French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1916-11-02
THE BAPTIST MOVEMENT
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
(Contributed.l


Many of the intelligent citizens of
our state do not know the size or the
spirit of this movement. 1t is i'm
mense and significant. 1t started in
the early days Of our history as a state.
1t was born out of the sincere relig-
ious aspirations of a plain pioneer peo-
pie. But it has cutrun the pace of the
state in its growth in population,
wealth, and culture. 1t now numbers
at least 275.O00 white people. This
says nothing of over 200, 900 Negro
Baptists, nothing of thousands of chill
dren in Baptist families, nothing Of
tens Of thousands Of sympathizers with
the Baptist view of Christianity. There
are almost as many Baptists in North
Carolina as all other church members
put together. There are in this state
.sixty-four Baptist district Associations,
over two thousand and one hundred
Baptist churches. Still the movement
grows by leaps and bounds. At the
present rate of increase by 1850 there
will be in our state at least 600, 900
white Baptists.
Three fourths of the North Carolina
Baptist strength is in the country.
That puts On BAPTIST shoulders ne
bulk of the obligation for religious
leadership in the present rejuvenation
of our country districts. 1t is a scri-
Gus question whether they will meas
ure up to the obligation. The COLI
monwealth has them under test at this
point.
Some think that the only peculiarly
of BaDtists is their mode of baptism.
DIT fhoS- Hic&ioo +iuonnCo T1IN1 for
deeper than that; baptism is only SYM
bolic. But to them, that is important,
just because it is simply a symbol,
Right of access of each soul to God,
the absolute equality of an believers
in Christ, the integrity and sovereign
ty of each local church, these are some
of their fundamental distinctions.
Their faith is the religious under
pining for democracy; the moral foun-
dations Of the modern republic.
The Baptist people of North Carolina
have already grown many great insti-
tutions: The Biblical Recorder, their
weekly organ, is read by nearly fifty
thousand people during the year. Their
state Board of Missions handles a
annually about $3.50, 900. 90. Besides
] several private schools controlled by
Baptists, they have three great col.
leges. Wake Forest, Meredith, Chowan
and fourteen Secondary schools. Thu
Thomasville Orphanage, the pet among
their enterprises, is the largest insti'
tuition of it's class in North Caroline
and easily one of the largest in all the
South. There are thousands OF Bap,
lists in Henderson county; n Bap'
fist churches dot every township in thu
county.
The Baptists of Henderson and ad
joining counties will rejoice to SCI
these facts in their county paper. Thu
Baptists of North Carolina count a
one of their most valuable assets tn,
friendship of the French Broad Hust
Ter which is read by hundreds of Bap
fist people who do not see the Biblica
Recorder.
The next session of the Baptist Stat
convention meets in elizabeth city o.
december 5th. Before that time, Their
is to be a struggle among the activ
Baptists OF North Carolina. This yea
they are raising $4,000 for Christia
education, SAC, 900 for the orphanagt
$3.50, 900 for missions.
North Carolina Baptists are spend
/ ing this year in State missions alon'
that is in mission work right here i
our own State, $4,000. This work
vitality important to the moral, educs
tional, civic life of our whole common
wealth. Here religion and patriotisl
meet in the Baptist soul. What eac
Baptist does for the cause shows hi
both as a Christian and as a citizel
This $4,000 is all to be raised by No
ember 21st. Let everv Baptist in Hel
derson county do his part in this tas
Let no Baptist church of the count
fail to take it up in dead earnest.