The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-01-03
A GREAT BAPTIST
UNIVERSITY PLANNED
REV. S. F. LOWE WRITES OF
PROPOSAL TO TURN MERCER
TO SOUTHERN BAPTISTS.

The greatest hour OF the recent
Georgia Baptist convention was on the
morning Of the second day, when
Judge w. H. Davis, president Of the
board of trustees of Mercer Universe
ty, offered a memorial to the conven-
ton on behalf of the board requesting
the privilege OF rendering the Southern
Baptist Convention control of Mercer
University on certain conditions nam
ed below Indeed, this was probably
the greatest hour this convention ever
saw-certainly with reference to edu-
cation. And, be it said to the credit
of all present, there was an almost
unanimous vote favoring the PROPOSE
tion. The conditions on which this OF
fer OF control was made are as fol-
lows
/. That the Southern Baptist Con-
vention make Mercer University the
great Baptist University of the south
east, doing both regular university and
post graduate work, on the same scale
as our great eastern universities.
g. That the Southern Baptist Con-
vention shall make the present school
of Christianity at Mercer the theologi-
cal department of the new university,
placing the theological training on
the same plane Of scholarship with the
highest in America
3. That the Southern Baptist Con-
vention give two and a half million
dollars to Mercer and Georgia Bap-
fists give like sum the first five
years after the close of the present
Is million period, thus raising the as
sets of Mercer to seven millions. This
would mean ten millions for Mercer
within short while, for other interests
than our own Baptist people will want
TO give to such large project as this.
4, Tha! all states OF the Southern
Baptist Convention east Of the Missis-
sippi river nominate trustees tor the
larger university OH the sale OF dona-
tons to the institution, and the Geor-
gia Baptist Convention elect nominees:
There are several points to be noted
about this great movement:
/. This will not become effective un-
til the Southern Baptist Convention
has voted on the same, and has had
time to put the plan into operation.
OF course, this may not be accepted
by the convention in Jacksonville next
May. 1t all remains TO be seen. Geor-
gia Baptists are simply abiding in the
hope that it will be accepted.
2. We are not offering southern Bap-
lists Mercer in fee simple; only control
of it, but the way in which this has
to be done amounts to practically the |
same as long as the Southern Baptist
Convention fosters higher education at
Mercer which is in keeping with the
old fashioned principles OF the Bible
3. In return for this gilt we shall |
have established right here in our
midst one of the great universities OF !
the world.
T. There are three detectives in the |
new movement: (a) To have Bap- !
fist institution of highest learning for /
a Baptist constituency; of course it |
will be open to all others; OBJ To have !
an institution OF highest learning which !
will be free from all rationalism and /
consequent evils; (c) To meet the cur
rents of rationalism eminating from
other universities of the country, which |
are doing SO much to wreck the faith !
OF so many.
Let all south Georgia rise and well
come the coming OF this great and
larger institution of learning. S. F. L.