REBICINAL OFFllCES
ATLANTA Walker L. Knight, Editor, 161 Spring Street, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 303 03, Telephone (404) 523-2J93
D A L L A ~Edltor, I03 Bnbtist Building, Dallas, Texm 75201, Teleflhone (214) R1 1-1996
WA~HINQT~N
W. Barry Garrett, Editor, 200 Mclryland Awe., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002, TelePhons (202) 544
BUREAU
February 20, 1968
BAPTIST BUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD Lynn M. Davis Jr., Chief, 127 Ninth Awe., N., Narhvilk, T m n . 37203,
Telephone (615) 254-1691
Thousands Request Crusade
Prayer Pact Information
3y Catherine Allen
f
BXRMXNGHAM (BP)--The scratch of a pen end a lick of a atamp axe bringing thousands
of Western Hemisphere B a p t i s t s closer t o prayer partnership.
Officials of Pect, the prayer p a r t n e r p r o j e c t coordinated by Southern Baptfet
Woman's Missionary Union (WMJ), i n connection with t h e Crusade o f the Americas, aay
t h a t mailbags going out axe heavier than t h e one8 coming in at the moment.
To date, they have filled requesta f o r more than 521,700 copiee af a l e a f l e t
containing a Pact a p p l i c a t i o n blank. Of t h e s e , some 475,000 have been i n English,
42,700 in Spanish, and 4,000 i n Portuguese. Mailing the requests is taking f u l l time
of one employee and p a r t time of several s h i p p i n g c l e r k s a t WMU offices in Birmingham,
Alabama,
'
Pact cpplicants who forget to include t h e i r Zip Codes a r e cauaiag t h e WMU employees
t o spend hours pouring over directories, because the Zip Code must be an every piece
of mail s e n t from the WMU o f f i c e s here.
The overoize application cards r e q u i r e s i x c e n t atamps under new p o e r e l r a t e s . A
budget-breaking number of cards a r e limping i n with postage due, W W o f f i c i a l s sald.
Many l e t t e r s ask for blank3 by the hundreds--a copy f o r each member of r congregation
or c l a s s . Other requests a r e from i n d i v i d u a l s , from entire churches, and from families.
Nearly a thousand blacks went t o persons who became i n t e r e s t e d i n Pact a t the meting
o f the North Amcrican B a p t i s t Women's Union l a a t November.
Most churches have r c ~ u e s t e da church partner as w e l l as encouraging members t o
seek i n d i v i d u e l p a r t n e r s .
Pact has been i n business baxely a month, but a l r e a d y some 1,200 applications have
been returned. Many of them say, "Send more blanks f o r my f r i e n d s , "
A random sampling of completed blanks revealed an 80-year-old woman applicant,
numerous retixed men, and dozens of young couples. Names of well-known Southern Baptist
l e a d e r s a r e mingled with s trange-sounding names from f axaway placea
.
I n answer to t h e queation of how many members a r e i n a family seeking a family
partner, one person wrote, "four--after the baby comes i n April."
A amn wrote of h i s family: "If you have an eepecially large family t o match, we
might be suitable. We have t h r e e married daughters."
Several English-speaking persons were a c c i d e n t a l l y s e n t blanks printed i n Spanisb,
but the language barrier did not bother them. With a note, "Hope this is the right:
i n f ~ r m e t i o n , ~ 'they have made an educated s t a b and completed t h e blanks correctly.
Pact headquarters will not begin assigning partners f o r several more wseka, awaiting
mail d e l i v e r i e s from d i s t a n t countrfee and conventions, and allowing f o r a larger
percentage of the applications t o be returned. A l l p a r t n e r s w i l l be asalgned by
January 1, 1969, i n time f o r prayer d u r i n g t h e year of the Crusade.
"There's 110 way t o t e l l how many Pact p a r t n e r s w l l l be praying for t h e Crusade wheq
i t gets underway t h i s time next year," said Miss Alma Hunt, W executive secretary,
"The figures today indicate perhapa a h a l f million people w i l l be involved i n Pect,"
she said.
'We're beginning t o see visions of Pact a p p l i c a t i o n s lined up down t h e h a l l and ou$
the f r o n t door," she quipped. "But even better is t h e vision of thousands o f Chrietiaw
lined up from Canada t o Argentina praying f o r the success of the Crusade,"
February 20, 1968
,
Baptist Press
Hawaii P o l i c e Chief Urges
- B a p t i s t Support of P o l i c e
HONOLULU, Hawaii (BP)--The c h i e f of p o l i c e f o r Honolulu, Dan S . C. L i u , urged t o p
Southern B a p t i s t l e a d e r s h e r e t o h e l p b u i l d r e s p e c t f o r p o l i c e and law enforcement a g e n c i e s
i n a time when many i n t h e n a t i o n show t h e p o l i c e d i s r e s p e c t ,
Chief L i u , an i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y - k n o w n law enforcement e x p e r t who i s also p r e s i d e n t o f t h e
Hawaii B a p t i s t Convention, d e l i v e r e d t h e major a d d r e s s a t a joint s e s s i o n of t h e e d i t o r s of
B a p t i s t s t a t e p a p e r s and e x e c u t i v e s e c r e t a r i e s of B a p t i s t s t a t e c o n v e n t i o n s .
