The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-06-14
BAPT|STS FACE
SERIOUS CONDITION
Mrs. Montgomery Outlines
Issues at Opening of An
nual Convention
CREED QUESTION
A LOCAL ONE
President of Northern Baptists Urges
Completion of New World Movement,
But Must Contribute More Than
Loose Change" to Christian Work.

&@o09N SAAAeA&N ~ NAAA5tfAiA WIN
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, June a.
Helen Barrett Montgomery, president of
the Northern Baptist convention, today
told the 1000 delegates assembled for
the opening of the 10Th annual conven-
ton of the denomination, that they faced
the most serious condition. and the most
momentous questions that ever con-
fronted a Northern Baptist convention
''Our children's children will look back
to this hour and judge us by what we
do now" declared Mrs Montgomery.
Among the great issues which the del
egates to the Northern Baptist conven-
ton must consider, she said were the
two great civic questions of interna-
tional peace and the enforcement of the
18th amendment; the UNCONVENTIONAL
problems of the New World movement,
and the much argued adoption of a
creedal statement; and the new religious
opportunities afforded by IAN uprising
tide of evangelism in this country, and
the fact that 10O,OOO00O people in Eu-
rope have religious liberty for the first
time. as result of the war.
We meet as Baptists," Mrs. Mont
gOmery said. I'VE have a great history
We are not sufficiently conscious of the
notable contributions we have made to
the cause of individual liberty, civil and
religious. There was dedicated in Wash
ington, recently, a memorial to Roger
Williams. The president of the United
States turned the first spade full of
earth for it, ansl Charles Evans Hughes
delivered a great Grafton. We BaptistS
tho Tnaouniyp1 Hpu1parofS Of ho
Protestant world. Let us not betray
these principles today"
Concerning the discussion about neccs-
sity of issuing Baptist statement of
creed. which is advocated by a part of
the denomination, and violently opposed
by others, Mrs. Montgomery declared
that the thing to emphasize was that
any such statement must be voluntary,
and its adoption must be left to each To-
cal church.
She urged the completion, of the New
World movement campaign of the Bap-
fists, declaring that both Europe and
rs well as the various foreign
fields of the denomination, today offer
for evangelism never
equaled before.
But we must either put up or shut
up rs the soldier boys expressed it," she
declared. we cannot continue to sing
The Light of the World Is Jesus and
only our loose change to His
Work. We must square our gifts with
our claims
Mrs. Montgomery said that the per
capita gifts of the denomination had been
raised from less than 81 per annum to
more than so in a short time but de-
clared that this standard was a low one,
and must be raised.
Criticism of the New World move
ment. the general board of promotion,
and the raising of finances had greatly
the work, Mrs. Montgomery
said
Our Christian democracy must learn
the lesson that the political democracy
of the United States has learned-tO ac-
auiesce in the will of the majority" she
declared
The supreme political duty of the
church. she said, lies in sustaining the
Volstead act
We must override party lines and
break political ties, if need be. in the de-
Tense of a sober nation" she declared.