We develop a transfer matrix method to compute exactly the spin-spin
correlation functions of Bethe lattice spin models in the external magnetic
field h and for any temperature T. We first compute the correlation function
for the most general spin - S Ising model, which contains all possible
single-ion and nearest-neighbor pair interactions. This general spin - S Ising
model includes the spin-1/2 simple Ising model and the Blume-Emery-Griffiths
(BEG) model as special cases. From the spin-spin correlation functions, we
obtain functions of correlation length for the simple Ising model and BEG
model, which show interesting scaling and divergent behavior as T approaches
the critical temperature. Our method to compute exact spin-spin correlation
functions may be applied to other Ising-type models on Bethe and Bethe-like
lattices.Comment: 19 page