Chief Liu t o l d t h e e d i t o r s and e x e c u t i v e s e c r e t a r i e s t h a t t h e police c a r r y o u t a d u t y
t h a t i n some r e s p e c t s i s God-given because t h e y work for t h e good of s o c i e t y i n m a i n t a i n i n g
law and o r d e r .
Following t h e banquet when Chief Liu spoke, t h e e d i t o r s and e x e c u t i v e s e c r e t a r i e s
s p l i t i n t o s e p a r a t e s e s s i o n s f o r t h e i r a n n u a l meetings.
The B a p t i s t P r e s s A s s o c i a t i o n e l e c t e d Jack G r i t z , e d i t o r o f t h e B a p t i s t Messenger i n
Oklahoma City, a s p r e s i d e n t and Gene P u c k e t t , e d i t o r of t h e Maryland B a p t i s t I n L u t h e r v i l l e ,
Md., a s v i c e p r e s i d e n t . Don McGregor, a s s o c i a t e e d i t o r o f t h e B a p t i s t Standard i n D a l l a s ,
Tex., was r e - e l e c t e d s e c r e t a r y - t r e a s u r e r .
The E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r i e s A s s o c i a t i o n e l e c t e d Robert Lee, e x e c u t i v e s e c r e t a r y of t h e
L o u i s i a n a B a p t i s t Convention, a s p r e s i d e n t , and Robert Hughes, e x e c u t i v e s e c r e t a r y of t h e
Southern B a p t i s t General Convention of C a l i f o r n i a , a s v i c e p r e s i d e n t . Glen E. B r a s w e l l ,
e x e c u t i v e s e c r e t a r y of t h e Colorado B a p t i s t General Convention, was r e - e l e c t e d s e c r e t a r y t r e a s u r e r of t h e e x e c u t i v e s e c r e t a r i e s ' group.
Both groups a r e scheduled t o meet n e x t y e a r i n R a l e i g h , N. C.
British Minister Joins
Sunday School Board
NASHVILLE (BP)--A. S t u a r t Arnold, t h e f i r s t person t o b e g i n a n a l l - a g e Sunday School i n
England, has begun h i s d u t i e s a s a c o n s u l t a n t i n t h e Sunday School department of t h e Sunday
School Board of t h e Southern B a p t i s t Convention.
Born i n England, Arnold came t o t h e board from G u i l d f o r d B a p t i s t Church, G u i l d f o r d ,
England, where he s e r v e d a s pastor s i n c e 1962. Under A r n o l d ' s l e a d e r s h i p this was t h e f i r s t
B r i t i s h B a p t i s t church t o i n t r o d u c e an a l l - a g e Sunday s c h o o l and a f u l l y c o o r d i n a t e d
f i n a n c i a l plan.
During ~ r n o l d ' sm i n i s t r y a t G u i l d f o r d , t h e membership i n c r e a s e d by 30 p e r c e n t . Before
he left G u i l d f o r d , t h e church was packed t o c a p a c i t y w i t h s e a t s i n t h e h a l l . During t h e l a s t
t h r e e months t h e r e were 50 persons c o n v e r t e d a t G u i l d f o r d .
Arnold s a i d he b e l i e v e s t h i s i n c r e a s e i n c o n v e r t s was due t o t h e i n f l u e n c e of a l l - a g e
Sunday School. Among t h e s e c o n v e r s i o n s a r e i n c l u d e d drug a d d i c t s , gamblers and youth who
had s t r a y e d from home. He s a i d a b o u t 80 p e r c e n t of t h e s e had never had any church connec t i o n s .
N a s h v i l l e i s n o t a s t r a n g e p l a c e t o t h e Arnolds. They had v i s i t e d N a s h v i l l e f o u r times
b e f o r e t h e i r move. Arnold s a y s he has met N a s h v i l l e B a p t i s t s a l l o v e r therworld f r o m 19581965 when he was a member o f t h e B a p t i s t World A l l i a n c e .
Before coming t o N a s h v i l l e Arnold was co-chariman o f t h e B a p t i s t World A l l i a n c e B i b l e
Study and Membership T r a i n i n g Commission, w i t h C l i f t o n J . A l l e n , e d i t o r i a l s e c r e t a r y of t h e
board.
