The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-16
SOUTHERN BAPTIST
CONVENTION MEETS
IN HOT SPRINGS
Immense Progress Is Dis
closed in Reports Of
Mission Boards.
OFFICERS RETAINED
BY Overwhelming Vote
Full Right of Mem
bership in Body Is
Given Women.
OFFICERS RETAINED

Especial 10 The Richmond Nirgnian
Hot Springs, Ark. May l5--The
Southern Baptist convention met
promptly at 10 o'clock and after de-
votional exercises. conducted by Rev,
George Green. the work of organi-
cation proceeded. President J. B.
Gamhrell, Secretaries Gregory and
Moore. aud other minor officers were
collected uuanim ously. 6 verne r
Broagh of Arkansas; JudEe Moss,
OF Louisiana, j. y. Nell. OF Georgia,
and DR.. Livingston Johnston. Of
North Carolina, were chosen as vice
presidents
President Gambrell then delivered
stirring address. through which a
strong patriotic note ran. He spoke
10 sinRularly appreciative and re-
sponsive audience. Many declared 1t
the greatest address they had ever
heard, Rev s w kendrick, of Hot
Springs. then welcomed the conven-
ton and Fey. Allen Fort. OF Nash
vile, responded on behalf OF the body.
Some time was spent at the after
noon session making various changes
in the constitution. Two of these pro-
Noked lively debate One amendment
proposed 10 strike out the article for
bidding applause OF late years this
has been dsregarded, yet the conyen-
ton voted TO keep the article intact.
and the amusing incident followed OF
applauding quite loudly tho motion
to retain the inhibition.
Victory for Women
The question of admitting women
10 mem hership in the body came UP
and awakened great interest This
question has been before the conven-
ton several times in its past history,
out heretofore the movement 10 admit
them has always failed This time.
however, the motion prevailed by an
oyerw helming majority and. hence
forth. churches may send women as
m essenrers and they VIII have equal
rights and privle ges with men.
The report Of the foreign mission
board Was presented by Or rc~e.
The board has had one of the most
trium plant wears in its history. II
received for current support $s5s,-
925.15 and for the Judson centennial
si53,265.s9, making a grand total of
81 00s,1s9 a.. So the 81 900. 600
mark was oyertopped and new stand
ards for giving to foreign missions
have heen erected by Southern Rap-
fists For the first time in the his
tory 81 the board il received more
than sj00. 600 from a single state
Both Texas and Virginia gave over
800 600
II was also triumphant year in
the fields beyond. as Will be seen
from the following:
Notes on Mission Fields
Mission operations in all fields in
spite OF hindrances from war and
shortage of lshorers, went forward
with encouraging success The report
says;
There were 5,55T haptisms; we
-. +
are self supporting with member
ship reaching a total OF 53,3T.. We
have us SUNDAY schools. with 3442S
scholars. 49, literary schools Of all
grades, with 1855 scholars. In our
eleven theological training schools
were 500 students The theological
training school in Italy has been
closed on account OF the war. Our
missionary physicians gave the amaz-
Ing number of 104.27l treatments
during the year. Such are the figures
but how far short do they come of
telling the real story, 1t is impossi-
bic TO put in brief space compre-
hensive view of the work done last
year in our various missions"
Notable is the progress reported In
Brazil, The number OF self-support-
ing churches in the North Brazil mis-
sion ia three times what II was twelve
months AEO- ne fourteen FnufCheS
reported as self-supporting last year
have grown TO forty-two self-support-
ing churches this year. or the thirty
FIVE churches in the Campos field
twenfy-eight are now self-supporting
The church building and loan fund
in the North Brazil mission, created
almost entirely by contributions from
native sources. so stimulated the build
ing movement amongst the churches
III the North Brazil field that the
number of church houses were in
creased by one-third during the year
4 notable achievement was the COM
pletion by the First church, Sac Paulo
of it's new building, While the Judson
centennial helped considerably, the
Continued on Second Pare)