Newspaper Page Text
July 3, 1912]
an open letter to the church.
LuebO, Congo Beige, Central Africa,
May 4, 1912.
Dear Brethren:
Our hearts are rejoiced over the good
news that has just come to our ears of
the gracious outpouring of God's
Spinit upon the churdh, resulting In the
consecration of both lives and means
for the adequate manning of this white
harvest field. We have had many prayer
meetings devoted entirely to praise
and thanksgiving to Him who has Inclined
unto us and heard our cry, answering
us far more abundantly above
all that we have asked or thought.
Next Sabbath, May 12th, has been ap-.
pointed a "'Thanksgiving Day," when
the nearby evangelists and congregations
are to be called in, and the regular
service converted into those for
praise and thanksgiving. It may be in
teresting to some to know that In the
recent past the whole church observed
days of fasting and prayer, one entire
village fasting for three days.
"The Lord hath done great things for
ii6, whereof we are glad." We wish to
place on record our grateful thanks to
you in the home land, who have
"worked together" with Him In the
bringing about of these "great things."
First, we thank the volunteers who
have signified their desire to "come out
and help us;" we also congratulate
them upon their call to this land, which
in the words of such an eminent authority
as Bishop W. R. Lambeth,
presents an opportunity for the immediate
evangelization of Its people
"second to none other in the world."
Second. We thank those who, <by their
prayers, and substance are "thrusting
forth" these laborers; this we feel to
be a matter of equal importance with
the consecrating of lives, for without
your prayers and your money we could
never reach the field
We who are on the field can understand,
perhaps better than you, the vital
necessity of prayer. God has wrought
for us during the past two months
several remarkable deliverances which
could only have come about through the
persevering prayers of his people.
Surely you have been often led to pray
for us during these trying days. Wo
thank you and beseech you to continue
to "pray without ceasing" for these people
who are so eagerly seeking the
Light. See Bph. 6:18-19.
in closing we would place berore you
a matter which we trust will engage
your daily, earnest prayers. With the
coming of new missionnrieB it will be
necessary to open up new stations at
once. It is very difficult tc sec are new
sites from the present government.
Nearly two years have passed since wo
first asked for a small site across the
river from L?uebo, where many of our
people live, it being difficult for them to
cross and recross the river to attend
services. It was refused on the ground
that it would conflict with the Catholic
Mission; this in view of the fact that
our mission was here twenty years before
the Catholics and that we were not
consulted when they desired to place
their station in less than a mile of our
own. Two months ago we sent two
evangelists to LiUsambo. They write us
that they have been blocked hy the
Catholics at every step, and but for the
fortunate interposition of one of the
greatest chiefs they might not have been
allowed to remain. This means that the
Catholics will strenuously oppose any
effort we may make to establish a station
there, but It is of the utmost importance
that we begin operation there
immediately; first, because there is a
large native population friendly toward
us, as was shown by the chief at one of
the largest and most influential tribes
receiving our evangelists and sending a
request for prayer all the way to Luebo,
THE PRESBYTERIj
350 miles away; second, we count on
making It the base of operations for all
of the Mutoto supplies, the distance from
Lusambo to Mutoto being only half that
of Luebo to Mutoto; also the Lapsley
will be able to ply up and down the
Sankuru river the year round, whereas
it can only come to Laiebo, up the Lulua
river, during the rainy season. Thus
you see what a strategic point Lusambo
Is.
At the moment of your reading this,
God willing, Dr. Morrison will be at
Lusambo to pick out a site and to arrange
for its purchase. He will leave
for the United States immediately afterward,
stopping at Boma and Brussels
on his way, to push through the matter.
?v uoneve mat toe spirit ie leading;
other sites will be asked for in the near
future. Let God's people have this matter
in mind and pray faithfully for the
removal of all obstacles and the bearing
down of prejudice and opposition.
"Ask and it shall be given you." "It
is not by might, nor by power, but by
my Spirit, saith the Lord."
With the coming of new men we shall
be able to satisfy the demands of a
trfbe, hundreds of miles in the interior,
which, during three years has been
sending delegations to Luebo with the
pathetic request, "We are in the dark,
send the light."