A r n o l d ' s f i r s t t r i p t o America was i n 1958 t o s t u d y t h e Southern B a p t i s t a l l - a g e Sunday
School system. H e s a i d i t i s customary i n B r i t a i n f o r young people t o d i s c o n t i n u e Sunday
School a t t e n d a n c e a t age 11-12, b u t he f e e l s t h a t t h e r e i s a g r e a t need f o r B i b l e e d u c a t i o n
i n Sunday Schools f o r a l l a g e s .
Other t h a n s e r v i n g a s p a s t o r of G u i l d f o r d , Arnold was p r e v i o u s l y pastor of Waterbeach
B a p t i s t church, cambridge; Hucknall B a p t i s t Church, Nottingharnshire; and Rushden B a p t i s t
Church, Northamptonshire.
W h i l e i n G u i l d f o r d h e was c h a p l a i n f o r t h e women's Royal Army Corps s i n c e 1963 and
c h a p l a i n t o B a p t i s t s t u d e n t s a t t h e University of Surrey for two years.
9
B a p t i s t Press
February 20, 1 8
Arnold was responsible f o r t h e B a p t i s t Missionary Soclaty summer youth schools.
- a c t i v i t y is sponsored by B r i t i s h B a p t i s t s .
This
He was a l s o i n charge of organizations and p r e s e n t a t i o n of n a t i o n a l youth r a l l i e s ,
conferences and stewardship appeals.
Writer f o r four years of missionary study programs f o r the Bible Missionary Society,
Arnold has w r i t t e n a number of articles on young people and education f o r B r i t i s h and
European p u b l i c a t i o n s and contributed t o "The sunday School Builder1' on pioneer work i n 1966.
Arnold received degrees from Leeds University, England.
BP PHOTO being mailed t o B a p t i s t a t a t e papers.
Southern Seminary Library
Adds Preacher's Books
LOUSIVILLE (BP)--The daughter of the l a t e world famous preacher, A. C, Diaon, and t h e
grandson of the f i r s t p r e s i d e n t of Vassar College, J. R. Raymond, have presented 102
volumes from the l i b r a r i e s of t h e i r famous r e l a t i v e s t o t h e Southern B a p t i s t Theological
Seminary.
M r . and Mrs. Frank H. Richardson of Black Mountain, N. C., r e c e n t l y made the present a t i o n through Southern Seminary theology professor James Leo G a r r e t t .
Dixon attended Southern Seminary i n 1875-1876. During h i s m i n i s t r y he held such famous
p u l p i t s as Moody Church i n Chicago, purgeo on's Tabernacle i n London, and the University
B a p t i s t Church i n Baltimore.
Included i n t h e g i f t i s a six-volume biblical commentary published i n 1796. The books
cover such t o p i c s a s P r o t e s t a n t world missions, C h r i s t i a n Science, Roman Catholicism,
Spi*itualism and various miscellaneoue topics.
Each volume has been marked i n memory of i t s former owner and added t o t h e James P.
Boyce Centennial Library. s o u t h e r n ' s l i b r a r y inventory has reached 274,194 items.
Texas B a p t i s t s Open
Ninth Medical F a c i l i t y
AMARILLO, Tex. (BP)--High P l a i n s Hospital, the f i r s t major general medical f a c i l i t y i n
t h e 400-acre Amarillo Medical Center, has become Texas B a p t i s t s ' newest i n s t i t u t i o n .
The p r e s i d e n t of t h e American Medical Association, Milford Rouse of Dallas, was a
p r i n c i p a l f i g u r e i n dedication ceremonies here.
The untra-modern f i v e - s t o r y h o s p i t a l , constructed a t a c o s t of $6.35 m i l l i o n , o f f i c i q l l y
opened i t s doors f o r p a t i e n t care on Feb. 20. A shortage of r e g i s t e r e d nurses caused h o s p i t a l
o f f i c i a l s t o open without a functioning o b s t e t r i c a l department o r emergency room.
beds.
E m m e t t Johnson, a d m i n i s t r a t o r , s a i d the h o s p i t a l opened with 68 medical and s u r g i c a l
The h o s p i t a l has been designed for 241 beds, with expansion up t o 440 beds.
A s e r i e s of pre-dedication a c t i v i t i e s and a meeting of Texas , B a p t i s t s g 15-member ~ u m a n
Welfare Commission drew d i g n i t a r i e s from over t h e s t a t e t o Amarillo.
Administrator Johnson received t h e h o s p i t a l ' s f i r s t check from the B a p t i s t General
Convention of Texas Cooperative Program.
