The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1918-08-09
President of Mission.
airy Baptist State
Convention
SEPTEMBER 4-l0 INCLUSIVE
Et ERYBODY INVITED.

(The following is the annual ad-
dress of Rev. j. l.. Harding, Presi-
dent of the Missionary Baptist State
Convention which was unanimously
adopted by the State Convention.)
The assemblage of greetings from
the various churches represented
here, makes this a peculiar spot on
earth. For the greetings brought or
sent here are expressions of the
highest type of self abnegation,
whose chaperon is christian prefer
ence."
Christian fellowship, common in
terest and high ideals, make the
moral atmosphere pure and inspiring.
Under these conditions, my brothers
and sisters in Christ Jesus, it gives
me JOY to come before you, to speak
brieHy of the past, conscientiously
and firmly of the present, and sug-
gestively but hopefully of the future.
Here we will set up the first mile
stone upon the highway of Negro
Baptist progress in the state of Ten
nessee. A few days have we taken
in which to erect past, that will
crumble after few showers of criti-
cism, and blasts of opposition, or one
which will vie with the mountains
and cliffs, in the galaxy of perpetu-
ity.
During the year past every scheme,
system, and organization on earth,
whether of human invention or di-
vine origin, have felt the shock of
the unprecedented vicissitudes of the
times. Not only have schemes been
abandoned and repudiated, and sys-
tens dissembled, merged and coun-
termanded, but organizations have
been investigated and regulated, and
a standing query is left with all
that must be answered, giving good
reasons for the right to even exist
The church is not excepted, paganish
questions may be heard in the market
places, and around the firesides of oul
homes. A righteous democracy is in
a mighty struggle with a religious
autocracy. Righteous democracy is
the basic government principle OF
human relation and conduct, it is
of divine origin and was committed
to the church by Jesus Christ, who
said, tell it to the church, and il
he shall neglect to hear the church
let him be unto thee as an heather
and publican" Whatsoever We
bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven" etc. The church with her
ramifications, is heavens court OF
last resort on earth.
The commitment of this great
doctrine and faith, was made to the
Missionary Baptist Church, body
of regenerated and baptized believ.
ers in Christ. The institution con.
cerning which Christ said, Upon
this rock l build my church, and the
gates of hell shall not prevail
against it, The church is the Gus
todian and standard bearer of true
democracy, all other institutions
governments and empires must fol
low and initiate.
The human race does not will to
nor can they practice a purer democ
racy in any age, than that practicet
by the church in that age. The de
mocracy that recognizes and guaran
tees the rights of all the people, tt
participate on the basic principle O
membership. The democracy tina
will veto and oppose any law or rule
that does not embrace all alike, ant
conserve the good of all alike, b,
unanimous consent, or by the fire.
vote of the majority of the governed
THE MOST SACRED PRINCIPLE.
Being good enough for the church
the nations of the earth can adopt n
better, but whatever race or peopl
adopt and practice it, has the appro
val OF Him, upon whose shoulder
rests the government of the world,
Jesus Christ.
May we not understand the dee
spiritual meaning Of the order of ou
Lord and Christ, when He said, &c
make disciples in all parts of tn
world, baptizing them in the nam
OF the Father and the Son and tn
Holy Ghost. Teaching them to oh
serve all things whatsoever | hav
commanded you" Therefore let u
thank God and take courage.
For many centuries paganism fel
secure, as the predominant force i
the world, in things spiritual, as we
as secular. Who that love the doc
trine and order of the church. an
can read the signs of the times, mus
feel an holy curiosity concerning tn
battles and wars of the past. as [
the part played therein, and the et
feet of the doctrine and faith of tb
church thereafter. "All hail tn
power of Jesus name,' thank Go
we are living, not in the days of til
reformation when the men of Go,
belted the civilized world with thej
testimonies, and sealed their fait
with their holy blood, which sha
cry unto God, until the mountain
and rocks shall be pushed into tn
sea Of oblivion. We not only hea
aivoice here and yonder, contendin
for the rights of humanity, freedol
OF conscience, equity and justice, bu
the individual voice has become a
aggregation composing nation an
when matrialism and socialism
with all of their ramifications hay
disturbed the peace and happiness
the world. 1t is ours to be a part O
and to see one Of the greatest natior
that ever husbaned a part of tt
earths surface, unsheath her swor'
= and wade into the whirlpool of n