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September 8, 1909. THE
gospel ministry; the tremendous West
where much of the brawn and more of
the future brain of Church and state will
be found; and *he foreigners massing in
our midst. With great candor. Dr.
Hemphill admitted that much of his information
and, perhaps, some also of his
enthusiasm had come from the pages of
the Committee's publication "The Home
Mission Herald", and urged for it a more
general circulation.
Unfortunately the writer failed
through accident to come equipped with
note book for this last meeting, and
while the address itself is not lost to
memory,, the words are not available
from which to quote; except the last
challenge, "America for Christ, that the
world may be won for Christ."
It seemed an acceptance of this challenge
when Rev. J. P. Hall, of the Boys'
Department of Lees-McKae Institute,
Plumtree, N. C., rose to tell In a few
words of the magnificent work being
done at that school among the boys nnd
young men of the mountains. He told
of the imperative need that was seen for
such a school, of tho co-operation of the
people in tho neighborhood, of the fine
class of hoys who come under its training
nnd control, of the Sunday-schools
stnrted and kept up by the students and
teachers, who walk miles each Sunday
to do thlsh "extension work"; of their
growing Influence, and of the sixteen
hoys in the school who are candidates
for the ministry, is not such a school
and work vustly Important and deserving
our loyal support.
Coul our people from all over the Church
have heard the burning words of all
these speukers and huve met and learned
to love and respect the men from "the
tiring line who were present nil of
wham were nut heard from publicly,
surely we would reulise, as never before,
the magnitude of our opportunity and
the glory of our emprise, "For Christ
und native luud."
AN INGATHERING OF 80UL8.
The Mexican I'resbyterian Churches in
Medina and Uvalde Counties, Texas, held
a camp meeting at a point ten miles
south of Mondo from the twenty hist to
the twenty-sixth of July.
The officers of these churches huve
formed an folders' and Deacons' Association
In our Mexican work In Texas. This
camp meeting was held under the dlrec
(lull of this Association. A large arbor
was built and seats and gasoline lumps
wera put In, and Ilia meeting waa wall
advartlaad. Families aaota from Hablnal,
twenty-eight intlaa away, from Hondo,
lan Utiles, and from Yancey, six miles,
besides Hie writer, we had with ua to
help in the preaching Hev. H. Avtla, of
Han Antonio, Hev. W. H. Hudriguex, of
Victoria, and Miguel Feralta, from Wl
Haso. An excellent little choir from the
Hahlual Church rendered uood service
Ill tlii) singing, The singing was a sue
cial feature of this camu meeting, aud I
uelleve that under Clod did much to
urlng huh la to flhrlat. Quite a nuinher
of American frlenda attended the serv
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT
ices and they expressed themselves as
highly pleased with the singing and with
the deportment of the Mexican people.
Perhaps two hundred Mexicans attended
the meetings altogether.
In point of members received, the results
of this camp meeting were the reception
of fifteen adult members on pro-'
fession of faith, all of whom were baptized.
Five were added to the Sabinal
Church and ten to the El Progreso
Church. This last church has its center
ui upfmuous ai ioe very potnt where the
meeting was held. We were all gratified
with the results and are grateful to the
Head of the Church for the success with
which our efforts were crowned. I am
sure much more in the way of results
will follow later on.
We were endeavoring to develop this
field as the San Marcos field has been
developed; and we hope to see largely
attended camp meetings there as are
seen every year at the latter place.
The El Progreso Church has no building.
It was organized over three years
ago and has had many rough experiences.
Most of the time it has held its
meetings under a large oak tree. It has
only one elder, and the few members it
has live greatly scattered. The Lord is
now favoring it. Mr. Louis Motield, a
Methodist brother, has given us an acre
of land, and will help us in other ways
With some help from Dr, Morris' Committee,
we will build a chapel for this
church in October. The members themselves
will build it. I would be glad to
get help for the butldiug of this chapel.
Walter S. Scott, Evangelist.
EXPENSES OF COMMISSIONERS TO
THE ASSEMBLY.