Johnson, who has served a s a s s o c i a t e a d m i n i s t r a t o r of the B a p t i s t Memorial Hospital i n
J a c k s o n v i l l e , F l a . , is a n a t i v e Texan.
The opening of the h o s p i t a l brings with i t a new approach i n p a s t o r a l c a r e and theol o g i c a l t r a i n i n g f o r m i n i s t e r s i n the Amarillo and Texas Panhandle, Johnson s a i d .
The d i r e c t o r of the new h o s p i t a l ' s department of p a s t o r a l c a r e i s Robert H. Lloyd, formerly a t the I n s t i t u t e of Religion i n t h e Texas Medical Center i n Houston. An a c c r e d i t e d :
t r a i n i n g program of c l i n i c a l p a s t o r a l education w i l l begin a t the Amarillo h o s p i t a l i n Sept.
R. E a r l 0 ' ~ e e f eis chairman of the board of t r u s t e e s of t h e new h o s p i t a l and was one of
the prime movers behind the i n s t i t u t i o n ' s es tablishmenr
.
t 3-
REQIONAL OFFICES
ATLANTA Walker L. Knight, Editor, 161 Sfiring Street, N.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Telefihone (404) 533-2593
BALLEditor, 103 Babtist Building, Dallas, Texas 75201, Tele@hone (214) RI 1-1996
WABHINQTON W . Barry Garrett, Editor, 200 Maryland Aue., N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002, Telephone (202) 544-4226
BUREAU
BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD Lynn M. Dauis Jr., Chief, 127 Ninth Awe., N., Nwhuflle, Tenn. 37203,
Telephone (615) 254-1631
FOR RELWSE TUESDAY MORNING, 2-20-68
SBC Membership Tops
11 Million In 1967
NASHVILLE (BP)--Church membership i n t h e Southern B a p t i s t Convention passed t h e
11 m i l l i o n mark during 1967 f o r the f i r s t time i n h i s t o r y , reaching a t o t a l of 11,142,726.
It was an i n c r e a s e of 193,233 over t h e previous y e a r ' s membership.
A year-end a t a t i s t i c a l summary from the Southern B a p t i s t Sunday School Board's research
and s t a t i s t i c s department a l s o d i s c l o s e d an i n c r e a s e i n new converts. The number of baptisms
of new converts r o s e t o 378,937, t h e highest number s i n c e 1962. This was an i n c r e a s e of
17,978 over t h e 1966 t o t a l .
The s t a t i s t i c s were based on r e p o r t s from 34,147 churches a f f i l i a t e d with the n a t i o n ' s
l a r g e s t P r o t e s t a n t denomination. The number of churches was up 198 from t h e number
reported last year.
Decreases were reported i n enrollments of Sunday School, en's Brotherhood and Woman's
Missionary Union o r g a n i z a t i o n s , b u t Training Union and music o r g a n i z a t i o n enrollments were
UP
Sunday School enrollment dropped by 24,482 t o a t o t a l of 7,579,203.
Brotherhood, a men's and boy's mission education organization, enrollment for 1967 was
457,770, a decrease of 5,783. Preliminary r e p o r t s , however, i n d i c a t e a modest increaoe f o r
t h e Royal Ambassador organization f o r boys, although f i n a l f i g u r e s are n o t y e t a v a i l a b l e .
Enrollment for t h e woman's Missionary Union, a missions education organization f o r
women, girls and c h i l d r e n , was 1,444,428, a decrease of 15,400.
Training Union enrollment showed an i n c r e a s e of over 8,000, reaching 2,560,384. Last
y e a r , Training Union enrollment dropped 58,114 t o a t o t a l of 2,552,073. Accounting f o r
t h i s year's i n c r e a s e was the i n c l u s i o n f o r the f i r s t time of two phases of t h e churchea1
t r a i n i n g minis try---new church member o r i e n t a t i o n , 25,242; and leadership t r a i n i n g , 20,977.
Training Union ia t h e Sunday evening study program of B a p t i s t churchee.
Music m i n i s t r y enrollment continued upward, exceeding f o r t h e f i r s t time t h e one m i l l i o n
mark. The 1967 music ministry enrollment was an i n c r e a s e of 74,126, bringing the t o t a l t o
1,019,130.
Southern B a p t i s t giving continued t o r i s e during 1967, t h e s t a t i s t i c a l r e p o r t i n d i c a t e d .
T o t a l r e c e i p t s for a l l causes amounted t o 711,775,365, up n e a r l y 42 m i l l i o n .
Contributions for missions topped $120,454,869, an i n c r e a s e of over $5 m i l l i o n f o r 1967.
Property value of churches climbed t o $3,495,020,717. The n e a r l y $3# b i l l i o n figuxe
i s up $200 m i l l i o n from t h e value of church property i n 1966.
