Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-16
PRELIMINARY MEETINGS
OF SOUTHERN BAPT|sTS
Routine Business Transacted I'm Pre-.
convention Sessions ut
New Orleans.
MANY STUDENTS JOIN ARMY
Southern Baptist Theological Semi
nary Furnishes Fifty Chaplains to
Fighting Decentralization Work
OF Unprecedented Proportions.
IBy Associatcd Prcss.l

NEW ORLEANS. May l5.-Hundreds
of Baptist ministers and laymcn were
arriving from all parts of the South
to- night To attend the annual convcm-
ton OF the denomination, which opens
here tomorrow. and will continue un-
til May 80. Business meetings pre-
lminary to the convention were held
to-day and Tonight by various af-
filiatcd organizations, boards and COM
mttcCS.
Among matters to be presented TO
tho convention for consideration will
hc proposition for consolidation of
tho homo and foreign mission boa rds
and the sunday school board. which
has been the subject of much debate
at several previous conventions. A
minority report. il was stated. also
Will be presented from tho COMM Il &C
on this question. New questions TO be
submitted include proposal to in
Stitutc new system of finances in
handling the conventions work. and
proposition TO establish in New
orleans training school for home
and foreign missionaries. In connec-
ton with tho latter project is plan
TO raise $4,000 n year for twenty five
years for conducting an aggressive
Baptist evangelical and missionary
campaign in New Orleans. i'm which
student missionaries in tho school could
obtain practical experience.
OFFICERS FOR YEAR
WILL III; CHOSEN TODAY
Early in the opening session to-
morrow officers for the ensuing year
will be chosen. DIR. Lansing Burrows,
of Americas, Ga. has announced his
intention as retiring as president Of
the convention. Among those men
toned as candidates for the presidency
were DIR. w W. Landrum. Louisville.
Ky; DR.. $. =. Brooks. president Baylor
University. Austin. Texas: J. G. Stall
cap. Oklahoma City. and DR.. John D.
Nell. Athens. Ga.
The convention sermon tomorrow
night will be delivered by Rev. 4. W.
Duke. ID. H., Tampa. Fla
The trustees of the southern Ban
fist Seminary; located at Louisville.
ny. ut its meeting to-day reelected
all former officers. including Joshua
lowering. Of Baltimore. president. and
received the annual report OF DR.. f.
\. Mullins. president Of the seminary.
Chaplains for the army are being
enlisted from the ranks of students at
the Southern Baptist Theological SENT
nary, according TO the report made by
President l.. Y. Mullins to the board
OF trustees Of the institute at their an
nual meeting here to-day. DR. Mullins
said a number of students already had
volunteered.
The report stated that the school is
attracting widespread attention be-
cause OF its conservatives progr ssive
orthodoxy. Fifty of its students live
north OF the Ohio River. and some
came from foreign countries. The total
enrolment at this session was 400. OF
which $40 were men and nincty-seven
were women.
The financial condition of the semi
nary MAS declared 10 be satisfactory
ana SoA.5o0 was added 10 the endow-
ment during the year. y Louisville
Baptist and his wife gave the school
$4,000
1t is proposed TO erect new school
buildings on 4 forty-four-a plot re-
Gently purchased in the suburbs OF
Louisville.
The Southern Baptis, Field Workers
Association received reports of State
representatives indicating that cduca-
tiona! work of unprecedented proper
tons in the denomination was carried
on in 1916.
Rev Lansing burrows d. d. of
Americas, Ca. president of the South
crn Baptist Convention. day made
public his statistical report for last
year, showing the denomination had
$50 associations. 246G2 church build
ings. increases in membership by bap-
tisIn. l60,49I: by letter I23.S64: bv
restoration 1872. making a total
membership of 2.144,09S. The dcnomi-
nations aggregate contributions for
al purposes during the years reached
S13.415.Ss4.