegates
;ome out each chauffeur opens his horns
ieorgia Baptists have ever received.
MISSION BOARD REPORT.
The report of the mission board sub
United to the convention on Tuesday by
the secretary. DR.. A. c. Cree, is one Of
the most business like documents ever
submitted to the body. 1t shows that
remarkable progress has been made in
all lines, making this possibly the best
year that has ever come to Georgia Bap-
lists. The report saws:
Here are the figures for the different
interests with the gains achieved: For
eign missions, $75.135.O1; gain over the
year before, $23, 039.99; home missions
s35. 1896; gain over the year before
$3,17170; state missions, $62.62S.51: gain
$45.14; a total gain for all missions Of
1858 SO; orphans home Cncluding
building fund, $919.75), s32,S7S.45; gain.
$S.496.21; ministerial relief, $6.574.S2;
gain, S1,457.0S; hospital, $6,969.73; ICON
trihutions from the churches not in
Guiding payments on notes.. gain $523.56.
making a total gain for benevolences Of
s1O.476S5: ministerial education, $10,-
071.42 gain. $2,099.90; schools and col
leges $12.71S.50: decrease, s707.1S; max
ing a total contribution for education OF
$22,7S9.92, which is a gain Of s1,392.72
for the general cause of Christian eJu-
cation; total contributions for all OBJ
iects for the year 1914-1915. $21l.632 80.
total contributions for all objects for the
year 1915-19l6, $24S.664.74. making to.
tai gain for the past year for all OBJ.
jects of $50. 032.41.
The policy inaugurated by our secre-
tary last year of getting in close touch
by special associational conferences with
the executive committees and other lead
ers Of the district association, has been
pursued this year with great profit to
the work every way. During the year
NOSE than 10000 miles have been tray
eled: associational conferences held in
sixteen associations. with an attendance
i'm each conference ranging from a dozen
leaders to over 100: the annual meetings
of thirty-two associations have been at
tended and In addition special sermons
and addresses have been delivered be-
fore more than forty churches and other
gatherings.
FATTENS ON OPPOSITION.
The report shows that mission work
fattens on opposition. In spite of the
opposition TO foreign missions it has
grown by leaps and bounds during the
past year. The figures given in DR..
CTeeS report snow this.
During the past year southern Bap-
fists, through their home and forelsn
MISSION boards, have made some very
SUBSTANTIAL advances, which have glad
dened the hearts of all and have nerved
anew both the forces at home and the
devoted missionaries in every field. In
these victories, Georgia BapnSts have
hau a commendable part.
In their annual reports to the Southern
Baptist convention last May. the home
and foreign mission boards reported con-
tributions aggregating the splendid to-
tai of Sl,2y0,344 for home and foreign
missions. Since then another decisive
victory has been won in the liquidation
Of the embarrassing Indebtedness Of
$lS3SO3.S0, which during period OF
years has so seriously handicapped our
foreign mission board. The home mis-
SION board also reported a debt of S.2.-
SOS.5S. But, in the interest of the for
eisn mission debt campaign, the home
mission board graciously refrained from
any special appeal for this debt and has
laid plans TO liQuidate II gradually in
the course of Its regular work. The final
settlement Of the embarrassing indebted
ness Of the foreign mission board and
the wise purpose of the home mission
hoard 10 dispose of Its Indebtedness In
such a businesslike way. should cause
our Baptist people to rejoice and take
courage.
The renorts of these two boards as
TO the work of their respective mission
forces are worthy of the highest praise.
No Home Mission board in Christendom,
so far as we can learn. has made such
an aggregate record nor anything like
As good a comparative record In proper
ton to the forces employed and the
funds expended. as has been made by
our Home Mission board. The Foreign
Mission board report brought to US the
gratifying news of the completion or
the hudson centennial fund of $780,
600 for the better equipment Of our mis-
sion stations in foreign lands, and per-
haps the greatest record ii has ever
made, in the number OF souls won to
Christ and churches constituted on the
foreign fields. Since these reports will
be covered more in detail by the COM
mittees appointed for that purpose, We
refrain from further mention at this
time and await with deepest interest
the fuller review of these splendid rec
ords.
TIE WORK IN GEORGIA.
The report shows that the total dis
Of state TnOnRV for