The churches reported a t o t a l of 161,691,630 spent on new conetruction. The t o t a l
includes 155,209,065 spent on c o n s t r u c t i o n f o r t h e l o c a l churches, and $6,482,565 on l o c a l
church missions.
Enrollment i n Vacation Bible Schools, the weekday Bible m i n i s t r y of B a p t i s t churches,
This was an increase of 50,411 over l a s t
recorded a t o t a l of 3,439,325 i n 30,601 achools.
year ' s enrollment.
Kindergartens were operated during 1967 by 1,786 Southern B a p t i s t churches, an i n c r e a s e
of 320 churches.
Churches were classified according t o l o c a t i o n and population i n the s t a t i s t i c a l sumpary.
The t o t a l s i n each c l a s s i f i c a t i o n were a s follows:
2
B a p t i s t Press
. .,Open c o u n t r y ,
14,588; v i l l a g e , 4,702; town, 3,781; city (population 2,500-9,999)
3,502; downtown, c i t y (population 10,499-49,999), 571; downtown, c i t y (population 50,000
o r more), 287; neighborhood, city (population 10,499-49,999), 1,932; neighborhood, c i t y
(population 50,000 o r more), 1,539; suburban, city (population 10,499-49,999), 1,726;
suburban, c i t y (population 50,000 o r more), 1,501.
The convention s t a t i s t i c s r e f l e c t only t h o s e f i g u r e s r e p o r t e d by churches w i t h no
adjustments made f o r incomplete r e p o r t s , s a i d Martin Bradley, s e c r e t a r y of t h e r e s e a r c h and
statistics department o f t h e SBC Sunday School Board. Bradley s a i d t h e r e p o r t s were
c a r e f u l l y e d i t e d and r e q u e s t s were made t o churches f o r v e r i f i c a t i o n and c o r r e c t i o n o f
questionable items.
Summary of 1967 Southern B a p t i s t Convention S t a t i s t i c s
1966
Numerical
change
Associations
Churches
Baptisms
Additions by Letter
T o t a l Membership
Sunday School Enrollment
Vacation Bible School
Enrollment
T r a i n i n g Union Enrollment
Brotherhood Enrollment
Woman's Missionary Union
Enrollment
Music M i n i s t r y Enrollment
T o t a l Receipts
Mission Expenditures
Per Capita Total
Receipts
Per Capita Mission
Expenditures
Church Property Value
New C o n s t r u c t i o n ,
Local Church
New C o n s t r u c t i o n , Local
Church Mission
*Includes, f o r t h e f i r s t time, two new phases of the churches' t r a i n i n g m i n i s t r y : new
church member o r i e n t a t i o n , 25,242; and leader t r a i n i n g , 20,977.
**Includes c o l l e g e and h o s p i t a l YWA'S i n a d d i t i o n t o s t a t i s t i c s f o r churches.
-30-
-.
Febrbary 16, 1968
B a p t i s t Press
3
Survey D i s c l o s e s " P o s i t i v e "
Responses t o Race R e l a t i o n s
NASHVILLE (BP)--A nation-wide survey of Southern B a p t i s t churches t o determine
response t o Race R e l a t i o n s Sunday i n February has r e s u l t e d i n "overwhelmingly p o s i t i v e
r e a c t i o n , " an o f f i c i a l of t h e Southern Baptist: C h r i s t i a n L i f e Commission s a i d h e r e .
With a t o t a l of 108 r e p l i e s t o t h e b r i e f q u e s t i o n n a i r e a s k i n g f o r an e v a l u a t i o n of
Race R e l a t i o n s Sunday, 97 of t h e churches r e p l i e d t h a t t h e s p e c i a l emphasis was observed
i n some way a t t h e i r church.
Only 11 of t h o s e r e p l y i n g i n d f c a t e d t h a t they d i d n o t observe t h e emphasis, andonly
of t h e e e were c r i t i c a l of t h e SEC C h r i s t i a n L i f e Commission f o r promoting t h e
observance.
It was ttie f i j c s t time i n t h e t h r e e y e a r s t h a t Race R e l a t i o n s Sunday has been an t h e
denominational c a l e n d a r t h a t a q u e s t i o n n a i r e was included w i t h t h e m a t e r i a l s sent each
c h u r c h , a s k i n g f o r an e v a l u a t i o n 05 t h e observance, s a i d Floyd A. Cxaig, d i r e c t o r of
p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s f o r t h e SBC C h r i s t i a n L i f e commission.
