The Southern Baptist Convention, representing a constituency of more than two and a half millions of white Baptists, in convention assembled at Asheville, N.C., May, 1916, wish now and here to reaffirm our record as the unwavering advocates of the great political doctrines which have made the Republic of the United States one of the most powerful and glorious nations of modern times; and which if properly guarded and perpetuated are destined in a very few generations, to put our beloved country at the head of the sisterhood of nations.
Among these doctrines we mention the total separation of church and state, liberty of conscience or the right to worship God as the conscience of the individual dictates, freedom of speech and press, and freedom of peaceable assembly, and the right of the state to demand that its citizens be educated to promote intelligence and efficiency, and guard against crime.