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January 17^ 1912 1
quarely In the face and sound James'
warning to the rich; the kind, neighborly
ihothers, the congenial literary
friends, the thoughtlessly self-indulgent
may get their feelings hurt (and their
consciences awakened) if you are faithful;
nevertheless, "quit you like men,
be strong."
If every pastor will present thiB
"Columbian" plan (which asks only
thirty-live cents per member) to his
people, through a carefully selected
committee, the debt will be liquidated
and God's kingdom advanced.
So, dearly beloved pastors, "It Is up
to you"?the occasion demandB the
slang?to raise this monev. u io vnnr
prerogative to lord it over us who sit
in the pew, but for the nonce the tables
are turned, and I beg you to suffer this
word of exhortation from The Pew.
HOME MISSION NOTES.
However urgent other appeals may
be, the needs of the 350 Home missionaries
who are serving the Church in
the hard places must not be forgotten.
They must live, and are looking to this
Committee for their support.
For the first time In ten years, Instead
of an increase, the receipts of the
Fxecutlve Committee of Home Missions
show a loss over the previous year,
notwwithstanding the enlarged rcsDon
slbillty, by the addition of Colored
Evangelization and the Soul Winners'
Society to the Committee's work.
The General Assembly named $190,000
as tLe least amount necessary for
the Home Mission Committee this year.
Nine months have passed and only
$62,381 has been received. The Committee,
acting for the Church, made its
appropriations to the Presbyteries and
missions in the expectation that this
amount would be available. Already
the Committee has been compelled to
borrow $10,000 to meet its promises,
and unless the Church comes to the
relief with the necessary funds, there
is great danger that the year will close
with debt.
This financial embarrassment can be
due only to a failure of some churches
to send in their contributions promptly,
and of others to take the offering
tuc units upturn teu. iunuj nave oom
in nothing. Ono of the largest churches
explains Its failure to contribute to
this fundamental cause on the ground
that in the change from the old order
of collections to the new, the Assembly's
Home Missions was overlooked.
No doubt" this is true of others. But
this work is too important to be overlooked.
All churches having money belonging
to the Home Mission Committee,
and all friends of Home Missions who
have not made an offering are requested
to send it to A. N. Sharp, Treasurer,
Atlanta, Ga.
REPORT OF T1IE TREASURER
Of the Executive Committee of Foreign
Missions.
The following is the financial report
submitted by the Treasurer at the meeting
of the Executive Committee of
Foreign Missions on January 9, 1912:
"I would respectfully report that our
receipts for December, 1911, were as
follows:
Specials, $ 1,342
Debt Fund 10.018
Regular Funds 30,342
$41,702
Receipts for December, 1910, were as
follows:
Specials, $ 2,912
Regular, 31,254
$34,166
Gain $7,636
"The total receipts for the fiscal year
THE PRESBYTERI
to January 1, 1912, were 1285,573, aB
against 328,789, showing a deficit for the
year of 34,216, as against a deficit on
December 1, 1911, of $11,768. If we
have a corresponding gain in receipts
daring January the deficit will be overcome
and we will be able to show on
February 1st a gain for the fiscal year.
"Dr. Smith has reported In cash and
subscriptions a special relief found of
336,000. These subscriptions are made
with the understanding that the amount
contributed is over and above the regular
offerings of the individuals, or the
churches of which they may be mem
bers.
"W. H. Raymond,
"Treasurer."
THE CHATTANOOGA CONVENTION.
To Pastors and Church Officers?
Brethren: In view of the vast importance
of the meeting, and its tremendous
opportunities for good, not
only to the cause of Foreign Missions,
but to every work in whicb our church
is engaged, we, the members of the General
Assembly's Executive Committee of
Foreign Missions would urge upon all
our pastors and church officers the utmost
diligence in securing the attendance
of the men of their churches on
this Second Convention of the Laymen's
Missionary Movement of the Southern
Presbyterian Church, to be held at
Chattanooga February C-S.
We believe that the men who attend
this convention will not only not go
away disappointed, but will go back to
their churches worth more in everything
the Christian church stands for.
