Newspaper Page Text
July 5, 1911 ]
a gain of .015 (one and one half per
cent). In four Synods there Is an
actual loss; namely, in the Synod of
Virginia,, 744 members; Missouri, 476;
Tennessee, 156; Mississippi, 42. Total
loss of 1,417 members. In ten Synods
there is a gain. Alabama has barely
held her own, gaining 17 in the whole
Synod. Arkansas 284 gain; Florida 600
for its size making the best rate of
increase; Kentucky gain of 697; Georgia.
gain of 338: North Carolina, eain
of 1,549; South Carolina, gain 244; Louisiana,
126; Oklahoma, 153; Texas, 1,763
gain. Total gain of these ten Synods,
6,771.
I can understand how Missouri
might lose 475 to the Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America,
but why the great Synod of Virginia
should lose 744 members is a puzzle.
So too, I can understand how Tennessee
might lose 156 to the Northern Presbyterian
Church, but why is it that the
greatest gain is in Florida and in Texas,
where we are forced to hold our own
against the Northern Church (Presbyterian)
7 I have not a copy of the minutes
of the Northern Presbyterian
Church. Lapt year we had in the Synod
of Texas 4,172 more than they. Their
rate of increase has been about like
ours. Our gains have not come from
them. Oklahoma, I suspect, If the three
German Reformed churches which lately
came to us were not counted would
about hold her own. There the Northern
Church Is the stronger. Kentucky
and North Carolina gain at about the
same rate- South Carolina only a small
gain. WhyTVernon,
Texas. W. C. Hagan.
COMING TO CHURCH LATE.
There are some people who are behind
time at church, persistently, wilfully
and habitually. Such persons
should bear in mind that their late arrival
disturbs the preacher, disturbs the
congregation, and manifests a lack of
appreciation of the worship of God's
house.
I think of three reasons, one or all
of which may prompt to such tardiness:
1. It is stylish to be late at "enter
tainments."
2. Laziness.
3. A desire to make one's stay in the
church as brief as possible.
All of which involves a lack of consideration
for other people; a lack of
reverence for God.
A Sufferer.
TIDINGS FROM TEXAS.
The phenomenal development of the
Middle West is one of the most striking
features in the history of the United
States, and the consideration of the influence
which that development has exerted
and is destined to exert, upon the
oiaer stares, is a suujoui ui unuo^u
dent interest to every thoughtful student
of the progress of civilization.
The material development of this section
is the phase which naturally first
presents Itself, or rather imposes itself
when attention is turned In that direction.
But this is not the only line along
which its development has moved or
the most interesting, for in the sphere
of political, legal, educational and religious
affairs, as well, it has been a
pioneer and "done wonders."
It is to these latter, only, that attention
would be called in this article- It
may be worth while, however, to indicate
a few of the notable contributions
of the West in these spheres.
Insurgency was born In this section,
and it has already "upset" the East.
The Homestead Law, the law concerning
the rights of married women, the
THE PRESBYTERl
Railroad Commission, and Municipal
Government by Commission may also be
mentioned, since in each of these lines
Texas has made marked improvements
where she has not absolutely "blazed
the way," and her leading has been extensively
followed in all of these directions.
The universities of the West are recognized
as among the best and most upto-date
in the land, and that of Texas
is certainly the largest in the South.
It is only a litle over twenty-five years
old, has now over three thousand students
and is yearly increasing in both
numbers and Influence.
No attempt can be made h?r? tr? ?*
amine or set forth in detail the reasons
which have rendered these results possible,
beyond the mere statement that
the conditions have been new, that there
have been no precedents or traditions
to hamper and to be overcome and few
transported prejudices to remove and
that the character of those who heeded
"the call of the West" was naturally
independent, agressive and resourceful.
The special thing, however, with
which this article would deal is what
the Presbyterians of Texas have been
able to do, along original lines in the
cause of education, academic and theological.
The Synod of Texas has a
more complete and thoroughly organized
educational system than any Synod of
the Southern Church. She has one college
for men alone?Austin College at
omji iiia.il; one conege lor women alone
?the Texas Presbyterian College for
Girls at Mllford; one co-educatlonal
college?Daniel Baker College at Brownwood;
one orphans' home?the Southwestern
Orphans' Home and School at
Files Valley, and the Austin Theological
Seminary at Austin. These institutions
are not all so fully equipped
as they should be, but they all sustain
the same relation to the Synod and
vigorous efforts are now making for
their substantial support. So much
cannot be said of any other Synod In
the Southern Church.
Texas has started her owi Seminary
&nd undertook it alone, while seeking
and subsequently securing the co-operation
of Arkansas and Oklahoma. In
connection with this institution she has
also taken two steps which were the
first In that direction, in the South.
She provided a president for the Seminary,
from Its inception, and she planted
the Seminary by the side of the State
University. In the first of these steps
the other seminaries have followed this
leading.
It has taken more years to bring
, i mil some of these resi Its than it has
teken lines to iorord them, and they
have been years of "sturm and drauf,"'
to those who strove for them, but they
are now accomplished facts.
The writer of this article, years ago,
in the midst of the struggle, when it
wag proposed to take the Seminary
away from Austin, used these words:
."The result of this effort, to put the
Seminary by the side of the University,
means a great deal to many different
interests, and its success or failure
will be watched with deepest concern,
not only within the State but far beyond
its borders."
