The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1919-09-26
IS MILLION WHITE !
PEOPLE NOT SAVED
THIS is ONE OF THE PRESSING
STATE MISSION PROBLEMS
IN THE SOUTHLAND.
THE SITUATION is OUTLINED
Baptist rs Million Campaign Has Ap-
p~ortioned 1900, 900 To Be EN-
; ptoyed During the Next Five
Years in Meeting Need.

Within the eighteen states cOmpris-
ing the territory of the Southern Bap-
hist convention are $4,000. 900 white
;SeOple who are not only not identified
with any church, but who do not claim
20 he christians. according to lnfOrma-
lion gathered by the Baptist 70 Mil
ZION Campaign. To try and reach these
people with the gospel is one OF the
aims of the campaign n to meet the
,prOblem the state mission organlza-
lion in the various states Will set
themselves. To help these Organiza-
lions in meeting that problem the sum
vt Sl1 900 600 has been appOrtiOned
from the total of SIS. OO0, 900 that is
sought Tor all purposes. and during the
pext five years the state mission
forces will seek 70 reach these mil
Iions of people right here at home with
the gospel and enlist them i'll 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
ganiza:ions or no Baptist houses of
worship. Inasmuch as these owns in
fluence more or less the surrounding
territory an effort will be made to
reach them and the territory sur
rounding them during the f~ive-year
program OF the Baptists. it is an
bounced.
There are seventy four county seats
In the South without a single Baptist
church or meeting house. ii has been
ascertained by the campaign head
quarters. BY reason OF the large num-
Der of public officials residing there,
and the large number of people who
go there from every section of the
county to attend the sessions Of the
various courts. pay their taxes and
the like il is regarded that the county
seat towns are Of especial Importance
and it is hoped THAT before the next
five years have passed there will be
IAN active Baptist church in every
icOUnty-Seat in The South.
! engaged il the work of state mis-
,sions at present are 1924 missionaries,
land while this may seem like a reason
able number, when the vast territory
TO be served is considered il has been
found that fully | 600 extra men and
women are I.eeded at once. for in ad-
,dition to reaching the people who are
not christians there are many weak,
struggling churches which need assist
i:,nce and whose members need devel.
,Opment. In the several states of the
Southern Baptist convention. for in
istanto. there aIc 9.0Dh churches with
q membership OF many thousand which
give Gu3 very little - Il interest OF
the Denomination aad which are doing
,but very sil-:t IA" .F.:p. u" upiift -
their communities.
In addition t. he. very weak
'c4lurCheS. may of which nav" 20 pas
stor, there ar in the various States q
total of i9,0SS churches which have
5000 churches which have services
only once a month, and only about
9.200 full time churches. Part of the
S11 600. 900 appOrtiOned for state mis-
si0ns will go 10 the strengthening OF
,he 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 $4,000, 900
that is asked in cash and five-year |
pledges during Victory Week, Novem-
Der 30-December 7, when the final
drive will be made. but they recognize
that the future development OF the
church depends in a great measure
upon the development of the churches
at home which Ia the peculiar task Of
state missions. !