The Presbyteries of Western Texas and
St. Louis sent up overtures to the last
Assembly asking that ihe Assembly pay
the necessary traveling expenses of its
Commissioners on a mileage baal out of
a contingent fund to be
purpose. The Assembly answered these
overtures us follows: "That this quest too
he submitted to the different I'reabytevies
for their uctlon, tool report the same to
the next Ueneral Assembly." lu this connection
the Assembly directed the Stated
Clerks of the different Presbyteries to
send n statement of the expenses of the
Commissioners to the next Assembly, lit
order that the Assembly could act intelligently
upon the matter. (See page 3d.
Item 7 of IttUH minutes.) letter lu the
sittings of the Assembly that body adopt
e?l the following overture to the Preabytertea,
In reaponae to u requeat from Hev.
H A. King, IV D-, Hev. B. M. Oreen, ll IV,
Hev. \\\ U Nourae, IV IV, nmt Hev- J. M
llolladay:
"Add to Chapter V., Hectlon I., Paragraph
f>8, the following; "Bxoept that the
exponaea of Conunlaatonera to the Oeneral
Aaaemhly ahull he paid out of the
treuaury of the (leoerul Aaaeiubly,' making
the whole paragraph read ua foliowa:
dm. VII. Tlit> expense* Of MinUter* ami
liultng (OUter* In tUetr attendance en the
Oouri* uliall tie defrayed by the Untie*
* ?
*
%
H. 15
which they respectively represent, except
that the expenses of Commissioners 10.
the General Assembly shall be paid out
of the treasury of the General Assembly."
< See pages 48 and 49.)
This overture was unanimously recommended
by the Committee on Bills and
Overtures and unanimously adapted by
the Assembly, notwithstanding it has in
view a radical change in the method of
meeting such expenses. Why this change?
Some of the reasons are the following:
1. That the strong Presbyteries may
help to bear the burden of the weak Presbyteries,
and
2. This would but be equitable and
just, for the work, of the Commissioner is
work done for the whole Church.
Lexington Presbytery has a constituency
of 11,203 from which to get her
funds for expenses, while the Texas-Mexican
Presbytery has only S93. Upon a
basis of ten cents per member Lexington
Presbytery will have a fund of $1,120.30
and Texas-Mexican will have
$$9.30. The next Assembly will meet in
I W*
... ?a., ma Lexington Presbytery
will send four Commissioners at
an expense of possibly $40, while TexasMexican
Presbytery will send two Commissioners
at an expense of possibly
$150. Yet the Commissioners of both
Presbyteries go there to transact the
business of the Presbyterian Church in
the United States. The Assembly of 100$.
met iu C.reensboro. and the Assembly of
1009 iu Savauuah. while the next Assembly
\glll meet iu Lewisburg. W. Ya. For
three years iu succession the Assembly
w|H have met iu places which have made
the bu?den of meeting these expenses
fall more lightly on the majority of the
strong Presbyter tea and to fall most
heavily upon the weaker aud Home Mission
Presbyteries. Thiuk how heavy this
burden has beeu upon the Presbyteries
within the Synods of Texas. Oklahoma.
Arkansas, Missouri and Louisiana for this
period! Is it right or just to these brethren.
struggling upon the frontier and burdened
so heavily with Hoiue Mission
work? The Assembly does uot meet often
enough within the territory of these
weaker Presbyteries to "eveu up" expense*.
One has only to read the list of
the lueetlug places to see how true this
is. The Assembly has met forty-nine
times, aud lu the following states: Twice
iu Maryland; three times in Virginia;
four times lu North Carolina; three times
in South Carolina; eight times iu Georgia;
four times in Kentucky; six times
in Tenuessee; six times lu Alabama;
three limes in Mississippi; twice in Missouri;
three times iu Arkausas; twice lu
Louisiana. ami three times in Texas.
tNext year iu West Virginia.* Out of
fifty Uutes it has met west of the Mississippi
river ouly teu times. Lexington
auti Texas -Mexicau Presbyteries are tueut
lotted only (or the purimse o( illustration.
It is heiievetl that* the'Presbyteries will
nulnrlu /wxnoUa- *w" "
hid manor, tuut the overture
be adopted. t? the hope of
CommiMioner.