The courier-index., 1921-04-08

rem. TOT the seventyssixth annual session Of the Southern Baptist con yention. The Convention met ID Cbattanooea last in May, 1906, ana during the interim there has been marked growth in every department of the Conventions activities and m fhe numbers and work of the local churches as well. The total number or Baptists reported to the Convention m 1906 was 1855, 7S4, while last May, fourteen years later, when the body met in Washington, the total member snip of the local churches as reported was 2.961 ,34S, or gain of l.lOo,5o4. The returns for this year are not yet available. but inasmuch as it is known rhere were practically 175,O0O addi- rions to the local churches last year by baptism alone, there is every req son to believe the showing for 1921 will be even larger.
 Growth shown In All Lines.
 Ali the same time there has been marked increase in the membership of the churches. there has been dis tinct advance in all departments of local and denominational work, it is get out. The total number of local churches has grown from 20,129 in 1906 to 25,303 in 1920; the total num- Der of Sunday Schools from 11,332 to 17.6S6: and the number of Sunday school pupils from S57 PA to 1885, g3s. an increase of more than 100 per cent. The value of local church prop erty has mounted from s4,501 ,122 in 1906 to s74.273,72S in 1920, an increase of more than 1600 per cent, while con- tribntions to missions and benevo- fences in 1906 were $1,501, ,369.67, as compared to s7,331 ,266.55 in 1920, an advance of practically 800 per cent. Fourteen years ago the contributions to all purposes in a year were s5,941,- 2S3.44. as against s21, ,327, ,446.67 for 1920.
 Next Meeting important
 The approaching session of the Convention is regarded as vitaIIy im- portant to the future of the denomina- tion's work Ii is hoped that by the Convention two-fifths of all subscrip- tions 10 the 75 Million Campaign will have been paid in cash and that the program for the completion of the remainder of the campaign task can be formulated at this time. Dr. J. B. Gambrell, president of the Convention, and Dr. F. Y. Mullins. who recently completed a tour of Europe, where they carried fraternal greetings to the Baptists of that continent, will give their impressions of Baptist opportu- nity in that country. while Dr. George W Truet and Dr F. Love, who rep resenlsd the Flo -eign Mission Board at the London Conference last sum- mer when the mission fields of Europe were considered, will tell of the new territory of Spain, Jugo-Slavia, Hun- gary. Roumania and Southern Russia. which Southern Baptists are asked to occupy. This territory is as large as the Southern States and has a popu- iation of 12s,o00,000
 All the boards of the Convention will report the largest years accom- plismments in their history, the Home Mission Board being scheduled to re- port the completion of its million dol lar loan fund for church building, in addition 10 the aiding of a thousand churches during the year with gifts and loans for the erection of new houses of worship. The Sunday School Board will report more than s1,000 GOO in sales for the year and with collec- lions as well as sales better than st any previous time in its history.