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22 THI Church News (Continued from Page 19.) exceptionally severe weather for a part of the time. The Second Church, having no session, was placed by Presbytery under the care of the First Church. The session of the First Church has engaged Rev. J. F. Jacobs to ?uj<i??y uiiii |>ui])ii uunng me coming year. Mr. Alex. O'Daniel superintends the Sabbath school at the Second Church. Mr. T. C. Scott, another member of the First Churcti, conducts services twice a month at the Lydia Mills Chapel. The support of ten pupil3 of the Thornwell Orphanage will be provided during the ensuing year by societies, members and others of the congregation. The congregation is arranging for the support of its own missionary. The total membership of the church is 460, nearly half of whom are from the Thornwell Orphanage, or students of the college. Bowling Green, Beth Shiloh and Allison Creek: The Rev. W. J. Wyly has been installed pastor of these churcnes. The acount of the installation at Bowling Green was reported immediately after it took place. At Beth Shiloh and Allison Creek, the services had to be postponed on account of ban weather, and did not take place until December 5. The commission, as appointed by Presbytery, consisted of the following: The Rev. Messrs. E. E. Gillespie. W. A. Hafner and Alexander Martin, with Elder Oleary. All were present except Mr. Martin. The attendance at both churches was good, and the services were very impressive and helpful. This is a Presbyterian section of the old type; father, mother and children attend church, and the Lord's Day is kept sacred. In many homes family worship is observed. Since our arrival at the manse, the people have been unppacinp in thpir altontinnc Pvorv nne. esslty and many of ihe luxuries of life have been supplied. A horse has been given, with feed sufficient for the winter. It was hard to tell when Christmas began, and it seems that it is not over yet. The ladies of Beth Shfloh remembered that we had come to a colder climate, and sent a pair of heavy blankets. For all of these gifts we are truly grateful to our Heavenly Father, and only trust that we may bring Him glory in this part of his vineyard." TENNESSEE. Knoxville, Central Church: The Christmas entertainment took place Tuesday evening, December 29, and was marked by a crowded house, a pleasing program and a happy occasion of giving and receiving. the Sabbath school this year remembering the Assembly's Home and School at Fredericksburg, Va. On Christmas Eve, a large number of the ladies of the church came in a ooay to the pastor's home, bringing many beautiful and substantial gifts for all the members of the family, in addition to others that were sent in. May the Lord reward a noble-hearted people for their continued great kindness. Z PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT Franklin: Since the Chrismias holidays, Rev. W. J. McMillan, the pastor, has been rocking himself in a very handsome solid leather Turkish chair. He greatly appreciates the chair for its intrinsic worth, but far more does he appreciate the silirit wh ??>~ heads of the families of (he church in making the gift. Sunday, January 3, witnessed the sixth anniversay of the pas;orate. The church, in the face of great difficulties, has made decided progress. The new building is well appointed and handsome, and is free from indebtedness. During the six years the pastor has preached six hundred sermons, conducted two hundred and fifty-eight prayer meetings, forty-eight funerals, twenty-seven marriages, received one hundred and twenty-five members into this church, received thirty-five into other churches, has taught with regularity in the Sunday school, and has made five thousand seven hundred and sixty-four calls in the homes of the people. The church faces the future with hope and promise. To Sunday School Superintendents: in Western District Presbytery: In order to the enlargement and information of the Sunday school work" in our bounds through your Presbyterial Sunday School Committee, or direction of Western District Presbytery, the third Sabbath, or the nearest practical thereto, in this month, has been set apart as the day for all our Sunday scnools to give their 01ferings to the further prosecution of this work (three-fourths for our Presbyterial Sunday school work, and one-fourth for our Synodical Sunday school work). If the schools have notice a week ahead, and know the great good already accomplished by this means, a large and worthy offering will be taken. We want to do a great deal more, and to this end asK your genuine help. I believe we can count on you doing your Best and sending at appointed time a good offering from your Sunday school to Yours prayerfully and faithfully, C. O'N. Martindale, Ch. and Treasurer.. Brownsville, Tenn. TEXAS. Paris: The congregation of the First Church cheered the hearts of their pastor and his family during the Christmas holidays by the gift of a handsome purse of money and many other material tokens of good will. Cisco: This church is trying to witness for Jesus in a quiet way, and its testimony is hearing some fruit unto the Lord. Several new families have ueen identified with the church recently by membership, and some growth in grace is manifest. Several mission noints are being conducted, where much good is being done. At one of them a new church has recently been organized by our pastor, and at others we hope to establlsa a church soon. Carbon: This is tae youngest churcu of El Paso Presbytery. It was started as a mission of the Cisco Church, and the pastor. Rev. 11. C. Bell, who has been working this point for a year or more, organized the church the first Sunday in October last. There werp fourteen charter members. Mr. A. Boston was elected elder, and Mr. C. H. Smith dea H. January 13, 1909 con. Since then we have received four new members, two families. This, chnrcn is nearly ready to erect a building for worship. We lack about one hundred dollars of enough money. (Won't you help us? Send to B. C. Belt, (jisco.) We expect to begin the new church in January. Although Carbon is the youngest of our churches, she has outstripped some of our old churches in that she has already given a candidate for the gospel ministry, in the person of her only deacon, Mr. C. H. Smith. Beaumont: At the First Church two helpful sermons suitable to the opening of the new year were preached bv the pastor on the first Sabbath of January. The largest number for many months was In attendance at Sunday school, and seventy-three from the Sunday school remained to the church service. The church work is in excellent condition and forty new members have been added with in the past six months. This church supports Mrs. J. S. Nisbet as a missionary in Korea and has a share in the support of Rev. H. L. Ross, in Mexico. The Sunday School has three shares in the Mexican Boys' School and devotes every third Sunday to missionary study and giving. Mt. Pleasant: The congregation of this ciiurcu gHtnerea ai tne manse one evening during the holidays in the nature of a surprise party, bringing many material tokens of their good will as well as the pleasure of their presence. A delightful hour was spent strengthening the ties that have bound pastor and people together for several years. And there were other tokens of the same sort during the holiday season, both here and from Pittsburg, a much beloved church, which, by the growth of the combined field, is now vacant. The work in these two churches lias been unusually pleasant. This church begins the new year by calling the pastor for the whole time and also giving more for Home Missions monthly lhan was originally given to it. Do Home Missions pay? Mercedes: Rev. M. W. Doggett, D. D., he evangelist of.the Presbytery of western Texas, on Tuesday night, January 5, 1909, organized a church at Mercedes ot nineteen members. Mr. S. P. Silver, Dr. W. A. Roth, Mr. G. K. Wattson and Mr. I,ytie Harrison were elected elders. Mr. Roht. J. Smith, Mr. Henry A. Appel and Mr. Jos. H. Griffin were elected deacons. Rut few new churches start out so well equipped with officers as this onp. Tho town of Mercedes is situated on the Mercedes canal, one of the largest irrigation projects in the lower Rio Grande valley. Eighteen months ago not a lick had been struck toward this great enterprise. Now a twenty-mile canal, with its numberless laterals, is in full operation. A beautiful little town, with a large electric plant, good waterworks, a splendidly equipped hotel, brick business houses and residences that would do credit to a city. Hundreds of people are settling thes?? fertile lands for miles around. The great need now ts an active, energetic pastor on the ground to meet the scores of new neonle cnnine in rvprv m.inUi r?? next" three years not fewer than three pastors will be necessary to meet the demand in this rapidly developing section of country.