Baptists

The Coliseum, ancient Chicago political bear-pit, was last week the scene of a Northern Baptist convention. Oldtime revival songs swelled 5,000 throats until the Rev. James Whitcomb* Brougher, presiding, cleared his throat and keynoted: ". . .Let us keep the spirit of unity."

President Brougher did not want Fundamentalists and Modernists to argue during or after the convention. There was plenty else to do within the church, he said. He had heard that 68% did not all church members do not attend church regularly or support the financial and spiritual programs. He had heard that 68% did not support foreign missions.

"Some method," he said, "ought to be found for arousing this large group who are 'asleep in Jesus.' . . . There is not much consolation in taking in a large number of new members at the front door and letting out an equal number at the back door." Let there be a campaign against indifference "without the thought of raising money."

Liquor. Celebrities present were President Mrs. Ella Alexander Boole of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and onetime U. S. Representative William David Upshaw of Georgia. Mrs. Boole flayed society leaders, old college "grads," apathetic voters, et al. for the continued failure of Prohibition.

Mr. Upshaw, long a professional orator, listened admiringly to General Superintendent F. Scott McBride of the Anti-Saloon League, who told all the Wets to "go out in the Atlantic Ocean, build an island of your beer kegs. . . . This Governor of New York," continued Mr. McBride, "who nullified state rights by signing a bill to repeal his state enforcement act, wants to transfer his activities to the White House. Are we going to let him?"

Versed in revival methods, out shouted Mr. Upshaw, "NO!" Scores echoed him.

Resolutions to appoint the Anti-Saloon League as an official agency of the Baptist Church and to appropriate $10,000 for Prohibition enforcement, were lost by wide margins. Other resolutions approved the League's work, flayed the U. S. Senate committee which last summer publicly investigated the League's books.

Elections. W. C. Coleman, wealthy lamp man of Wichita, Kan., was elected convention president for next year. Detroit was named 1928 convention city. The Rev. C. A. Brooks of Chicago was elected president of the American Baptist Foreign Society (missions), 1,585 'votes to 458 over J. Dabney Day of Los Angeles, fundamentalist candidate.

Missions. There was long debate as to whether or not U. S. Baptists should continue mission work outside the U. S. Young women dressed like the natives they had worked and prayed for in China, Japan, Burma, India, Africa, etc., moved among mission exhibits.

*James Whitcomb was famed throughout Indiana and was governor of that state, 1843-48. James Whitcomb Brougher (born 1870) and James Whitcomb Riley (1853-1916) and many another James Whitcomb were named for him.