The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-20
Foreign Missions

The following interesting fncts are
taken from the annual report of the
foreign mission board - the South
ern' Baptist convention
Number OF bapusins in churches
ON foreign fields. 6,341. These oc-
currcf in connection With ASS
churches which have 1872 out
stations The contributions Of native
= churches tr,t- the foreign field went
TO the handsome s9ul 81 Sl32.37l -O5.
We have at work in the various fields
of the board rs fun missionaries 129
non. 1875 married women, hfty-three
unmarried women, 17S ordained ma
tive ministers. e3l unordained native
helpers. making total working
force on the foreign fields of IL l6.
The heard also conducts on these
various fields fifteen kindergarten
schools with AIS pupils. AIS lower
elementary schools with moro than
10 0no pupils. thirty-three higher Gle
mentary schools With more than
500 students. twerty-three middle
schools with more than 400 pupils.
TWO colleges with ftnety-two pupils,
ten training schools with 29s pupils,
aud eight theological schools with
73l students in the various medi
ca missions 1855 patients have
been treated.
The cartier part Of the report
treats carefully aad ably some of the
main problems which we must at
tempt to solve
Humble and grateful acknowledg-
rnent is first Of all properly made 81
the lot,dHes4 81 God which has
crowned the year. and OF the loyalty
Of a great constituency.
The special paragraphs which
~ no nf fE9 debit
changes in the organization. and the
transfer Of the journal are given here
in full
Paying the Debt.
The board took it's instructions
seriously, and in prayer for divine
guidance and help entered at once
upon the execution Of the conventions
orders Accordingly the machinery
II tho hoard was inme diately put In
operation ana the campaign to raise
$4,000 within sixty DAYS was be-
gun. So instant vas the response
and so hearty the cooperation OF
Southern Baptist churches and de
1ominational agencies, that the cam
~aaigfY u,ss CARRIED TO - E%ift cora
plete and glorious issue The mis-
sionary annals Of the denomination
do not show another instance Of such
spontaneous. beautiful and heroic
flkiSS ~ S-NlAtE anu f1iStHI
achievement. We are happy in re-
porting the ss'n OF *130.5Sa 05 gath
erred IN cash THE was sufficient TO
3isChargn the debit, 10 meet the ex-
pepEes Of the special campaign, and
to care for the interest which accu-
rlulated upon the loan from May
70 the time II was Hquidated.
The campaign tested Southern Rap
list loyalty 20 the convention and 70
foreign missions, state programs
were everywhere crowded and the
"'tiehtfuI ana urgent claims Of ether
objects were the natural order; and
get the brotherhood and Tlsterhood,
with unusual uranini;y and heart!-
ness turned 20 this task and by
much prayer and joyful giving. sue
ceeded triumphantlv with IT, The
spirit which was manifested by m en-
and women OF every section class
and condition inspires new confidence
in Southern Banttsts to DO great
things and meet emergencies when
they arise. The campaign gave con-
v;ncing evidence that a great to six has
power n draw our people into close
bonds 81 union and that they are
ready TO forego many things IN the
interest Of the transcedent enter
prise Of putting the gospel of Christ
afeld
II the limits Of this report and tho
propr'eties fixed for Il did not for
bid the board would find keen salts
faction in recltinr names OF mon and
women whose gifts both great and
small, were shining examples Of
Christian benevolence which light
ened the burden Of the campaign and
made success possible Files Of let
tiers which eane 10 the mission
rooms during the campaign from men
and women all over the South. will
forever sanctify and sweeten the at
m osphere In which the hoard must
often perform hard and disagreed BILE
tasks, Some OF these letters came
from counting houses and bore the
evidence OF the subduing power of
the Lords work upon strong busi-
ness men whose pre-cngapements
often disguise for their friends and
associates. the holy passions which
burn in their souls: some of them
came from cottages OF widowhood
and orphanhooH where women IN
their sorrow grappIe daily with the
strong realities OF poverty These
letters, alike from the busy and sue
cfssfpl and from the obscure and
hard pressed distill q fragrant love
for foreign missions and bear ten
der testimony 70 that adjoining grace
Of giving which shows likeness to our
Lord In the presence of these let
ters the mission rooms will be- a
holier place henceforth
The work OF the year. and espe-
cially the debt-raising campaign Jus
tifv all that has ever been said IN
recon roendafion and praise OF the
denor7inational weekly as an indls.
pensable and powerful agency for the
care OF Southern Baptist enterprises
SO convfncingly was his shown dur
ing those memorable sixty days. when
our Baptist papers captured and held
the attention of Southern Baptists
for this undertaking. that the board
does not feel that ii could oyerstate
the value of~this agency We hereby
acknowledge UNCONVENTIONAL indabt-
edness 10 the editors of, these papers
md commend their work to the Bsp-