C r a i g , who conducted t h e s u r v e y , s a i d he was " g r e a t l y encouraged" by t h e r e s p o n s e ,
adding t h a t u s u a l l y t h e commission g e t s mostly n e g a t i v e r e s p o n s e s because " t h e people
who a r e d o i n g something a r e t o o busy doing i t t o w r i t e . "
H e added t h a t many more q u e s t i o n n a i r e s were expected t~ be r e t u r n e d , and observed
t h a t t h e b r i e f e v a l u a t i o n s h e e t o b v i o u s l y was n o t i n t e n d e d t o g i v e a t o t a l , complete
p i c t u r e of Southern B a p t i s t r e a c t i o n s t o Race R e l a t i o n s Sunday.
"There is a danger," he added, "of g e n e r a l i z i n g on t h e b a s i e of the incomplete
i n f o r m a t i o n w e have, b u t on t h e b a s i s of t h e i n f o r m a t i o n sent u s , the r e s p o n s e has been
overwhelmingly p o s i t i v e . " He conceded i t was n o t a d e p t h measurement, s t a t i s t i c a l l y .
Although t h e r e were only t h r e e c r i t i c a l r e s p o n s e s , C r a i g s a i d
r e c e i v e d were extremely s t r o n g .
t h e negative responses
One p a s t o r i n Hollywood, C a l i f . , s a i d he r e s e n t e d "missionary money b e i n g spent i n
t h i s n o n - C h r i s t i a n , p o l i t i c a l propaganda program."
Another p a s t o r i n West Columbia, S. C . , s a i d he r e g r e t e d that Cooperative Program
funds a r e used " t o s u p p o r t t h e e d i t i n g , w r i t i n g , p r i n t i n g , m a i l i n g such propaganda."
A m i n i s t e r i n Baton Rouge, La., w r o t e t h a t h e had forwarded t h e m a t e r i a l on Race
R e l a t i o n s Sunday t o S t o k e l y Carmichael, s a y i n g "I c e r t a i n l y d o n ' t need your h e l p i n
c r e a t i n g problems i n o u r church."
Most of t h e 97 churches t h a t i n d f c a t e d t h e y observed Race R e l a t i o n s Sunday d i d so
w i t h a s p e c i a l sermon on r a c e r e l a t i o n s by t h e p a s t o r , t h e survey r e v e a l e d ,
Fourteen churches s a i d t h a t they had Negro g u e s t s t o h e l p l e a d t h e s e r v i c e s , or
exchanged p u l p i t s w i t h a Negro church. S i x of t h e s e i n d i c a t e d they h e l d j o i n t worship
s e r v i c e s w i t h one o r more Negro churches.
A t t h e F i r s t Southern B a p t i s t Church i n Pasadena, C a l i f . , t h e members voted t o a c c e p t
t h e e n t i r e membership of a Negro mission a s members of t h e c h u r c h , and approved 12
c a n d i d a t e s for baptism. S i x Negroes were b a p t i z e d i n t o t h e c h u r c h ' s f e l l o w s h i p t h a t
n i g h t w h i l e about 30 Negroes i n a t t e n d a n c e looked on.
Immanuel B a p t i s t Church i n Greensboro, N. C . , exchanged p u l p i t s w i t h a Negro church,
the
p a s t o r d e s c r i b e d t h e atmosphere a t Immanuel a s " e l e c t r i c " w i t h t h e presence of t h e
and
Holy S p i r i t .
F i v e r e d e d i c a t e d t h e i r l i v e s d u r i n g t h e s e r v i c e , be s a i d .
The First B a p t i s t Church of Big S p r i n g , Tex,, h e l d a j o i n t Sunday evening worship
s e r v i c e w i t h f o u r o t h e r churches---two L a t i n American c h u r c h e s , one Negro and one
predominately Anglo church. The speaker was a Negro m i n i s t e r . E a r l i e r t h a t same day,
t h e pastor of First B a p t i s t Church i n Big S p r i n g had preached on r a c e r e l a t i o n s .
A t Main Street B a p t i s t Church i n I n v e r n e s s , Fla., t h r e e people l e f t b e f o r e t h e
s e r v i c e was over, b u t one man, w i t h t e a r s i n h i s e y e s , t o l d t h e p a s t o r he a p p r e c i a t e d h i s
courage, and s t a t e d he was convinced " t h a t no one should be excluded from t h e church
because of r a c e o r any o t h e r r e a s o n , s o long a s they were born a g a i n C h r i s t i a n s . "
S i m i l a r response came a t F o o t h i l l s
c h u r c h member t o l d t h e p a s t o r , "It is a
in a S o u t h e r n B a p t i s t Church." Another
o f race r e l a t i o n s .
B a p t i s t Church, Los A l t o s , C a l i f . , w h e r e one
g x c a t day when a sermon l i k e t h a t can be preached
expressed shame f o r d o i n g s o l i t t l e i n t h e a r e a
--more--
b.
