The Washington times., 1920-05-12
.BAPT|STS PICK
l.B. GAMBRELl
Southern Convention Delegates
Shatter Precedent by Drop
ping Three-year Limit.

Dr. u. Is. bdmpreu, OF Dhllat, Tex.
was given a remarkable demonstrs-
ton at the opening session OF the
Southern Baptist convention In LIB
erty Hut this noon when he was
unanimously reelected for his fourth
term as president by a rising and
cheering vote OF more than 1000 mes
sengers who had crowded into the
building.
The convention upset precedent In
returning DIR. Gsmbreli beyond the
three-year limit. lie was placed In
nomination. by DR.. W. r. Wiley. OF
Oklahoma. and Congressman Upshaw,
OF Georgia.
The other officers elected unsni-
mously were: Vice presidents. Dan
iel Harris. OF Missouri: Dr. John K.
White, OF South Carolina; DR.. w. w.
Lsndrum. OF Kentucky. and J. n.
Anderson, OF Tennessee: secretaries
Hight q. Moore. OF Nashville. Tenn
and Joseph Henry Burnett. OF Macon.
Ga, re-elected; treasurer. George w.
Norton, OF Louisville; auditor. william
Patrick Harvey. OF Kentucky.
, Because OF the fact that all Of the
delegates could not crowd into LIB
erty Hut. a big overflow meeting was
held at the Metropolitan Baptist
Church. Sixth and A streets. north
east.
Met Here Is Years Ags.
In the 20 years since the conventions
held its last session here the num-
ber OF Baptist coming az messengers
to the convention has increased ten
fold, from $50 in 1895 to nearly 10000
in 1920. Messengers came In on every
train yesterday and today, and were
registered at Liberty Hunt and as
signed to lodgings Even the high
n. al IxlA h..
accommodations that have replaced
capacious homes OF a quarter century
ago did not prevent the entertain
ment OF guests by the local members
| of the denomination.
The vast gathering In Liberty Hut
was called TO order by DR.. j. b. Gam
brelI, OF Forth Worth. Tex. who Is
completing his third year as presi-
dent OF the convention. The Baptists
were welcomed by Vice President
Thomas X. Marshall. on behalf Of the
National Government; by Commits
sioner Louis Brownlow, for the Dis
! trict OF Columbia, and by DR.. j. j.
Muir, OF Temple Baptist Church, for
the local Baptists.
/ Report shows Great Growth.
! During the morning session re-
port was read by DR.. Hight c. Moore.
one of the secretaries, showing the
growth of the denomination in the
South during the twenty-five years
since the convention was he'd In
! Washington.
The number of local churches rep
resented by the convention has grown
from 9.90I to 25.303 a gain OF more
than $50 per cent; membership from
l.431.o4l to 1881 ,3iS, a gain OF more
than 100 per cent. In financial con-
ha has
startling. the amount for home mis-
sions having grown from SsS.000 in
1895 to 81 sI.559O00 this year, an in
crease of $50 per cent, and for for.
eign missions from S125.00O to S2.333.
900. gain Of more than 500 per cent.
Daily meetings will be held in Lib
erty Hut at $3.50 in the morning, In
the afternoon and in the evening.
Overflow evening meetings will be
held in Metropolitan Baptist Church.
The sessions will continue through
Monday with the exception of Sun
day. The convention sermons tonight
will be by DIR. John f. White. of An
derson, S. C. speaking at Liberty Hut,
and Dr. !. r. Hobbs, Of Birmingham,
Ala, at the First Baptist Church. J.
is likely that a third meeting will be
held in Metropolitan Church, which
| will be kept in readiness for over
| flow meetings throughout the conven.
| tion.'
Laymen Have Session.
Baptist Iaymen held a large meet
ing in Temple Baptist Church last
night. presided over by J. II. Ander-
son. of Knoxville, Tenn, chairman
OF the executive committee OF the
Laymen's Missionary Movement.
The Orphanage Workers of the
South an auxiliary OF the Southern
| Baptist Convention, was organized
last night at a meeting at the Ebbitt.
/ ]. w. Steward, of Alabama, was elect
| ed president and +. c. Flowers. Of
Louisiana, secretary.
| officers elected at the Raleigh yes
terday by the Sunday School and y.
| Y. p. L. field forces of the Sunday
School Board were: President, w. ID.
| Hydgins: vice president. Aubrey
| Wiles: secretary. Hubert Hamilton.
To hear reports for the past year
and plan their special work for tho
year ahead, the women attending the
convention will gather at Calvary
! Baptist Church Thursday and Friday
| for the thirty-second annual session
of the Woman's Missionary Union. At
the opening meeting Thursday morn
| ing at 9:30, Mrs. o. Il. Howe, Of wash
ington, will welcome the visitors, and
reports from the officers and from
the $4,000, 900 campaign will occupy
the remainder OF that session. DIT
l.. r. Scarborough will address the
women In connection with the cam