Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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.