The Cordova daily times., 1919-03-20
BIG FUND FOR
SPIRITUAL USE
OF BAPTISTS


construct a shattered, disorganized
Professionalism in Frapce and Belgium
is one of the many vital problems
facing the national committee of
rorthern Baptist laymen which is con-
odcting p 100000 victory campaign
to insure spiritual democracy at home
and for rehabilitation work abroad.
If this drive is successful-and present
indications point to it going over the
top-it means that churches which
have been slightly damaged will be
repaired; churches that have been
totally destroyed will be rebuilt; the
rehabilitation Of Baptist pastors and
their families; the construction of
chapels at strategic locations in re-
built districts: the relief of Christian
families for whom government pro-
vision is not sufficient and special pro-
vision for orphans, widows and dis
abled soldiers.
Discussing the plans of the Bsptists
for reconstruction work in France and
Belgium, DR.. Fred P. Hazard, director
of the national committee of Northern
Baptist Laymen, tonight issued the
following statement:
France and Belgium have sung no
hymn of hate, although they have suf-
fered most in the war. They must be
restored, rebuilt, remade. In this
material reconstruction the help of
the Baptists in America is necessary.
There is nothing more important to
the peoples of those countries than
their spiritual reconstruction through
the restoration of churches, the re-
building of ehapels, the repairing OF
Christian schools, the rebuilding OF
homes of pastors, the relief of Chris
ton families. Through all the suf-
fering of the peoples of France and
Belgium the Christian spirit has been
in evidence.
lone of our Baptist pastors writes:
For the first time in history since
Lafayettes days, the United States
and France are allied. Are we not re-
sponsible before God if we do not
make the most of this unique situa-
ton for the evangelizatiofl Of France?
eve are responsible. We spent bill
lions for a military victory. Surely
we can give thousands for the spir.
itual reconstruction of two nations
which have done so much for world
democracy. This is one of the tasks
of Christendom. Today we have the
opportunity. Tomorrow will be too
late. F-e
IA letter received from the Rev.
Reuben Saillens, D. D., who is now at
Mines, France, states that Alsace and
Belgium are now fully opened and
reader than ever before for the
spreading of the gospel. DR.. Saillens
has been doing wonderful work during
the war among the soldiers and their
families, and now that the conflict Is
over he is devoting his attention to }
reconstruction activities. q
I'm spite of the marked effort in re-
construction, F. w. Aver, head of the
great advertising agency that bears
his name, who has been devoting all
of his time during the past few weeks
to the victory campaign, he being the
chairman of the national committee,
says it is cheaper to be Baptist just
now than a member of any other de-
For the Methodists, Pres
byterians, Congregationalists and
Episcopalians are engaged in far
reaching religious propaganda, the
financial goal of which runs into hun
dreds of millions of dollars. The Bapt-
lists are not slow to reconize the de-
mands of this hour, but are forced to
accept as their responsible objective
a financial goal far less than the
worlds needs would justify" l.