HOME MISSION MONTHLY PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY REV. HOWARD B. GROSE, EDITOR SINGLE ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, FIFTY CENTS. SINGLE ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, MINISTERS, 25 cents. CLUBS OF FIVE TO TEN, 45 cents per year. CLUBS OF TEN TO TWENTY, 40 cents per year. CLUBS OF TWENTY OR MORE, 30 cents per year. in the date is the receipt for renewal. has expired, and will notify us to that effect, it will be stopped. CHANGES:-When sending change of address, be sure to send the old address as well as the new one. Address THE BAPTIST HOME MISSION MONTHLY, 312 Fourth Avenue, New York City OMING by the hundreds of thousands are the Slavs. It is common to look pessimistically upon this new invasion of the Huns, and to forget the hopeful side. The Slavs are good and bad, like other peoples. In closing an article on this subject, Miss Kate Holladay Claghorn presents this optimistic view, which will not injure any of us: "The writer will risk just one generalization which, it is hoped, the ultimate facts will bear out, that in the case of the new immigration we shall see a repetition of the story of the old immigration we are so familiar with. First comes the ignorant and poor but industrious peasant, the young man, alone, without wife or family. For a few years he works and saves, living according to a 'standard of life' which shocks his older established neighbors, and we may guess would often shock his people at home. At first he makes plans for going back, sends his savings home, and perhaps goes back himself. But he usually returns to this country, with a wife. America has now become his home, savings are invested here, land is bought, and a little house built. The growing children are educated in American schools, learn American ways, and forcibly elevate the 'standard of life' of the family. The second generation, in the fervor of its enthusiasm for change and progress becomes turbulent, unruly, and is despaired of. Out of the chaos, however, emerges a third generation, of creditable character, from whom much may be expected. Our Austrian, Hungarian and Russian newcomers are still in the first and second stages and there seems no good reason why they should not pull through successfully to the third. "But in that endeavor we can either help or materially hinder them, according to our treatment of them, as employees, as producers, as fellow citizens. America, for her own sake, owes to the immigrant not only the opportunities for 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness' that she promises to every man, but a sympathetic appreciation of his humanity, and an intelligent assistance in developing it." These are true and weighty words. What should be the attitude of our Protestant Christianity to these peoples? Here is the call to enlarged and efficient home mission effort. Most of them have been born and trained in the Greek or Roman Catholic Church. They now come within the influence of Protestantism, with its totally different ideals and civilization. They cannot escape the effects of the new environment. The children will be open to the Protestant influences, even if the parents are not. The spirit of democracy will deeply penetrate those to whom it comes as a revelation and inspiration. That spirit makes inevitably for religious as well as civil liberty. All that we have to do is to be faithful to our opportunities, and the evangelization of this new immigration will result in a thorough Americanization and a reliable citizenship that will make for the best in our development as a nation. THE EDITORIAL The General Convention HE results of the Conference of American Baptists called by the Home Mission Society and held in New York January 25, during the blizzard, have been made known so widely through the religious papers that it is not necessary to give the details here. We may say that all was accomplished for which we had looked, except in the matter of a full representation from the South. The attendance was good and representative; the spirit of the sessions was delightful; the discussions were free and frank; the conclusions, reached after thorough debate and consideration, were unanimously reached. And there was a common sentiment that the action taken would mean large things for denominational progress and unity and fraternity if the denomination at large in all sections of the country seconded the action and carried it into effect. This action, in a word, was that a General Convention of the Baptists of North America should be organized, to meet triennially, with object to promote closer fellowship between American Baptists, increased denominational efficiency, and the spirituality and evangelistic spirit in our churches, and to discuss subjects bearing upon the missionary, educational and philanthropic enterprises of the denomination, and upon the moral and spiritual welfare of society. The organization is to exercise no authority other than that which the weight of its opinion may carry, nor interfere in any way with the churches or the existing missionary, educational and other agencies of the denomination. Provision was made through a committee of nine for a general meeting at St. Louis next May, between the sessions of the Southern Convention in Kansas City and the anniversaries of the Northern Societies in St. Louis. At St. Louis the organization could be perfected. This tells the story. Words of approval have come from the press and from leading laymen in all sections of the country. There is the least possible machinery about the proposed organization. It need not entail any considerable expense nor involve paid officers. The representation is thoroughly democratic, beginning with the local church, and including the Associations and State Conventions. As we said before the gathering was held in New York, we believe the time is