It Is a supreme opportunity to wake
into life and activity the dormant powers
and resources of the Christian manhood
of the South.
The program prepared for this convention
lacks nothing. It is superb.
Tt is to be an educational convention.
But attractive as the program may be
tne convention will prove a failure
without an attendance, and the attendance
must depend largely on the activity
and Interest shown by the pastors
and officers In securing delegates from
local churches.
We suggest that certain sections
charter special cars or a special train
to the convention; and Inasmuch as the
date, February 6-8, Is so near at hand,
that no time he lost In signing men for
these delegations.
While the responses coming In to our
almost frantic appeals on behalf of the
missions show that the Church has this
cause on its heart and in its prayers, we
are gravely and profoundly concerned
for the year's outcome. We are finding
that the new plan of Systematic Ben
eflcence has in some cases cut the
Foreign Missionary contributions of a
church in two, giving us this year from
such a church only half as much as was
received Inst year. While we are overcoming
this deficit thus created, to an
extent, b> special gifts of individuals,
we cannot as yet tell how the year is
to end.
We are therefore all the more desirous
that the Chattanooga Convention
should be an epoch-making event in the
great and glorious work the Saviour
has committed to his church.
Faithfully your brethren.
The Members of the Executive Committee
of Foreign Missions,
James I. Vance. Chairman; L?. E.
McNalr, Vice-Chairman; S. H. Chester,
Secretary; E. W. Smith, Secretary; W.
H. Raymond, Treasurer; J. H. McNeilly,
.T. W. Bachman, D. C. Lilly, Q. H. Bask
ette, J. D. Blanton, J. P. Cannon, C. R.
Hemphill, E. D. McDougall, W. A. Dale,
A. M. Carroll, W. O. Adams, 8. C. Tvey,
Rutherford Lapsley. C. E. Dlehl.
Choose the way * that seemeth beat
however rough It be.?Pythagoras.
AN OF THE SOUTH
SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF THE
LAYMEN'S CONVENTION, CHATTANOOGA,
FEBRUARY 6-8, 1912.
The second General Convention of the
Laymen's Missionary Movement, Chattanooga,
Tennessee, February 6th-8th,
1912, bids fair to be even a larger and
more significant meeting than that held
by the Movement three years ago at
Birmingham, Alabama.
This Convention will witness the
greatest gathering of Southern Presbyterians
in the history of our Church.
The attendance at our Church courts
is necessarily limited, but here we will
have a great gathering of men?ministers,
church officers, laymen, Sunday
school workers, all to plan for the
progress of our Church. There are a
number of significant features in the
coming convention, xn tne nrst place:
Prominence Given the Blaeonate.
We note with great satisfaction that
the deacon and his office is exalted, as
It properly should be. Each church is
entitled to send one deacon ex-officio.
together with the pastor and one elder,
and then one additional representative
for each 100 members. This recognition
of the deacon is not only noticeable
at this point, but in the program
on Thursday afternoon when the Assembly's
Financial Plan and the local
church is considered, we observe that
two of the topics are arranged with
special reference to the diaconate. We
hope many deacons will attend the convention
and we are sure that this recognition
of the deacons on the part of
the Laymen's Movement will do much
to increase their interest In the mission
cause as well as all our benevolent
work.
The Farewell Service to the Korea
Volunteers.
It is not generally known that on the
closing night of the Convention one
of the most stirring scenes ever witnessed
will take place. On the platform
will be gathered some fifteen or
sixteen men and women all ready for
Korea. This number will practically
represent the full complement of workers
called for by the Korea Mission.
This is the first time in the history of
our Foreign Mission work that Buch a
wonderful showing is possible. This is
due to the untiring and devoted efforts
of Rev. J. Fail-man Preston, of Kwangju,
Korea, together with Mr. Chas. H.
Pratt. Mr. Preston ever since his return
on furlough last spring, has worked
day and night to this end. Many will
recall the part the Laymen's Movement
had two years ago in raising the $75,000.00
fund for the physical equipment
needed by Korea, and will therefore rejoice
to know that not only the physical
equipment has been provided, but now
the workers are ready to evangelize
our share of Korea.
