Arizona republican., 1921-03-01
BAPTIST CHURCHES
 OPEN CONFERENCE
 IN PHOENIX TODAY

Representatives of Baptist churches of Phoenix and vicinity will rally in Phoenix today and Wednesday for a missionary conference which promises to be the most important ever held in this city. The sessions form but one group of five meetings in this state and, in turn they are part of a move ment which is taking place in 35 states. In these conferences, which ahe being held in 151 leading centers, the 1o,666 churches comprising the Northern Bap ptiSt convention, are cooperating with the object of securing a lively interest in missions. The sessions were begun On Jan. 30 and will not be completed in all cities until March 30.
 Arrangements for the Arizona meet ings were made by the Rev. H. Q. Morton of Phoenix, state promotion di- rector. aided by pastors and laymen who last spring had so important ? part in the success of Arizona in lead ing the way in the financial effort of the New World movement.
 Baptist missionaries from stations in Burma, Africa, Asam, South India, East and West China and the Philip pines are giving up time from fur loughs in this country-and they get one but once in seven years-to make | the meetings a success. Important | figures in the denominational life in this country are likewise laying aside other tasks to take part
 1 Among the speakers in the Phoenix meetings will be Dr. James H. Frank | lin, foreign secretary of the American 1 Baptist Foreign Mission society; Rev. w. H. Bowler, field representative of the general board of promotion and a veteran of much experience among the newer regions; Rev. Dr. w. l.. Fer guson of Bishopville. Madras Presi- dency, South India, one of the best known missionaries in that big terri tory; and Miss Ruth Shipley, one of the officers of the Woman's Baptiss Home Mission society.
 | Twenty-Five years as a missionary in India have given pr. Ferguson the reputation of being missionary statesman" pr. Ferguson is treasurer of the South India mission of the American Baptist Foreign Mission so- ciety, and is in full charge of the mis- sion station at Madras.
 His splendid executive ability was
 responsible for his being named a member of the Sudan commission in 1910 to investigate conditions in the Congo, with the idea of extending Baptist work in that field. His opin- ions are also sought by the govern ment in Madras. When he first re-
 turned to the United States on fur lougn, Dr. FerguSOn was oIIereu' the
 presidency of Des Moines college, but
 he declined this opportunity, preferring
 to go back to India and continue the
 work he had begun.
 pr. Franklin, whose efforts in behalf
 of reconstruction work in France leG
 to the award by that republic re
 gently of the decoration of officer O public instruction, and whose connec- , tions with foreign missionary work , are international in scope, last veal
 made an extended visit to the battle
 fields of Europe. At the meeting O | the American Baptist Foreign Mission
 society early in 1912 Dr. Franklin wa:
 chosen foreign secretary. In this DO
 sition he has been called to travel ex- tensively, both in Europe and in thu 1 Far East.
 t Miss Ruth Shipley is recognized a.
 a specialist in Sunday school methods
 and work for juniors and children. He programs of methods have been pre-
 scented at numerous interdenomina
 tional schools of missions. Miss Ship ley has conducted normal training . classes at Sunday school institutes ant : conventions on many occasions.