ripe for this step of brotherhood and unity. Protestantism has a mighty work to do in America. It must be a body united in spirit if the work is to be accomplished, and a common country be won for righteousness. The first thing is for the Baptist brethren to get together, come to know and appreciate one another, see eye to eye, and move solidly forward. This is the purpose, above every other, of the proposed General Convention. Let no attention to this or that unimportant detail obscure this great feature. And may no untoward circumstances prevent the realization of the best hopes of those who desire for our denomination the strength and effectiveness of unity and fellowship. Serious Financial Outlook THE Treasurer's statement for Febru ary 1st confirms the estimate made in December of the probable deficit of the Society at the close of the fiscal year, April 1st. Within the last two months of this year $258,163.35 are required to meet accruing obligations, and to pay the indebtedness already upon the Society. In case receipts should be no more than for the period last year, there would be a deficit of $59,170.35. It will be remembered that about $22,000 of indebtedness were brought over from last year, so that the increase for this year is about $27,000. This represents chiefly the increase for necessary enlargement of our work in Cuba, Porto Rico, also among the immigrant populations, the Indians and some western localities; also special obligations incurred in the appointment of several State Evangelists in co-operation with State Conventions. The equipment of several new school buildings for the negroes has also been an extra expense this year. While receipts from churches have been somewhat more than last year, yet there has been a falling off in other respects, so that the aggregate increase in offerings has not been equal to the increase in appropriations. THE SOCIETY MOST EARNESTLY APPEALS TO CHURCHES AND ΤΟ INDIVIDUALS FOR LIBERAL OFFERINGS TO AVERT A DEFICIT WHICH MIGHT COMPEL SERIOUS RETRENCHMENT OF ITS WORK. E Sectarian Appropriations LSEWHERE in this number we give a plain statement of the facts concerning the appropriation by the government of Indian Trust Funds for Roman Catholic schools. The matter has fortunately found wide publicity. Not a little of scandal has become mixed up with it, and the most unpleasant feature to many will be that the chief executive is involved in a manner greatly to be regretted. All patriotic citizens would like to have the President free from politics of this peculiar and unsavory sort, and from connection with a notorious ecclesiastical lobby that hovers about the halls of Congress and the executive bureaus at Washington. It is time that public opinion expressed itself unmistakably in regard to these constant efforts of Roman Catholicism to introduce into America the old-world system of church and state which is now everywhere discredited and decaying. When any denomination thrusts itself into politics it should be treated as a political and not a religious organization. When the Roman Catholics, by whatever method, seek to secure public moneys for sectarian uses, they should be taught summarily that the people will not tolerate such a policy. The separation of church and state is a fundamental American principle. Notwithstanding this fact, the Roman Catholics are constantly claiming that a portion of the public school funds belongs to them for parochial schools; are trying to induce school boards to permit priests and sisters to teach religion in the schools; and at Washington for years succeeded in getting public funds for the maintenance of their purely sectarian schools for the Indians. When the laws were so amended that former appropriations by the government could no longer be made, the Roman Catholics in charge of the matter sought for some other way to get the public funds. They fixed their sharp eyes on the Indian trust funds, and then concocted a scheme whereby the government might hand over these funds for their use. Politics might be relied upon to do the rest. Ex-Indian Commissioner Jones was won over to the plan, and then the President was led to approve the order. The matter is exceedingly discreditable to all concerned. The attitude and explanation of President Roosevelt are anything but satisfactory to his best friends and supporters. The explanations and subterfuges of the Roman Catholic authorities are contemptible but revealing as to their aims and morale. The Indians have been duped, the government has been led to take a false step, treaty provisions have been disregarded, and the tactics of Jesuitism have been employed. But thanks to an alert Americanism, the public has been made acquainted with the underhanded and un-American proceeding, and there is no doubt of the ultimate result. If more laws are necessary, more will be passed. In this country neither ecclesiastical interference in politics nor sectarian appropriations of public moneys will be tolerated, and any party that thinks and acts on a different assumption will learn to its cost that the American people do not propose to surrender an iota of their dearly bought civil and religious liberty. Our Home Mission Society was among the first to enter its protest with the President, as our denomination is and has always been firmly set for absolute severance of church and state. This is a question of patriotism and rights, and teaches once more the lesson that, where Roman Catholicism exists with its false claims, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. There will be no safety from this Roman Catholic lobby at Washington, so far as the Indian schools are concerned, until Congress passes a bill such as has been introduced by Representative Stephens of Texas, prohibiting any legislative or executive appropriation of any funds for sectarian uses. To this end every patriot should exert his influence. |