The Assembly did well and wisely
last May when it authorized this special
effort in behalf of Korea and those who
attend the Convention will witness the
farewell service arranged to celebrate
the completion of the quota of workers
needed for that field.
Surely the Church has much to be
thankful for and It is for her to see
that the required number of workers is
-lways maintained and adequately supported.
The Invitation to Onr Women's Societies.
The Laymen's Missionary Movement,
recognizing the value of our women in
the missionary work of the Church, has
extended them an Invitation to send
delegates to the Convention. A special
section of the auditorium will he reserved
for the women delegates and they will
he welcomed to all the sessions of the
Convention. In addition to th's a special
meeting will he arranged In order
that they may gather and discuss those
features of the work that appeal particularly
to them.
All who wish additional information
'
i; ?r-r (63) u *
should writs to Laymen's Missionary
Movement, Athens, Ga., or to Dr.
J. P. McCallie, Chattanooga, Tennessss.
A LITTLE CABIN AND FOURTEEN
BOARDERS.
In the corner of the campus of tbo
Highland College in "Bloodly BreaihIH"
to o 1I?H? ?.KI. V. I - -
... I a Htus t.auiu IUUBUIJ UUIH OK
undressed lumber, covered with clapboards
consisting of two small rooms>
and a shed. In this little shanty Mrs.
Greenberry Bryant with her family of
three, keeps fourteen boarders who attend
the Highland College. In another
similar cabin, in the opposite corner,
nine Highland boys are living and keeping
house that they may also attend the
college. This is because the college
and dormintories are crowded, and there
is no where else these poor people can
find a place to live and send their children
to school. The college . building
which is crowded when one hundred
pupils come has now over one hundred
and forty, and more to follow.
This simple statement should be sufficient
to move the hardest heart wltb
C vm no V?? ? ? ? TT' ?L 1 *
uitiavuj iut iucsc jiuur niguianuer*
struggling to reach better things.
For a few thousand dollars we caw
provide accommodations for one hundred
more of these Highland children.,
and there are none more worthy of our
sympathy and help.
If this appeal should reach any person
who desires to help this noble enterprise
for our long-neglected and
most deserving countrymen on the mountains,
they can communicate with our
secretary, Mr. J. R. Alexander or myself.
at Wilmore, Kentucky.
Edward O. Guerrant.
OUB HOME MISSION FIELDS.
This work is still to a large measure
neglected, and calling for help, yet the
churches within the Synod of South
Carolina are not responding to the call.
I find when I present this claim of local
Home Missions before some of our
churches they decline to contribute;
they strongly object to the way our
Synod's work is carried on at present.
We hope some change will be made in
that work so as to stimulate our
churches to giving to this all important
work of keeping our country churches
open. These churches are the old landmarks,
and some of them have supplied
our State with its best ministers, elders,
deacons, doctors, lawyers, senators and
congressmen; yes, our Dusiness men of
the best stamp, have come from these
dear old country charges, which are now
calling for us to stand by them. Shall
they be kept open or be handed over
to sister denominations. I was pleased
to see in the "Observer" of January 10th
a call for young men for the Home Mission
work Yes, we want young men
qualified to feed the farmers with the
marrow of the Gospel, for they look to
the quality of your sermon and not to
the cut of your coat. City folks want
you to be well dressed and up-to-date.
The farmer looks to the inner man.
S otland sent some of her very best men
to the mountains, and to the fields such
men as Dr. Summerville. Dr. Armite. Dr.
Wllman, Dr. Anderson, Dr. McLead. Wll
11am Anderson, D. D., Horallviss Boner
to the work near Edlnborough, and Bob
McCheyne to the mill town of Dundee.
T^et us as a Synod arise to our duty and
see every church In the Synod Is supplied
with preaching at least twice
each month by a stated preacher living
amongst them and thus building them
up. T>et our strong city churcheB help
us in this hour of our need, lest our
candlestick be removed and the work
given to another.
James Russell.
There Is no talent that comes unasked
no grace of mind and heart that
stays unurged.?Hlllls.