~ e b r u a r16,
~ 1968
4
Baptist Press
A p a s t o r i n Kentucky wrote t h a t the people i n h i s church t o l e r a t e d , b u t d i d n o t
a p p r e c i a t e such emphases. W h i l e we have no Negroes i n our neighborhood," he added,
' b e have an abundance of prejudice .I'
Two p a s t o r s i n Alabama asked f o r Southern Baptists to pray f o r them and w i t h them
about t h e problem of p r e j u d i c e i n t h e i r churches. 'We seek your earneat p r a y e r s , " wrote
one. "We are t r y i n g to l e a d our people into a c c e p t i n g t h e truth of ~ o d ' sword."
Another Alabama p a s t o r s a i d t h a t t h e people i n h i s church "see t h e i r p r e j u d i c e
dilemma and want t o overcome i t , but t h e r e i s a long way t o go. Pray f o r us."
Still a n o t h e r p a s t o r in a Southern s t a t e who asked t h a t he n o t be i d e n t i f i e d s a i d
his church b a d l y needed a Race R e l a t i o n s Sunday emphasis, b u t although the church has
many good people, there are n o t n e a r l y enough "for u s t o have Race Relations Sunday this
y e a r and me stay h e r e . I '
He s a i d t h a t s i x pastors i n h i s community spoke l a s t year at a Negro church, and a s
a r e s u l t one was f i r e d a s the m i n i s t e r . "A11 of u s received u n b e l i e v a b l e r e a c t i o n s , "
he added. "Some of our people still w i l l not speak t o u s and we l o s t about 30 church
people I'
.
I n Memphis, Tann., more than 1,000 turned o u t a t t h e Second B a p t i s t Church t o h e a r
a Nigerian B a p t i s t educator preach against r a c i a l p r e j u d i c e . The speaker was Joseph
Adegbite, p r i n c i p a l of t h e B a p t i s t Academy i n Lagos, N i g e r i a and v i s i t i n g professor a t
Georgetown College ( B a p t i s t ) , Georgetown, Ky.
Adegbite declared t h a t because God made man i n h i s own image, a l l men are thexefore
b r o t h e r s . He added t h a t the problem of p r e j u d i c e i s a world-wide disease n o t limited
j u s t t o t h e United States.
"The f a c t t h a t some people t u r n o t h e r s away because of r a c e i s j u s t an evidence
they a r e n ' t C h r i s t i a n s and a r e n ' t preaching the love of J e s u s C h r i s t , " he e t a t e d .
"The w i l l of Christ i s t o love your f e l l o w man w i t h o u t regard to race, c o l o r ,
language or c u l t u r e , " he s a i d . "If w e do n o t obey C h r i s t , we a r e h y p o c r i t e s and l i a r s . "
BAPTIST PRESS PHOTO
Jack Grits, (centex), editor f the Baptiat Messenger
in Oklahoma, is the newly elected president of the Baptiat Press Aeaoclation.
Grits Was elected tat the meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii,planned by outgoing
president James F. Cole (left), editor of the Baptist Message i n Louieirna.
Re-elected secretary o f the organization was Don McGregor, associate
editor of the Baptist Standard in Texae. (BP) Photo
XfDXTORS ELECT GRITZ:
Nawm 8 m r v I 0 1
of t h m S o u t h m r n E h p t l m t
(B~)~~FEATURES
460 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville,
Jtm
Telephone
W. C.Newton,
Fields,
Tennessee
(615)
Assistant
Director
2244-Zt?55
37219
Director
praduc d by l a p t l m t P r m r m
I
B a p t i s t Pavilion
Hemisf a i r To R e f l e c t
Man's Search For God
By A 1 Morgan
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. (BPI--Summer v i s i t o r s t o t h i s legendary c i t y of ex as' independence
w i l l not only f i n d a world's f a i r i n progress w i t h a l l i t s g a i e t y , but w i l l see western
man's search f o r God from the Aztecs t o t h e c u l t u r e s of the United S t a t e s .
The search i s included i n t h e B a p t i s t p a v i l i o n which is j o i n t l y eponsored by t h e
B a p t i s t General Convention of Texas i n cooperation w i t h t h e Home Misefon Board and Foreign
Mission Board of t h e Southern B a p t i s t Convention a s w e l l a s t h e Sen Antonio B a p t i s t
Aseociation.
The p a v i l i o n ie t h e only one of i t s kind i n Hemisfair '68 which has been c a l l e d t h e
new World's F a i r . A unique and d i s t i n c t i v s i n t e r n a t i o n a l expoaition, Hemis f a i r '68 w i l l
t e l l t h e tremendous s t o r y of the development and f u t u r e of t h e Americas.
