The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-04-17
Convention of Northern
Sects of the Church Will
Act On Radical De1fo1ni-
national Changes.
new PLACES FOR WOMEN
Single CO. rdinating Agency VIII
Raise funds For Various Societies
Church Rtvarly VIII Be
Eliminated.

Representing the elimination Of a
hundred years Of agitation among the
absolutely independent Baptist church
es, State associations and national or
ganizations, none of which has had the
right to speak for denomination, re-
port, which will be acted on at the com
ing Northern Baptist Convention, to
be held in Denver commencing May q,
proposes the formation of delegated
assembly, comprised of members from
all bodies, which will bear the Same re-
lation to the ] ,25000O members OF the
faith who reside north of the Mason
and Dixon line as does Congress to the
nation.
The report which calls for the most
radical changes ever suggested In the
Baptist denomination, is TO be snbmtt-
ted by what is known as the Commit
tee of Five, comprising Prof. E. D. Bur
ton of the Chicago University, Henry
Bond, D. G. Shun, F. W. Aver, presi-
dent of Northern Baptist Convention,
and Dr. Fred P. Haggard, director of
the National Conrmattce of Northern
Baptist Laynen. This committee was
appointed at the reqness Of the North
ern Baptist Convention which met IN
Atlantic City last May.
Declaring that the rising tide of in
teIhgence and Of democratic feeling in
the Baptist denomination rightly de-
mlands a real legislative assembly, the
report says the boards Of the vari-
GUS societies each deals with special
phase Of work and that the annual
meetings of the societies and the North
ern Baptist Convention possess Regisla-
tive power but are too large for de-
liberate, painstaking, framing of plans.
1T proposes TO have a House of Repre-
senta4ives or Board of Finance and
Promotion which will be large enough
to be thoroughly representative and
small enough to be genuinely deliberate
and to assign to this body the duty of
considering the work of the denomina-
tion in all it's aspects, defining pol
icy for each ensuing year and approx
ing budget for the execution Of it.
Recommending unified appeal to
the denomination for all money needed
to accomplish it's numerous tasks, both
here and abroad, the report urges the
adoption Of combined budget and
calls for a single co-ordinating agency,
representing the convention and all Of
it's cooperating organizations, dissem-
mating information concerning the
work of the bodies and raising money
for all Of them.
Pointing out that larger place for
women in the Baptist enterprises
should be provided, the report calls at
tention to the fact that the opportune
time has arrived to give them great
er share in the general organizations of
the denomination.
Branding rivalry, which formerly ex-
listed among the several societies, as
absurd, the report calls for closer CO.
operation between the national and
State organizations both in making
plans and in executing them. The form
er rivalry has largely give way to
friendly cooperation which has pre-
pared the path for coordination and
unification, says the report.
The campaigns conducted the last
two years by the National Committee
of Northern Baptist Laymen, Of which
F. W. Aver is chairman, and DR.. F. P.
Haggard is director, have proved the
practicability of this coordination of
the work of the various Boards of the
denomination. Last year a 81 900, 600
Campaign was successfully conducted
an dthis year the $4,000, 900 ! Victory
Campaign eliminates the last of this
month and complete success is conf
IDENTIFY prophesied by the leaders.