Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-17
DR.sGAMBREL[ ELECTED
PRESIDENT BY BAPT|sTs
Out OF Total OF LAD Cast
~ OH First Ballot.
SOUTHERN CONVENTION MEETS
Secretary Reports More Than 1900
Lay, and Ministerial Delegates
Registered Notable Progress
Made in Foreign Missions.
tBy Associated Press.


NEW, ORLEANS May l6-Rcv ]. B.
Gambrell. d. D., of Dallas, Tex, was
elected president of the Southern Bap-
list Convention for the ensuing year
at it's opening session here to-day. DR..
Gambrcll received $50 votes out OF a
total OF 1.I4o cast on the first ballot,
and the five other candidates for pres
ident withdrew, and the convention di-
rooted the secretary TO cast the entire
vote Of the body for DR.. Gambrcli.
The vote for the other candidates
was: Rev. John d. Nell. d. D., Athens.
Ga. 2T6: Dir. S. =. Brooks Austin. Tex,
90; DR.. W. W. Landrum. Louisville,
Ky. 7e: DR., j. 4. Henderson. Knox
Vile. Tenn. 40; DR.. l.. White, Ander-
son. S. c.. 2.
DR.. Gambrell Immediately took the
chair. and will preside over the pres
cnt convention. which is to close on
May 90. The delegates then directed
the secretary TO cast the full vote Of
the convention for Drs. Nell, Brooks,
Landrum and Henderson as the four
vicc-Dresidents OF the convention. All
other former officers of the body were
reelected.
The secretary of the convention re-
ported more than 1900 lay and minis
terial delegates registered for the open
ing session. Other delegates we're yet
10 be enrolled. and. besides, there we're
many hundreds OF visitors on hand
from all Southern States and delegates
10 the Southern Baptist Womans Mis-
sonary Union. which holds its annual
roofing Thursday. Friday ard satur-
day.
NOTABLE PROGRESS
IN FOREIGN MISSIONS
Notable progress was made during
the past year In the work OF Carrying
mo Gospel into for.'sn lands. in s1ite
o: war conditions in two of them. Italy
and az, Iico. The report OF .he forciG n
mission board, presented 10 the convcn-
ton to-day. shows there were 6.4I3
baptisma, an increase Of two.
Tho board maintains ass churches
abroad, with q total membership Of
I47lsi. Sunday schools number 6ss.
with an enrolment of 3l.5I5 scholars.
Last year the number OF self-support-
ing churches increased from ninety five
TO ll5. Eighty-two new out-stations
were opened and fifty new Sun
day schools were organized. Twenty
one new schools were opened, with 500
students The medical missionaries
treated 2o.36S more patients than the
year before:
Mission work abroad is being done
by 307 missionaries and 500 native
workers. seventeen medical mission
aries, six trained nurses. twelve native
physicians and twenty-four native
I'd eighteen
pitfalls. in which 4,23i patients we're
treated.
Marked advance has bccn made in
Brazil, where money from the Judson
centennial fund enabled the board to
erect a building for a college aud sem
mary at Rio dc Janeiro at cost OF
$4,000. and 10 purchase seven and one
half acres for college and seminary
at Pcrnambuco. at cost OF $4,000
In Northern Brazil there arc forty-onc
churches owning their buildings, and
in Southern Brazil twenty-five.
More than 100000 copies OF the Bible
and the New Testament were dis
tributed among the soldiers in the
Italian army. Two missionaries in
Japan have sold enough Bibles within
the last five years to make stack
$4,000 feet high.
Nearly half million dollars-S416.-
OTIS. to be c1act--was raised last year
by the home mission board. according
10 It's report 10 inc convention mere
to-day
CHURCHES IN SOUTH
CONTRIBUTE: s3scG13
Churches in the South contributed
s362.6l3. From the department. Of
evangelism $4,000 was secured. The
church extension department raised
$4,000.
a debt of $4,000 was reduced to sa6.-
s3S by reason OF the smallest admin
: istrativc expenses in the boards his
tory.
The boards work added 6o.202 new
members to the church. and had LILO
volunteers for ministry and mission
work.
In The enlistment department work
was done in six States, where 266 in
stitutes were held. Eighty churches
were grouped into seventy-six pastoral
fields. and twenty-five churches were
led to increase the number OF preach
ing services. Sixtyfour pastorIess
fields were served. The sum raised In
this department was s5s.524.
In the mountain regions two new
schools were opened The cost for
conducting the schools. in which over
5000 pupils are being taught was Sl33,-
Tho CONFERENCE.-The Muco,,p,