The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-04-08

Il
President Southern Baptist TheologA
cal Seminary, Who Is Touring South
Following the close of the second
year of the Baptist rs Million Cam
paign April 80, several thousand mes
sengers from the local churches are
expected TO assemble at Chattanooga,
| Tenn, for the seventy-sixth annual
session of the Southern Baptist Con-
vention. The Convention met In
Chattanooga last in May, 1905, and
during the interim there has been
marked growth in every department
Of the Conventions activities and In
the numbers and work OF the local
churches as we'll. The total number Of
Baptists reported to the Convention in
1906 was 1,S55,7S4, while last May.
fourteen years later, when the body
met in Washington, the total member
ship of the local churches as reported
was 2,961,34S, or a gain of 1,105,564.
The returns for this year are not yet
available, but inasmuch as II is known
there we're practically 175,O00 addt
tions to the local churches last year
by baptism alone, thHe is every rea-
son to believe the showing for 1921
will be even larger.
Growth Shown In All Linea
At the same time there has been q
marked increase In the membership
OF the churches, there has been dis
tinct advance in all departments Of
local and UNCONVENTIONAL work, d b
set out. The total number Of local
churches has grown from 20,129 In
1906 to 25.so3 In 1920; the total num-
Der Of Sunday Schools from 1882 to |
1855; and the number Of Sunday |
School pupils from &7,s44 70 1885, |
936, an increase Of more than 100 per |
cent. The value Of local church prop |
erty has mounted from 4,50l,12 In |
1906 to $7<,273,72S In 1920. an increase
Of more than 1900 per cent, while con-
tributions to missions and benevo-
lences In 1906 were s1,501, S96y67, az
compared 10 1881. 266.55 in 1920, an
advance Of practically 500 per cent
Fourteen years ago the contributions
TO ell purposes In q year were 1884,
2S3.44. as against s21, 327,4+6 for
1920.
Next Meeting important
The approaching session Of the
Convention is regarded as vitality i'm
portant to the future of the denomina-
tons work. It is hoped that by the
Convention two-fifths OF all subscrip
lions to the rs Million Campaign win
have been paid in cash and that the
program for the completion of the
remainder of the campaign task can
be formulated at this tine. DR.. ]. b
Gambrell, president Of the Convention,
and DR.. E. Y Mullins, who recently
completed a tour Of Europe, where
they carried fraternal greetings to the
Baptists of tina. continent, will give
their impressions OF Baptist opportu-
nifty in that country. while Dr.. George
w. Truet and DR.. J. F. Love, who rep
resented the Foreign 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-
lation of 12S,O00. 900
All the boards Of the Convention
will report the largest years accom-
plishments in their history. the Home
Mission Board being scheduled 30 70
port the completion Of rs million dol
ar loan fund for church building, n
addition to the aiding of thousand
churches during the year with gifts
md loans for the erection Of new
houses Of worship. The Sunday School
Board win report more than 81. 900, 900
n sales for the year and with collec-
ions as well as sales better than at
my previous time IN its history.