With the eye of faith we can now see
in the Congo a second Uganda. "Not
unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto
thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and
for thy truth'B sake." Pa. 115:1.
Faithfully and fraternally yours,
W. M. Morrison, L.. A. De Yampert, Mrs.
L?. T. De Yampert, Motte Martin.
Mrs. Bessie S. Martin, W. B. Scott,
Mrs. R, B. Scott. A. L. Bdmiston,
Mrs. A. B. Edmiston, Miss Maria
Fearing, Robt. D. Bedinger, Geo.
T. McKee, Mrs. Elsie M. McKee, C.
L. Crane, Mrs. Louise D. Crane,
Thos. J. Arnold, Jr.
SELF-SUPPORTING MISSIONARIES
IN THE FIELD.
Paul, the great missionary, was such
an one. William Cary, the cobbler,
served the Lord by cobbling shoes to
pay expenses. Rev. W. E. Shlve's appeal,
In The Christian Observer, for a
colony of mTssIonarles on the field, is
an appeal worthy of careful and prayerful
consideration. Consecrated Christian
men and women, who are able to
(to, would find a great field of useful
ness.
Teachers, ministers, doctors, nurses,
Industrial workers farmers and many
others are sorely needed on the mission
field to-day. A Christian home
in these lands Is like an oasis In the
desert: like a lighthouse on the coast
of a dark sea, a center of light for those
who sit In darkness and in the shadow
of death. The need of workers and the
great variety of work offer an opportunity
and room for any who can go.
Who will go?
Sunday school teachers, personal
workers, ministers, teachers for day
schools, matrons In hospitals and
schools, business men, stenographers,
mechanical workers, and other forms
r\t wnrlrnwo
A few years ago the writer met a
missionary from Borneo. He said that
several years before Bishop Thoburn,
of India, had sent out a call for thirty
young men, who were willing to find
their support without any guarantee, to
go to the mission fields. The thirty
young men were found. This missionary
had made his support by teaching,
had married the daughter of a missionary,
and he and his wife were working
on the island of Borneo, In Sarawak,
NT. Borneo, where are found many of
the Dyaks, the savage head hunters.
A few years ago a refined Christian
*
k N OF THE SOUTH
woman left her home, and went at her
own charges to Korea. She has had a
very useful and blessed service In teaching
God'B word, the glorious Gospel, to
many poor ignorant heathen women.
Her home is vlBited almost; dally by
numbers of these women, who meet to
study the BTBTe^. She is their friend
and helper, and writes she never knew
what true joy was?until she entered
upon this life of service.
A young lady in Virginia said to her
parents they could support her on the
mission field for the same they did at
home, then why not have me for your
missionary? A sister writes that her
mother Is sending a son, a young business
man, to one of the most difficult
places in our African mission.
Some years ago a Kentucky business
man sold out his business and turned
the money over to the Mission Committee,
and to-day he is one of our most
useful and honored missionaries in
Plilna
A retired minister and his wife recently
went to spend their time In
Korea and do what they could for the
furtherance of the Gospel.
A mother went out with her daughter
and aside from being a help and blessing
to that household has found time to
teach the younger children of the missionaries,
and teach a class In English
to Borne who were anxious to learn
English and she mothers young and
old. What a great blessing It would be
to have more mothers on the field with
their experience and wisdom.
May God bless this call and may
there be a blessed response for the sake
of him who loved us and gave himself
for us.
"Thy people shall be willing In the
day of thy power. In the beauties of
holiness from the womb of the morning;
thou hast the dew of thy youth."
Psalms 110:3.
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord
6aying, Whom shall I send, and who
will go for us? Then said I, Here am
I; send me." Isaiah 6:8.
ORGANIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN
MISSIONS.
The Executive Committee of Foreign
Missions held an all-day meeting In
Nashville on Tuesday, June 11th. Nearly
every member was present, and the
organization was effected by electlrtg
Rev. James I. Vance, D. D? chairman;
Rev. L. E. McNalr, D. D.. and Mr. W. H.
