The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931, June 16, 1909, Page 16, Image 16

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the j Contributed ASSEMBLY AFTERMATH. * One is impressed with the fact that the Assembly is a hard working body. To digest reports on foreign and home missions, education, publication and Sabbath school wprk, colored evangelization, Hible, Sabbath, societies, adults and children's, narratives from the eighty eight Presbyteries: prepare, consider and rlnnt n ronnrt for tho ontiro Phn r/^Vi \ a no small task itself. But in addition reports on seminaries, and from ad interim committees, and overtures whose name is legion, to be considered and answered (in the negative mostly), and last and not least, the hearing and deciding judicial cases, might be supposed to fill up the time. And how in addition to all the above work the Aswemblv found time to hear eleven Calvin addresses, averaging an hour each, and speeches on foreign and home missions, -evangelization, federation, is to be explained largely by the fact that the Assembly had a moderator, who held the body down to its business. I't is hard to snv whirh was mnaf prominent feature of the Assembly?the Calvin celebration or the "Kentucky Case." Both were very much in evidence, and overshadowed all the other business of the Assembly, and undoubtedly detracted from a deliberate consideration of the causes. It seems unfortunate that anything should divert from a calm and thorough consideration of the great departments of the very work for which the Assembly and the Church exist. The Calvin celebration was immense. The guests of the occasion, Rev. Chas. Merle D'Aubigne, of France; and Dr. Orr, of Scotland, and Dr. Cliniton, of Trenton, N. J., received and deserved the thanks and admiration of the Assembly Tor their scholarly and Interesting addresses. Of the home speakers, the addresses varied greatly in quality, and interest. "Some were the warmed up rehash of class-room lectures, while some were great, inspiring and polished addresses. All were learned and profound, and many exhaustive?and exhausting. K is worthy of remark that addresses en an occasion like this are not expected to be exhaustive treaties, but popular presentation of some phase of a many sided subject. One would suppose that the speakers imagined that they were making some contribution to the permanent literature of their subjects, when everybody knew that it was all gotten out of the books. The Kentucky case has been sufficiently discussed as to its merits. It was aptly put by a commissioner, who said, "The sentiment is all on the side of the complainants, but the law is all on the side of the Synod." In the judgment of the scribe it was case were presented chiefly by professional counsel. There was too much of the methods of the court room introduced. Each party, perhaps unconsciously, from force of habit, showed a tendency to ignore facta that were not exactly favorable to his own side. Space forbids dwelling upon the beauty y PRESBYTERIAN OF TiW SOUT1 of the city of Savannah, and the hospitality of her good people; both were-, all that could be desired in a Southern city. For details the reader is referred to the editorial notes. Presbyterian ism in Savannah is h.irdly doing what might be done in a city of eighty thousand people. Three churches make a poor showing lor over a century of work in one of the most important of Southern cities. There may be good and sufficient reasons hut (hot i?* it looks to a man up a tree. But the same may be said of many other cities in our Assembly. It would seem that in many places, there is a failure to grasp and grapple earnestly, and fairly with the whole question of city evangelization, church rivalry; pride of mere bigness; failure to understand the true law of the growth of the kingdom, "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth"; false sentimental attachment to a church or a preacher, or of a preacher for his people and church?these are some of the things that cause a failure to grasp the opportunity and needs of the situation, and cramp the growth of the church, and cause a failure to do the work that might, and should be done. We need to get down to business, and not be content merely to conduct our little church work satisfactorily, but to wield the whole church as the men no of ovinoroll.. ing the field within reach, be it city or country. The impression one lias from a meeting of the Assembly is that of standing at the focus of the Church's work. The rays being concentrated from session to Presbytery and from Presbytery to Synod and from Synod to Assembly. It is not exactly that way but it ought to be. The Assembly impressed one as rather above the average of Assemblies. There were no cranks in evidence and the red tape brethren were few. The members were able, earnest, thoughtful, conservative, yet with a spirit of progress. The note of evangelism rang out clear and strong with a clarion call to the Church. Cramer. A LAYMEN'S VISIT TO LINARES, MEXICO. The Graybill Memorial Industrial School. The writer was very glad, last week to accept an invitation to visit the old and wealthy city of IJnares. The Southern Presbyterians have had a mission at this place for many years and it is the point recommended by the Presbytery of Tamaulipas at its recent meeting, for the establishment of the Graybill Memorial Industrial School. On account of twelve years' residence In this country, spent continually in agriculture, horticulture and dairying, it was thought that 1 might be of some possible assistance to those having in charge the final selection of property for submission to the Executive Committee of Foreign Missions for actual investment. It will be seen from this that the missionaries and native ptittiurB aua worserg nave urm raitn that the ofrerings on "Children's Day," will enable them to found the school which they so much desire to establish. The preliminaries have already begun. Salttllo, where I live, though only a few hours distant from the Southern Presbyterian field, is, on account of Its ri. June 16, 1909.. altitude, in an entirely different climate. For this reason we have hod the pleasure of seeing in our home, at one time or another, nearly all the workers of the Southern Mission. They come to us for a little change from the long fierce heat to the cool mountain air. In this way we have come to know them and to love them and to feel a strong personal interest in their work. We could not do otherwise for they are our own people, and the Church which has sent them out is the Church of our childhood and the Church of our fathers. In setting out on my visit, then, I was sure of falling among friends. On arrival at Monterey, where change of cars is made from the Natioual railroad to the Mexican Central, I found the Rev. W. A. Ross awaiting ine. Through an appointment made by the Rev. Leandro Garze Mora, pastor of thv. church at Linares, we were accorded an interview with General Bernardo Reyes, Governor of the State of Nuevo Leon, to which the city of Linares pertains. The* Governor is a man of advanced years and one who has served his country in many capacities. He is one of the most prominent among the prominent Mexicans of his day. The majestic and magnificent brown slr?nt> ?inl?ii i.. completed and occupied, modern and elegant in all its appointments, probably the very finest .of its class in Mexico, will be among the memorials of his progressive administration. As I entered the lofty portal and mounted the graceful stairway of the lobby, at my side a native Protestant minister and a foreign Protestant missionary, our object being to enlist the interest of a strong Governor of a great State in a school to be founded by a foreign propaganda, and to bear the name of one who gave his life's service to that cause, I could not but reflect upon my surioundiugs. Just outside the open door was the most important city of Northern Mexico, with tho multitudinous sounds and labyrinthine ways of its strange busy life Towering toward the blue, were those far-famed peaks of the Sierra Mad re? immense, inaccessible, changeless, mysterious, utterly indifferent to man, the ephemeral, whether wandering in prehistoric years, or following the Eagle of the Republic, or the tri-color of France, or the Stars and Stripes of the North, or the Lion of Spain. We saw the sun light fall upon life sized pictures of the heroes of Mexican history, 'beautifully wrought in tall colored glass windows. Looking upon them, 1 thought of the cause for which they stood and the contest for civil and religious freedom. As in other States, so in Mexico, the struggle was long and it was costly, both in treasure and in blood. But at last she came into her own and stands with those who have won. We found the Governor a very approachable and friendly man. He first wanted to know about the object and aim of the school. When these were explained to him, he expressed his great satisfaction and said there was need for such an institution. He then asked whether there would be any particular religious requirement?saying that by virtue of his office he could not become in- . tereated in religious work as such, and that there was something of good in