August 1927
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gelistic lines, Wé cannot but feel, siñcé the Gospel is still “the power of, God unto salvation,” that there is safety in putting it to the practical test and that in so doing the denomination will be checked in the drift toward liberalism which has alarmed so many in recent yéars,- ,-r-Q— f ; Southern Baptist Convention T HE' Southern Baptists are a great people and appar ently remain overwhelmingly orthodox. Here and there a minister may be found who is tainted with Modernism, but evolutionary theology does, not find an easy entrance in the South. One and two years, ago doctrinal differences came out in. the conventions. Modernism, had come to light in some of the theological schools; This year nothing of this kind cropped out. Faced by a debt o f:$18,000,000, the conven tion settled down to deal with this matter, and had about all it could attend to. . The convention address, delivered by Dr. George Mc Daniel, was on the subject of “Confidence, Courage and Co-operation.” He sounded the keynote óf the conven tion when he said : “I f the Convention will strengthen the stakes of confidence, it will surely enlarge the place of its tent. We have but one authoritative guide in faith,—the New Testament, to which the hearts of our people beat true. We are more nearly one in doctrine than any group of similar size. We might wisely emphasize our agree ments, Blessed be God that individual freedom has voiced common agreement once and ,again through the Southern Baptist ..ConventioniJg Therefore, leaving the principles of the Doctrines of Christ, on which we have remarkable un animity, let us go on with the practical tasks of the Con vention, , not. reviving discussion upon questions already settled as far as they can be settled among a free people.” It is claimed that the Baptist Convention ban- : quet was the largest banquet of any kind ever held anywhere in the world. There were about 5000 at the tables. * * * . * In every quarter there seems to be .'nothing but praise for the manner in Which Dr. Speer presided over the deliberations of the Presbyterian Assembly: “The Presbyterian,”, Fundamentalist orgqn of that, denomination, says : . “His appointments met with général approval, his rulings were ever fair, just and consid erate. At all times one had the impression that he was mindful of Paul’s instructions to Timothy as translated by Weymouth: ‘I solemnly call upon you in the presence of God, and of Jesus Christ, and of the elect angelg, to carry ; out these instructions without prejudice and to do nothing from partiality.” ’ ♦ ♦ * * ...... .Dr. Broughèr, whose “Play Ball” sermon has been ■heard'V'by Baptists throughout the land, pre sented to the Baptist. Convention the baseball team ,. of Waseda University in „’Japan, which the day be fore had beaten the University of Chicago. Short ;iri stature, but sturdily athletic in physique, they ‘ were a formidable looking group, Dr. Brougher declared the hope, that the United States in its ... international relations may . learn “to play ball.” I He also stated that *baseball Was introduced into Japan by a Baptist professor. Although it was not grand opera music, the team pleased the Convention -, immensely by singipg twhspngs,. and giving its co l-'; lege yell. T h e ’manager of the team, a Christian Japanese, gave an " addressj extolling Christianity. •
way .Modernist. On the other hand, he has been opposed to splitting the denomination and a short time ago he gave six. months to a campaign covering thirty-four states, giv ing his “Play-Ball” address seeking to bring about co operation and to secure support for the hundreds of Bap tist missionaries who remain loyal to the Faith. The only occasion during the entire meeting of the convention when a noticeable division was recorded, in volved the election of officers and members of the board of the Foreign Mission Society, which for several years has been under fire for its so-called “inclusive policy” in the appointment of missionaries. The Baptist Bible Union candidates were not elected, and a large majority was given to Dr. Charles A. Brooks, of Chicago, for president and Dr. Brougher, of Oakland, Californiaj .for one of board of managers. There was the utmost good humor, however, even on this issue, and the result is regarded as anything but a victory for Modernism. The convention program was. largely inspirational and was given chiefly to the consideration of evangelism and missions, By unanimous vote the committee on evangel ism was instructed to plan for a continuous campaign of evangelism f or the next three years, in commemoration of the nineteenth centennial of the earthly ministry of Christ. Dr.-J . ’C. Massee, of Bostonj one of the founders of the World Christian'Fundamentals Association, gave the con vention sermon at the closing session. It proved to be an evangelistic/meeting, many of the ministers engaging in personal work in the audience. The convention will meet next year in June at Detroit, prior to the,meeting of the World Baptist Alliance at Toronto. The new president is W . C. Coleman, of Wich ita, Kansas-,: a layman long identified with the work of the convention and also widely known for his interest in evan gelism. It is, we believe, a most encouraging sign to see this great denomination going forward on definitely evan “ f y 'H E Baptist Watchman-Examiner,” chief organ of Fúnda la mentalism among Baptist publications, pays the following tribute tor Dr. Robert E. Speer, the newly elected mod erator of,,the Presbyterian General Assembly: “Dr. Speer*,will honor the position to which he has been e le cted .F o r a quarter of a century Dr. Speer has been not only a leader in the Presby terian Church but a leader of evangelicals in all denominations! He is a good and great man and the Presbyterian Church'cannot help but thrive under his leadership.”; .. , . .. . * ' * * * “We ought to try to harmonize our .differences .V,:, .• $o'th a t;at least ninety per cent of üs could stand ’ - together in our denominational enterprises,” said Dr. Brougher, president of the ,Northern Baptist Con-.. , .' verition in his address. “We,are told that the burros , ■■of- ‘Texas,' when the .wolves come after them, wifi” .A 1huddle together with their heads toward one another; . ¡--and »their: heels turned at a common enemy, ready . to. kick the life, out of the wolves when they come,,,; , . Too frequently in our denominational, life we, stand ■•with our faces at the enemy and our heels turned' '«MB/tWatd one another. When we begin kicking we ‘ . .A ;, i kakk’tlje life put of one another.” * * * * The high-water mark in the Presbyterian Assembly, cer tainly that event in the Assembly that had the most immediate significance for the largest number of ministers and their fam ilies?'.and to, which" [most .¡.will'look: back .with, gratitude .in the years’ to , come, was the announcement .-in behalf of. the ,Lay- mey’s Committee, that the $15,000,000 that had to be raised before the’ New 'Pension' Plan could be put into operation, had been subscribed!' ' i-'*'-1- -'¡i-:'1' •; ' . r v ,.. :»
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