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22 :. i L- THE
A CALL TO A CONFERENCE ON LAY
EVANGELISM.
To Christian Laymen::
There is no evidence that Jesus Christ
ever intended that the work of winning
all mankind to him should be confined
to the few of his followers who make up
the trained ministry. The Spirit-given
power of witnessing was not limited to
the apostles; it was offered to all the
disciples.
A wide-spread awakening to this fact
is characterizing these opening year* of
the present century; and in this awakening
there lies more hope than in any
other fact in modern Christendom.
If it is true that 40,000,000 people in
the United States?nearly half the population?have
no affiliation with the Christian
Church, the cause is not far to seek.
We have been expecting the impossible
?that the few ministers and evangelists
of our country should reach and win every
soul. That can never be.
America will be won to Christ only
when the Christian people of America
accept the responsibility of taking definite
and persistent part, as laymen, in
urging the Gospel upon all the unsaved
within their reach.
m in Korea, the number of missionaries
equals the total number of converts. For
every Korean convert is a missionary?
and the eyes of the world are fixed with
amazement cn Korea's Christian growth.
Christian America should come up to the
standard of the heathen land that it is
.evangelizing.
The large evangelistic campaigns in
our cities?often richly blessed?are necessary
only because the Christian layman
is not doing his simple duty in active
evangelism all the year round. And
the large campaign can never reach all;
genera] lay evangelism can.
There are varied forms of lay evangelism,
all important. Much is already
being done; much can be learned by laymen
from each other, in conference, of
methods and plans that have been tested,
but are not yet generally known. As no
united interdenominational effort has yet
been made to hold a general conference
exclusively on this work and these plans
whereby Christian laymen can co-operate
with their pastors in evangelizing
the nation, therefore, a conference in the
interest of evangelism by laymen will be
held in New York City on Wednesday
to Friday, November 3 to 5, 1909. The
conference will be for the sole purpose
of considering how a great multiplied
number of strong Christian laymen may
be led to engage in personal effort for
the salvation of souls.
Personnel.?Laymen from any evangelical
Church will be welcomed as dele
gates. It is especially desired that men
who are in places of responsibility and
trust In their respective churches, and
young men who manifest strength and
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sional life, should attend.
Scope.?It is no part of Hie plan of
this conference to form a new organization,
and no such organization will be
formed. It is desired that whatever further
effort is made for the enlistment and
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOU!
organization of the churches for evangelistic
zeal shall be directed through existing
organizations.
Opportunity will be given in connection
with tne sessions of the conference
for denominational rallies, in which, with
thought and prayer, definite plans for the
prosecution of the work denominationally
may be made.
The great issues at stake make it exceedingly
desirable that all who receive
this announcement shall unite most
prayerfully and zealously to secure the
largest possible attendance of representative
laymen from their respective
churches.
Outcome.?It is hoped that this conference.
under the guidance of God, will
i tfauil. ?
1. In a direct forward movement by
laymen for the evangelization of the multitudes
outside the churches.
2. In the incitement, through the interchange
of suggestions and experience,
to more intelligent and effective service
of those who are already awake as to
their responsibility.
3. In the proclaiming of the Gospel
message by large numbers of intelligent
laymen, in out-or-door meetings, in shops
and factories, and in meetings in theaters
and other public resorts.
4. In the leading of laymen to use the
common opportunities of daily life and
social intercourse to speak to their fellows
about religion and to win men to
Christ.
5. In the gathering of the main results
of the conference into a series of pamphlets
which will form the basis of a valuable
literature on lay evangelism.
CHESAPEAKE PRESBYTERY.
Chesapeake Presbytery met at Beale
i'ju, \a., august ji, iau?, wun ten ministers
and twelve elders present.
Elder A. R. Bartenstein, of Warrenton,
Va., was elected Moderator.
Elect Infants.?The Presbytery expresses
to the Assembly's ad interim
Committee its desire for the following
change in Chap. X, Sec. Ill of the Confession
of Faith: "All infants dying in infancy,
and also all other persons who are
mentally incapable of being outwardly
called by the ministry of the Word, are
redeemed by -the atonement of Christ,
and are regenerated and saved through
the Holy Spirit who worketh when, and
where, and how He pleaseth."
Elders' and Deacons' Conference.?
This was held during the sessions of the
Presbytery and many fine addresses were
made by the ministers, elders, layman
and deacons. It forms a regular part of
each fall meeting.
Rev. S. S. Laws, D. D., preached the
doctrinal sermon on "The Deity of
Christ." It made a profound impression
and soon afterwards the Presbytery
adopted unanimously the following resolution:
Whereas, within the bounds of ChesanoolrA
A * ' *
fcanc i icoujin j a mum important convention
is to be held in the Interest of
Foreign Missions under the auspices of
the Laymen's Movement, and
Whereas, the avowed object of this
'H. September 15, 1909.
movement is to proclaim Chr^pt, as the
only Saviour, by reason of the fact that
He is God himself, manifest in the flesh,
and
Whereas, President Taft, an adherent
of a sect which denies the Deity of
Christ, has been asked to make the
opening address,
Resolved, That Chesapeake Presbytery
express its disapproval of the invitation
10 ^resident Tart, and express the hope
that this unfortunate proceeding may in
some way be averted so that our people
and the Laymen's Movement may be relieved
of serious embarrassment on that
account
Adjourned Meeting.?The Presbytery
will hold an adjourned meeting on September
10, 1909, in the Washington Second
church.
Spring meeting, Warrenton, Va., April
12, 1910.
H. Waddell Pratt, Stated Clerk.
THE MAN WHO IS ALWAYS "JUST
GOING TO."
He meant to insure his house, but
it burned before he got around to it.
He was just going to pay a note when
it went to protest.
He was just going to help a neighbor
when he died.
He was just going to send some
flowers to a sick friend when it proved
too late.
Ho UTQO llioi ?*?!??? a * * *
?w ..gun 15 iu reuuce nis aeDt
when his creditors "shut down" on
him.
He was just going to stop drinkftig
and dissipating when his health became
wrecked.
He was just going to provide proper
protection for his wife and family when
his fortune was swept away from him.
He was just going to introduce a better
system into his business when it
went to smash. He was just going to
call on a customer to close a deal when
he found his competitor had preceded
him and secured the order.
He was just going to quit work
awiiiie ana taKe a vacation when nervous
prostration came.
He was Just going to repair his sidewalk
when a neighbor fell on it and
broke a leg.
He was just going to provide his wife
with more help when she took to her bed
and required a nurse, a doctor, and a
maid.?Success Magazine.
The Bible is now printed in more than
five hundred languages, representing the
speech of eight-tenths of the population
of the world. In the thirteenth century
a Bible cost $150, which was more
than the cost of two arches of London
Bridge, but today it is the cheapest book
in t ho Va* h ? *? l% -
? MV.iu, i ci il ia tiisu me most
precious book, and its price is above
rubies. It jnakes civilization, and opens
up the vistas of the life beyond life. It
is the Book of books, and woe unto him
who depreciates or neglects it!
Get hold of the Father's hand. Grip
hard and hold on.