The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-11-21
REMARKABLE ARE
BAPTISTS OF SOUTH
A LOCAL CHURCHMAN PAYS
HIGH TRIBUTE, AND ASKS
THEM TO FINISH WORK.

They (Southern Baptists) are really
remarkable people, occupying re-
markable place in the earth. Just look
at them for a moment.
All over the wide world for the past
decade they have been standing
straight up and out against the union
movement. There seems to be sue
cess at home, at least Tor lew years.
But not so on foreign fields. The hight
is being waged among the wires in
mo mans land there. Inter-church
movements have divided all the terri
tory, assigning all parts to certain de-
nominations All these, of course, eX-
| change members as though they were
all OF the same faith. Baptists are
making themselves very obnoxious to
certain ones in some quarters by Just
taking the whole field and refusing to
"mush up" with them. The reason
why Baptists do this IS that they con-
scientiously believe that they have the
whole truth and that God is going to
hold them responsible for telling 1t all
everywhere. Rather a remarkable po-
sition they occupy as we'll as the atti-
tude they assume in the matter.
In 1919 they occupied the most re-
markable position and were placed in
the most remarkable situation ever
occupied since the week of Pentacost.
Think of i'll The whole wide world
reaching out to them for gospel mes
sage which had a welcome in every
quarter OF the globe. In addition to
this in the years 1919 to 1921 ten
thousand young people laid their lives
on Gods altar for service. Thousands
of these entered the ministry or mis-
sion work or Christian teaching ranks,
or the holy ministry OF Christian nurs-
ing.
A whole world calling Thousands
responding for service. Just at this
particular turn in world history South
ern Baptists pledged ninety-two and
one-half million dollars for the spread
Of the gospel at home and abroad. In
the face of these conditions our lead
ers iii the south felt encouraged to. go
forward. SO the work was enlarged
in every field. More than year ago
all our leaders saw the depression was
bound to affect all cur great and va
ried enterprises, and they began econ
omizing and cutting in every possible
place And by most rigid economy
and charging nowhere since that date
and by borrowing just as little money
as they could get by with they have
| been able to maintain the work in ev-
cry department without Withdrawing
missionaries and without closing shop
anywhere.
But that brings us to grave sit
uation at this time. The year has been
very lean over the entire south and
consequently comparatively little has
been paid on pledges. In the imme-
diate future something is going to
| happen. We are in a remarkable sit
uation If there is worthy paying OF
pledges all is well. Otherwise, mis-
sionaries will have to be recalled;
work at strategic points will have to
be abandoned; orphan children will
have to go hungry; other orphan chill
dren will have to be denied the care
of Baptist orphanageS; old ministers
will have to go without support; ed
vocational institutions will have to mar
row their lines of work. Untold loss
to the Baptist cause everywhere will
be suffered. | believe this remark
able people will respond in remark
able way in this remarkable hour.
What are you going to do about your
pledge, in this remarkable hour, re-
markable Baptists?
DAWSON CHURCHMAN.