French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1918-12-05
BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION
IN GREENSBORO, DEC. S.6.
(Ry DR.. Livingston Johnsonl

(By LII. JOnnSOn)
The next session of the Baptist
State Convention will be held in the
city of Greensboro, December 3-6. The
Convention will meet Tuesday morn
ing and will be preceded by the Bap-
fist Minister'S Conference of North Ca
rolina, which will meet on Monday.
It may be well to state, for the iene-
fit Of those who are not familiar with
the Baptist form Of church govern
ment, just what the convention is. The
Baptists, like the Congregationalists,
have 8 congregational form of church
government. That being true fhe Con-
vention is neither an executive, Il leg
islative, nor a judicial bOdy.
Every local Baptist church is "a lit
tie republic within itself. It makes
and executes its own laws, and admin
listers discipline without any interfer-
ence from any outside authority, as
it recognize. no such authority. There
is no such thing as "The Baptist
Church" when by that term tbs local
churches Of any given territory are
meant. For instance, it is not coca
Baptist Technology to say The
Southern Baptist Church." or "The
Northern Baptist Church l. speak
ing Of such group Of churches the
term denomination" is used. TheIc
is no system of ecclesiastical courts
with Baptist and, hence, no aTreai
from the the decisions Of Il local
church.
It will be seen from the foregoing
that the function of a Baptist State
Convention is purely advisory. II
formuI&tes no laws, executes no ord
! ers. and tries no cases. It has no jul
risdiction as to questions Of doctrine.
All these are matters that belong to
the local church.
II no action taken by Convention
is binding on the local churches, the
| question may be asked. "Why are the
I annual meetings held?" While the
Convention has no authority to enforce
| the observance of any recommended
| ton it may make, there is a beautiful
| spirit Of cooperation among the Bap-
| lists which leads them to work to-
| gether with as much unity and har-
mony as do those denominations which
have their more complex ~organiza-
lions.
The UNCONVENTIONAL paper serves as
a channel for expression of opinion
in regard to any UNCONVENTIONAL pol
icy that may be proposed. If any mat
ter Of unusual importance is 10 he in
trOduced in the Convention, it is sous
tomary for the brother who expects
to introduce the measure to give no
tice Of his purpose in the Recorder be-
fore the meeting of the Convention,
and it is discussed in the columns of
the paper. In this way unity Of action
is usually secured. If, however, a mat
ter is presented to the Convention erd
discussed, and it is seen that the Con
ventiOn cannot act with a cOnSi1eTa-
bic degree of unanimity. a motion is
usually made and adopted, which car
| ries the question over for a year, thus
giving time for mature consideration.
When such action is taken there is al
most always a satisfactory agreement
reached at the following session of the
Convention.
Another thing which helps to Sc
cure concert of action is the spirit of
democracy which permeates the body
A steam roller" would soon be thrown
on the junk pile if by any means it
should chance to find it's way into the
Convention hall. The humblest lay
man in all the state is as much EMIT
led to the floor Of the Convention as
the biggest preacher who comes from
the most important city church. The
vote Of n man counts for as much as
that Of another. Where there is such
a spirit of democracy, and where the
body is composed of delegates" from
all sorts of churches and from al
parts OF the state, whatever action is
taken after free and full discussion
usually reflects the sentiment Of the
denomination in the state at large.
Furthermore, their democratic spir
it leads Baptists to have a very higF
regard for the voice of the majority
and II a majority of the Convention
decides upon a certain policy, a loca
church, whatever might be it's opinion
in regard to the matter, usually acqui
esces in the action of the Convention
and falls into line.
In all their history North Carolin
Baptists have been free from faction
and discussions. This does not mea.
that they have not often differed i
their views, for they have. There j
hardly a session of the Convention a
which there is not difference of opir
Fion, and the brethren express themse,
YES freely upon these questions; bT
they differ as brethren, and each mG
ION either side OF a question believe
, that the adoption of his views by tn
f~COnvention would be wise. If, Row
ever, a majority is against MIN /
gracefully yields, and goes with til
r majority. So long as Christian nc
are prompted to advocate measure
because they believe they are RICH
{ and are not actuated by a diotrepha
. spirit, there is not much danger
s llserious division.
Work of the Women.
The Baptist women of the State ha7
- their separate organization, aul {
their work in their own way. The
contributions go through the reguI
channels of their respective church
No. and are, of course, counted in the t
tai; but they have missionary soci
ties in the local churches and they
81 so have a state meeting which tn
S8 call 1.-THE Woman's Missionary Unic
g Auxiliary to the Baptist State Co