Newspaper Page Text
January 31, 1912 ]
1 PERSONAL WORD TO PASTORS.
Egbert W. Smith.
Not long ago at a religious gathering
i unexpectedly met an old friend of
minek a middle-aged business man,
whom t had not seen for years. I
found him full of missionary enthusiasm
and eager to talk about the progress
of Christ's Kingdom. In a private
Interview he told me that the epochal
event in his religious life was his attendance
on the Birmingham Laymen's
Missionary Convention. ITp to that time
he had been an average church member,
of correct life, narrow outlook, tepid
temperature, and small activity. Somebody
almost forced him to attend the
wuicuuuu. xuere ne caugnt a new
vision of Christ and his kingdom. He
went back home with a new fire In his
heart, a new purpose In his life. He
threw himself into the work of his
church. He stumped the county In behalf
of Christian Missions. He told me
he had done more work for Christ since
the Birmingham Convention than In all
his prev'ous life put together.
In another State recently I met an
elderly business man whom I found full
of zeal for Christ's Kingdom and eager
to talk about It. He had not been many
years a Christian, having Joined the
church late In middle life. Tn February.
1909, his pastor laid violent hands on
h?m and almost carried him to the
Blrmlneham Convention. He came back
a different man. He conducted Individually
an every-member canvass In his
cnurcn ror mlsBlonB. securing the largest
amount the church had ever reported
for that cause, and Is to-day the
strongest personal missionary force
pmong the members.
Instances like the above I could
easily multiply. Wherever In my
travels I find a man who attended the
Birmingham Convention, I am almost
sure to find a man of large vision and
quickened soul, responsive to the needs
or Chrlst'B Kingdom.
It Is my deliberate conviction that
the easiest and quickest way Just now
by which a pastor can develop spiritual
leaders among his men Is to see to it
that as many of them as possible attend
the Chattanooga Convention February
6-8. A rather unusual opportunity for
observation convinces me that the pastor
who lays himself out to secure the
attendance of several of his promising
men Is using his time and energy In the
most fruitful poss'ble way for the
fllturp nmsnerHv nf Mo oknr/ih
MISSION WORK IN THE ?IfY
MOUNTAINS.*
We who have seen and admired that
wonderfully blue Blue Ridge, love to
think how marvelously beautiful It
must appear all mantled In snow, hut It
saddens us to think how much harder
this same beautiful snow must make
life for poor and needy ones without
proper food or clothing.
The snow Is grand?but oh. so cold!
It seems to me that we would be
happier In our own warm, comfortable
homes If we could feel that we were
making life easier for our poorer sisters
and brothers out on the cold bleak
mountain side.
rne accompanying is a pnotograpn
of the monnta'n view cottage which
was built In Patrick county, Va., largely
through the efforts of Miss Emma
Houston In the name of the "Soul Winners'
Society," which has since been
taken In charge by the General Assembly.
Tt was mv privilege to visit and work
with Miss Houston for a while and
though T was compelled, on account of
lpck of strength, to leave after a comparatively
short stay. T saw enough of
the poverty eT>d heard enough of the
neglected cond'tlons to make me forever
the friend and champion of mountain
missions.
THE PRESBYTER
There are no people on earth who ai
more appreciative or more worthy of I
helping hand outBtretched to them. I
We have all, doubtless, read whJ
Dr. Talinage has to B&y about the Hll
rt, ( v' $
I I jA
Mountain View Mission Cottage, n<
Patrick County, Va.
lander?what fine stock he comes o
and how well worth helping he is.
|fe|
Reading from the left, Miss Houston
Miss H. M. Bell, Miss Filer and
Miss Curdts.
THE HOME MISSIONARY
And the Living Problem.
Rev. Homey McMillan, D. D., Sec'ty.
In these days when so much is belnf
written about the increased cost of liv
ing, have we thought of our Home Mis
slonaries, and what It must mean tc
them. There is no class of Christiar
workers upon whom the problem of living
presses heavier. Not much is heart
of their privations and hardships, foi
they seldom mention them and there If
no one else to make them known. Bu
because they do not complain, we mus
not Infer that their wants are all sup
plied.
The Home Missionary has all the ob
ligations and responsibilities of an:
other member of society. He must Uv<
in a house. Often there Is no manse
and there Is rent to pay. He must eat
and there are provisions to buy. I
there are children, they must be fe<
and clothed and educated. The salar;
Is always small and when received reg
ularly and promptly, It Is only wltl
extreme economy that It meets actua
need. When payment Is deferred, as I
often happens through the Church'i
failure to provide the necessary amount
R means, In many instances, real dis
tress.
No Church was ever served In an;
land, by a nobler band of workers thai
the 350 men and women who represen
our Church In Its Home Mission fields
and who are largely dependent upon th?
Assembly's Committee for their sup
port Talk about heroism! Thes
faithful Home Missionaries who hav
IAN OF THE SOUTH
e It seems that the surest and most
a effective way of helping and uplifting
the poor mountaineer is through the
it younger generation. Christianize and
gh- educate these bright boys and girls and
^ what might they n-ot accomplltfh
for this country
i i d their fellow men.
Cftentirnes the children,
\ hen g'ven so eager to
when given a chance to
attend school and are so
eager to take advantage
of this opportunity, are
prevented by lack of
proper clothing and shoes
for the long tramp to the
3ar Ararat, little scnool houBe. For
this reason the missions
generally receive and disf
tribute clothing and necessities among
the needy.
