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32b THE PRESBYTERIA]
Executive Commission elected as such by the Assembly
once year, to hold a secret session, raise the question
whether the term of any representative of a cause,
that of Foreign Missions, for example, is about to expire
now, and if such be the case, to nominate the then incumbent,
if he appear to be the best man for the post,
or if he do not appear the best available man for tbe
post, then to nominate the best available man for the
place about to be vacant, and to forward such nomination
to the Assembly.
Amongst the ex officio members of the Commission:
1. There should be a representative of Foreign Missions
with duties very like to those of the present Secretary
of Foreign Missions.
2. There should be a representative of Home Missions,
including all that is now denoted by that phrase,
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is denoted by that phrase, with duties very like our
present Secretary.
3. There should be a representative of Educational
Work and Ministerial Relief, including the Home and
School at Fredericksburg. One man could represent
in the Commission and before the Church adequately
the causes of which Doctors Boggs and Sweets are now
Secretaries.
4. Similarly, we should have a representative of the
cause of Publication and Sunday-school Work.
5. Possibly a member of the Board of Trustees of
the Presbyterian Church in the United States should be
a member of this Commission ex officio. Very probably,
in the first constituting of this Commission, the
four Secretaries of the leading causes should severally
be made representatives each of his cause on the new
Commission.
V. It would be a duty of this Executive Commission
to suggest to each General Assembly how much money
the Church should be asked to give to the several causes
during the ensuing year; and its duty to use all proper
means to raise the sums named by the Assembly.
The Commission, particularly through the special
representatives of the several causes, should give the
people all needed information. These representatives
should by all means stir the pastors of our Churches to
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promise that in the case the pastor should do this,
neither they nor their churches should be afflicted by
special agents of this and that fund. In addresses to
Synods, Presbyteries, Assemblies, more stress should
be laid on the duties of Sessions, and especially pastors
to give their people a world-wide outlook. Too many
addresses seem to stop short of the aim of awakening
the leaders to the duty of leading the rank and file of
the people into active and adequate effort in behalf of
A-1 T . r 1 - -
ine causes, ji is as it tne secretaries had despaired ot
getting the pastors to do this work, and had determined
to do it through special agents.
Once on every Sabbath where our ministers preach,
there should be a presentation of some pa~^ of the conditions
of the Lord's vineyard, the progress of the work
or the contrary, the needs, opportunities and privileges.
Every local congregation has world-wide interests. It
is concerned in the well-being of every member of the
Church, specially concerned in the supply, the fitting,
the character and the care for the ministers of the Gospel
to give themselves entirely to labor in word and doc
.
N OF THE SOUTH. March 16, 1910.
trine as well as in rule; concerned with the evangelization,
disciplining and edifying of the rest of the word.
Unless the pastors universally see their congregations in
this light and endeavor properly to have them not only
see themselves in these world-wide relationships, but
act as they ought in view of them, the Church
can never know and do its duty. No man but the pastor
or a member of the Session can present the causes
adequately to any congregation, because to be adequate
it must come with the passing Sundays, or months, at
the least.
.
No doubt, many pastors are giving their people this
instruction, this vision of the work in all its world-wide
aspects now, but such pastors perhaps constitute but a
small fraction of the entire body. One great business
of the Commission should be to develop these Godordained
agents for directing the labors of the people,,
and so to secure from the rank and file the proper kind
and degree of labor in behalf of the causes.
Let it not be said that a pastor can not spare the time
from the sermon to exhibit the conditions of the Kingdom.
He can preach parts of the Gospel most effectively
just as he presents the causes, preach the living
unity of the Church, preach the concern of one saint
with the welfare of all the rest, preach the communion
of saints, the qualifications of the ministry, the importance
of a properly qualified ministry, preach the Gospel
of missions, etc.
VI. This Executive Commission should elect a Treasurer
for all the funds, to whatever specific end desig
natea, coming into their hands. lie should be a man of
ability in financial affairs, with aptitudes for securing,
managing ably, and getting the best returns for money
paid out; and should be given the right of the floor in all
discussions of the Commission on Ways and Means;
and the privilege of representing the Commission, at its
request, in financial discussions before the Church
Courts. He might be found amongst our deacons.
II
How Shall Moneys Be Collected for the Causes?
This question was also asked me. I venture two or
three remarks.
I. The work and needs of the Church in many of
their aspects should be presented by the Commission
working through the pastors. It would be a mistake to
ask the local congregation to raise a sum of money
given percents of which should go to the different
causes. The enterprise and needs of the Church can not
1 ?
ue presented effectively in the lump. The attempt to do
so would be a temptation to present no part of that
work and of those needs and opportunities, vividly and
adequately. This Commission should insist on collections
for enough specific causes to secure illuminating"
presentation of all the greater aspects of the Church's
life, opportunities, aspirations and obligations.
The Commission should remember that information
provokes aspiration; that information about a subject
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ov u.uau in us mieresis as any part of the living Church
of Christ can he done effectively only by piecemeal.
II. The Commission should preserve all due regard,,
too, to the individual preference of givers as to the application
of their gifts. Some men prefer to give all
their gifts to Home Missions; some prefer that their
contributions go largely to Foreign Missions; some
favor Education, etc. The Commission should so ad