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August 18, 1909. THE BETHANY CHURCH, GEORGIA. Situated in the western part of Newton County, nearly ten miles from a railroad, in what is truly a rural community, is Bethany Church, which is near seventy years old. For quite a number of years it has been the custom to hold protracted serv ices for a week, beginning Wednesday night before the first Sabbath in Au gust. Thirty-two years ago the writer was baptized at one of these services, and nearly ten years later united .with the church and since that time it has been his privilege to be present at some of the services of each succeeding annual series. Some of the best spiritual feasts it has ever been my privilege to enjoy have occurred during these meetings. Under the preaching of such men of God as Messrs. Rogers, DuBose, Frazer, Barnett, Cook and Trenholm, who are resting, from their labors now, and others whom I could mention that are living I have seen the power of the gospel demonstrated. You could see religion in the faces and lives of the members, hear it in the prayers and songs of the congregation, and feel the presence and power of the Holy Spirit applying the faithful presentation of the doctrines of salvation. * Recently, as with the church at Corinth, there has sprung up divisions amongst its members. These divisions have hurt the cause of Christianity and injured the church at Bethany. Last May, God in His providence, sent Brother Hemphill to supply the pulpit at Bethany. He has labored faithfully, una ireuma me case successfully, ana now Bethany Church is on the high road to a better life and to greater usefulness. Bro. Hemphill secured the services of Rev. J. E. Hannaly to help him in the series of services which have just passed. For five days, morning and evening, Bro. Hannaly faithfully presented the gospel . Th<i membership heeded its call. It looked like old times at Bethany. One elder remarked, "that he got a blessing at every service." And I think this was the experience of everyone who was privileged to attend. The singing was inspiring; unity and good feeling once more prevailed. If that was all Brothers Hemphill and Hannaly had for their reward they should feel repaid. But their labors will be rewarded by Him, who has prom ibcu lum iiiaaiuuun as ye nave aone it unto one of these ye have done it unto me." Only one feature was lacking. Col. Livingston was absent at his post in Washington. He rarely' ever misses, and when present invariably has, "There is a fountain filled with blood," "And Jesus lover of my soul" sung two or three times during the services. He was missed. A new feature was introduced by Bro. PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUTI Hemphill In the way of a Special Service for the young people of the church. By way of parenthesis, let me say, with all due respect to, and regard for, the training and teaching of her young people, Bethany has made a mistake, in the encourage.ment and development of the rights of her young people. Out of the young people who have gone from Bethany not one minister is among the number. But to return to the Special Service. About twenty of the young members, both boys and girls, pledged themselves to a reconsecration of their lives to God to be used by Him where He saw fit to call them. May His blessing attend each one of them and may they each one be used by Him for the advancement of His cause and kingdom in this world, thus fulfilling their chief end, "to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. X. WASTED RESOURCES OF THE CHURCH. Conditions have so changed in the South that it is no longer considered humiliating to work for an education. Our Southland is full of boys clamoring for an education. They are from the remote sections often; always they are boys of purpose whose blood tingles mm me luougni 01 a cnance to rise. Some of them are from the best families of the old South; all of them will make men of whom their state and their church will be proud. The writer has been brought face to face with this cond tion. He has had numbers of poor boys make application for positions to work their way through school. Their appeal is pathetic . Their parents have nothing, or the family is large, or they are out for themselves with a small earning only with which to go through school. They beg for anything that is honorable. The State may educate them at her industrial schools (and it has done a great work for the poor boy) but the State will alone have the prior claim on his service; the church may enter this field and if it does it will be developing one of the richest resources within its reach. Here is found some of the finest raw material for a finished manhood that grows today. From this class comes a large percentage of our ministry. Too long has the church neglected this opportunity at its door. They do not ask to be pauperized, but to be given a chance. They are today knocking at the doors of some of our church schools by the scores. Is it worth while? May the church afford to engage in this sort of an enterprise?develop industrial features?open avenues for self help? Or shall It confine Itself to educational effort without this.' In the Providence of God the Synod of Mississippi has been enabled to undertake a work of this kind that promises great things for the church. It has owned a Synodical school for boys for years, with sixty acres of rich land about it, and with as fine a plant as there is A ? ^ i i. *7 in the South, but no special effort has ever been made to get hold of poor boys. Nor is there any other church school so far as the writer knows, in the South making any organized effort along this line. The buildings of Chamhprinin Hunt Academy were erected through the generosity of the late J. J. McComb of New York. This was his original idea. Last year a start was made and twelve young men, some of them sons of ministers, worked their way through school. Twenty can be provided for the coming session by opening these industrial avenues. A steam laundry, dairy, farm, "dining room waiters, etc., offer advantages for self-help hitherto neglected. There are two or three applications for every place the school has open. Suppose the church could harness all this force. Open ways for hundreds of such young men every year! Who could measure the result? Recently two wealthy gentlemen see ing this great need of the South, have offered the Synod of Mississippi for its Synodical School for boys, at Port Gibson, $50,000.00 on condition that a like sum be raised, the income from the whole to be used in developing the work outlined above. It is not proposed to pauperize any of them, but to give them a chance to work their way. They have agreed that the time limit for this shall be fixed at Jan. 1, 1911. Already $12,500.00 has been subscribed, and there is every reason to believe mat the whole shall be raised in the time given. The Board of Trustees are asking people of means over the church to endow scholarships, the income on the fund given to go to some worthy boy, it being always understood that such boy shall work his way in part. Recently two men have given a full scholarship each of $2,500.00. Others are considering smaller sums to be so invested. inese sctiolarships are counted in the amount to be raised by the Synod. Not only will such an investment provide for the education of some boy indefinitely but it will enable the Synod to raise the whole fund. What an opportunity for people of means to leave a memorial! Why put money in marble statues when it can be used as a memorial to go into the hearts and life, of some of the best boys of the South, and develop the la tent forces of a strong manhood? Is there not some friend of the poor white boy who will endow a scholarship, of whatever value he chooses to invest? These boys are appealing to the writer. They cannot appeal to the church at large. These will make our best men. Who will give an ear to their call? Rev. M. E. Melvin, A. M., Port Gibson, Miss. President. "What right have you Christians to come over here to China and bother these DeODle with vnnr rolltrinn f" _ # . w..DWM OUU1C UUV asked John W. Foster, the Christian Statesman, who once represented us in that great heathen empire.. "It is the right to give to others something that is too good to keep," was the distinguished diplomat's reply.