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November 24, 190$. THE PRESBYTERIi
aries, and for apparatus that is expensive.
Agnes Scott is at such a point. It has grounds,
buildings and other property valued at $650,000. But
it lacks the working capital which comes through an
endowment.
To meet this lack, the General Rrlnratinn Acsncia.
tion offers a hundred thousand dollars to Agnes Scott,
provided that its other friends will raise $250,000. Andrew
Carnegie offers $25,000, on the same condition.
Mr. Sam N. Inman offers $50,000, and Mr. RoberLowry
$25,000. The citizens of Decatur are raising $25,000
more.
The condition of these gifts is that the $250,000
must be raised by midnight of November 30. There
is yet needed the sum of $90,000.
Last Tuesday night there was a meeting at the
Piedmont Hotel in Atlanta of men who are interested
in this movement, and fifteen committees were organized
to help complete the subscription. They are
at worK. inese lines may suggest to many triends
of education that they have now an opportunity of
helping effectively. The subscription closes November
30. Friends may make known their wishes in
this matter to Rev. Thorn well Jacobs, No. 51 Inman
Building, Atlanta, Ga.
Contributed j
INCREASE OF CANDIDATES FOR THE MINISTRY.
By Rev. L. B. Turnbull.
In a recent admirable article upon this vital sub
jeci Dy a greatly Deiovea ana nonorea minister ot our
Church, the writer" urged definite prayer for individual
young men, and personal influence to turn their
minds and lives into the gospel ministry. Referring
to personal influence the author writes: "Another
way by which we can get candidates for the ministry,
is to follow up the prayers by a tactful and prayerful
suggestion to the person. Parents can not do this so
well, because the child has profound regard for the
judgment and wishes of his parents, thai there is danger
of his mistaking the parental suggestion for the
call of God"(?) There is this danger. But is there
not greater danger of a son dedicated to the ministry
by his parents, a dedication accepted of God, entering
some other calling because the parents through neglect
or timidity have fajled to voice to their son the
call of God. Parents are God-appointed ambassadors
to carry the gospel call to their children, which, when
voiced bv them, is made effectual to salvation. Is it
not natural and therefore reasonable that God will use
parents to convey also the call to the ministry, which
he will also through them make effectual? Is it credible
that Mose's mother, or Hannah, or Elizabeth never
told their sons what their hopes and wishes were for
their dedicated sons? Rather?were not these leaders
in Israel the fruits of their consecrated mother's influence?prayers
and call? And is it a thing incredible
that even the divine son of the Virgin received his
v^first intimation of his Messiahship from his holy and
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devoted mother? In these latter days surely the Lord
will not transfer or fail to use this greatest of all human
agencies?the strongest of all influences, to call
men into his ministry. In the article referred to, the
three gifted sons of their gifted and godly father, the
late Dr. Jacob Henry Smith, are quoted as illustrations
of the answer to prayer for laborers. Is it possible
that this man of God never alluded to the ministry
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in ins training 01 nis sons, lest percnance tney might
take or mistake his wishes for the call of God? Is
it not more probable that each of them received the
first'intimation of his divine call, through their father
presenting and pressing the claims and call of the ministry
upon their hearts and consciences?
During a conference upon the increase of candidates,
held by the Board of Trustees of Union Theological
Seminary in recent years, one of the members gave
this suggestive bit of history. He told that when he
was a student at the Seminary, a canvass was made
of his class, to learn of each, what was the first influence
that turned his thoughts toward the ministry.
as tne result ot this canvass?this very interesting testimony
was given. A large percentage, if I mistake
not, a large majority of the men testified, that the first
impulse I received towards the ministry, was from my
godly father (or mother), laying their hand upon my
shoulders and saying, "My son, I have dedicated you
to the gospel ministry, I hope some day to hear you
preach the everlasting gospel."
May not one reason for the decline in the number of
candidates for the ministry, be, that parents have neglected
to dedicate their sons, or having dedicated them,
have failed to tell them of their dedication. It is the
spirit and practice of the age to transfer the training
of children to school teachers. Y> M. C. A.'s and other
outside agencies, and the Church is suffering sadly in
consequence.
Let parents be jealous of their god-given rights and
privileges of training their sons and daughters, dedicate
them to Christ in infancy, and as they come to
years of intelligence and discretion, inform their sons
of their wishes and hopes without undue persuasion,
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aim mc ranKs 01 our ministry win oe greatly enlarged.
Many in response to the call, "Whom shall I send, and
who will go for us," will answer, "Here am I, Lord,
send me." A few years ago, in conversation with the
widow of one of the Church's foreign missionaries, she
expressed her earnest desire that one of her sons whom
she named should succeed his father as a missionary.
I asked her if she had ever spoken to her son of her
desire. She said she was afraid to, less he might "take
her wish as the call of God." When, indeed, God had
not called him. I urged her to embrace the first op
puruinuy 10 ten ner son ner neart s aesirc ana aeaication
of him. In a year or two I heard that that son
was at the Seminary, and he now is in his father's
place in the same foreign land, very probably because
his godly mother had been faithful to her trust and
to the call of God in her heart. If parents will only
present the call of the ministry to their sons, there
may be an occasional Judas, but as of old the traitor
will be only one among twelve faithful, efficient Tninisters
of Christ. '
Lepcington, Ga.