Located i n downtown San Antonio on a 92-acre s i t e adjacent t o the c e n t r a l business
d i s t r i c t , the Hemisfair i s expected t o a t t r a c t more than 7.2 m i l l i o n v i s i t o r s during i t e
s i x months of operation, A p r i l 6 through Oct. 6 , 1968.
Southern B a p t i s t s a r e going a l l o u t t h i s year t o make t h e i r p a v i l i o n a cop a t t r a c t i o n
t o persons of a l l c u l t u r a l backgrounds, as w e l l as t o t e l l the s t o r y of B a p t i s t s around
t h e world.
B a p t i s t s have s e t a s i d e t h e opening day of Hemisfair, A p r i l 6, t o d e d i c a t e t h e i r
f a c i l i t i e s . Services w i l l be held a t 2 p.m. with addresses by leading government and c i v i c
l e a d e r s a s well a s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the sponsoring agencies.
A s p e c i a l B a p t i s t Day a l s o is planned f o r June 1 t o coincide with t h e annual Southern
B a p t i s t Convention i n Houston t h e following week (June 4-7).
Church c h o i r s from a c r o s s t h e United States and as fax away a s Honolulu will present
'
c o n c e r t s a t t h e p a v i l i o n . An estimated 200 churches w i l l send c h o i r a d u r i n g t h e sixmonth period.
The audio-visual p r e s e n t a t i o n of the B a p t i s t p a v i l i o n is a 10-minute f i l m w r i t t e n and
presented from t h e p o i n t of view of an a r c h e o l o g i s t who l i v e s a t a point i n time perhapq
a h a l f m i l l i o n years i n t h e future.
By exploring the remains and a r t i f a c t s of t h e Americas, he tries t o r e c o n s t r u c t what
He is primarily concerned with man's s p i r i t u a l
l i f e , what h e believed, how he worshipped, what he considered t o be u l t i m a t e values.
man's c i v i l i z a t i o n might have been l i k e .
The a r c h e o l o g i s t ' s vantage p o i n t i s s o f a r i n t h e f u t u r e t h a t he considers t h e eveqts
of t h e Hemisfair as a mere winking of h i s t o r y ' s eye. From his d i s t a n t view i t would seem
t o him t h a t t h e Mayans, the Aztecs, the modern Mexicans, and t h e c u l t u r e s of the United
S t a t e s were companion c i v i l i z a t i o n s i n a common era.
A s t h e f i l m r e l a t e s man's search for God, the sounds and music of h i s worehip i s
woven i n t o the presentation-sounds and music ranging from p r i m i t i v e chance t o c h o r a l
anthems t o gospel hymns.
Step by s t e p t h e n a r r a t o r p u t s together t h e puzzle of man's search f o r God i n the
Americas, from i t he begins t o come t o some conclusions.
I
From t h e g r e a t and sweeping events and anguish and s t r u g g l e s and searches t h a t went
on through the ages i n the hemisphere, something very b e a u t i f u l a r o s e , a seed of t r u t h ,
the f i l m r e l a t e s . Man found d i r e c t i o n i n t h e person of Jesus C h r i s t and i n t h e Word a s
revealed i n the Bible.
The f i l m w i l l be shown continuously each day u t i l i z i n g a s p e c i a l l y c r e a t e d shadowbox of t h r e e movie s c r e e n s . B i l l Stokes Associates of Dallas a r e produc rs of t h e f i l m ,
A eecond unique f e a t u r e of t h e e x h i b i t i a the World Room t o be composed of a c t i o n :
photographs of B a p t i s t s a t work i n a l l c o u n t r i e s . Over-size l i f e photographs i n a c i r c u l a r
room w i l l r e v e a l how B a p t i s t s a r e m i n i a t e r i n g throughout the world.
February 21, 1968
6
.
2
B a p t i e t Press
a
A t h i r d room w i l l f e a t u r e "Great Moments I n B a p t i s t History," a series of p a i n t i n g s
by Edwin M. Hearne J r , , of D a l l a s , S i x of the e i g h t p a i n t i n g s w i l l be on d i s p l a y .
Another series of 12 p a i n t i n g s by Hearne d e p i c t i n g dramatic moments i n Texas B a p t i s t
and Baylox u n i v e r s i t y ' s h i s t o r y w i l l a l s o be on d i s p l a y .
The e x h i b i t i s located i n a 101-year-old house o r i g i n a l l y b u i l t as a temporary home
f o r Sarah Eagar a s a wedding present. The home, complete w i t h 18-inch t h i c k w a l l s ,
remained as Mrs. agar ' 8 residence. She was r e p o r t e d l y t h e f i r s t Anglo g i r l bozn in San
Antonio. The home w i l l continue a s a permanent h i s t o r i c a l s i t e following t h e c l o s e of
Hemisfair.