The effort succeeded and we are now
beginning to see the good results of
this action and with each new year will,
no doubt, reap richer harvests from this
The stages of this evolution have been
as follows: (1) In 1899 Austin College
was affiliated with the State University
and Its students given full credit for
all work done. This was the first denominational
Institution in this State
so affiliated. Since then all the others
AN OF THE SOUTH
have followed this example and there
is now an excellent feeling existing between
all of these institutions where before
there was only strife and contention.
There is now no hurtful competition
between them.
(2) A few years later an arrangement
was made with the University authorities
by which A. B. graduates of Austin
College, who were students in the Theological
Seminary applying for the B. D.
degree, could carry on their post graduate
work, at the same time, in the
University for an M. A. degree. Three
of the students of the Seminary have
already obtained this last degree.
(3) A few months ago, a further result
was secured by agreement with the
University authorities, toward which
efforts have been directed from the very
foundation of the Seminary. Under graduates
of the University who are applying
for any one of several degrees,
can obtain credit for work done
in the Seminary, to the extent of one
course each year for three years, under
proper conditions. Already there have
been many applicants for such credit,
and it is impossible to foresee "whereunto
this thing will grow." By this
arrangement it is believed the very best
solution has been reached of the grave
problem, which confronted the Church
and the Universities, as is generally
recognized by all who have been embarrassed
by the serious consideration
of thiB matter. At the meeting in the University
of Wisconsin of the Third Annual
Conference of Church Workers in
the State Universities, held in February,
1910, this language was used: "The
ideal situation would be no doubt to
locate or create a denominational Seminary
in juxta position with the State
University."
The question of organic union is not
one which is now troubling, to any great
degree, this section of the Church, but
earnest and hearty Christian comity and
co-operation is making itself most sensibly
felt in many of the Presbyteries
of the Synods of Texas, Arkansas and
Oklahoma. Two years ago following
the leadings of Providence, a movement
towards co-operation in the Theological
Seminary was suggested by the faculty
and recommended by the board of trustees
to the controlling Synods. It was
adopted by the Synods of Arkansas and
Oklahoma and failed to pass the Synod
of Texas only because of a misapprehension
on the part of some of its members
and the unwillingness on the part
of the friends of the movement to press
it, in the face of the strenuous opposition
of those who read Into the action
more than It was Intended to mean, or
could mean from the very terms of it.
There are, however, two students of the
Northern Church In attendance on the
Seminary now and there will be more.
This co-operation should come and
will come. Anything else would be
unwisdom if not worse. There Is 110
need of two Seminaries in this section.
Austin, Tex. T. R. Sampson.
A YEAR'S PROGRESS IN SABBATH
SCHOOL WORK.
By R. E. Ma gill, Secretary.
,The story told by statifttlcal tables
concerning the result of Christian effort
Is always unsatisfactory for the
reason the figures are never complete
and accurate and it Is Impossible to
express spiritual results in mathematical
terms.
The general summary of the work of
our church as shown In the Assembly
Minutes lust nubllshed. while ahnwlne
activity and fruitful effort, falls to show
the real progress of the year.
A tabulation of the Sabbath school
reports In the hands of the Publlcatloli
Committee sent up by Presbyteries show
(639) 15 '
the following totals for the year:
Number of Sabbath SchoolB 2,465
Number of officers and teachers. .23,870
Number of pupils on regular
rolls 186,406
Members in Home Departments.. 16,860
Members in Cradle Rolls 11,146
Total enrollment for year-.... .240,136
Scholars added to communion... .6.009
Total contributions from
schools $210,153
The total enrollment shows a gain
about 16,000 over the report for 1910
and an increase of $23,000 in the total
offerings.
The real test of the efficiency of Sabbath
School effort is the number of additions
to the church and measured by
this standard there is reason for profound
gratitude to God for His blessing
upon the work of faithful officers
and teachers. The reports show the
addition of over six thousand members
of the schools to the churches, or a
;\rger number than the gain in total
enrollment for the entire Assembly.
The total number of schools reported
in the Assembly Minutes always does our
church an injustice as a comparison of
the number of churches and number of
schools reported makes the impression
that we have about 920 churches without
Sabbath schools. _ This is far from
being a fact and the small number ot
schools reported in the Minutes is due
to the custom of adding all mission
school totals with the home school, of
such churches as have missions, and
reporting the whole as one school. In
addition we have a large number of
schools where the church organization
is so weak that it makes no report to
Presbytery, consequently the Sabbath
school is not reported.
As a matter of fact the Publication
Committee is supplying about 2,900
schools with periodicals instead of 2,455
as reported in the Assembly Minutes.
Last year the Sabbath school missionaries
of the committee organized ninety
new schools and at least forty additional
schools were organized by faithful volunteer
workers. These mission schools
are steadily being developed into Home
Mission churches, which in turn take
their place as contributors to all the
benevolent enterprises of the Assembly.
Five churches have already been organized
from the mission churches established
last year. No enterprise in
which the church engages is more fruitful
in immediate results or promising
us to ultimate tcome than is the
\vr ?*k of Sabbath School Extension
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