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16 TH] Contributed "MINISTERING TO THE SAINTS." Rev. Henry H. Sweets, Secretary. Several years ago last May, there was graduated from one of our Theological Seminaries, a young man of splendid al>il lty, who had reached the age of 27 years. Many churches were open to his ministry, but he decided to accept the call of a Home Mission committee, to work among the miners not far from . He was soon married to a Christian young woman who was also deeply interested in the work in which he was engaged. Two little children were given to brighten the home. His labors were abundantly blessed. The church prospered. and he soon won the confidence and the esteem of the entire community. Some labor troubles came into that region. The men of the town were persuaded to strike, and it was exceedingly hard for many of them to keep the wolf from the door. His financial support from the congregation was diminished. Many of his friends advised him to leave. Several stronger churches which were able to pay him a better salary sought his services. Realizing that if he left this field, great injury would result to the church, and to the cause of Christ, he cheerfully decided to remain. His self-denial more deeply endeared him to the hearts of the community, and among those poor neglected people, he was accomplishing a great work for the Master. About two years ago he became sick, and a physician was summoned. He was informed that he had tuberculosis of the larynx and that he must immediately go to , or he could hope to live but a few weeks. As most of our ministers, he came from a poor home, he had received throughout his whole ministry an insufficient salary, and had been able to lay by nothing for this time of need. The Committee of Ministerial Reli#*f at T milavUIn V \r woo ?%v avj., nOO HUUlCUiaiCI/ notified of his condition, and an appropriation was made, sufficient to take him to the mountains of . Just as soon as he reached his new home in this far-away state, he wrote as follows: "Your letter with enclosed check came this morning as a very pleasant surprise indeed, and I assure you both were fuily appreciated. Bro. had hinted the possibility of further aid from the Committee, but I said I was afraid it would be taking it from some one who needed it even more than I did, and so thought no more of it. I am truly grateful for the aid and only hope that it will not cause the all-too-meagre donations to be cut elsewhere. They can't tell me the world's getting worse, or that the Father overlooks His trusting children. we can't sometimes tell why, but there Is a why and I am only waiting to see It." Since that time, we have been ministering to him and his wife and the little children as best we could. For a little while he was able to serve ? * E PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT a small mission church in that distant state. It was in a poor community, and he never received more than $5.85 in the collection on Sunday. This was the only remuneration that he received for his labor. While enduring the privations tnere, and with the earnest longing in his heart to again enter the active service of the ministry, we received a letter from him in which he wrote: "Dear Brother Sweets: I sincerely thank you for again thinking of us at this time and assure you that your kind interest and that of your friends is most highly appreciated. The only thing that has made this fight for life, and this long, long, weary wait endurable, has been the exceeding goodness of God the r ather and the wondrous kindness of friends through it all. May He richly reward each one. No one who has not passed through a similar experience can ever know anything of how hard it is to have to sit helpless and useless, a burden to friends and to the church that I nad so earnestly hoped to serve faithfully and long. If He will only somehow bring good to His cause and glory to His name out of it all, I will not complain." Last summer we received a letter from his wife telling us that the physician had declared that the altitude there was too great for her husband, and that he must return to his home in : From what we have heard, we are almost confident that he has returned to his for mer home to die. In the letter received from his wife, she said: "He has been going down all summer. If we stay here longer am afraid it would not do much good to make the change. Tne change may not now do any good, but you know one likes to do all she can to save her loved ones. After I wrote my letter to you, I was afraid you would think I was asking too much, as the Committee is doing so much for us all the time. I know he must have a change, and I am willing to beg this of you, am willing to do anything for his good. I have been working all summer at sewing. I can't do anything that would take me away from him or the two little boys." The two boys in the home are ' both fine, stout fellow about the average size for children of their age. The older one was five years old the 23rd of last July ?the younger one will be four years old me urm uay 01 nexi r eDruary." Eight or ten ministers and many elders from his Presbytery who have known this brother and his wife intimately, who were acquainted with his work, and have seen the results of his consecrated life and labor, bear testimony to the worthiness of this family and their need. I am sure you will count it a great privilege to minister to Christ In the person of these His worthy children who are in need. What a blessed privilege to minister tor such as these! Possibly the vefy reason the Master has left this faithful minister, and the many other ministers and needy widows and orphans who are equally de serving of our gratitude and love, is that we may have this gracious opportunity. H. June 30, 1909. In his conversation with the Ephesian Liders, the Apostle Paul said: "I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said. It is more blessed to give than to receive." "We give Thee but Thine own Whate re the gift may be AH that we have is Thine alone A trust, O Lord, from Thee. ' And we believe Thy word Tho' dim our eyes may be Whate're for Thine we do, O Lord, We do it unto Thee." The General Assembly calls for $50,000 for the work of Ministerial Relief this year. $15,000 of this may be expected from interest from the Endowment Fund. The remainder, $35,000, must come from the July offering. Help us to help these weary saints in Christ's name. 122 Fourth Avenue, Louisville, Ky. A YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONVENTION. There is no element in our church life so much neglected as the work of our young people. Some of our churches have Christian Endeavor Societies, some have Westminster Leagues, and some have no young people's organization at all. The General Assembly has legislated on the subject a number of times, and there the matter has ended. The committee in Richmond have done a splendid work in developing our Sundayschool. but have done practically nothing for our young people's work. The difficulty with Christian Endeavor societies in the Southern Presbyterian Church is that they exist in only a minority of our congregations, so that in District and State Conventions they bring a minority of our young people into fellowship and co-operation with the Campbellites who are the main denomination other than Presbyterian having Christian Endeavor Societies in the South. We might not object so much to such fellowship if we had all our people together, but fellowship and co-operation among our own folks is infinitely more desirable. There are two difficulties in the way /.f tkA n.A.l. 4l.? TIT L? 1 1 ? ui me num ui iuc neaiuiiiiaier Lieagues. One is that they secure no fellowship at all of the young people of different congregations, so that the edification and inspiration that come from conferences are lost. The convention idea may be over-emphasized in these days, but there is good In it which can hardly be found elsewhere. The second difficulty is that the Westminster Leagues are not provided with as good literature as the Christian Endeavor Societies, unless they use the Endeavor literature. Our committee Issued "Onward" to meet this need, but when It made its appearance it looked so much like a patent medicine sheet that its usefulness would uavB ueeu uuuiy luipuirea, even naa u contained more excellent subject matter. The Synod of Alabama is taking a step