Evening star., 1926-05-25
D|SSENS|0NL LOOMS
AS 5000 BAPT|STS
OPEN CONVENTION
Dr.. ]. w. Brougher Pleads for
Harmony in Address Be-
ginning Meeting.
FIRST TEST TO COME
TOMORROW MORNING
Initial Fundamentals. .Modernist
Tilt Due Over Seating of
Park Avenue Delegates.

Park Avenue Delegates.
With the warning from the funda-
mentalist wing ringing in their ears,
that this is to he the most sadly
rnomentous convention ever held
unless the modernist wing retreats"
the general convention of the North
ern Baptist Church was opened at the
Washington Auditorium this morn
ing, with more than 5000 delegates,
representing a membership In excess
of 100000 Baptists. in attendance.
At the very outset a plea for har'
mony and moderation by opposing
factions and a protest against ex.
tremists of all kinds was sounded in
the official keynote address delivered
hy Dr. j. Whitcomh Brougher of Los
Angeles.
The first test between the funda-
mentalists and the modernists viii
come tomorrow morning when the
question of seating the radical mod
ernists," particularly of delegates of
the Park avenue church of DR.. Harry
Emerson Fosdick, comes up for de-
cision. If those seeking Cancellation
In this question are successful a later
test will come tomorrow over the re-
port on the proposed amendment to
the constitution of the Baptist
Church, which would make baptism
by immersion a requisite of member
ship.
Compromise Is Urged.
The original amendment, notice OF
which was given at the Seattle Con-
vention last year. would make INNER
sion mandatory, but a modified amend.
ment. being sponsored by 'middle-of-
the-road" Baptists, said to be in the
vast majority at the present con-
vention, will be supported by DR..
Brougher and many other prominent
leaders.
A tribute to "the old-time religion"
was delivered at the opening of the
session this morning by Secretary OF
Labor Davis.
There are those who would even
try to modernize God" he said. al
luding, to the discussions prevalent in
the BAPTIST world today. "but I rest
firmly in the religion Of my childhood.
The training which I received from
my good mother and father has al.
ways been a help and a comfort to
me and for which I am duly grateful.
Tn our faith in Christ lies the
moral stamina that enables men to
face the trials of the world. For there
r. no more vital force than religion. -
Has Survived Persecution.
Secretary Davis described how re-
licion has outlived the worst Of perse-
cution. inspired the greatest works of
at and overthrown despotism. He de-
clared that religion never can be
outcrown. because it answers human
need" He attributed to Christianity
the credit for the elevation Of the
sta ndards of labor
THE ever-rising standard of the
human race from serfSom to its pres.
ent high place is due to the endeav-
ors of those who followed the example
of Jesus Christ" he said.
Secretary Davis extended to the
delegates the greeting from President
Coolidge.
A greeting from Washington was
extended to the convention by Rev.
Samuel Judson Porter, and prayer
was offered by Rev. Emory w. Hunt,
president Of Bucknell University.
In a brief opening statement, Rev.
Edward RI. Rhoades. jr., president of
the convention, declared: This Is not
a commercial gathering. not group
grasping after gold or gain. not a
plea sure-seeking organization. but a
representation of a church that is de-
liberately set to climb to A high plane
of service. regardless of the sacrifice" +"
Pleads for Harmony.
In his keynote speech. DR.. BrouSher
studiously avoided giving comfort
either to the extreme modernists or
to the extreme fundamentalsts OF the
church. He did not insist in his dis
cussion of the Baptist faith on an
absolute belief in the infallibility of
the Bible as the authoritative and In
spired word of God to complete
degree. nor did he insist upon bap-
tism by immersion only as a requisite
of membership in the church, but
chose rather to declare an unwaver-
ing faith in the teachings of Christ
and in His absolute authority" His
address was plea for harmony
throughout.
There are four distinct groups in
our denominational life" he said at
the outset of his address. I'VE have
a very small group of extreme mod.
ernists who are more or less stubborn.
lv determined to carry out their ideas
even if they have to disrupt the
Northern Baptist Convention to do so.
We have some extreme non-co-oper-
stinc fundamentalsts who are equal
H. determined to carry out their con-
victions even If they have to destroy
harmony and interrupt the work of
the convention. These two groups
together represent hut about Is per
cent of our denomination.
Big Group Seeks Peace.
There is another company Of
fundamentalists. equally determined
to contend earnestly for the faith
and to put up vigorous fight in
order to hold the denomination true
to the fundamental teachings Of
Christ, but who are willing to CO.
operate heartily in the program Of
the Northern Baptist Convention.
This group represents about one-third
of our denomination.
Finally, so per cent of our people
are thoroughly fundamental in their
belief. They hold to the historic
faith and practices of regular Bap.
fists, but are not organized or aligned
as a separate group. They are irri.
tated by the continual discussions in
our conventions: they are disgusted
with the fighting attitude of both
the extreme modernists and the ex.
treme fundamentaiists: they are weary
OF fractions folk and factional dissen-
sions. Their sympathies and activi-
ties are wholly given to putting over
The program of our denomination. and
If they had their way they would put
the extreme modernists and the ex.
Continued on Page 4. Column So