The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1921-04-15

on. G. Y. MULLINS 1
President Southern Baptist THsol0si
eel Seminary, who Is Touring South!
Following the close Of the second
year OF the Baptist IS Million Cam
paign April 30. several thousand mes
sengers from the local churches are
expected to assemble at Chattanooga.
Tenn., for the seVenty-siKth annual
session of the Southern Baptist Con-
Yentioh. The Convention met In
Chattanooga. last in May. 1905, aRd
during the interim there has been q
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
1905 was 1.S55.764, 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,S4S. or q gain Of 1.105,s64.
The returns for this year are not yet
available, but inasmuch as 1t Is known
there were practically 175,000 addi.
tions to the local churches last year
by baptism alone. there is every Eea.
son to believe the showing for 1921
will be even larger.
Growth Shown In Al Lines.
At the same time thsre has been q
marked increase Ia the membership
of. the churches, there has bean dis
tinct advance In all departments OF
local and denominational wcfk, 1t IL
set oat. The, total number Of local
churches has growD from 2O.12S In
1905 to. 25.S03 eiaa 1890: the total num-
Der Of Sunday Schools from 1889 to
1856: and the number OF Sunday
School pupils from S57.244 60 1885,.
'936. an increase Of more than 100 per
cent. The value Of local church prop
erty has mounted from $4.601, ,122 in
1906 to S74,27S,7 in 1890, an increase
Of more than 1900 per cent, while con.
tributions to missions and beneyO.
lences in 1905 were S1.601, ,3S6.67, as
compared to 1881. .26e.65 in 1920. an
advance Of practically 500 per cent.
Fourteen years ago the contributions
to all purposes in q year were $5,s41.-
2Ss.44. as against s21.s27. .446.s7 for
1920.
Next Meeting important.
The approaching session Of the.
Convention is regarded as vitality i'm.
portant to the future Of the denonina-
lions work. It ID hoped that by the
Convention two-fffths Of ell subscrip-
tions to the as Million Campaign will
have been paid In cash and that the
program for the completion Of the
remainder of tksa campaign task can
be formulated at this time. DR.. ]. b
Gambrell. president Of the Convention,
and DR.. e. r. Mullins, who recently.
completed . tour OF Europe, where
they carried fraternal greetings to the.
Bantists OF that continent. will give
theiE. impressions Of Baptist opportu-
nifty in that country, while DR.. George
W. Truet and DIR. J. F. Love, who rep
rasented 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 popu.
lation Of 100000.
All the boards Of the Convention
win report the largest years accom-.
plishments 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 to the aiding OF thousand
churches during the year with gifts
and loans for the erection Of nav
houses of worship. The sunday School
Board will report more than $i,00O, 600
in sales for the year and with collsc.
tions as well az siies better than 81
any previous time In. its history.