The good people at home, sometimes,
have little idea of the skimped existence
that some of the missionaries are
obliged to lead?they, who are giving
strength and life to this great cause,
are not upheld as they should be by the
Christians at home. Their crowns will
be bright in the hereafter, but might
we not make life a little brighter for
them while they are yet with us?
Xorfolk, Va. Fannie T-.ee Curdts.
OX TO (T! ATTANOOGA.
(Continued from Page 1.)
Xew York, the most popular speaker
for college men in our country today.
All Seminary men are invited. There
is no testriction as to attendance of
Seminary men. The attendance of university
men is limited to two from each
class.
The Women's Meeting.
Some are not clear about the women's
meeting. This will be held on Thursday
morning In the First Presbyterian
church. Th's meeting has been arranged
in order tlbat the women may
meet to discuss problems In connection
witn tneir own work. At all other
times and at all the other sessions of
the Convention the women are invited
to occupy the special section reserved
in the Convention Auditorium for them.
gone into the hard places, and amid
discouragements and the burden of a
long, bitter day, are the nation's real
heroes. Shall we allow these noble
men and women, who are spending and
; being spent In the missionary service
- of the Church to suffer unnecessarily
- through our neglect to pay them
> promptly the small amounts we have
i promised?
The Income of the Assembly's Home
1 Mission Committee is falling far below
r Its pledges. Tn order to meet the press*
ing obligations, it has been necessary
t to borrow. To borrow means to pay
t Interest. This means that money that
- should go to the worker must go to the
banker. Tf any church has funds that
- should come to the Home Mission
, Treasury, it is earnestly hoped that it
e will be sent at once. If there are any
rnenas or norrie Missions wlio have
, not made a gift to this work this year,
f let them do so now.
j Atlanta, Ga.
v
. FPTAITCTAL rOTDTTTOX JATfTTARY 1,
i 1918.
1
t The Executive Committee of Christian
s Fdncntfon and Ministerial Relief.
Amounts apnronrlated: Education for
- the Mlnlstrv, $43,000; Ministerial Relief.
*04,500; the Assembly's Home and
y School, $12,000; Schools and Tolleares.
1 $8,000. Total, $129,000.
t Amount dne to dote: Education for
i. the Ministry. $32,250; Mln'sterlal Relief,
e *48.375; Assembly's Home and School.
j>rr.n i tj; ^finniF nnn t'OllPfTPB. SK.460.
e Total. SW.750.
e Deficits: Education for the Ministry,
(113) 17
"SCLENT PARTNERS" IN THE CHATTANOOGA
CONVENTION.
By Professor Addison Hogue.
A loud call is now being made for
delegates to the great convention of
February 6-8. No doubt many hundreds
will go, and a large sum of money will
be spent for traveling and hotel bills.
What our church needs for Its missionary
enterprises is prayer, men, and
money. They might all be secured
without any convention at all, though
we earnestly hope that this gathering
will stimulate our zeal In all three
directions. The money Is essential for
how can our committees send the work
ers and maintain them without money?
?the appeals for which have become
"almost frantic." (Committee's words).
"Owe no man anything," Is Scriptural
command which our church Is not obeying
at present, for we seem to be owing
nearly everywhere.
Here's a suggestion, which, If carried
out, would make the approaching convention
unique and memorable: How
many of us will be "silent partners?"
That Is, how many will give as an extra
sum what it would cost to go? When
our delegates return to their home
churches and report the fair expense
for travel and board, cannot a goodly
number of us who stay at home send
Dr. Chester a check for a like amount?
Suppose 1,500 men leave their business
and go; Is It too much to hope that
2.500 throughout our church would be
found willine to sham In tti? /?/*?
n this silent but helpful way? Tf we
take $25 as a fair average, 2,500 "silent
partners" would give Dr. Chester $65.nro?a
splendid aftermath.
It Is not proposed that any of us do
this only on condition that a large
number Join in. I'm proposing to he
one such partner, anvbow, and hope
there may be many others. Tt Is a fine
wav to he a delegate. Tret's go!
P. S. Where does Liiike tell about the
hlg "banquet" In Jerusalem at the time
of the great First Church Counc'l? Did
those men nretend to transact such 1m"ortant
business without a big "feed?"
Put T can't locate the passage In Acts.
$18,993.95; Ministerial Relief. $24,370.90;
Schools and Colleges, $4,742.56. Total,
$48,107.41. Surplus Home and School
to date, $933.55. Total deficit, $47,173.86.
In the Ministerial Relief Fund is included
$10,764.78 Interest from the Endowment
Fund, and in the Home and School.
$4,798.94 from board, rent and tuition,
which were really not contributed from
the churches during these months. Deducting
these, the real deficit *wlll be
$62,737.58. As there are less than three
months of the year remaining, we call
to the earnest attention of the churches
uur wnuuH neea or runds.
Special Fnnds.
The Endowment. Fnnd of Ministerial
Relief has received during the year, $9.312.74.
which Includes legacies to the
amount of $6,496.75. Making the total
amount of the Endowment Fund, $314,122.99.
Amount yet to be raised, at
least $185,877.01.
Schools and College Loan Fnnd has
received during the year, $1,052.53, making
the total amount of the Txrnn Fund.
$6,008.70.
Send remittances for all the above
causes to Mr. John Stltes, Treasurer.
Fifth and Market Streets, Louisville,
Ky.
Our whole life should be one of
thanksgiving. Thanks for all God's
blessings Is only just tribute. We may
he sorrowful, but notwithstanding that
fact, we ought to be thankful. The'-e
is no greater bessing than a thankful
heart. We owe a debt of gratitude
which we should always be paying?
rever ceasing to our latest breath.