The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-18
'2ESS DENOUNCED BY BAPTISTS AT
 CLOSING SESSION
Movies, I iquor Traffic and Lax llsws Blamed for inc Prevalence of
 Div0rces
ev A,.o.,a,,a s,...

NaSninston, May l--The diamond convention Of the southern Baptist churches. described as the greatest in the history of the church, came to ar end today with the adoption of the re- pert of the committee on temperance and social service and of a recommenda- tion that the constitution of the United States be so amended to prohibit the use of public funds for the support of seotarian institutions.
 Motion pictures, lax laws and the liquor traffic were declared to be the fundamental causes for ti1e prevalence of divorce in this country in the report of the committee on temperance and so- cial service. An attack on the national board of censors was stricken from the report before its adoption upon the sug- gestion of pr. w. w. Landrum, of Rus sellville. Ky.
 Dr. Landrum argued that the attack was libelous in character and might lead , to the recovery of heavy damages from the convention. He agreed with the spirit which had prompted the statement objected to, however, he said.
 Amendment to the constitution to pro- hibit the use of money raised by the government through taxation or other wise from defraying the expenses of sectarian institutions was proposed by Dr. J. B. Gambrell, president of the con vention. Dr. Gambrell declared it his belief that every religious order should pay it's own expenses.
 Progress made in the establishment of a theological seminary for negroes was reported to the convention and the project heartily endorsed by two negro Baptist preachers, pr J. W. Bailey, or Chicago, and Dr. George o. Bullock, of Washington.
 NEWSPAPERS ATTACKED
 Appointment of a committee to study the advisability of establishing a na- tional Baptist newspaper was decided upon after vigorous attack by Dr. Ben Cox, of Memphis, Tenn, on the news papers of the country and especially the Associated Press for what he termed their "unfair attitude towards the Bap- tist denomination.
 The newspapers and the Associated Press were stanchly defended by Frank t. Burkhalter, of Nashville. Tenn, and Dr. Alex Bealer, of Georgia, who de- ciared that the Baptists have not been discriminated against in the papers and that the Associated Press had always been fair and courteous.
 Dr. Cox took particular exception to the Associated Press report of the ser mon delivered yesterday from the steps of the capitol by Dr. George w. Truett, of Dallas, Tex, complaining that por-  rogatory to other denominations.
 Later pr. Cox introduced resolution thanking the civic organizations, hotels and others of Washington for their help and cooperation in taking care of the 10000 messengers and their friends in the city and in making the convention success.
 NEED MORE PREACHERS
 One of the last acts of the convention was to provide for a committee of three to report to the 1921 meeting upon the number of vacant Baptist pulpits in the south and to study ways and means for attracting men to the ministry to fill the existing vacancies in Baptist churches
 Eulogies of former officers of the con vention who died during the past year were delivered during the closing exer- cises. A. J Dickinson, Z Alabama, told of the life and works of Richard II. Manley, of Alabama T. Cleggett Skinner, of Virginia. revived the mem cry of William Ellyson, of Virginia; R. w. James eulogized H. s. D. Mallory, of Alabama, and E. c. Dargan, of Ten nessee. portrayed the character of Lam sing Burrows with great feeling.
 Declaring the convention to be at an end. Dr. Gambrell, It's president. said: We have had a wonderful convention. God has been with us" The messen- gers were dismissed with prayer by pr. F. c. Mcconnell, of Atlanta, Ga.