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6 THE PRESBYTERIA
LOYAL PRESBYTERIANS.
By Rev. James G. Snedecor, Sect'y.
With the approach of December, it is only necessary
to remind loyal Presbyterians that it is the month
for collecting the offering for Colored Evangelization.
The conviction is spreading that our Church has
failed in her duty to this branch of home missions. We
have given nickels where we oucht to have criven dnl
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lars.
Only the reckless and thoughtless spend their time
abusing the negroes for their crimes and worthlessness.
The sober, thoughtful, Christian people of the
South feel that God in his Providence has permitted
these people to increase in our midst in order that they
might be civilized and evangelized, and through them
light might be sent to the Dark Continent.
If we had not established our Stillman Institute,
we would not have had our Sheppard and the other
colored missionaries. It was Dr. Stillman and the
other teachers in the Institute at Tuscaloosa who suggested
the starting of an African mission in the Congo.
"Behold what God has wrought!"
The committee put in charge of this work of educating
negro preachers and establishing missions, is
sadly in need of money. The treasury is empty.
People of missionary spirit will give to this cause
if opportunity is given. This collection is often announced
with an apology; whereas we ought to be
glad to give the gospel to these poor people.
Let every Church determine to raise at least a sum
equal to 25 cents per member and send it promptly
to Tuscaloosa. Dr. John Little is treasurer.
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
THE EXIGENCY AND HOW TO MEET IT.
J rpn rl wifli inforocf "-J * ' 1? ?1
- _ ...... ..nviviii ?ii auic emu uinciy article Dy
Rev. R. C. Reed, D. D., headed "The Exigency and
How to Meet It." While he offers sound reasoning
for the way to remedy the evil as far as it goes, yet
the main cause in my humble opinion is overlooked.
To better illustrate my opinions with regard to so vital
a matter will simply state that our Presbyterian
Church is derelict in duty in not urging our membership
to send our boys only to our Synodical Colleges
in the South. Dr. Clyce, President of the Austin College,
Sherman, Texas, a^ man of fine educational abilities,
and sound to the core in the tenets of Presbyterianism,
informs us that about 33 1-3 per cent, of the
young men who are entering our ministry in Texas,
are from Austin College. A minister in the Christian
or Campbellite Church here, informs me that they
are training young men in their colleges annually to
fill all their churches. He said that their people were
very loyal in the attendance of their Church services.
Again I presume to sav that our svstem of Churrh
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rules are not so well adapted to the peculiar exigencies
of the times; in other words Presbyterianism flourishes
best in populous sections. All must agree that
Rev. R. C. Reed's ideas are correct in the main, but
the true blue old school Presbyterian is hard to convince
that God does not in truth and in fact through
his Spirit's power call our young men to the ministry.
An Elder.
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.N OF THE SOUTH. November 24, 1909.
THE CHURCH AND THE AGE.
(Parts of a sermon by Rev. J. F. Carson, of the Central
Church, Brooklyn, preached at the opening of the Synod of
New York, October 19, at Jphnstown, N. Y. Dr. Carson waa
retiring moderator.)
"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory
of the Lord is risen upon thee." This sentence is a part
of Isaiah's broad and broadening conception of the religious
and spiritual possibilities of the people of Israel.
It is an alluring and glowing vision which he holds
before the people?a vision of the complete triumph
of the spiritual Kingdom. Another thus paraphrases
this scripture: "Stand erect and cet tl-iir
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the burning vision, and thou shalt incarnate the heart
of thy contemplation. The Lord shall arise upon thee,
his glory shall be seen upon thee and thy imperial
power shall be realized." By dropping their historic
setting and limitation and filling them with the larger
and richer meaning of the new economy, these words
of Isaiah phrase a timely appeal to the people of God
to whom is committed the extension and establishment
of the Kingdom of God upon this earth.
The most effective agency that is working to this
end is the Church of Jesus Christ. In saying this I
am not unmindful of the criticism to which the Church
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.a auujcticu. ?t is cnargea witn every conceivable
folly, inefficiency, blindness and indifference to the
needs of the times. Despite all criticism the Church
abides and today stands forth with as fine and fair a
front to her work as she ever had. As a consequence,
the hold which the Church has upon the sympathy and
support of the people is as strong as it ever was,
though this may not be the popular notion.
The problem of non-attendance upon the church is
not peculiar to our times, and it is not as much of a
problem in our times as it has been at other times. The
Church has the attention of men today. Its services
to society, its educational, social, philanthropic, moral
and spiritual forces are appreciated and applauded.
The Church is come upon her day in our land. The
report of the Church's growth, which was made in the
icv-ciii national census, nas silenced the many voices
which have been telling us that the Church was not
holding her own. She has done that and more. She
has not been merely marking time, she has been
marching. The census shows that 391 in every 1,000
of the population of this country were church members
in 1906, while in 1890 only 327 in every 1,000 were
church members. In 1890 the membership of the
Church was 33 per cent, of the entire population, but
in 1906 it was 39 per cent, of the population. A good
deal of printer's ink has been used in explaining why
men are not in the Church. The census report shows
that 43 out of every 100 members of the Church are
men.
Another fact. More than one-half of the college
men are professing Christians and members of evan
gehcal churches.^ The college man furnishes more than
fifty per cent of the makers and leaders of public opinion.
The power and influence of the Church is as great
today as it ever was. She must not sit in the shadows
of an apologetic attitude toward the world. Let her
arise and shine.
In graphic phrase the statesman-prophet of Israel de/