Evening star., 1926-05-20
FAITH IN PRAYER
URGED BY BAPTIST
Rev. J. J. Van Gorder Tells
Bible Union Church Is Being
Fought by Liberals.

\ nvefold assault is being made
upon the fundamental doctrines OF the
BAPTIST church. which must be mei
With nuncolnprOGising resistance 10y de
tenders OF the faith if il is to be pre-
~c-Ntd from cmcToachment by liberal
s~M;S the delegates to the fourth an
nual convention of the Baptist Rlbie
nlnn Of North America were warned
al this mornings session at the Metro
pulitHn BarISt Church. Sixth ana \
streets northeast.
RrN. i. j. Van Gorder of Butler. Ia.
describing attempts Of modelnists and
Iree thinkers to break down strictly
literal Interpretation Of the Bible anu
the IenetS OF the Baptist sect, urged the
members OF the union to take courage
IN the success of Nehemiah in over
coming these same attacks through
PRAYER.
Nr. Van Gorler said the church to-
day. as in Nehemiah's time, is the OBJ
toCt Of attack by insincere persons
who profer assistance in conduct of
he church. by those who ridicule
fund1mentaliSm. by force, by propa,
EaudA ana by rebuffed, discontented
persons who seek compromise on IL
ro"onciiahie points OF doctrine.
Urges Faith in Prayer
Nehemiah conquered in the name OF
God through prayer, and the church
today can he Victorious through like
dependence upon prayer the speaker
declared.
Mr.. Van Gor,jer yividly described
conditions IN a certain Baptist church
in Pennsylvania. where b" was as
signed number of Years ago, under
-.
Of attacks 10y those liberals who We're
determined to rid themselves of his in
>istence upon strict Interpretation
uf the teachings of the Bible.
Because he stood stanchly for
fundamental doctrines o. the Baptist
faith, he said. q clique of his church
members. who constituted part of an
ecclesiastical machine" went to great
lengths 10 force his resignation.
Was iIecIlIed in Church.
These members. he asserted. often
stood al the rear of his church during
his sermons and said aloud, That's
& Ec," ana He is a liar, A. the
climax of the strife, Mr.. Van Gorder
said, a letter was sent him threaten
inS his life and his entire family il
he did not leave Immediately. The
letter was signed. Twelve Honest-to-
God Baptists.'
Peace finally was established, he
said, when the liberal group withdrew
and formed a church Of their own.
This afternoon, the president of the
union Or. +. r, Shields of Toronto.
Canada, will speak further on the
aims of the organization. and an ad-
dress on religion in Russia will be
delivered by Rev. T.. L. Shields of
Chicago.
Tonight addresses will be made by
Rev. w. \. Matthews IF Los Angeles
and Or. J. Frank Norris Of Fort
Worth, Tex.
RatIonalism Is Assailed.
The keynote Of the convention was
sounded last night at the opening ses-
sion by Rev. George Ragland of Lex
lngtOn, Ky, who assailed evolution
lists, scientists, rationalists and lib
erals of all forms who do not accept
the Scriptures Us the finality of
judgment
DR.. Ragland. who entered the min
istry three years ago, after having
been professor of Greek for 81
years, described Conditions of what he
called hypocrisy in the church. Be
cause of his insistence on adherence
10 strict Interpretation of the Bible
he lost all but six of his original -
NItuA II NtCe<N C4lS anu SlDOuI GUU CHuICH
members. including many wealthy
ones, he said.
Il found there We're members of
that church" he declared. "who
would rather go to a movie than to q
prayer meeting, and who would
rather dance than walk before the
Lord. ] had to get rid OF the chair
man Of my board OF deacons, because
l discovered he was staying away
fAo o-l x,t,a
dances. And | found members of the
board were attending Sunday service
and sitting in box seats at the race
tracks during the week"
Was Leader at Memphis.
DR. Raeand was a moving spirit in
the Memphis convention of the South
eIn Baptist Church last year, and in
troduced the resolution, finally adopt
ed. which placed the convention on
record positively against evolutionary
theories of creation and upholding the
Genesis account.
Mans conscience. his neighbors
Judgment nor the belief of elders OF
the church are to be the judge of his
acts-or of a minister's preaching
Dr. RaEland declared.
The Bible is the final guide for man
and nothing beyond that which is
written" is to be drawn from the
Scriptures. DR.. Ragland declared.
Declaring that he would rather
crust Christ than to trust critics"
DIR. RaGland denounced the "arro-
gance of the educational world, "
scoffed at scientists who deny the
teachings of the Bible and asserted
that the Bible WAS the most truly
scientific book ever written.
DIR. Ball Presides.
The meeting was presided over by
Rev. Dr.. J. Compton Ball. pastor of
the Metropolitan Baptist Church.
DR.. kagland was introduced by Rev.
#. r. Shields of Toronto, Canada.
president o. the Bible Union, who gave
a brief Interpretation of the aims of
the union.
The union, he said. was a militant
organization of 'old-fashioned Bap-
lists who believe in the Bible az the
inspired and authoritative word Of
God The union was called into be-
ing, he said, because Of the great
conflict being waged between modern
lists and reveationsts, and because of
the encroachment of liberal thought
on strict Interpretation of the Bible.
He praised the last convention OF
the Southern Baptists for their stand
against the damnable hersey of
evolution"
Statements Of the confession of
faith that is requisite TO membership
In the union We're distributed among
visiting Baptists.
Articles of Faith Outlined.
Among the articles of faith are the
following:
I'VE believe that the Holy Bible
l.