Raymond vice-chairmen: Rev Plchor?
W. Smith, D. D., Secretary of the Corporation.
Two committees on further organization
were appointed to report on standing
committees, and what additional
offices should be created, and by whom
they should be filled. The committee
decided to create, first, the office of
Foreign Correspondence Secretary and
Editor, and elected Dr. S. H. Chester to
this office; second, the office of Educational
Secretary, and elected Dr. H. F.
Williams to this office; third, the office
of Treasurer. . We are not yet ready to
announce to the church our choice of
the man for this position.
According to this arrangement, Dr.
Chester will be the medium of communication
with our missionaries In the
mission fields, and in addition to this,
he will have the editorship of the magazines
and periodicals.
Dr. Williams will spend most of his
time in the field In educational work,
conducting missionary institutes, promoting
mission study, and delivering
iectures.
The standing committees are to be:
First. A Committee on Policies and
Methods, made up of the Chairmen of
all the Standing Committees, with the
chairman of the Executive Committee
as chairman.
Second. Business and Finance, with
(717) 17
Mr. W. H. Raymond as chairman.
Third. Literature and Education, with
Dr. L. E. McNalr as chairman.
Fourth. Candidates and Recruits,
with Dr. Chas. E. Diehl as chairman.
Fifth. Laymen's Missionary Movement,
with Dr. J. F. Cannon as chairman.
Sixth. Home Development and Administration,
with Mr. Rutherford Lapsley
as chairman.
In addition to this, there are special
committees on all our mission fields.
The Committee on Organization was
continued for a month, in order to determine
more accurately the duties pertaining
to the various offices.
The condition of our treasury is such
as to fill us with concern, and a strong
resolution was adopted, Instructing Dr.
Smith and Dr. Williams to take the field
at once, and use their utmost endeavors
toward raising funds. Dr. Chester
was also instructed by correspondence
and otherwise to do all in his power in
the same behalf.
Unless the church rallies to the support
of this cause, our debt, instead of
diminishing this year, will increase;
but we feel hopeful that the same deep
interest In this cause which has manifested
itself before will not slacken.
James I. Vance, Chairman.
ECCLESIAPHOBIA.
The rummies are Just now suffering
from an acute attack of eccleslaphobia.
They are seeing all kinds of dire things.
They are in mortal dread lest the
church is going to excite an influence
for the regenerating and moral uplifting
of our municipalities. They declare
it will be a dark day for a city
when the churches rule it. Why all
these forebodings? Simply this: The
Christian citizen has latterly been getting
into the political arena and has
dealt the saloon some heavy blows.
The saloon is being worsted in its combat
with the church. To the disordered
vision of these aqueous patriots no distinction
appears between the church aB
an organization and the Individuals as
an organzation and the individuals composing
its membership. No church organization
or denomination as such has
ever attempted to dominate a city nor
ever will. But the members of the
churches are citizens as well as churchmen.
As citizens, it is their rijjht, it i*"
their duty in every way open to them to
promote the general welfare. This they
are doing and will continue to do more
largely in the future. The liquor forces
have so long ruled our city governments
with an unquestioned sway that
they have arrogated to themselves the
absolute right to do so. The liquor
men are astonished beyond measure that
anyone should have the temerity to
question their right to rule.
And what, It may well be asked, Is
the character of the saloon rule ol
cities? Dives, gambling, stealing,
poverty and graft abroad; harlotry
open and unchecked; corrupt men In
power?these are some of the common
municipal experiences of saloon rule.
The saloonlsts and their abettors have
never been known either to clean up a
city of their own volition, or to attempt
It. Under their rule things go from bad
to worse until they become an abominable
stenoh and the decent citizens are
galvanized Into action. Then they only
make a show of reforming when a storm
of popular indignation bursts upon
them. The law and order elements of
our society have awakened and have
found In the ballot an effective weapon
against saloon evils and are using It to
the great detriment of the liquor traffic.
Hence these lachrymose and neurotic
conditions. Let the liquor Interests
cheer up. The Christian citizen Is In
politics to stay. There Is more an
worse coming for the liquor traffic.?
The American Issue.