We express concern for nations and peoples who are caught in a terrible circle of hatred, violence, injustice, and suffering, who live in fear in police states where terrorist acts and military incursions are regular events.
We further recognize that the oppression and depravities by one group leads to anger and violence by the other which is then escalated by the first.
The representatives of the Baptist World Alliance meeting in London, July 19th to 23rd, 1920, which Alliance has a constituency of eight million Church members, with an additional constituency of adherents several times that number, would submit this message to all the Peoples and Governments of the World.
The Conference Places on record its profound concern at the grave reports of persecution from which our Baptist brethren in Rumania have suffered during the past eighteen months and even within recent weeks; and calls upon the Rumanian Government to undertake a thorough investigation into the facts, and to take decisive action to bring to an end all religious persecution within its territories
A resolution on Religious Liberty, drawn up by Dr. Clifford, President Mullins and Dr. Truett, was passed in the following form:—
“It is the sense of this body that in this period of reconstruction and readjustment in the civil and religious life of the nations of the world, following the world-war, it is of the highest importance that full religious liberty should be granted to all peoples who do not now enjoy it.
The following resolutions were adopted on the recommendation of the Committee on Co-operation:—
We fully recognise that all the recommendations of the Conference are subject to the cardinal Baptist principle of the rights of the individual Church and of the consent of the various Baptist Unions and Conventions concerned.
The following resolutions were passed on the recommendation of the Literature Committee:—
“That we realise the great need of Bibles and hymn-books, and that steps be taken to supply them.”
“That an attempt be made to produce simple literature for the children, including simple exposition and pictures.”
We regard an educational policy as of primary importance for the extension of the Baptist denomination in Europe, and we consider that the establishment or strengthening of Baptist seminaries for the training of pastors and evangelists should be undertaken without delay.
56. Statements having been made by Drs. Franklin and Rushbrooke as to the position in Russia; agreed that Dr. Rushbrooke be instructed to prepare a resolution expressing support of his protest on the subject of the Russian Government’s attitude on the question of religious teaching of children. This resolution was formulated as follows:—
10. Rumania. Resolved, after a statement by Dr. Rushbrooke, that the following resolution be sent to the Rumanian Government and afterwards published:—
That in the matter of the Cameroons this Executive Committee thoroughly approve the procedure of its General Secretary in the efforts to procure permission for German Baptists to return to their mission fields, and that we instruct him to proceed, with careful and considerate methods, and taking account of all interests involved, to use every effort to bring about the consent of the French Government for the resumption of German Baptist missionary work in that mandated territory.