Evening star., 1933-05-27
|bAPT|STS PRAISE
PLAN.
IGNORING PROTEST.
Convention Takes Vigorous
Stand Against Repeal
of Dry Law.
iUPSHAW Is SPEAKER
AGAINST LEGAL LIQUOR
Cities Cited as Pagan Influence On
Whole Country in Another
Address at Meeting.

create a new type of bonus marchers,
the Northern Baptist Convention today
voted to extend to President Roosevelt
appreciation of his reforestation pro-
gram and the cooperation of Baptists
in supplying chaplains for the men.
Former Representative Grant M. Hud-
son of Michigan warned the convention
that they were voting to indorse an
administration program that was being
carried out under a military system" J"
In warning the convention to go slow
in considering such a responsible ac-
ton" he declared this system would
build up another group of men who
will be just as troublesome to us as
the bonus marchers."
Cites Military Phase.
Because of the military phase of the
program, Hudson told the Baptist Con-
vention, there are phases Of this social
welfare work to which the church
should not subscribe.
mo one knows year from now If
this program will be a wise one on
the part of the Government"
Preparing to close it's business ses-
sions tonight, the convention took a
vigorous stand against repeal of the
eighteenth amendment.
THE battle is on a resolution
adopted amid applause, stated, We
dare not let up in this contest with
the forces of evil and corruption"
After overwhelmingly defeating late
yesterday a move of fundamentalists to
divorce the Baptist Convention from
the Council of Churches of Christ in
America because of its internationalist
attitude, the convention today re-
affirmed "as guiding principles" the
broad platform Of the department of
the church and social service of the
council.
Former Representative William B.
Upshaw of Georgia, who was allowed
two minutes to make prohibition
speech. stated the position of Northern
Baptists as outlined to the convention
president. DR.. C. oscar johnson Of ST.
Louis, when he called at the White
House earlier in the week
"Mr. President" the Georgia prohi-
bition leader quoted DR.. Johnson as
saying, ''the Northern Baptists support
the Administration 968 per cent, but
we cannot go with you on the other
30" This brought shout of ap-
plause. Upshaw was candidate for
President on the prohibition ticket in
the last campaign.
The convention deferred action un-
til later today on the remainder of the
report of the Resolutions Committee.
Under its social service platform it en-
dorsed such proposals as fairer dis
tribution of wealth, the payment of a
living wage, social insurance against
sickness or old age, the right Of col
lective bargaining, abolition of child
labor, the application of Christian
principals generally in industry.
CaaS p,nou Inf7uauca
Declaring "the city is paganizing the
home and business life of America" D.
r. Sharpe of Cleveland. Ohio. urged the
convention to make cooperative at
tack on the city through evangelism" ="
Mr. Sharp conducted a forum on
Christ and the City Streets" and was
author of the report submitted to the
convention dealing with city missions.
THE city is developing a crime cul-
ture with its roots in the underworld
of the dope peddler, the bootlegger, the
gunman and the racketeer." he said.
THE city is producing a new type of
civilization with an urban psychology,
a standardized mechanical technique,
and a pagan philosophy"
The Nation is strongest in its city,
Sharpe reminded the convention, where
"Protestanism is relatively weak"
Sharpe declared that ''city folks are
hungry for the living God."
The complex city problems, Sharpe
explained, demand thoroughly trained
leadership and up-to-date methods and
technique to match the ever-changing
and challenging situation.
With unparalleled unemployment,
economic insecurity and suffering, the
church must have living message. a
vital program and a ChriSt-like min
istry," he said. The great cry of the
city is the cry for bread and work. The
church must have Come great word in
the face of entrenched privilege on the
one hand and terrific human need and
suffering on the other
Northern Baptists have IS class A
Standard City Mission Societies in
cities of 100000 or more population.
With few exceptions, he said, these are
the cities in which other denominations
have SIMILAR set-ups. With Presbyterians
there are corresponding organizations
in % cities, with Methodists 27, with
Congregationalists IA.
Abernethy President.
DR.. w. S. Abernethy, pastor of the
Calvary Baptist Church Of Washing
ton, was elected president to succeed
DR.. c. Oscar johnson of st. Louis. Mo.
This is the first time a Washington
pastor has headed the convention. The
ether officers nominated yesterday also
we're elected.
Rochester, NJ Y, which will be cele-
brating its Tooth anniversary in 1884,
was chosen as the next convention city
in recognition of its rank as "an i'm
portant Baptist center"
Fundamentals representatives at
the convention failed in an attempt
to put that body on record as repudi-
ating the theology expressed in the
book, THE Thinking Nations" which
represented the findings of study
| financed by John D. Rockefeller, jr.
Rev. w. H. Rogers of Portland, Greg,
said the book has challenged nations
and has presented an unfair picture OF
missionary workers in the field. He
moved reputation.
William Travers Jerome. jr, of New
York, member of the Laymen's Foreign
Mission Inquiry, which produced the
book, rose to its defense.
Il do not give way for anybody in
| my love for Christ" he asserted. De-
bate was long and heated. ending in