The Penn's Grove record., 1923-06-08
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVEN-
TIONS

During the month of May the two
great national Baptist convention held
their annual meetings, the Northern,
at Atlantic City, and the Southern, at
Kansas City. The attendance was
300 and 1920 respectively.
According to H. K. Carroll, govern
ment statistician, as Washington,
Baptists outnumber any religious de-
nomination in America except the
Catholics, numbering nearly 100000.
Northern Baptists baptized $1,000
last year and raised for missionary
purposes $8,266,018.28, making a total
of 36,519,549 raised during the four
years of the New Work Movement.
Indians in Oklahoma gave the Home
Mission Society 81, 053 900 for Indian
work, jackson Barnett giving $780,
900.
The Northern Convention
Newspaper reports indicated there
would be a division in the convention.
Rather than seeking to split the two
opposing factions, the Liberals and
Fundamentalists sought common
ground and a spirit of harmony and
unity characterized the sessions. Bap-
lists in general are too busy building
the kingdom to divide and court disas-
ter. Northern Baptists have four
great mission societies, two foreign
and two for home work; 81 schools
and colleges, the American Baptist
Publication Society, three national re-
Hgious papers, Is city mission societies
and many other agencies. The terri
tory ver Sc States.
Baptist work is wholly voluntary
and cooperative. The local Church
is the unit, free and Independent. No
National or State convention, or asso-
citation has any control over any Bap-
fist Church. Messengers from the
Churches meet and counsel together,
then make recommendations to the
Churches and in the spirit of cooper
ton the work it done. During the
year Northern Baptists baptized
nearly 100000 and Southern Baptsts
224, S44.
The Southern Convention
The first Southern Convention met
in Augusta, Ca, in May, 1845. At that
time there were 4,126 Churches, 2,015
ministers, 22,891 baptisms and 352,950
members. Now there are 27,919
Churches, 224,844 baptisms, with a
total membership of 3,666,211. South
ern Baptists started in 1919 their Is
Million Campaign for 5 years. $780,
600, 900 was pledged. There has been
raised to date S43, 933 ,815.26. There
has been since 1919 an increase of 1881
ministers, 3,068 Churches, 726,98O
baptisms, 3,287 Sunday Schools, 460,-
827 pupils. 1858 B. Y. P. Us with
256,729 members, T., 092 W. M, U. or
CARNATIONS and an average annual
gain to all causes of $1~4,315,049, with
a gain in the value of local Church
property of S45, 27,868. Southern
Baptists are united do%ctrinally, I'M
otherwise. They operate in IS States,
have 10 State papers, % hospitals,
valued at $4,000, 900, 119 schools, col
leees and seminaries, with $4,000 stu
dents: Sunday School Board at Nash
vile. which publishes books, literature,
etc. doing last year a business Of ST.
$4,000, having resources amounting
TO 81. 274. 900. The Board issued last
year 1000, 900 tracts, 1897 diplomas,
GAPS awards for other teacher tram
ing courses. There is the Home MIS-
sion Board, which reported 59,59I
baptism. and is doing work among
the foreigners, Indians, Negroes
mountain schools. soldiers n sea
men, Cuba and Panama. Inc ofeiRh
Mission Board at Richmond, dong
work around the world, reported 89l
Churches. 1851 baptisms, sol for
eign missionaries and 1920 native
helpers. Besides these there are other,
boards as the Relief and Annuity and
fine various State conventions.
The Debts
Roth conventions reported large
debts on home and foreign MISSION
work; the Northern convection SaiSZZ'-
619. and the Southern $1,2OO,OOO.
The Future
This wear will close the New World
Movement and the rs Million Gam
paign. Both conventions adopted pro,
grams, getting ready for enlargea
work after these campaigns closed,
Neither convention will take pledges,
for. more than>one year, even on a .1lVe
wear program, and the largest pos
sible freedom will be given IN the
work. To Baptists the outlook was
never brighter and they confidently
expect to make greater progress thls
e The Baptists Worlds Alllance
meets next month in Stockholm 9We-
den. and, more than 1000 BaptlstS
NbSAt5 So.