Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-21
SOUTHERN BAPTISTS
To HOLD CONVENTION
IN ATLANTA IN 1878
viii Meet Wednesday After
Second Sunday in May,
Mr., and Mrs, Bottoms Give
100000 for Home Missions
BY ALEX w. BEALER.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark, May 1S.-The
convention Saturday on motion of DIR. G..
w. Daniel decided to meet next year in
Atlanta on Wednesday after the Sec
ond Sunday in May.
DR.. NJ E. Dodd, of Shreveport, will
preach the convention sermon with DR..
B. c. Hening, of Elizabeth City, N. c.,
as his alternate.
DR.. B. D. Gray, of Atlanta, secretary
of the home mission board, announced
that Mr.. and Mrs, George W. Bottoms,
of Texarkana, Ark, who yesterday gave
500, 900 as an endowment to the foreign
mission board, had today made a GIT
for the same amount to the home board.
The convention decided to enter upon
the work of insurance and to appoint
a board of ministerial relief. 1t is to
be located at Dallas, Tex.
DR.. William Lunsford, of Nashville,
Tenn, is being prominently mentioned
for the secretary. DR.. ]. F. Love, OF
Richmond, was reelected secretary of
the foreign mission board; DR.. B. d.
Gray, of Atlanta, was reelected Secre-
tary of the home board, and DR.. L. ID
VanneSs of Nashville, was reelected
secretary of the Sunday school board.
The home board of Atlanta was author
lied to confer with the government Tor
the privilege of sending Baptist camp
pastors with our soldiers as they go 10
France.
Advocates of modified resolution
deprecating alleged restrictions imposed
upon work being done in army camps ON
the Southern Baptist church won over
those desiring a more vigorous protest
at today's session of the sixty-thlrd con-
yention of the church here. The modi-
fed resolution was adopted after OPP
ponents had been appealed to regarding
military necessity and with the plea
that the church must do nothing which
might tend to embarrass the govern
ment." in the prosecution of the war
The resolution also asserts that the
conviction of the church is that all
christian bodies ought to be treated
with perfect equity, and as Christians
we shall rejoice if, as the organlza-
ton of religious work among the enlist
ed men grows more complete, room
shall be found for the great Christian
denominations to render, in addition to a
full participation in the common en-
terprises, some distinct service of their
own, in their own name and to their
own charges"
The resolution, setting forth the
views of the convention in regard to
the war declares that "the issues at
stake are in essence, religious. 20 IL
our armies and the armies of our allies
are 6ecisively defeated-and may God
forbid-moral distinctions at which the
rulers of Germany sneer will disappear
and the whole world will thus fall into
moral chaos. We must support our
Justly constituted authority with our
great president, at the head, and all
steps it takes for the prosecution
of the war. There must be no limit
to the ardor and completeness of our
devotion" r~~r-~. ~ 90
The resolution was introduced by
committee composed of ]. B. Gambrell,
of Missouri, president of the conven-
ton; r. H. Pitt, of Virginia; p. w.
stephens, of Missouri and c. A. Stakely'
of Alabama.
Another resolution was adopted in
dorsing the work of the American Red
Cross and urging members Of the church
to respond literally to this campaign
of the Red Cross for funds.
The convention remained in session
until a late hour tonight, discussing
"the world crisis" Tomorrow morn
ing. visiting ministers will occupy pull
pits in various local churches
Discussion of army camp work today
turned to immediate needs of camps for
Baptist church chaplains, it was
pointed out that since the Southern
BaDtlStS are not dllllldltu Will lllC
federated churches through which many
of the chaplain assignments are given,
some commission of Baptists to pre-
sent their UNCONVENTIONAL claims at
Washington should be appointed. Ac-
cordipgly, a resolution was passed
making the president of the conven-
ton and the secretaries members of
such a commission.
The convention today also passed
resolution recommending that $150,0O0
be donated for the purpose of establish
ment and maintenance of the negro Bap-
fist theological seminary.
The aid of the convention is to be
given the negroes through a joint COM
mission composed of white delegates
and an equal number from the two fac
lions of negroes who now, according to
reports at the convention today, have
become reconciled.
1t was announced that in point of
numbers this is the greatest Conven-
tion ever held by the Southern Bap-
lists There are registered 2,262 dele
gates The greatest previous attend
ance was given as 2,165, at Asheville,
n. c., in 1916.