Newspaper Page Text
January 31, 1912 ]
A PERSONAL WORD TO PASTORS.
Egbert W. Smith.
Not long ago at a religious gathering
1 unexpectedly met an old friend of
mine* 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 Ills religious life was his attendance
on the Birmingham Laymen's
Missionary Convention. Up 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
convention. There he caught 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 T 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. In February.
1909, his pastor laid violent hands on
h'm and almost carried him to the
Birmingham Convention. He came back
a different man. He conducted Individ
nally an every-member canvass in his
church for missions, securing the largest.
amount the church had ever reported
for that cause, and is to-day the
strongest, personal missionary force
among 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
of Christ's Kingdom.
Tt 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 possible way for the
future prosperity of his church.
MISSION WORK TN THE "TCY
MOUNTAINS."
We who have seen and admired that
wonderfully hlue Blue Ridge, love to
think how marvelously beautiful it
must appear all mantled In snow, but 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.
The accompanying is a photograph
of the mounta'n view cottaee 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
nV*?n In chnrpo hv tho Hpnornl As
serrhly.
Tt war mv privilege to visit and work
with Miss Houston for a while and
thonsrh T was compelled, on acconnt of
lack of strength, to leave after a eomparatlvelv
short stay. T saw enoneh of
the povertv pt?d heard enonsrh of the
neeterted cond'tlons to make me forever
the friend and champion of monntaln
missions.
THE PRESBYTER ll
There are no people on earth who are I
more appreciative or more worthy of a I
helping hand outstretched to them.
We have all, doubtless, read what I
Dr. Talmage has to B&y about the H1gl|
Mountain View Mission Cottage, nea
I Patrick County. Va.
lander?what fine stock he comes of
and how well worth helping he Is.
hmD V H' 1P^"
fcigF v J^L.
kv
'HW J
Reading from the left, Miss Houston,
Miss H. M. Bell, Miss Flier and
Miss Curdts.
THE HOME MISSIONARY
And the Living Problem.
Rev. Homey McMillan, I). D? Sec'ty.
In these days when so much Is being
written about the increased cost of living,
have we thought of our Home Missionaries,
and what It must mean to
them. There is no class of Christian
workers upon whom the problem of living
presses heavier. Not much is heard
of their privations and hardships, for
they seldom mention them and there is
no one else to make them known. But
because they do not complain, we must
not infer that their wants are all supplied.
The Home Missionary has all the obligations
and responsibilities of any
other member of society. He must live
in a house. Often there is no manse,
and there is rent to pay. He must eat,
A. ? V.... T#
itiiu Liieic uit; ]ji uv imuiio iu uu.v. 11
there are children, they must be fed
and clothed and educated. The salary
Is always small and when received regularly
and promptly. It Is only with
extreme economy that It meets actual
need. When payment is deferred, as It
often happens through the Church's
failure to provide the necessary amount.
H means, In many Instances, real distress.
No Church was ever served In anv
land, by a nobler band of workers than
the 350 men and women who represent
our Church in Its Home Mission fields,
and who are largely dependent upon the
Assembly's Committee for their support.
Talk about heroism! These
faithful Home Missionaries who have
AN OF THE SOUTH
It seema that the surest and moat
effective way of helping and uplifting
the poor mountaineer is through the
younger generation. Christianize and
i- educate these bright boys and girls and
what might they not accoinplish
for thiB country
l t d their fellow men.
Cfientimes 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
clothing and shoes
for the long tramp to the
r Arara' little school house. For
this reason the missions
generally receive and distribute
clothing and necessities among
the needy.
The good people at home, sometimes,
>> ? en 1u?1a - 9 ik. nl.t j t-a
. u.<r nine men 01 lac Biviiiiiiea 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 < II VTTANOOGA.
(Continred from Page 1.)
New York, the most popular speaker
for college men in our country today.
All Seminary men are invited. There
is no lestriction as to attendance of
Seminary men. The attendance of university
Ten 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 arraneed
in order tfhat the women may
meet to discuss problems in connection
with their 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 nav th^m
promptly the small amounts we have
promised?
The income of the Assembly's Home
Mission Committee is falling far below
its pledges. In order to meet the pressing
obligations, it has been necessary
to borrow. To borrow means to pay
interest. This means that money that
should go to the worker must go to the
banker. If any church has funds that
should come to the Home Mission
Treasury, it is earnestly hoped that it
will be sent at once. If there are any
friends of Home "Missions who have
not made a gift to this work this year,
let them do so now.
Atlanta, Ga.
FINANCIAL CONDITION JANUARY 1.
1012.
The Executive Committee of Christian
?iuu? fiuvn niiu mi ariin#
Amounts npnronrlnted: Education for
the Ministry, $43,000: Ministerial Relief.
*04.500; the Assembly's Home and
School, $12,900; Schools and rollestes.
$9,000. Total, $129,000.
Amonnt dne to dnfat Education for
the Ministry. $32,250: Mln'sterlal Relief.
*48.375; Assembly's Home and School.
*9.075: Schools and Colleges. $0,450.
Total. $90,750.
Deficits: Education for the Ministry,
(113) 17
"SILENT PARTNERS* IN THE CHATTAN000A
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 workers
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 obev
f
lng 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 hoard, 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 he
found willing to share In the convention
'n this silent hut helpful way? If we
take $25 as a fair averaere, 2,500 "silent
nartners" would give Dr. Chester $05.500?a
splendid aftermath.
Tt Is not proposed that any of us do
this only on condition that a large
number join in. I'm proposing to be
one such partner, anyhow, and hope
there may be many others. Tt Is a fine
wsv to he a delegate. Tret's ero!
P. S. Where does Duke tell about the
hje "banquet" In Jerusalem at the time
of the ereat First. Church Counc'1? Did
those men pretend to trpnsact such Important
husiness 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 reauy not contributed from
the churches during these months. Deducting
these, the real deficit 'will be
$62,737.58. As there are less than three
months of the year remaining, we call
to the earnest attention of the churches
our serious need of funds.
Special Fnnds.
The Endowment Fund of Mlnlsterlnl
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 nnd College Loan Fnnd has
received during the year, $1,052.53, making
the total amount of the Tx>an Fund,
$6,008.70.
Send remittances for all the above
causes to Mr. John Stltes, Treasurer.
Fifth and Market Streets. Txniisvllle.
Ky.
Our whole life should be one of
thanksgiving. Thanks for all God's
blessings is only just tribute. We may
hp sorrowful, but notwithstanding that
fact, wp ought to bp thankful. Thee
Is no greater besslng than a thankful
heart. We owe a debt: of gratitude
which we should always be paying?
never ceasing to our latest breath.