The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1919-10-10
- MILLION WHITE
PEOPLE NOT SAVED.
THIS is ONE OF TIE PRESSING
STATE MISSION PROBLEMS
IN THE SOUTHLAND.
THE SITUATION IS OUTLINED
Baptist rs Million Campaign Has Ap-
portioned s11 100000 To Be EN-
pIoyed During the Next Five
Years in Meeting Need.

Within the eighteen states compris-
ing the territory of the Southern Bap-
list convention are 100000 white peo-
pie who are not only not identified
with any church, but who do not claim
to be christians, according to informa-
ton gathered by the Baptist rs Mil
ion Camapign. To try and reach these
people with the gospel is one of the
aims of the campaign and to meet the
problem the state mission organiza-
ton in the various states will set
themselves. To help these organize
tons in meeting that problem the sum
of $11, 100000 has been apportioned
from the total of SIS, 100000 that is
sought for all purposes, and during the
next five years the state mission
forces will seek to reach these mil
lions of people right here at home with
the gospel and enlist them in some
phase of christian work.
According to this same source of in
formation, it is learned that there are
1891 towns and villages in the South
with a population of 200 or more in
which there are no Baptist church or
CARNATIONS or no Baptist houses of
worship. Inasmuch as these towns In
fluence more or less the surrounding
territory an effort will be made to
reach them and the territory sur
rounding them during the five-year
program of the Baptists, it is an
nounced.
There are seventy-four county seats
N the South without single Baptist
church or meeting house, it has been,
lscertained by the campaign head
quarters. BY reason of the large num-
Der of public officials residing there.
and the large number of people who
90 there from every section of the
county to attend the sessions of the
various courts, pay their taxes and
the like it is regarded that the county
seat towns are of especial importance
and 1t is hoped that before the next
i've years have passed there viii be
hA hCtAvG D&RbAoS NA0ANA AA SN0At
county-seat In the South.
Engaged in the work Of state mis-
sions at present are l524 missionaries,
and while this may seem like reason
able number, when the vast territory
to be served Is considered 1t has been
found that fully 1000 extra men and
women are needed at once, for in ad-
dition to reaching the people who are
not christians there are many weak,
struggling churches which need assist
ance and whose members need devel-
opment. In the several states of the
Southern Baptist convention, for in
stance, there are 5000 churches with
a membership of many thousand which
give but very little to any interest of
the denomination and which are doing
but very small things for the uplift Of
their communities.
In addition to these very weak
churches, many Of which have no pas
tor, there are in the various states a
total of 1858 churches which have
preaching services only once monen,
5000 churches which have services
only once a month, and only about
1900 full time churches. Part of the
81, 00O,O apportioned for state mis-
sions will go to the strengthening OF
the weak churches and the bringing Of
them to full-time pastorates where
possible.
Leaders in the campaign have
sought to care for every interest Of
the denomination in the $75,000,000
that is asked in cash and five-year
pledges during Victory Week, Novem-
Der 30-December Z, when the final
drive will be made, but they recognize
that the future development of the
church depends in great measure
upon the development of the churches
at home which is the peculiar task of
state missions.