Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-29
DR.. JOHN D. NELL
URGED FOR HEAD Of
SOUTHERN BAPT|STS
BY FRANK e. BURKHALTER

BY FRANK r. BURkHALTER
NASHVILLE, Tenn, April 20
When the Southern Baptist conven-
ton opens in the Atlanta city au-
ditorium on Wednesday, May IA, the
Georgia messengers will present as
their candidate for presidency of the
body, DR.. John D. Nell, president of
the Georgia Baptist convention, who
lives at Athens.
DR.. Nell is professor Of law in
the University of Georgia at Athens,
and breaches at country churches
on Sundays. In the event he should
be elected, he will be the first coun-
try pastor to fill the presidents
chair, and will also be the first man
to succeed his father in that capac'
ity. DIR. Mell's father, the late DR..
p. H. Nell, holds the record on long
service as president, having presided
over the convention for fifteen years
from 1868 to 1872 and again from
1900 to 1887.
DR.. f. Y. Mullins, Of Louisville,
the incumbent, has announced he
will retire at the Atlanta session,
having served three years, which
has been recognized as the usual
term of service in recent years. 1t
is certain there will be a few can
didates from other states, but there
have been no announcements or
other candidates thus far.
Forward Strides Made
Since the convention met in At
lanta in 1919, the denomination has
gone forward at a rapid rate in prac-
tically every line of endeaVor. From
DR.. E. P. Alldredge, official statis-
tician of the convention, who resides
here, word comes that his statlstl-
cal report this year will indicate
gratifying advances since, the body
assembled in Atlanta five years ago.
Among these advances Will be the
increase in the number Of district
ASSOCIATE from 925 to 9S3, in the
number of local churches from 24,S51
to 27,093, and In the number of bap-
tisms per year from 1888 to 1885,
S64 a gain of S2,031.
The total membership of the
churches in 1919 was reported as
2,8S7 ,42S, while today it has grown
to 3,494, 1883, representing a net gain
in membership in the five years of
6O6,761. At the same time the num-
Der of Sunday schools has grown
from 1858 to 2O,601, and the en-
rollment has increased from 1,759,-
20S to 2,3S1,717, a net gain for the
period Of 622 500. In 1919 the value
Of the local church property was
given at 500, 1914, 092, while this year
the figures have climbed to $127,-
121, 096, representing an increase in
the five years of $57,147,004.
Big Gain in Contributions
Five years ago the annual contri-
buttons to local church expenses
amounted to $12,9 ,823.82, while
this year this item is $25,045, S18.09,
a gain of nearly 100 per cent, while
the contributions to missions and
beneVOlences five years ago were
$4,911, 1857, as contrasted this year
with SO, 303, 617.S3, another advance
of almost 100 per cent. Total con-
tributions five years ago were ST.
S52, 929.19, while this year they are
$34, 439, 1852, gain of $685.
506.73.
From all indications, this years
session will he the busiest in history
if every interest demanding atten-
ton Is given an adequate hearing,
In addition to the annual reports OF
the various general boards, commits
sions and standing committees, the
convention will be called upon to lay
plans for completing the IS million
campaign-the five-year program
for missions, education and benevo-
lenCes which was projected here
five years ago. This matter Will
come up for consideration on the
first afternoon and will be given the
right of way at that time.
Other important matters out of
the ordinary which will claim the at
tention of the body will be a pro-
posed forward program to follow the
completion of the IS million cam
paiGn, the proposed reorganization
of several of the boards and other
agencies of the convention looking
to a closer correlation of the activi-
ties of the body, the proposed plan
to reclaim George Washington uni
Versity as a Baptist institution, the
taking over by the convention Of
the Southwestern Baptist Theologf-
cal seminary at Fort Worth, and an
effort to define more closely the hos
pital policy of the convention.